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Author: Suzanne Fyhrie Parrott

Suzanne Fyhrie Parrott has over 30+ years (1981) advertising and graphic design experience, designing over 300 books (digital and print) through FirstStepsPublishing.com (@FirstStepPub (twitter)). The author of several step-by-step guides and tutorials she also provides free tips, videos, advice and tutorials on self-publishing on UnrulyGuides.com.
Daily Digest: Your Story’s Theme

Daily Digest: Your Story’s Theme

THEME. That elusive animal that many ignore, cannot describe, or don’t understand: until now. First, ask yourself: If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound. Or does it yell, “I am Groot!” and trash everything in sight? We know that within a story we have Characters and Plot. But there is a central element, a beacon in the night that is “Why” you are writing the story in the first place. That is THEME.

Daily Digest: How to Optimize your Amazon Author Pages

Daily Digest: How to Optimize your Amazon Author Pages

Most authors know that it’s critical to have a great Amazon book description and metadata, but most do not take the time to utilize their Amazon Author Page as a SALES TOOL. As you can see, your Amazon Author page allows you to add a lot of information about you, your site and your titles. Amazon allows you to add these types of items to your page: RSS feeds—such as those from your blog or Tumblr account Events, including speaking engagements…

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Daily Digest: How Much is Too Much Backstory?

Daily Digest: How Much is Too Much Backstory?

Readers want backstory information on characters and events. Having the right amount of backstory is tough, especially when you have so much great material to choose from. So, how much backstory should you include AND how do you effectively add it to the story? Backstory helps create complexity in your characters. [Like an iceberg], ninety percent of any given character … lies beneath the surface. —Megan Burkhart First, Let’s Look at the Pros and Cons of Backstory.