It’s a fact: the next decade holds great promise for the world of books.

Self-publishing—already a respectable means of getting a book into print—will become even more mainstream, and another generation of authors will discover the benefits of publishing novels on their own terms: no rejection letters, more creative control, and higher royalties, among many others.

Our writing community, ChapterBuzz, will continue to showcase the best of these books and make it easy for readers to find treasure in our ever-growing trove of delightful new tales.

As the new year charges in, I’m especially excited for those authors who have taken a bold step in the direction of their dreams by signing up for the Novel Writer Boot Camp. I’ve teamed up with editor and writing coach Alicia Dean to offer the Boot Camp, which puts affordable, one-on-one guidance and many other powerful tools for success at your fingertips. We’d love to welcome you to Boot Camp!

It’s Alicia, in fact, who’s featured on the cover this month, and in her interview article, she talks about how she met one of her most important contacts while pursuing publication, why she loves her work so much, and the fun fact that seems to surprise everybody: that one time she served in the military.

Also in this issue:

Award-winning, Tier V Rising Star Author Shirley Holder Platt, like many of us, is ready to welcome 2020 with open arms. She’s found that the key to making progress in your writing lies in forming good writing habits (“Don’t try to do it all starting January 1st,” she cautions, however). In this issue, Shirley shares her top 5 tips on how to to write more in the coming year.

Next, from whose perspective should your story be told? Editor Jennifer Silva Redmond offers some advice—and dispels some myths—about which point-of-view (or “POV”) is best for your novel. If you think back to your high school literature classes, you might remember terms like “omniscient” and “third person.” Does using the omniscient POV help your readers or distract them? Can you change POV? If so, how often? Here’s everything you need to know.

Finally, from Cynthia A. Jensen, a Tier II Rising Star Author at ChapterBuzz, comes a short story about a deer who finds himself interacting with humans, told from the deer’s point of view. In just a handful of paragraphs, the story contemplates humankind’s relationship with animals, the value of bravery, and the very nature of good and evil. It’s a beautiful piece, but a word of warning: it may leave you with more questions than answers.

As you hang the streamers, pop a bottle of your best champagne, and start counting down the seconds until 2020, I hope you can find some time in the midst of all the excitement to enjoy this month’s issue of Books & Buzz Magazine.

Happy reading,

Timothy Pike
Editor-in-chief, Books & Buzz Magazine