Allyson E. Machate's Blog, page 2

Who Should Help You Publish Your Book? A Guide to Choosing the Right Support

You’ve made the decision to publish your book — congratulations! That’s a huge (and brave) step. But now you’re facing a critical question: who should help you publish your book? Should you work with a book coach or an editor? A VA or a full publishing team? Should you try to manage it all yourself?

If your brain is already spinning, you’re not alone. Most serious authors quickly realize they can’t—and shouldn’t—do it all themselves. But figuring out who should help you publish your b...

Not Everyone Should Write a Book—Is It the Right Move for Your Business?

Are you thinking, “Should I write a book for my business?” Lots of entrepreneurs think the answer is always yes. So let’s go ahead and break what seems to have become a near-sacred online-business rule:

You don’t have to write a book.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Should I write a book for my business?” you’re not alone. Books can build authority, boost visibility, and offer long-term leverage. But they’re not right for everyone—or every stage of business.

In this po...

Choosing the Best Publishing Path for Your Book (and Business) Success

Choosing the right publishing path is one of the most important decisions an author can make—and one that directly impacts your book’s success, your business goals, and your creative control.

With multiple routes to consider—Self-Publishing, Hybrid Publishing, Traditional Publishing, and Supported Indie Publishing—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But each path comes with its own trade-offs, and understanding those differences is key to making a choice that actually supports your long-te...

The Hidden Costs of Doing It All: Why Delegation is an Author’s Best Productivity Tip

You’re not imagining it—this whole “write the book, run the business, grow the brand” thing? It’s a lot.

As an author-entrepreneur, you’re wearing all the hats: crafting content, serving clients, marketing your message, and somehow trying to finish your book. And sure, you’re capable of doing it all. But here’s the truth:

Doing everything yourself isn’t one of the best author productivity tips—it’s ...

3 Costly Mistakes Authors Make When Publishing (And How to Avoid Them)

Publishing a book is an exciting milestone, but rushing through the process or making uninformed decisions can lead to unnecessary setbacks. Many authors make common publishing mistakes that hurt their book’s success. Some can be great learning experiences, there are some mistakes you just can’t come back from or make “go away.” Your corrected or updated editions may be haunted by bad reviews, and some opportunities are only ripe at certain points of the process, so you can’t go back and...

5 Steps To Self-Publishing Success with MWA PG County Chapter, Feb. 26, 2025

With so many options, it can be difficult to navigate your way to self-publishing success. But if you want great results, you need to get real! Just copying what indie phenoms like Amanda Hocking or J.A. Konrath are doing may not work for you—you need a plan designed for your type of book and your particular situation.

Create a plan that’s right for you and your book by joining Ally Machate and the Prince George’s County MWA chapter as she reveals the 5 steps you can take right now t...

How to Build An Audience for a Book Before You Launch

How to Build Your Audience Before Your Book Launch

Launching a book without an audience is like throwing a party without inviting guests—you might have a great book, but if no one knows about it, it won’t get the attention it deserves. That’s why one of the best things you can do to shore up your success is to build an audience for a book before your book launch.

This guide will explore why starting early matters, proven strategies for nonfiction and fiction/memoir authors, and how...

A 4-Step Guide to Mastering the Book Publishing Process

Overwhelmed by Publishing? 4 Essential Steps to Transform Your Idea into a Bestseller

Feeling overwhelmed by the book publishing process? You’re not alone. Publishing a book involves a lot of moving pieces, many of which the general public never sees or knows about. It’s easy to feel lost or unsure of where to begin. It’s also easy to underestimate how much time and energy it takes when you don’t know what you don’t know. But here’s the good news: with a clear plan, the path from blan...

Building Conflict, Tension, and Character with the Children’s Book Guild–Nov. 21, 2024

Join Harrison Demchick and the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC. at the K Street Busboys and Poets for the next installment in the Guild’s Speaker Series; “It’s the End of the World as We Know It and I Feel Fine: Why Character, Consequence, and Reaction are Necessary for Conflict and Tension.”

Harrison is a beloved member of The Writer’s Ally developmental editing team and an expert in literary, commercial, and speculative fiction. He’s worked on over 80 published projects through...

Join Ally at the Delight in Writing Retreat–Monkton, Maryland, Nov. 16, 2024

If you’re a dedicated writer—local to the Maryland area—looking to shake things up in this season of transition, then you might want to consider joining Ally for a day dedicated to writing at the historic Manor Mill in Baltimore County, Maryland, on November 16th, 2024.

The “DELIGHT in WRITING: A DAY of ONE’S OWN” Writer’s Retreat invites you to learn from expert authors about submittable markets, publishing options, crafting great scenes and characters—or to simply opt for a quiet d...