tricks-of-the-trade
Practical advice, productivity hacks, and hard-won lessons from seasoned indie authors to help you level up your writing and publishing business.
Author Lingo: The Free Glossary Every Indie Author Needs
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
Over 250 pages of indie publishing terms, acronyms, and abbreviations, free to every author in PDF format. No more guessing what ARC, BISAC, or wide actually mean.
Full Guide: Author Lingo: The Free Glossary Every Indie Author Needs
The Right Order to Do Things
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
This resource library covers hundreds of articles, but doesn't tell you what order to actually do things in. This is that map, from first draft to launch day, with pointers to the right section at each stage.
Full Guide: The Right Order to Do Things
Free and Commercially-Safe Fonts for Covers and Interiors
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
Not every free font is actually free to use in a book you're selling. Here's where to find fonts that genuinely are, and how to avoid the licensing trap that catches authors who don't check first.
Full Guide: Free and Commercially-Safe Fonts for Covers and Interiors
Free and Stock Images for Covers, Ads, and Social Media
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay all allow commercial use, but the real risk on free stock platforms isn't licensing, it's the missing model and property releases nobody checks for you.
Full Guide: Free and Stock Images for Covers, Ads, and Social Media
Maps and Map-Making Tools for Fantasy and Historical Fiction
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
A good map can sell a fantasy or historical novel before the first page. Here's where to build one, free or affordably, and the commercial-use licensing distinction most authors miss.
Full Guide: Maps and Map-Making Tools for Fantasy and Historical Fiction
Free and Royalty-Free Sound and Music for Audiobooks, Trailers, and Video
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
Sound design for a book trailer, audiobook intro, or promotional video doesn't require a budget, but free audio has more licensing landmines than people expect. Here's where to look and what to check.
Full Guide: Free and Royalty-Free Sound and Music for Audiobooks, Trailers, and Video
File Format Cheat Sheet for Authors
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
EPUB, MOBI, AZW3, PDF: every retailer seems to want something slightly different, and most of the confusion is outdated information. Here's the current, accurate picture, plus where to convert safely if you need to.
Full Guide: File Format Cheat Sheet for Authors
Backend and Bulk-Edit Tricks
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
The small operational shortcuts that experienced authors pick up over years and rarely write down. Amazon's free keyword research trick, current backend keyword rules, and efficient metadata workflows.
Full Guide: Backend and Bulk-Edit Tricks
Software Shortcuts and Quick Wins
Published on June 26, 2026 by Randall Wood
A lighter, faster companion to this resource library's full software guides: the keyboard shortcuts and small habits that save real time across the tools authors use every day.
Full Guide: Software Shortcuts and Quick WinsReady to Take Control of Your Author Career?
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