How to Make 2025 the Year You Finally Write (and Publish!) Your Book

Dec 20,2024 / By Alyssa Humphrey / No Comment

As we close the chapter on another year, it’s the perfect time to start a brand new one—literally. Whether you’re working on your first manuscript or ready to self-publish your magnum opus, 2025 is your year to take control of your writing destiny. Think of it as the opening lines of a brand new book, where the plot is in your hands, and the ending? Well, that’s up to you.

In this post, we’ll walk you through actionable steps to help you write, publish, and market your book like a pro. Here’s your blueprint for turning those writing and publishing dreams into a reality next year.

Step 1: Set Clear, Manageable Goals

First things first—write down your goals. Here’s how to break down the massive task of writing and self-publishing into bite-sized, manageable chunks.

Be Specific: “Write a book” sounds great, but “Write 2,000 words a week” is something you can actually track. Make your goals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
Create Milestones: Write 10,000 words? Celebrate. Finish your first draft? High five yourself. Set achievable milestones so you can feel a sense of progress along the way.
Get Organized: Whether you love spreadsheets, notebooks, or fancy apps, find a system that works for you. Trust us, there’s something magical about crossing things off a list!

Step 2: Prioritize Writing Time (Because Life Doesn’t Stop)

The world won’t pause just because you’re writing a book. Kids, work, laundry (ugh)—life has a way of taking up space. But to make 2025 the year of your book, you need to prioritize writing time.

Find Your Best Writing Window: Are you a morning person or a night owl? Embrace your natural rhythm and carve out time during your peak hours.
Stop Waiting for “Inspiration”: As much as we would like it to, inspiration isn’t going to knock on your door when you want it to. You’ve got to show up and work. Even if you’re feeling uninspired, write anyway. Sometimes the magic happens when you push through the block.
Write Everywhere: Got 10 minutes before your meeting? Jot down a few sentences. Stuck in traffic? Try brainstorming ideas. You’d be surprised how many words you can sneak in between life’s busy moments.

Pro Tip: Set a timer for short, focused writing sessions. Aim for 30-minute bursts of writing. You’ll be amazed at how quickly those words add up.

Step 3: Publish Like a Pro

Now that you’ve written your masterpiece (yay!), it’s time to take the next step: publishing. But no need to panic—the publishing options available in 2025 are diverse and there is something for everyone.

Interested in traditional publishing? Do some research and connect with a literary agent who will work to pitch (and sell!) your manuscript to a publisher. Keep in mind that if you sell your manuscript, you’re also relinquishing your rights to the book.
Looking to DIY? Amazon KDP is a quick way to get your manuscript to the masses if you aren’t interested in having professional formatting, design, or editing before your book goes to market.
Curious about a happy medium? Assisted self-publishing with a reputable company (like us!) allows you to retain your creative control while receiving global distribution and putting your best foot forward through professional design, illustrations, formatting, editing and book marketing services.

Step 4: Market Like You’ve Got a Bestseller (Even If You Don’t . . . Yet)

Okay, so your book is out in the world. Now, how do you get people to notice it? Spoiler alert: writing the book is only half the battle—marketing is where the magic happens.

Start Early: Build your author platform before your book is released. Social media, blogs, and newsletters are key to growing your audience. No, you don’t have to post every day, but consistency helps.
Network with Other Authors: The author community is huge, and many writers love to support each other. Join Facebook groups, attend online conferences, and collaborate. Cross-promotions and shout-outs can be a game-changer.
Leverage Book Reviews: Reviews are the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth recommendations. Send out ARCs (advanced reader copies) to bloggers, influencers, and readers in exchange for honest reviews. Just don’t forget to thank them afterward!

Pro Tip: Use tools like Goodreads to run promotions. It may take some time to build up momentum, but it’s worth it. Need some extra marketing help? Our Book Marketing Team is always happy to chat.

Step 5: Don’t Get Discouraged—Keep Going

Here’s the thing: you’re going to face setbacks and that’s okay. The important thing is to keep going.

Celebrate the Small Wins: Finished your manuscript? Celebrate! You deserve it. Received your first review? Text your best friend. Don’t wait for big success to appreciate the journey.
Learn from Mistakes: You’ll make them. We all do. Learn from them, grow from them, and keep moving forward.

2025 is your year. Write your book, publish it, and share it with the world. And remember, every bestselling author started just like you—sitting down and writing one word at a time.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s make 2025 the year you stop dreaming and start publishing!

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Boost Your Book Launch with Our New Release Date Features!

Dec 20,2024 / By Alyssa Humphrey / No Comment

At Tellwell, we know how important your book release is. It’s more than a date on the calendar, it’s the moment your story meets its readers. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce two exciting new features to give you even more control over your book’s big day!

1. Set a Specific Launch Date for Your Book

Planning your release date just got easier! You can now choose a specific launch date for your book—whether it’s a special day, a milestone, or the perfect timing for your marketing efforts.

Here’s how it works:

Pick a date at least 2 weeks in the future.
We’ll begin the distribution process 3 days before to help ensure your book is available across platforms when launch day arrives.

With a specific launch date, you can confidently plan your promotions, book events, or online buzz knowing your book will hit the shelves when you’ve planned it to!

2. Pre-Order Setup for Ebooks

If your publishing package includes eBook distribution, you now have the option to set up pre-orders! This powerful tool lets readers place orders for your eBook before your official release date, giving you a head start on sales and creating excitement for your book release.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the pre-order process:

Start Date: This is when pre-orders begin. You’ll need to set a start date at least 2 weeks in the future to give everything time to align.

On-Sale Date: This is the big day! Pre-orders are processed and delivered to readers. The on-sale date must be at least 30 days after your pre-order start date.

If you’re also launching a print edition, the on-sale date for your eBook will align with the specific launch date for your book. While we strive to make sure both formats are available simultaneously, please keep in mind that occasional delays can happen due to unforeseen distribution issues.

Why These Features Matter

A planned and strategic release can make all the difference in building buzz, boosting sales, and reaching your readers. With the ability to choose your release date and set up eBook pre-orders, you’ll have the tools you need to make your book release a success.

Ready to plan your perfect launch? Reach out to your Tellwell team to get started today!

Tellwell Team Stories

Tellwell Team Stories: Behind the Scenes!

Dec 20,2024 / By Trixie Raboy / No Comment

Meet the Tellwell team! Take a behind-the-scenes look at the creativity and collaboration that power our passion for bringing stories to life.

Meet Katie:

Meet Katie, the talented lead of Tellwell’s book-marketing team! Katie is hard at work preparing an exciting new initiative for the upcoming year: a book-marketing webinar and workshop! 🎉

Starting next year, this comprehensive presentation will be included in all publishing packages. It’s designed to provide authors with a go-to guide for marketing success. From identifying your target audience to planning impactful book launches, this workshop is here to support authors at every step of their publishing journey.

In addition to developing this exciting new resource, Katie leads our team of book-marketing consultants and associates. She ensures every author receives personalized support and exceptional marketing services. Whether it’s crafting effective campaigns or offering strategic guidance, Katie and her team are dedicated to helping authors connect with readers and achieve their goals.

Stay tuned for more updates about the webinar and other exciting plans for 2025—there’s so much more to come, and we can’t wait to share it with you!

Check out the behind-the-scenes with Katie, Tellwell book-marketing team lead here.

Meet Christian

At Tellwell, working with authors isn’t just about publishing books—it’s about connecting with their stories and, sometimes, discovering new passions. For Christian, one of our publishing consultants, this connection led to an unexpected adventure. After working with an author whose story deeply resonated with him, Christian was inspired to visit Vietnam, a place vividly brought to life in the author’s work.

Publishing consultants like Christian play a vital role at Tellwell. They serve as the bridge between authors and their dreams, answering questions, providing guidance, and ensuring every step of the publishing journey feels informed and supported.

Stories have the power to inspire, connect, and transport us, both on the page and in the real world. Here’s to the incredible journeys they take us on!

Check out Christian day in the life as a Tellwell publishing consultant here.

Meet the Team

Meet John: Leading Tellwell’s Design and Illustration Teams

Dec 20,2024 / By Mark Mionda / No Comment

Get to know John, Tellwell Publishing’s design and illustration manager. From balancing creativity and structure to leading two dynamic teams, John shares insights into his role, challenges, and what keeps him inspired.

Can you tell us a little about being a design manager at Tellwell Publishing?

One word can sum it all up, CHALLENGING. Handling two different creative teams simultaneously is a great challenge. From project management down to quality control, you’ll have to be prepared for anything that comes your way each day, ensuring that both teams operate seamlessly like a well-oiled machine.

Discover the Festive Cheer of ‘The Christmas Adventure’ by Stephen Moore!

Dec 20,2024 / By Trixie Raboy / No Comment

This holiday season, get ready for an unforgettable journey with two unlikely heroes—Murgatroyd and Archimedes, a pair of adventurous mice on a daring Christmas Eve mission to recover a stolen refrigerator. Packed with laughter, fun, and a sprinkle of holiday magic, The Christmas Adventure is a heartwarming reminder of what Christmas is truly about: adventure, kindness, and a little help from Santa.

A December Celebration of Stories!

Dec 20,2024 / By Trixie Raboy / No Comment

This December, we’re sharing the latest author events, achievements, and success stories. From book launches and awards to exciting milestones and reader highlights, our authors have had a month full of meaningful moments.

Join us as we celebrate their hard work, creativity, and the impact their stories are making.

Events

Tellwell author Monica Buchanan, author of Outsider, attended the 2024 Miami Book Fair alongside Tellwell’s head of marketing, Monica Martinez.

Russ Grabb recently shared his book promotion for Traces of a Boy in West Vancouver, Canada, engaging with readers and celebrating his work in the local community.

Celebrating Holiday Magic: Christopher Ross and 22 Christmas Without You

Dec 19,2024 / By Trixie Raboy / No Comment

The holiday season is a time for joy, family, and togetherness, but it can also be a poignant reminder of those we miss. In this special edition of Tellwell Author Stories, we’re thrilled to share the heartwarming journey of Christopher Ross and his touching book, 22 Christmas Without You.

Book Giveaways

Give the Gift of Reading: December Book Giveaway!

Dec 19,2024 / By Trixie Raboy / No Comment

Ready for your next reading adventure?

This December, we’re offering a mix of fantasy fiction and non-fiction that will fuel your imagination and spirit of exploration, perfect for cozy reading during the holidays.

Ready to embark on your next epic adventure?

Saga of the Old Ones by Neil Henderson follows a man who, while strolling the Victoria harbour, encounters a mysterious young girl—a strange “Old One”—and a chance reunion that stirs deep, hidden truths. As he calls out, “Kittens,” the girl turns, sparking a connection that could change everything.

It was the first of the month, so he put on his coat and headed to the harbour by the big hotel in Victoria. This was the meeting place for when they would return. They would be a little too young to be able to get away from their new parents, but the chance was there, so he took a stroll by the water. He spotted a girl about five years old with her back to him. She was an Old One. Her new parents must be nearby. He caught his breath and walked up to her. “Kittens,” he said quietly. She spun around with wide eyes. “Daddy! How?”

Click here to get your FREE copy

Author of the Month

Dec 17,2024 / By Ben St. James / No Comment

From Everest to the Farm: Mitch Lewis on Storytelling, Perseverance, and Finding Your Own Summit

If there’s one thing I want to impart to the readers of my books, it’s that anyone can do (most) anything they dream of. And this means that everyone has their own Everest, whatever that might be.
Mitch Lewis

Mitch Lewis is a man of many adventures—a mountaineer who has summited Everest, a storyteller who inspires readers young and old, and, most recently, a first-generation farmer. His experiences have shaped his writing in unexpected ways, from his first first uplifting book, Climbing Your Personal Everest to his latest Billy the Baaad Goat series.

In this interview, Mitch shares how life on Summit Farms has influenced his storytelling, how overcoming personal challenges inspired him to write about perseverance and teamwork, and why he believes everyone has their own “Everest” to climb.

How has life at Summit Farms influenced your writing, particularly the characters and settings in your books?

In an extreme case of life imitating art, one of the reasons we ended up becoming first-generation, late-in-life farmers was because of Billy the Baaad Goat! A few years ago, when my granddaughter Clara was just a couple years old, I would read her made-up bedtime stories and some of those had Billy on his various adventures. One day I sat down and wrote the rhyming tale, filled with Beatles references that included a couple moving away from the city during the pandemic and buying a farm with a big red barn (and talking animals with a big yellow rocketship, of course!). My wife Michelle and I ended up becoming that couple four years ago, even before the book was published by Tellwell. Clara the Calico Cat and Lucy the Lioness are based on two of our grandchildren, while Vera, Chuck and Dave come straight out of “When I’m 64.” Rocky Racoon, Paul-is-the-Walrus came from, well . . .

What do you hope readers, both young and old, take away from your books and the adventures of Billy the Baaad Goat series?

I’m so excited the third and last chapter of the Billy series will be coming out very soon! I’ve always wanted the parents and grandparents to actually enjoy reading a book to the kiddos, and laugh alongside them. I like to feature characters who overcome obstacles and achieve great goals with collaboration and a sense of accomplishment. Billy is also subject to bullying (and isn’t really bad, just kind of naughty). I love to see all of the animals working together and learning about science.

Your books explore themes of teamwork, diversity, and courage. Why are these values important to teach through children’s stories?

I tend to highlight strong, smart female leaders, along with representing diversity through the different creature species and how their bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity can help them overcome many things in their own lives. They also metaphorically represent diverse teams I’ve worked with around the world that could come together and achieve great goals and celebrate as a team.

Your Everest trilogy blends adventure with deep emotional lessons. How do those themes connect with your children’s books, like The Mother Mountain?

Summiting Mount Everest without oxygen and in the middle of a deadly storm taught me a lot about life, friendship, mutual goals, and doing something one doesn’t think is possible. After completing the Seven Summits, and before that finishing a marathon on the Seven Continents, I was interested in what compelled others to transform their own lives and help make the world a better place at the same time. My first book, Climbing Your Personal Everest: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Leadership, was my own decade-long expedition from being “stuck in the rut with a gut,” a couch potato watching The Simpsons in Swedish while living in Stockholm, to running my first marathon in Sweden to my seventh summit of Vinson Massif in Antarctica.

In my second book, Climb Higher: Pursue Your Passion With Purpose, we explore eight individuals who took on new and daring life or career challenges, while also contributing to society through a number of unique projects or programs, and intertwined with how one can learn from them to also tweak their own life.

For a long time I wanted to write a children’s book about what it was like to really climb Mount Everest from someone lucky enough to have done so and survived to write about the experience. I ended up telling the (mostly) true story of my own Everest climb, together with my climbing buddy Molly, with Max as well, myself. What makes the book so special is the fantastic true-to-life illustrations from Tellwell’s Stefanie St. Denis. She was able to take original photographs and situations, plus imagine several with no pics to choose from, and turn them into beautiful images that really do show what it was like on Everest and incorporating a lot of education from the British naming and height knowledge, to the reverence of the mountain and the sherpas. Many of the real-life themes from the first two adult books show up in the The Mother Mountain: You Can Climb Mt. Everest.

What lessons from climbing Mount Everest have you woven into your storytelling, especially in terms of perseverance and facing fears?

If there’s one thing I wanted to impart to the readers of all of my books is that anyone can do (most) anything they dream of. And this means that Everyone has their own Everest, whatever that might be. We all finish many races and climb many mountains during our lives and these are different for everybody, but still incorporate the essential elements of being a good and kind human being, working well as a team towards common goals, overcoming obstacles and celebrating together. Facing my own fears at the Hillary Step gave me perspective around perseverance and how collaboration can be so supportive, whether you’re a high-altitude climber or a naughty billy goat!

With such a diverse background—author, speaker, mountaineer, and farmer—how do you balance these passions with writing?

In our own new “Everest” as farmers, I have lots of times to reflect on life’s lessons from my business life such as partnerships, strategy and focus, giving back to the community, and learning from others but also mentoring the next generation of family farmers that are critical for our healthy local food supply in the years to come. Writing gives me an outlet, whether in a book or in a post, or on one of my websites: www.yourpersonaleverest.com or www.summitfarms.co. It certainly gives me an outlet to share and connect and my passions for writing.

Note: Mitch wanted to mention his gratitude for John Abella, Jennifer, the excellence and synchronicity with editing, his main contact Rhea Mae, and the rest of the great team at Tellwell!

Be sure to pick up a copy of Mitch’s books Billy the Baaad Goat: The Big Yellow Rocket Ship & The Mother Mountain: You Can Climb Mount Everest

From Blank Pages to New Beginnings: Sarah Taylor-Malo’s Journey with Growing Pains

Nov 28,2024 / By Trixie Raboy / No Comment

Every great story starts with a blank page, and for Sarah Taylor-Malo, that blank page was an invitation to turn her challenges into something extraordinary. Her debut book, Growing Pains, is a testament to resilience and self-discovery—a beautifully crafted narrative born from a time of uncertainty and self-doubt.

In Growing Pains, Sarah opens up about facing anxiety and navigating the weight of unmet expectations. Like many young adults, she found herself questioning her life’s direction and struggling to define her place in the world. But through these moments of doubt, she uncovered inner strength, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose. Her journey is not just a personal story; it’s a message of hope for anyone seeking to overcome their own growing pains.

Beyond her work as an author, Sarah wears many creative hats. Her love for storytelling extends to photojournalism, with her work featured in publications like the Toronto Star and the Winnipeg Free Press. Whether through the lens of a camera or the pages of her book, Sarah’s curiosity about the world shines through.

Currently completing her BA in Global Development Studies at Queen’s University, Sarah continues to explore stories that inspire, educate, and connect people. Growing Pains is just the beginning of her journey, and we can’t wait to see where her passion for storytelling takes her next.