Audio, digital, physical and interactive: 4 ideas for publishing your child’s book
There’s something incredibly special about a young writer seeing their name on the cover of a published book. But once your child has written their story, another question appears: what’s the best way to publish it?
This article explores four exciting options for publishing your child’s book: physical books, ebooks, audiobooks, and interactive or activity books. But there is no single format that suits every young writer.
The article encourages parents to consider their child’s personality, the type of book they’ve written and what they hope to achieve. Most importantly, children should be involved in the decision. Publishing isn’t simply about producing a book. It can teach creativity, perseverance, communication, confidence and ownership, while giving young writers the extraordinary experience of saying: “I wrote that.”
How beta readers can help your manuscript before you hire an editor
You’ve finished your manuscript, revised it, reread it and reached the point where you’re simply too close to the story to see what isn’t working. That’s where beta readers can be invaluable.
This article explains how beta readers act as test readers for a near-finished manuscript, helping authors discover plot holes, pacing problems, confusing character motivations, weak openings and unsatisfying endings before investing in professional editing.
10 reasons your novel progress has stalled (and how to finally finish your book)
Every writer knows the feeling. You begin your novel full of excitement, only to hit a wall halfway through. Suddenly the words stop flowing, self-doubt creeps in, and finishing your book feels impossible.
In this article, I explore the 10 most common reasons writers get stuck, from perfectionism and imposter syndrome to the dreaded “messy middle,” shiny new ideas, lack of routine, plot problems, and research rabbit holes.
More importantly, I share practical strategies to overcome each obstacle and regain momentum so you can finish your book.
If your manuscript has been gathering dust, this guide will help you identify what’s really stopping you and give you the confidence to finally type those two magical words: The End.
4 Self-Publishing Options for Your First Book: Audio, Digital, Physical, and Interactive
In this practical guide, author, publisher and writing coach Tolulope Popoola explores the four main self-publishing formats available to today’s authors and explains the advantages and disadvantages of each. You’ll learn which formats offer the greatest reach, the highest royalties, the strongest credibility, and the best opportunities to grow your author brand.
The article also explains why you don’t need to publish every format at once, offering a simple publishing roadmap that helps new authors launch strategically without becoming overwhelmed. Whether you’re writing fiction, memoir, children’s books or business books, you’ll discover how to choose the publishing format that best serves your readers and your long-term goals.
The Legacy Project: Why your children and grandchildren need you to write your memoir
This article encourages parents, grandparents, and older adults to preserve their life stories as a lasting gift for future generations. It challenges the belief that only extraordinary lives are worth writing about, arguing that everyday experiences, family history, personal values, and lessons learned are often the most meaningful stories of all.
The article explores how memoir writing helps pass down family heritage, wisdom, resilience, and identity. It highlights research showing that children who know their family history tend to have stronger self-esteem and emotional resilience. Readers are encouraged to see their book as a legacy project that preserves their voice, experiences, and values for children and grandchildren.
7 Mistakes you’re making with a blank page (and how to fix them)
This article tackles one of the biggest challenges writers face: the dreaded blank page. The fear of the blank page is often caused not by a lack of ideas, but by habits and mindsets that sabotage progress before the writing even begins.
The article identifies seven common mistakes writers make. For each mistake, practical solutions are offered, such as embracing messy first drafts, focusing on progress over perfection, and trusting your natural voice.
The key message is simple: writing a book is not about brilliance or perfection. It’s about persistence, consistency, and showing up even when the page is blank. The only way to defeat the blank page is to start writing.
Memoir or Business Book? Helping professional women choose the right format for their story
This article helps professional women decide whether their story is best suited as a memoir, a business book, or a hybrid of both. It explains that a memoir focuses on personal transformation, emotional truth, and life experiences, while a business book is designed to teach, solve problems, and establish authority in a specific field.
For many women, the ideal solution is often a business memoir – a book that combines powerful personal stories with practical lessons and professional expertise. The article encourages aspiring authors to think carefully about their goals, audience, desired impact, and level of personal vulnerability before choosing a format.
It also addresses the common trap of overthinking and procrastination, reminding writers that clarity often emerges through the writing process itself. Ultimately, the message is simple: your story has value, and the most important step is to start writing.
Conflict: Why your characters need a “No” before they get a “Yes”
I’ve seen it happen so many times. A talented writer comes to me with a beautiful premise, lovely prose, and characters they clearly adore. But about thirty pages in, the story just… stalls. It feels like a car that’s run out of petrol on a flat road. There’s no momentum, no urgency, and honestly, no […]
Conversations: The secret to writing dialogue that flows instead of clunks
This article explores why writing natural, engaging dialogue is one of the hardest and most important skills in fiction writing. Great dialogue should feel realistic without copying real-life conversation word for word, which is often repetitive and dull.
The article explains common mistakes that make dialogue sound clunky. It also highlights the importance of subtext, rhythm, action beats, and reading dialogue aloud to improve flow.
The core lesson: dialogue should move the plot, reveal character, and create tension naturally.
Aspiring to Actual Writer: when you finally decide to start writing
This article explores the powerful moment when a writer moves from dreaming about writing to actually doing it. While imagining stories feels exciting and easy, the real transformation happens when you commit to the process and face the reality of writing a first draft.
It highlights the key mindset shift from “aspiring writer” to “active writer,” emphasising the importance of embracing imperfection, building discipline, and creating time intentionally.
Writing requires structure, consistency, and the willingness to push through resistance, especially during the difficult “messy middle” where many writers give up.
5 Editing Mistakes New Writers Make (and How to Avoid Them)
This article guides new writers through one of the most challenging stages of writing a book: editing. While many assume editing is just about fixing grammar and typos, it’s actually about refining the story, strengthening the writing, and improving clarity and flow.
It highlights five common mistakes writers make and how to avoid them.
It discusses the importance of completing a messy first draft before editing, trusting the reader, and using active, engaging language. It also explains why professional editing or coaching can elevate a manuscript from good to publishable.
The key message: editing is where your book truly comes to life.
How writing a book changes the way you see yourself
This article explores how writing a book is not just a creative achievement, but a powerful transformation of identity. Many people remain “aspiring writers,” held back by self-doubt and waiting for the right time. However, the moment they commit to writing, they begin shifting from wishing to doing.
Through the process of writing a book, individuals develop their unique voice, build resilience, and gain deep self-confidence. They learn to push through discomfort, overcome imposter syndrome, and see their life experiences as meaningful stories rather than setbacks.
Completing a manuscript proves something powerful: that they are capable of finishing something significant. This internal transformation often changes how others perceive them too, reinforcing their new identity as an author.
The core message: writing a book doesn’t just change what you create, it changes who you become.
The myth of the grind: why your best ideas happen when you’re not writing
This article challenges the popular “hustle culture” mindset in writing and argues that constant grinding is not the key to creative breakthroughs. While consistency and discipline matter, creative work doesn’t function like an assembly line. Forcing high word counts and working endlessly can lead to burnout, flat storytelling, and frustration.
The piece introduces the psychological concept of incubation, the idea that when writers step away from their manuscript, their subconscious continues solving story problems in the background. Many breakthroughs happen during low-effort activities like walking, cooking, or doing housework, and not while staring at a blinking cursor.
Why your author brand matters more than your book cover
You can have the most stunning book cover in your genre and still hear crickets. Your cover might stop the scroll, but your author brand is what makes someone click “buy,” leave a review, and pre-order your next release without reading the blurb.
In a crowded self-publishing world, talent isn’t enough. Visibility isn’t enough. Even a brilliant manuscript isn’t enough. Readers choose writers they know, trust, and feel connected to. If you’re pouring all your energy into your book and ignoring your brand, you’re building on shaky ground.
The question isn’t, “Is my cover good enough?” It’s: “Am I giving readers a reason to follow me beyond one book?”
If you’re serious about becoming an author and not just publishing a book, it’s time to build your brand on purpose.
Second Book Syndrome: How to write your next book after a successful debut
Your first book was published, readers loved it, and now you can’t seem to write the second one.
If that sounds familiar, you’re experiencing what many authors call Second Book Syndrome. The pressure of following a successful debut can leave even experienced writers questioning their talent, battling imposter syndrome, and comparing every new sentence to their polished, published work.
This article explores why the second book often feels so much harder than the first, from tighter deadlines and reader expectations to creative exhaustion and perfectionism. More importantly, it offers practical strategies to help you move forward with confidence.
The 30-day countdown: A stress-free marketing plan for your book launch
New article – You’ve written the book. The hard, lonely, soul-stretching part is done. And now it’s almost launch day, and suddenly everyone expects you to become a marketing expert overnight. If you’re staring at your calendar thinking, “I have no idea how to do this without burning out,” take a breath. You’re at the part no one warns you about.
A simple 30-day launch window works because it keeps momentum without overwhelming you. It gives you permission to show up imperfectly, talk about your book like a human, and build real connection instead of noise.
Why most writing advice ignores real-life constraints
Most writing advice for aspiring authors comes from a good place. But most of it was written by people who don’t have your own life. They don’t know about your demanding full-time job, your hectic business, your kids who need help with homework, or your ageing parent who needs care three evenings a week.
If you’re juggling a high-powered job or running a business and raising kids, your “free time” isn’t really free. You’re managing deadlines, clients, team issues, school runs, homework help, packed lunches, bedtime routines, and that invisible mental load that seems to follow you into every room.
So no, you’re not “lazy” or “undisciplined” if you’re not writing daily. You’re carrying a lot.
But I believe if you have a story inside you, you deserve the support to tell it – regardless of how busy, messy, or complicated your life might be.
Writing when you’re tired, not inspired
Too tired to write? That might be exactly when you should.
Some of the most honest writing I’ve done hasn’t come from inspiration or clarity. It’s come at the end of long days, when my brain was dull, my energy was low, and I didn’t have the strength to overthink.
The quiet truth: when you’re tired, your inner critic is tired too. That voice that nitpicks every sentence loosens its grip. You stop trying to be clever. You stop performing. And something raw, something real and true slips onto the page.
Waiting for perfect conditions is one of the fastest ways to stay stuck. Writing while tired isn’t laziness or lack of discipline. It’s often how work actually gets finished.
So if you’ve got ten quiet minutes tonight and a story that won’t leave you alone, don’t wait to feel inspired. Just write truthfully. That’s often more than enough.
Why most writers edit too early and sabotage momentum
Your first draft is not meant to be impressive, it’s meant to exist. Stories are discovered by moving forward, not by endlessly fixing what you already know. Every time you switch from writing to editing, you slam the brakes on your creative momentum. No wonder the story stalls.
The discipline required to write alongside a full-time job
Trying to write a book while working full-time can feel like living two lives and failing at both. One pays the bills, while the other keeps tapping you on the shoulder, whispering, “What about me?”
Writing alongside a full-time job isn’t about grand gestures or weekend retreats. It’s about showing up when you don’t feel like it. Choosing consistency over intensity. Progress over perfection. Words on the page over perfect prose in your head.