Freyja Publishing

Eight writing craft books that authors reread, with who each one suits, where it falls short, and which to read first.

A.N. Archer’s Psychology for Life series has twenty standalone books. This guide groups them by goal so you can choose the right one to start with.

What writer’s block really is, how to diagnose your type, and 12 practical fixes matched to each cause, plus a one-week restart plan and checklist.

What the theme of a story really is, how it differs from topic and moral, classic examples, how genre fiction carries theme, and a theme question exercise.

What the setting of a story is, its five elements, backdrop vs integral settings, how to describe a place through POV, genre expectations and a sensory checklist.

Protagonist vs antagonist explained: clear definitions, five types of antagonist with classic examples, the mirror principle, genre differences and a worksheet.

Novella word count, page count and structure explained, plus how indie authors use novellas as prequels, reader magnets and series bridges.

Choose one theme, pick a structure and write about real people fairly: a practical guide to writing a memoir, from first idea to family or public book.

Fill-in-the-blank author bio templates for Amazon, back covers, websites and social media, with genre examples, first-time and pen-name versions.

What an unreliable narrator is, where the term comes from, the main types with famous examples, and how to plant fair clues so your twist feels earned.

A seven-step method for writing a short story, built live with one worked example, plus word counts for flash fiction to novellas and how authors use short fiction.

Five ways to outline a novel, from a one-page skeleton to Snowflake, beat sheets, scene cards and reverse outlines, with one story outlined each way plus templates.

A four-part formula for book blurbs, genre examples, a before-and-after rewrite and the KDP description rules on length, formatting and what is not allowed.

How to publish a colouring book on KDP, IngramSpark or Lulu: low-content rules, trim, paper and bleed, single-sided pages, AI art disclosure and royalty maths.

Work out how long your book will take: a simple drafting calculator, times by daily word count, example schedules and the realistic time after the first draft.

What an imprint is, what a publisher actually does, and how indie authors set up their own imprint with ISBNs, KDP and IngramSpark without mismatch errors.

What plot structure is, seven story structures compared in one table, where turning points fall in a novel, romance and thriller examples, and a free template.

An author-side guide to ghostwriting: realistic costs by book type, what the contract must say about copyright, credit and AI, and how to vet a writer.

60 character development questions grouped by purpose, from wounds and false beliefs to voice and romance leads, plus a copy-ready character worksheet.

What goes on a book copyright page, with copy-ready templates for fiction, non-fiction, ebooks, children’s and pen-name books, AI statements and legal deposit.

How to set up Amazon Author Central step by step: which stores you can edit, pen names, editorial reviews vs A+ Content, and the mistakes that leave pages bare.

A step-by-step guide to self-publishing in Australia: Thorpe-Bowker ISBNs, KDP setup and tax, legal deposit, ABN and GST basics, and lending right claims.

Word counts and page counts for novels by genre, plus how length changes your paperback print cost, royalty and Kindle Unlimited reads.

Hardcover vs paperback for indie authors: KDP print costs, worked royalty examples, IngramSpark options and when a hardcover edition is worth adding.

Standard book sizes for novels, non-fiction and children’s books, and how trim size changes page count, print cost, hardcover and distribution options.

Standard book manuscript format explained: fonts, spacing, margins, headers and scene breaks, plus how to turn a submission draft into a self-publishing file.

What romance, fantasy and thriller covers signal to readers, how to audit your genre’s bestsellers, and a brief checklist to hand your cover designer.

40 love tropes for romance authors, with the promise each makes, the beats that must land, smart pairings, and how to signal tropes in blurbs and keywords.

The maths behind the KDP cover calculator: spine width by paper type, 0.125 in bleed, worked examples for common trim sizes and a pre-upload checklist.

How to write dialogue in a novel: what it is for, formatting rules, US vs UK punctuation side by side, and before-and-after romance and thriller rewrites.

How to start a story: what the first line, first page and first chapter must do, the story elements to set up, genre examples and a revision checklist.

When to use “said”, when an action beat works better and how to punctuate dialogue tags in US and UK style, with a short tag list and genre edits.

How to choose a personalised book for a child: compare the types, match the format to age, follow an ordering checklist and protect your child’s photo.

What a prologue is, how it differs from a preface, foreword and epilogue, a five-question test for your novel, and where each section goes in your book.

First, second and third person point of view explained, with one original scene written five ways, a POV-by-genre table and a self-edit checklist.

A ten-step plan to write a novel from idea to finished first draft, with word-count maths, worked timelines, plotting vs pantsing and what to do next.

How to write a children’s book by age group, from board books to middle grade: word counts, page turns, read-aloud rhythm and the illustrator question.

How to get a literary agent: get the manuscript ready, research and vet agents, write a query letter, spot scam red flags, and compare with self-publishing.

What a children’s book illustrator costs, where to find one, how to check portfolios, and how contracts, copyright, payment stages and AI-art rules work.

A neutral comparison of ProWritingAid and Grammarly for fiction writers: reports, AI features, platforms, pricing models, privacy settings and a checklist to choose.

How the KDP tax profile, W-8BEN and US withholding work, what treaty rates mean, why you still owe tax at home, and which records to keep. General information only.

Draft2Digital’s commission and new fees vs PublishDrive’s subscription, plus going direct to Kobo, Apple, Google Play and B&N Press, and how to mix them.

Step by step: age bands, the 32-page plan, trim sizes, illustration rights, bleed, KDP and IngramSpark print options, reading age and colour proofs for picture books.

A realistic self-publishing budget: editing rates from the EFA chart, ISBN prices by country, covers, formatting, proofs, marketing and audio, with three budget scenarios.

How BookBub Featured Deals work, what they cost, what editors look for, how they differ from BookBub Ads, and how to work out whether one is worth it.

How to choose Amazon KDP keywords and categories that get your book found: the current rules, what is banned, and a free research method using Amazon search.

Compare Payhip, Shopify and BookFunnel for selling books direct: fees, ebook delivery, print-on-demand and how VAT, GST and sales tax are handled.

How Amazon Sponsored Products ads work for books, how to set daily budgets, end dates and caps, test small, read ACOS and stop ads that lose money.