Shopping for the Perfect Book for Your Mother on Her Special Day

In the United States, the second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day. This is a special time to celebrate the maternal figures in your life. We all know the value of the women in our lives, and they deserve to be celebrated. Women’s work can go uncelebrated the rest of the year, so this is an important day of recognition.

The history of Mother’s Day goes back to the 19th century. Anna Jarvis is considered the founder of Mother’s Day, honoring the activism of her mother, Ann Jarvis. Anna’s mother advocated for a day celebrating mothers, and after her death, Anna made that a reality. The first Mother’s Day was celebrated on May 10, 1908, at a church service in West Virginia. President Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday six years later. Some countries celebrate mothers on different days, but most are in May.

On Mother’s Day, you should give any maternal figure in your life a gift they deserve. If your mother (or grandmother, aunt, etc.) likes to read, you can get them a book for Mother’s Day. This article will look at what makes for a good Mother’s Day book.

Specific Genres

The first factor you should consider is the genre of the book you buy the women in your life. If you know genres they tend to like, that is a great start. You can go to your local bookstore and browse that genre. There are seemingly endless books available, so you might be overwhelmed with options. You can look at the bestsellers first to see what is most popular, then start looking at other books. If a book catches your eye, read the blurb.

Going to an in-person store, as opposed to an online retailer, gives you the chance to see the available titles. Physically holding the books can make the selection more personal. However, you can always shop online to have even more options. You can search specific subgenres or themes to tailor your book hunt.

For some book ideas, you can browse Cloverly’s catalog of recently published books for inspiration. Our catalog has books of every genre — there’s bound to be something that your mother will love.

Favorite Authors

If you know what authors your mother is a fan of, that is another great starting point. When people like an author’s writing style, they will likely want to read more from them. You can keep up to date with their new releases and keep those in the back of your mind. Some authors publish new books regularly, others take their time.

You might be unsure if your mother already purchased the author’s latest book. You can either ask her directly or look at her bookshelf. If you want to take a chance, you can simply include a gift receipt with your gift. That will allow her to return the book if she already has it and buy another that she wants.

Branching Out

You might not know some of your mother’s favorite authors or genres (or she likes everything). If so, you can get more creative with your search. Instead, you can search for books that she might not have otherwise found. You can find these by browsing bookshelves and looking for something that catches your eye. Doing this can introduce a new genre or author to your mother.

When searching for new types of books, there are a few considerations you can keep in mind. First, look at the length. You probably do not want to give a book that is overly long if it is new to her. Ease her into the genre or author with short- to medium-length books, if possible. That makes her time commitment lesser than a long opus.

Second, assess the content of the book. When giving your mother a book, you likely do not want it to be salacious. Every family dynamic is different, but that can make for some awkward conversations.

Finally, consider if the book would be a way for her to connect with others. This can mean the book is a bestseller, popular with book clubs, or relevant to a group she is in. Literature is a powerful tool of connection, and you can foster that through your Mother’s Day gift.

Upcoming Life Events

You can also look for a book that relates to any upcoming life events in your mother’s life. For example, if she has a trip planned, you can give her a book about that location. This is a thoughtful gesture that will increase her excitement for her upcoming adventure.

Whatever book you decide to give any woman in your life on Mother’s Day, make sure it has meaning. The thought is what counts.

The Importance of Creating a Well-Established Setting in Your Book

Every good story is rooted in a strong setting. Put simply, a book’s setting is the time and place in which it is set. All books, regardless of genre, use their setting to immerse the reader in any given literary world. Some books’ settings have become famous and recognizable to audiences all over the world.

Before you begin writing your first draft, you should put real thought and consideration into your book’s setting. The more effort you put into every part of your book, the more your readers are drawn in. This article will review some of the factors you should consider when building the world for your book.

Location

The first part of building a setting is establishing the physical location of the story. When readers are reading your book, they will want to know what to imagine. This can help readers picture the characters in the world you are establishing.These characters can interact with the physical setting, or it can just provide a casual backdrop.

You should always go into your drafting process knowing where your story takes place. This allows readers to visualize the story. Even when the physical location is not the most important, it makes the reading process smoother. The story should be the reader’s focus, not wondering where it is set.

If you are creating an outline before drafting, this is a great place to include all your setting’s details. Depending on the story you are telling, you can even describe different locations in your story. What you outline does not have to be written in the book, but it helps inform your writing process. For example, if one of your settings is a house, you can write actions that fit the physical location. This will ensure that everything logically makes sense.

Time

The second part of a setting is the time (or times) the story takes place in. If you do not specify a time frame, the reader will likely assume the story takes place in modern day. Sometimes, authors can include subtle details that indicate the time period without explicitly saying so. However, it is often most helpful to indicate when a story takes place in a different time. This is most helpful when the book covers many years or generations.

Knowing the time period of your book is one of the most crucial parts of writing a book. Even if the exact date does not make a difference for the story, you should know it. This will inform your writing and ensure that every character acts in time-appropriate ways.

Including the time period in the outline can be as simple as putting the year in a heading. That will be an easy reference to make sure you never forget when your book takes place. Having characters not act in time-appropriate ways is the quickest way to confuse an audience.

Historical Stories

When writing a book inspired by historical events provides a clear roadmap for your book. Using historical events as a backdrop for literature gives you the chance to do research and write from that. Both historical scholars and the general public will recognize the work you put into researching your book.

You can use real-life photographs or older drawings to help write action that takes place in specific locations. It can also give you inspiration seeing the locations you are writing about. Accurately writing about the time period you are writing about is just as important. Make sure your characters’ motivations and dialogue fit the time period (unless you are being intentionally anachronistic).

Personal Stories

You can also write a book personal to you or inspired by events you have firsthand knowledge of. When writing these stories, you know the setting better than anybody. The lesson is simple: write what you know. If you are writing about a difficult time in your life, your writing will be personal no matter what.

Having a clearly defined setting helps the reader understand your lived experience. Readers do not know the physical locations of your life like you do. Convey this through your writing; let them into your world. This goes for the time period as well; make sure the reader knows when your story happened.

When you publish with Cloverly Publishing, your book is in safe hands. Our team of professional editors will go through your book line by line to make sure it is crystal clear.

An Overview of the Formats Available for Your Book

After the months-long, or maybe years-long, publishing process, it is time for your book to hit the shelves. You know everything about your book, from the cover art to the very last page. It has all been meticulously crafted to be the book of your dreams. The only thing left is to actually get your book on the market.

When everything is finalized and ready for publication, your book could be available in several formats. Each format has its purpose for your book’s future. The basic formats most books are available in are paperback, hardcover, digital, and audiobook. This article will briefly discuss these formats and how each can help your book reach its full potential.

Trade Paperback

The most popular type of book format is paperback. Paperback books, also known as softcover, are books that have covers that are not rigid. As opposed to hardcovers, which are discussed later, paperback books are relatively inexpensive to produce. Therefore, your book can sell for a lower, more accessible cost to your audience.

In particular, trade paperbacks are the most common type of paperback. These are what you will likely see on any bookseller’s bestseller or new release sections. They measure approximately 5.5” x 8.5” or 6” x 9”. Because of their soft cover, these books can be brought anywhere.

Nearly every book is published in trade paperback either immediately or shortly after it is released. When you publish your book with Cloverly Publishing, your book will always be available in trade paperback.

Mass Market Paperback

The other type of paperback book is a mass market paperback. While they share many traits with traditional trade paperbacks, mass market paperbacks have some differences. Most notably, mass market paperback books are smaller than other paperbacks, usually about 4” x 7”. This results in the book having a smaller typeset that squeezes the words on each page. The words do not have the same physical space to breathe as other formats.

Mass market paperbacks are released because they are even more affordable than trade paperbacks. The focus is on economy over style, so the book is often barebones. Getting audiences the text at an affordable price is the focus of these books more than anything else.

Some genres are more likely to be released in mass market paperback than others. These genres include romance, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery. These books are cheap to print, the most financially accessible, and easy to bring around everywhere. Readers do not have to worry about books showing their wear and tear when it costs only a few dollars.

Hardcover

Hardcover books are identifiable by their rigid binding. While less transportable than paperback books, hardcovers are generally more durable. They can also be more visually appealing because they will last longer. Many hardcover books come with a dust jacket, which is a sleeve that goes around the front and back covers. This keeps the books itself protected from damage.

Some books are only available as hardcover when they are first released. Due to the higher production costs and subsequent higher retail cost, this can be inaccessible to some readers. Readers might opt to wait for a paperback release, borrow from a library, or buy them used.

At Cloverly Publishing, you can request to have the opportunity to sell your book in hardcover. While most readers prefer paperback for affordability and accessibility, others prefer the aesthetics of hardcover binding. These are significantly more expensive to produce, so the price will reflect the higher production cost.

Digital

Another option to release your book is by releasing a digital eBook. This will be a digital version of your text, the same as your physical book. Readers can purchase these through any major retailers, just as they can with any other book. These are often read on eReader devices, such as Nooks, Kindles, or iPads.

These are the cheapest books to produce, as no actual printing or binding is needed. Therefore, your direct-to-pocket profit from digital sales is the greatest. Readers will be able to get the same content at a much lower cost. Cloverly Publishing will always make your eBook available for digital purchase.

Audiobook

The final format your book could be available in is as an audiobook. These are completely narrated recordings of your book released for your audience to listen to. Audiobooks are an increasingly popular format, and releasing your audiobook will introduce you to a whole new audience.

Creating an audiobook does carry some costs. To create a high-quality audiobook, you will need to hire a professional narrator to record every line in your book. Then, your audiobook has to be technically produced by professional audio engineers. The end result is something truly special. The price that listeners will pay for your audiobook reflects the work put into it.

Cloverly offers the opportunity to turn your book into an audiobook. Our seasoned professionals will guide you through the entire audiobook production process.

A Look at Writing Anthologies and Collaborations

Some people may think that writing is exclusively a solitary activity. That may be true for some people, but everyone has their own processes that work best for them. Even writing a solo book can be a collaborative process when you have others guide your writing journey.

Instead of publishing alone, you can publish a book that is an anthology or collaboration. These are especially beneficial when you are better at writing short pieces.

An anthology is a collection of separate, but often thematically connected, pieces of writing. This can be poetry, essays, short stories, or anything else you can think of. In an anthology, you work separately to create individual texts that are then put together in a book. Each author’s output is individual to create a collective whole.

A collaboration is when you work with other people to create one singular work. Each author’s workload may be different, but they create a finished book. Instead of a finished product that is various pieces of a puzzle, collaborations are like a painting. The entire process yields a unified project.

Working with others to publish a book is immensely helpful for many people. This article will outline some of the perks and benefits of publishing anthologies and collaborations.

Work with Family, Friends, or Colleagues

The most obvious perk is that you get a chance to work with others. This is simply a better creative process for some people. You can work with family, friends, or colleagues to create a work that you are all proud of. Having people you trust to co-write a book with you can strengthen your bond even more. The process may go so smoothly that you want to have continued collaborations with your co-authors.

For example, you can create an anthology of stories about your family with different parts written by your relatives. Or, you can create a definitive family history working with them.

Make a Longer Book

Some authors write better in small doses, like short stories or poetry. When the material does not warrant a full-length text, it is best to not fill it with fluff. Instead of publishing a short book, adding other authors’ writing as an anthology is a good option. Doing so results in a heftier book with more content for the reader. Your book can be nearly any length, but publishing a longer book can be more cost-efficient.

Reach Multiple Audiences

When you write with others, you access their entire network. This can be mutually beneficial and build both your audience and your co-authors’ audiences. If one of you has a bigger following than the other, that is great exposure for the other. Readers are always looking for new books to read; working with established authors can allow for crossover in readership.

When both or all of the writers have smaller pre-existing audiences, this can help everyone. You and your co-authors may even gain a following as a partnership.

Get Varied Perspectives and Tell Different Stories

All books that are written by one author contain writing from a single perspective. That is not necessarily a bad thing, and it can help build an author’s identity. However, when writing with other authors, you create a book with multiple perspectives for readers to grasp. This applies to books of all kinds. 

When you write with others, whether an anthology or collaboration, you can tell different stories. Diversity of thought is always a benefit to you during your writing process and your readers looking for new ideas.

Help with Technicalities of Publishing

On a more practical level, publishing with others makes the process easier. The publishing process takes a long time, often months, and often includes some cost. Having a co-author or co-authors to help you during this process makes it go smoother, more technically and financially. Your manuscript will go through rounds of editing, and having others working with you can make the strongest book possible. Their input will be invaluable from the start of the process to when you are marketing and publicizing your book.

Using Social Media to Expand Your Readership

More people of all ages are using social media now than ever before. Not only are most Americans on social media, most people check social media at least once a day.

As more social media platforms enter the market, people increasingly rely on social media for all parts of their lives. One area that social media has boosted is marketing, especially for the publishing industry. Communities have formed online to support off-line reading habits.

When marketing your book, you can use social media to you advantage. There are many advantages to using social media, but be careful not to misuse it for promotion. This article will provide a brief overview of how to use social media to promote your book.

Overview of Platforms

There are seemingly countless social media platforms or websites, with more likely on the way. Each platform has its benefits for promotion to its specific audience. No two social media websites are the same and each focuses on some combination or text, pictures, and video. Many websites have evolved since they were founded to incorporate elements from others, causing crossover in the type of content.

The most popular social media platforms in the United States are YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, Reddit, Snapchat, X (formerly known as Twitter), Threads, Bluesky, and Truth Social.

Text-Based Social Media

All social media includes some text, but some are more text-centric than others. Some platforms heavily featuring text-based content are Facebook, WhatsApp, Reddit, X, Threads, Bluesky, and Truth Social. These are best at curating meaningful and wide-reaching discussions to friends and strangers alike. You can also send direct messages to users on any platform.

On Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, and Truth Social, people can write anything to share with their social network. WhatsApp is primarily known as a messaging service, but people can also use it to share with large groups. Reddit is an online forum in which people can ask questions and discuss any topic.

Image- and Video-Based Social Media

Much social media includes some visual content; it is the prominence of images or videos that varies. The visuality of social media has become more prominent in recent years.

Facebook and Instagram were one of the first social media platforms designed to share photos with your community. Snapchat is an app where people can send photos or videos to one another that disappear after a limited time. TikTok is a video-based platform where users scroll through a feed full of short videos. On TikTok, there are large communities of people who share their love of reading, forming a community known as BookTok. On other platforms, users can typically post or share photos or videos with their network.

Personal vs. Professional Accounts

There are two types of social media accounts: personal and professional. Personal accounts for for individual people to share with their network. Professional or business accounts are a person or organizations account to support their professional endeavors.

As a person living in the modern world, you likely already have a social media account. During your book’s marketing, you can use your personal account to promote your book. This can reach those you know in your personal life. You can use a separate professional account to build a community of followers. As such, your professional account can form a “fan club” for your readers.

Promotion and Word of Mouth

The content you post on any social media platform is up to you. Most authors find it useful to post any promotional material to introduce your book to the public. This can include video trailers, art work or illustrations, or any promotion you do for the book.

At Cloverly Publishing, we help kickstart your social media marketing by posting about your book upon release. This helps at the most integral part of a book release: launch. We can even create a video teaser to announce your book’s release.

With this material on social media, others will learn about your book who might not otherwise see it. When people read your book, they can share it with others to spread word of mouth. Your audience has no limit when you promote your book on social media.

While promoting your book on social media, you can even join groups focused on writing or including fellow authors. This further builds your literary community and introduces new people to your writing.

Using Foreshadowing and Plot Twists to Add Intrigue to Your Book

Every author tells their story in their unique writing style. No two authors write the same way. In the same vein, no two readers look for the same content in their books. It is not up to authors to tailor their work to every audience. But, authors can consider including elements of writing that make their work more generally engaging to a wide audience.

Using foreshadowing and plot twists in your writing is a powerful way to hook audiences into your book. When readers are satisfied with one of your books, they are more likely to come back for your future endeavors. This article will provide an overview on foreshadowing and plot twists in literature and how to use them.

What are Foreshadowing and Plot Twists?

Foreshadowing and plot twists are two separate literary concepts that overlap in many ways. At their cores, these two literary devices affect readers’ expectations, engagement, and enjoyment of the text. These add an element of intrigue and forward momentum of any book’s underlying narrative.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which future plot developments or reveals are hinted at earlier in the narrative. This does not refer to something that is explicitly said earlier in the text that comes back later on. That is just delayed plot progression. What differentiates foreshadowing is that it implies a potential for the development in the future without saying it outright.

Plot Twists

Plot twists are when there is a sudden, surprising shift or reveal in the narrative. These turns in the plot are unexpected based on what has previously been revealed. However, these plot twists should not be based on intentional lies or change what was already written. The text should support these twists without contradicting itself, often explaining past events with added context. Readers often remember notable plot twists, which can become part of a book’s historical reputation.

Genre Considerations

Foreshadowing and plot twists can be used in any genre. It is more natural for a fictional story to use literary devices like this, but non-fiction can too.

Many people may associate foreshadowing and plot twists with mystery or thriller novels. This can be in the context of revealing a criminal’s identity or solving a crime. These genres do use these devices often, but others can as well. These make books more noteworthy and audience friendly for readers looking for twists and turns. 

Foreshadowing is especially useful in every genre. It gives the author more freedom to plant the seeds of a future plot development. Foreshadowing can also be added into future drafts of a manuscript to clarify the text based on feedback. Since this only hints at future changes, the author has liberty to control when and how much foreshadowing there is.

Plot twists can be used for comedic effect, emotional resonance, or just a surprise reveal to the reader. Often, foreshadowing hints at a plot twist, but foreshadowing can also standalone and hint at other natural plot developments. Plot twists can be narratively justified either before or after the reveal. When it is before, that is where foreshadowing is most important. When it is after, the author will likely reveal new information to the reader.

Setting Up Future Plot Developments

The key to all plot developments, but especially foreshadowing and plot twists, is to lay the groundwork. If choosing to explain a plot twist after it is revealed, that should be done shortly after. The goal is for a reader to be pleasantly surprised, not confused and frustrated. Always plot out every important plot element in advance to ensure clarity and narrative cohesion.

Outline

Creating an outline before writing is always recommended. This allows authors to create a clear road map for their story. With a basic outline, authors are able to move things around, add details, or completely restructure their book. With an outline, you will be able to add details for foreshadowing and track the logical flow of any twists. Having this completed before writing a first draft will help you write a successful book.

Revisions

After your first draft is finished comes the editing and revision process. This is the final opportunity to make sure your book makes sense before it is published. This is also when your book will often receive its first professional feedback from editors. After reading your finished draft, editors will be able to guide you on any points that need clarification. You might even notice these opportunities for improvement yourself. Nothing is final until it is published, so use the publishing process to your advantage.

Final Payoff

Putting effort and care into the plot developments in your book will be a benefit to your writing. You will have a more narratively clear book, and readers will not be left confused by the narrative. The more thought and work you put into your book, the more proud of it you will be.

Tailoring Copy Editing to the Nuances of Different Genres

Copy editing is the backbone of the publishing industry. No matter how well written your book is, there are almost certainly going to be ways to improve it. There are always going to be minor adjustments. This is not an indictment on your writing; it is a natural part of the process.

Instead of focusing on the thematic content of your book, copy editing focuses on how your book is written. Grammar and clarity are two core components of copy editing. Good copy editors’ work is rarely noticed because the final text will read smoothly. Bad copy editing, on the other hand, is immediately noticeable—typos, poor grammar, confusing structure, etc.

Within the world of copy editing, there are additional nuances. Copy editors often tailor their work to the genre they are editing, sometimes split between fiction and non-fiction. Even within these categories there are considerations to take into account.

As an author, you will likely have an outside copy editor review your writing. While the author’s writing style can take precedence over formal copy editing, it is important that they work together. This article will detail some considerations your copy editor will consider when reviewing your manuscript.

Tone

Every book has a tone that makes it unique and appropriate to its genre. When copy editing, an editor will always take the work’s tone into account in order to assess the content.

Fiction books can cover a wide range of genres. However, in general, the goal of a fiction book is to be readable and not overly complicated. After all, the intention of most fiction books is to entertain. While some fiction books are more formal, most modern fictions are less formal. This leaves more flexibility with the language, structure, and content. Not every detail must be completely neutral. There is room for experimentation and defying conventions. More lyrical subsets of fiction (for example, poetry) have even more leniency and artistic freedom.

Non-fiction books, on the other hand, tend to have a more serious tone. The intention of non-fiction is often to educate or share facts. There are exceptions, of course, but there is usually less freedom for defying conventions. Copy editors will make sure non-fiction books clearly convey the information they are presenting.

Dialogue and Characters

While some may associate “characters” only with fiction books, non-fiction books also can follow people who are the story’s “characters.” These characters are just real people. Copy editors tailor their work to this difference.

When writing about fictional characters, there is more room for imagination. A copy editor could be less strict about quoted material versus inferred content or thoughts. Fiction provides both the author and copy editor to fine-tune the material to focus on readability.

Non-fiction characters are often real people whose story is being told. Therefore, there is less room for creative liberties in most non-fiction books. The author always guides the characterizations in their book, but the copy editor polishes it.

What’s the Same?

Despite there being differences in copy editing styles for different books, there are also plenty of industry standards. The main aspects of copy editing that are nearly universal for all books are grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. These are the backbones of basic copy editing.

Some authors may specifically write with a looser style of writing with intentional grammatically incorrect prose. As long as that is discussed with the copy editor, that is fine. The crucial element a copy editor looks for in that case is consistency. They always want the author’s unique “rules” to be applied the same throughout the text. It is more likely that a fiction author would have a unique style than a non-fiction writer.

By ensuring consistency across your book, a good copy editor makes your book as readable as possible. For generally correct grammar, readers should be able to read a text with no issues. For special cases, once a reader understands the rules of the book, they should be able to follow along. Inconsistencies and errors along the way confuse readers and distract from the story.

At Cloverly Publishing, we offer full-service copy editing services for your book using the Chicago Manual of Style. Our team of professional copy editors will review your text to make sure it is ready for publication. All suggestions our editors make are that: suggestions. You always have the final approval over any changes to your text. We always use real humans—not artificial intelligence—to make sure your book has the human touch.

The Dangers of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Publishing

In today’s digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is unavoidable. People use AI across fields and disciplines, as well in their everyday personal life. Some people use it every day, others have never touched it. There are different types of AI used for these different purposes. However, when it comes to creative endeavors, caution should be taken to make sure AI never replaces human creativity.

This article will highlight why AI should never replace human creativity and how publishers can lead this charge.

Generative vs. Non-Generative AI

As mentioned, there are different kinds of AI used for different purposes. The two general classifications can be boiled down to generative AI and traditional AI. Generative AI is when a computer program creates new text, images, videos, or other content traditionally reserved to human imagination. By creating new content, generative AI makes creative decisions based on its programming in response to a user-entered prompt.

Traditional AI (or non-generative, general AI) is typically used to analyze and contextualize pre-existing data. This is commonly used in more technical or complicated areas with a lot of data to process. This can save hours of extraneous work for people in these fields and is often not a replacement for creativity.

Within these categories, there are nuances. At the end of the day, the inherent role of AI is to replace human work and labors of all kinds. It is the type and amount of work that is most affected.

AI Cannot Replace Creativity

Despite the fact that people can use generative AI for writing, does that mean they should? The answer, of course, depends on individual writers. By and large, AI replaces the creative role of an author. However, nothing can replace an author’s thoughts.

If you use AI to write a book, at what point is the book truly yours? To use generative AI, one has to write a prompt for the computer to process and produce text. That prompt, of course, is written by a human, but the output is from a computer. That diminishes the author’s control and ownership of the material.

While AI software has become more refined over the past few years, many people can still tell when it’s used. For many, that is offputting. AI-generated illustrations, in particular, are often subjected to increased scrutiny. It could also yield information that is false, misleading, or nonexistent. The only way to make sure your book is yours is to write it yourself.

If you want to use AI to help your writing process, you should use it minimally to help guide you. You should never let it replace the actual writing of your book. It can be helpful to suggest a basic structure or outline, but not much more than that. If you choose to use AI, make sure you review it for accuracy, content, and format.

Publishers Should Not Use Substantial AI

No matter if or how much AI is used in a book, publishers must always monitor its use. AI is the easy way out of doing work in the publishing industry. It also often creates subpar material, or “AI slop.” Publishers do not want to be associated with that—it diminishes the brand’s reputation. This includes AI-produced text, illustrations, or marketing material. Non-generative AI can be a helpful tool for basic copyediting, but it needs to be reviewed and approved.

At Cloverly Publishing, we encourage human creativity among our authors and publishing team. When you submit your manuscript with Cloverly, we make sure it gets reviewed by a real human. Once it is approved for publication, you will always work with real people. All of our manuscripts are edited by professional copy editors. We also work with a team of illustrators to hand-craft your cover art and any in-book illustrations. Our team of press release writers handwrite a press release to share your artistic intent with the public. All of our books have a human touch from start to finish.

As an author, you have final say over every aspect of your book. You must approve everything our team produces and suggests. No one knows your work better than you, and you will always work with real people at Cloverly.

How to Embrace Constructive Feedback

Nobody ever wants to hear when somebody doesn’t like their work. That is natural. However, instead of fighting back against any and all criticism, you should embrace others’ reactions to your work. This article briefly summarizes the potential benefits and practical uses of criticism at every stage of the publishing process.

Getting the Truth from Friends and Family

On an interpersonal level, you should never shy away from feedback on your work. If you have friends and family who are comfortable enough with you to share honest feedback, that’s great! It means your relationship is close enough where you can use their honesty to grow as a person and as a writer.

Receiving detailed and sincere criticism from people in your life gives you invaluable insight into your relationships. Some people cannot receive any negative feedback on their work because they are insecure. When you are able to accept other people’s opinions, that is a sign that you are confident in yourself.

Understanding Your Own Work Better

After spending weeks, months, or years of your life writing a book, it becomes an extension of you. You know your book’s ins and outs, the characters, the structure, the themes. But, when a fresh set of eyes read your book, they are starting it without the insider knowledge you have. 

When your readers give you their feedback, critical or positive, it can open your eyes how others see it. This allows you to understand how others may view your work. Sometimes, what writers envision in their mind is hard to translate to the page. Other’s reactions to your work can help you see where you fell short.

Adjusting Your Approach to Future Writing

All the feedback you receive can help you in any stage of writing. When you share an early draft of your work with trusted confidants, you can directly adjust that work. You can incorporate suggestions from personal friends and professional editors along the way. This will probably make this specific work stronger and more approachable for general audiences.

If your book is already published, however, you can likely not make significant changes to the text. The only situation where you can make changes would be in a new edition of your already-published work. Even then, you shouldn’t make too many changes that alter the meaning of your book. Therefore, you can use the feedback you receive from this book to inform your future writing. Whether covering similar topics or themes or venturing into new avenues, you can incorporate feedback into future works. Gaining an understanding of what aspects of your writing doesn’t connect with readers is invaluable to development as a writer.

Teaching You Valuable Lessons About the Writing Process

Aside from solely teaching you about your own skills and potential limitations, embracing criticism teaches you about writing. The writing process is a uniquely creative endeavor that can only be strengthened by continued practice. Understanding the ongoing process of writing through criticism will allow you to understand the entire industry. It can also allow you to respect other authors who have gone through the same process as you.

People Have Different Tastes

At the end of the day, never shy away from criticism your writing may face. Always keep in mind that just because you may receive criticism, that does mean your work is bad. Everybody has different tastes, and no two people will like the same exact books. When someone criticizes your writing, that is their opinion. What matters most is what you think of your writing. You can take criticism into account, but never lose sight of your book as your creative product. Never let the opinions of others deter you from pursuing your passion.

The Emotional and Neurological Benefits of Reading

What draws you to reading? When you are reading, do you feel at ease? Do you like reading after a long day of work or before bed to wind down for the day? If so, you are not alone. 

Scientific studies have proven that reading empirically improves one’s mental health. Mental health providers can even use bibliotherapy, mindful reading often guided by a therapist, in their treatment and support. While this is rarely the only form of mental health treatment, reading’s power on the mind is noteworthy.

More generally speaking, reading just makes people feel good, using their brains to their full potential. This article will briefly run down some of the emotional well-being that reading boosts.

Stress Relief

Reading books is a classic way to unwind at the end of a long day. It is a method to clear the stress from the day before going to bed and starting a new one. Many people do not work in jobs that involve reading, so this allows them to use a different part of their brain.

You can read any genre to get this stress relief, even if it may seem unlikely. In fiction, lighthearted fare with a humorous edge is an obvious genre, but it is ultimately up to personal taste. Some people favor horror or thriller stories and read those to calm their mind. Alternatively, a passionate romance or a poetry collection can really make your mind burst with imagination.

Other people may prefer reading nonfiction to destress. For example, reading a memoir or biography about someone’s favorite politician or celebrity can be fascinating. People can even read more technical nonfiction books about topics in which they are passionate. No two people have the same exact taste, and any kind of book can relieve stress.

Mental Health and Life Guidance

People can also use reading to more directly improve their mental health. Reading self-help guides or inspirational stories can help foster personal growth. This is most likely for readers who feel lost or astray in their lives and a boost of inspiration. There are self-help books for nearly any situation you may find yourself in. Reading these is a clear and direct way to work on your mental health through reading.

Putting Your Life in Perspective

One of the greatest benefits of reading is that it opens your eyes to new worlds. From fiction stories set in foreign lands to biographies of those less fortunate, reading is crucial. Seeing how other people live their lives can do immeasurable work at putting your life in perspective. Even if you are not struggling with mental health, it never hurts to put your life in perspective. There is a whole other world out there, and seeing others’ lives can be eye-opening.

Social Skills and Culture

Another somewhat-surprising result of consistent reading is that it can evolve one’s social skills and understanding of culture. Especially when reading fiction or other works with dialogue, reading exposes you to new social situations. Seeing how people and characters navigate various situations allows readers to place themselves in those situations. Exploring the aftermaths of characters’ actions can further develop how readers navigate social situations.

Reading can also expose readers to new cultures previously out of reach. This alone can do so much to expand any reader’s horizons for what is out there in the world. Thus, readers will be familiar with new cultures through reading a wide range of books.

Inspiration for Future Writing

Reading can also inspire people to become writers of their own. By improving one’s emotional strength and mental health, books can make readers more confident in themselves. Even readers who did not previously consider writing can want to start writing as a result of life-changing books.

Anyone who becomes compelled to begin writing a book of their own can start whenever they want. Writing can itself be its own form of mental health care, no matter the genre. Once you write your book, you can explore your publishing options to help boost other’s mental health. Literature is a balm that helps the mental health of both readers and writers alike.