I know Tuesday is still the standard release day as far as the day of the week goes, but I'm curious what others have experienced when it comes to the time of year. I'm planning a spring release for my next book, but to be honest, that's more of a gut/vibe choice than a researched strategic decision. Haha. It's a summer-themed book, so I want it out before summer, ideally while school is still in session so I can squeeze in a few library and school events before the end of the school year. It's middle grade, so that factors into my thinking a bit. I've released books in December, March, and October, and I can't say I noticed much of a difference. I did have more physical preorders for my December release, but that was also my debut, and I put more effort into marketing it, so it's hard to draw any real conclusions. I'm curious what others have experienced.

I am writing an article about the different ways authors can fund a book project, including Kickstarter, Indiegogo, GoFundMe, BackerKit, preorders, sponsorships, and other creative approaches. I would especially love to hear from authors who have tried one of these methods, whether your campaign exceeded its goal, fell short, or landed somewhere in between. Every experience can offer a valuable lesson to another author considering this path. If you have crowdfunded or raised money for a book project, would you be willing to share: - Which platform or funding method did you use? - What type of book or project were you funding? - Did you reach your financial goal? - What rewards, preorder packages, or incentives did you offer? - How did you prepare your audience before launching? - What was the biggest surprise or challenge? - What do you wish you had known before you began? - Would you do it again? Why or why not? - What would you do differently next time? If your campaign page is still available, please include the link. I would also appreciate knowing whether I have your permission to quote you and identify you and your book in the article and a possible future author workbook. If you prefer, your experience can remain anonymous. You do not need to have run a wildly successful campaign to contribute. Honest stories about what worked, what did not, and what you learned may be the most useful examples of all. Please share your experience in the comments or send me a private message. I look forward to learning from you—and helping other authors make better-informed decisions about funding their books.

Every writer dreams of typing those two magical words: THE END. But getting there? That's another story! We all have our favorite distractions, guilty pleasures, and little daily rituals that somehow become MUCH more important the moment we sit down to write. Suddenly, organizing the pantry seems urgent. The laundry practically calls our name. And surely we should check social media just ONE more time... for research purposes, of course! 😉 So here's today's question for my fellow authors: If you had to give up ONE thing until your manuscript was finished, what would it be? 📱 Your phone? 💻 Social media? 📺 Netflix or your favorite TV shows? 🍫 Chocolate? ☕ Coffee? (Okay, let's not get carried away. We're trying to finish a book, not start a personal crisis!) 🤣 Or maybe there's something else you KNOW is stealing your writing time. BONUS QUESTION: What would be the absolute HARDEST thing for you to give up? Confession time! Tell us what you'd sacrifice for the sake of your manuscript. And remember, we're talking about finishing a book, not entering witness protection! Let's see who's willing to suffer for their art... and who's keeping the coffee no matter what!

Every rejection, every rewrite, every page you almost gave up on is part of becoming the author you want to be. Keep climbing. Your story isn’t finished.