Guest appearances and interviews on publishing: self-publishing strategy, book launches, distribution, and what actually happens between finished manuscript and published book.
Book MarketingFree book marketing costs nothing but time. Author events, collaborations, blogs and podcasts, guest interviews, PR, email and social media all sell books, but not at the same rate per hour. What has sold my books, and what never did.
BusinessDonato Giancola turned down an Asimov's cover after the magazine's new owner sent a work-for-hire contract with free revisions, no original art and a fee-clawback NDA, all for a decades-old fee. Here's when work for hire is fair, and when…
Artificial IntelligenceAn author who uses AI for research and covers, but not her writing, complained about a festival's AI cover ban. The thread ended with a stranger calling her utterly disgusting. Here's where preference ends and cruelty begins.
Artificial IntelligenceWIRED reports that HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette staff use AI for publicity copy, back-cover text, emails to agents and cover art without telling authors, the same year publishers canceled books over suspected AI use. The tool isn't the…
Book MarketingAmazon is fighting bots that scrape its reviews, and real shoppers are getting caught: a handful of reviews, no one-star sort, and a days-long wait for access. Here's what that means for authors and their ARC readers.
Book MarketingWhen readers say they can't download your free BookFunnel book, the cause is usually a setup mistake, a lost file or someone fishing for a clean copy. Here's how to fix it, what BookFunnel costs in 2026, and how the…
Book MarketingA short book isn't a sad book. A novella of about 21,000 words prints to roughly 80 to 100 pages, and a paperback earns its keep at signings, in local shops and as a gift. Here's how to format, size…
BusinessA publisher offers a modest advance for worldwide, lifetime rights to books you already self-published. The advance is probably all you'll ever see, and getting the rights back can take 35 years. Here's when it makes sense, and what to…
Artificial IntelligenceA fan artist found her painting of two DC superheroes copied with AI. Here is what copyright protects in fan art, why a lawsuit rarely works, and how the thread turned on the one person who disagreed.
GhostwritingWhen a book uses real names, everyone who helped publish it can be sued, from the author to the ghostwriter to the publisher. Here is how the dead, the living and celebrity estates differ, and how to settle the risk…
Artificial IntelligenceA writer admitted his AI-assisted pen-name books outsold his own work, and a writing group told him he was no author, had no ethics and would have his name spread offline. Authorship belongs to whoever owns the book, whatever tools…
Book MarketingA Buy My Books flowchart works because it says the ask out loud and lets readers laugh with you. Here is mine, what has sold my books over the years, and how to build your own.
Professional ghostwriting for executives, founders, coaches, and authors who want to get the book done right. 113+ books authored. 54+ ghostwritten for clients.
Ready to discuss your book?
BOOK YOUR PRIVATE CONSULTATIONNo pitch. No pressure.
© 2026 Richard Lowe. The Writing King. All rights reserved.
