If you are a non-fiction writer seeking the help of an editor, this post is worth a read:
field15.com/editing-expl...
#nonfiction #writing #editing

Space group hug after Commander Reid Wiseman names a lunar crater after his late wife, Carroll.

🧪 #ArtemisII

PLAY PINK FLOYD DARK SIDE OF THE MOON NASA YOU COWARDS

Don’t Write That Book Is a book really the right format for your idea? Join Tammy Coron to find out before you commit a year of your life to the wrong format.

Before you write that book, make sure it should be a book.

"Don’t Write That Book" is a free 45-min live session with author/editor Tammy Coron on evaluating nonfiction ideas early.

🎟️ 10 seats
📅 April 9, 11am EDT

👉 www.eventbrite.com/e/dont-write...

#nonfiction #writing #publishing

Free event. No ads. No sales pitch. Just a small group setting with an author, historian, and editor.

Perfect Pitch: Timing Your Book Pitch to Win Getting the book deal of your dreams isn’t just about knowing what to say, it’s about knowing when to say it and who to say it to.

📣 Complimentary online session w author and publishing insider, Don Hagist, on pitching your book idea. This Friday, Mar 20 from 11 am to 12 pm EDT.
www.eventbrite.com/e/perfect-pi...:

#nonfiction #writing #publishing #bookproposal

Book Proposals 101 Most authors never get to talk to a literary agent. You're about to talk to one who also cofounded a publishing house.

Free live session: Book Proposals 101
Fri, Mar 27, 11–11:40 am EDT
www.eventbrite.com/e/book-propo...

Hear directly from Anthony Arnove, agent & publisher, on what book proposals need to succeed today. Limited to 10 spots.

#writing #nonfiction #publishing

the birds are almost all gone, get yours now!

Events - field15 Join field15's virtual workshops and seminars designed for nonfiction writers. Intimate learning experiences with expert instructors—never more than 10 attendees. Collaborative learning on a human sca...

3 new free virtual events for non-fiction writers!

📚 Perfect your pitch, master proposals, and sharpen your book idea with industry pros and field15.

Browse events 👉 field15.com/events

#writers #nonfiction #books #publishing #proposals

Perfect Pitch: Timing Your Book Pitch to Win Getting the book deal of your dreams isn’t just about knowing what to say, it’s about knowing when to say it and who to say it to.

Free online session: Perfect Pitch with Don Hagist. Learn to craft non-fiction book proposals that spark interest from publishers.

🗓️ Fri, Mar 20, 11am–12 EDT, 10 spots

Small group, practical strategies + Q&A

🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/perfect-pi...

#nonfiction #writing #bookproposal

Should You Self-Publish? - field15 Writing a book? At some point you have to choose how to publish it. The old assumptions about self-publishing being a last resort and traditional publishing being the only path to credibility don't qu...

Is self-publishing right for your non-fiction book? My latest blog post will help you weigh the pros and cons:
field15.com/should-you-s...

#nonfiction #writing #publishing #selfpublishing

Analyzing the Competition - field15 Planning a nonfiction book? Don't open a blank document yet. A solid competitive analysis is one of the most persuasive parts of your proposal. It shows agents and publishers you understand the market...

Writing a non-fiction book? Don’t skip this step.

field15.com/analyzing-th...

Learn to analyze competing books so you can find gaps, clarify your angle, and make your proposal stronger before you start writing.

#author #writing #nonfiction #bookproposal #writingtips

Write English the Way You Write Code - field15 Software engineers produce some hideous prose. But you can fix your writing by applying the same principles you use for code: do one thing well, test by reading it out loud, don't repeat yourself, and...

"Here’s a little secret: getting your point across in as few, short words as possible shows that you care about the reader."
field15.com/write-englis...

#nonfiction #writing #writingtips #publishing

Once More, With Feeling - field15 "I still make things. I do the work correctly. I meet requirements. I genuinely care about the end result. But the environment no longer responds to care." Tammy Coron reflects on decades in tech publ...

This post is my favorite to date from field15. It's a thoughtful, personal reflection on the current state of the publishing industry by Tammy Coron.
field15.com/once-more-wi...

I’m curious to hear how others in publishing respond to it.

#publishing #nonfiction #writing #editing

First, because I am delinquent in posting cat pics, here's Bean having a bath. After that she will be sitting by the radiator.
#cats #Monday

Copyright and Copy Wrong - field15 Copyright law is confusing—and full of myths. From "mail yourself a sealed envelope" (useless) to "fair use will save you" (it won't), misinformation is everywhere. Join Andy Hunt, co-founder of The P...

You don’t worry about copyright until a question lands in your inbox. Join Andy Hunt, co-founder of The Pragmatic Bookshelf, bestselling author, for a 1‑hr session on copyright for authors, publishers & self-publishers. Learn what really matters.

field15.com/copyright-an...

#publishing #copyright

The Case for Complexity - field15 At 19, Margaret Eldridge wrote a college application essay arguing against simplification. The question was "Who is your hero?" Her answer: dumb question. Reality is complex, and stories that flatten ...

My latest blog post is about addressing complexity in your non-fiction writing.

field15.com/the-case-for...

#writing #nonfiction #complexity #publishing

Bean

Start Simple - field15 When teaching a complex programming language, Russ Olsen starts by lying. Not maliciously—but helpfully. He calls it the "Start Simple" technique: begin with a cartoon version of reality, let your lis...

3rd post in Russ Olsen's series on writing: field15.com/start-simple/

Start with a simplified version of reality and then circle back to add more layers until the picture is complete.

#writing #nonfiction #publishing #writingtips #explaining

Copyright and Copy Wrong | field15 Copyright and Copy Wrong: What Authors Actually Need to Know "Mail yourself a sealed envelope to prove copyright ownership." ❌ Useless. "No one will ever know if I use that image." ❌ They totally ...

Andy Hunt is giving a one-hour interactive session on copyright law on Feb 27.
field15.com/copyright-an...

Andy co-founded and ran PragProg for over twenty years, co-authored The Pragmatic Programmer, authored a dozen more books, and published many hundreds.

#copyright #publishing #nonfiction

From the Top - field15 Without a plan, your explanation ends up like abstract art—lovely perhaps, but less than informative. Russ Olsen breaks down two powerful structures for clearer communication: top-down (big picture fi...

Here's the second post in a series about writing from Russ Olsen:
field15.com/from-the-top

Thank you to Russ for the reminder of how much clarity we can gain by rethinking where we begin.

#nonfiction #writing #communication #technicalwriting #publishing

How to Break into Writing - field15 Breaking into writing used to mean finding a job at a newspaper. Now? You need to be a one-person media empire. Margaret Eldridge reflects on how the writing profession has evolved and why today's wri...

I started my career in writing and publishing 30 years ago. Here's a light-hearted take on what young writers face in comparison:

field15.com/how-to-break...

#writing #publishing #ai #socialmedia #humor #friday

Your Most Important Job - field15 "We have met the enemy and it's our own face we see staring back." In software and beyond, the real bottleneck isn't technology—it's our ability to explain what we know. Russ Olsen makes the case that...

Long-time author Russ Olsen is sharing a series of 4 guest posts on the field15 blog about non-fiction writing. The first is about your most important job: explaining. Stay tuned for more wisdom.

field15.com/your-most-im...

#writing #nonfiction #publishing #insight

Pitching Your Idea to a Publisher - field15 Publishing can feel opaque and intimidating—especially at the proposal stage. Margaret Eldridge draws on her years in tech publishing to share what editors actually look for, how to research the compe...

A post about pitching a non-fiction book proposal. Enjoy!

field15.com/pitching-you...

#publishing #books #proposal #writing #authors

Curiosity, Critical Reading, and Learning to Question Everything - field15 Critical thinking isn't about "just asking questions"—it's about nurturing genuine curiosity. Editor Adaobi Obi Tulton explores how asking purposeful questions (Who says this? What proof supports it? ...

Not nosy. Curious.

Adaobi Obi Tulton brings decades of editorial expertise at top publishers like Wiley and Hachette to her exploration of curiosity and critical reading in this post: field15.com/curiosity-cr...
#criticalthinking #medialiteracy #reading #writing #lifelonglearning

Shape, Strengthen, Shine - field15 Weak verbs drain energy from your nonfiction. Strong verbs bring it to life. Margaret Eldridge shares a multi-pass editing technique to replace passive, abstract verb phrases with active, observable v...

New blog post. I think I finally nailed a title, subtitle combo that works well w/ this layout.
Your turn: use strong verbs. Make your voice heard.

field15.com/shape-streng...

#writing #nonfiction #publishing #revision #verbs

While independent bookstores are giving out free whistles, hosting protest sign making events, and donating proceeds to mutual aid, Amazon is *checks notes* providing technology that assists ICE in their terrorizing of communities.

Independent bookstores deserve your support. Amazon does not.

Your Book as a Product - field15 Thinking of your book as a product may seem cold, but it's essential for success. Historian Don Hagist explains how studying comparable books helps you identify the right publishers, set realistic par...

Guest post live on field15 from Don Hagist, American Revolution historian, book author, editor, and advisor for Ken Burns' The American Revolution on PBS.
field15.com/your-book-as...

#americanrevolution #historywriting #nonfiction #pbs

Collaborative Learning on a Human Scale - field15 Join Dave Rankin for a free 30-minute seminar on field15's new virtual learning series for nonfiction writers. Learn how to become a speaker, discover the compensation model, and find out what makes o...

Working with field15, creating online events for nonfiction writers, editors, and publishers. We would love you to attend and give feedback. Two free February sessions:

field15.com/collaborativ...

field15.com/writing-a-wi...

#nonfiction #writing #publishing

From Paine to AI: The Quest for Trust - field15 From Walter Cronkite to AI hallucinations—how did we get here? Explore the evolution of public trust in information, from Thomas Paine's partisan pamphlets to today's overwhelming content landscape. L...

My latest blog post is live on field15. This January marks the 250th anniversary of Thomas Paine's Common Sense. Good moment to ponder ideas like trust, persuasion, and how we got here.
field15.com/from-paine-t...

#nonfiction #writinglife #trust