For a long time I have had a preapproved promotions option for reaching Level 4. I wanted to encourage more participation in the group and that is why I offered it at level 4. But, It seem too hard for most people to reach. In any case I am glad to be so close to 200 members (just 3 people away if I am excluded). Therefore -- as a way of celebration -- when the community reaches 201 members (I will be the extra 1), I am going to allow all those who reach level 3 to do a preapproved promotion of your chosing. Unfortunately, those who are currently level 3 will have to wait for the milestone (201 member which includes me) to be met before submitting their request for a preapproved promotion. You are there, but I want to wait until I reach 200 valid (not spammy) members. Yes, it is an incentive to get others to join. So, keep a close eye on your level and the membership numbers. When we get there, each member who has met or reaches Level 3 will get the free preapproved promotion.

You can have a beautifully written manuscript and still end up with a book that feels difficult to read. Why? Because formatting affects the reader's physical experience of the book. Things writers often overlook include: - Margins - Paragraph spacing - Chapter openings - Page numbers - Headers and footers - Indentation - Font choices - Line spacing - Widows and orphans - Section breaks - Front matter - Back matter One common mistake is using spaces or repeated Enter presses to create layouts. It may look fine in your word processor. Then everything shifts when the document is converted to another format. A better principle is: Use formatting tools for structure, not manual spaces for positioning. For example, instead of pressing Enter five times to push something down the page, use appropriate paragraph spacing, page breaks, or section breaks. Your manuscript should communicate the structure of the book to the software as well as to the reader. Writers: What's the part of book formatting you've found most confusing?

The link below is for a book cover givaway contest. https://www.skool.com/self-publishing-made-simple-1975/a-very-spooky-book-cover-giveaway?p=9c966a57

There's a common misconception that copy editing means someone goes through your manuscript and fixes commas. That's only part of it. Copy editing also looks for consistency and correctness throughout the manuscript. For example: Character names Is it "Katherine" throughout the book, or does she mysteriously become "Catherine" halfway through? Capitalization Are terms consistently capitalized? Numbers Are numbers written consistently according to the chosen style? Dialogue punctuation Are quotation marks, commas, and dialogue tags handled consistently? Timeline Does a character leave the house at 8:00 AM in one chapter and somehow arrive somewhere 20 minutes away at 7:45 AM? Facts Does the manuscript contradict itself? These errors can be surprisingly easy for the author to miss because your brain already knows what you meant to write. That's one reason reading your own manuscript repeatedly doesn't always reveal every problem. A useful revision trick: After you've finished your manuscript, create a simple **style sheet**. Track: • Character names • Places • Important dates • Spellings • Capitalization choices • Timeline details • Recurring terminology It becomes your manuscript's consistency checklist. Question: Have you ever spotted a continuity mistake in your own manuscript only after thinking you were completely finished?

Master of the Keys by Zane D. Dowling Fingers dance on doorway keys Bringing to life a world within Hoping to bring them to their knees Draw from them that fiendish grin A magic Spell that will help it sell A turn of a phrase down a dark maze A trip down some deep wishing well A page to ignite the newest craze Oh give them a sign to lead them home Guide them to that forgotten treasure Or take them to find some ancient tome That will make them choose that dark measure Lead them on to their tragic end Or to the stars in cold dark space But take them there, their mind to bend Force them through that hallowed place Oh Master of the keys, your task is clear Give them exactly what they crave to hear