Not Sure How to Approach Social Media? CARE about Your Readers
Author and social media expert Frances Caballo discusses the CARE acronym and how to use it to guide your interactions with readers on social media.
Category Archives: Marketing & Promotion
Using Twitter to Make Powerful Connections as a Creative Professional
Author Daniel Parsons offers five tips for improving your Twitter interactions as a creative professional.
Should You Pay for a Publicist?
Author Dorit Sasson discusses the services publicists offer and whether you should opt to contract for a publicist’s services for your book.
How to Be Active on Social Media without Losing Your Mind
Author and social media expert Kirsten Oliphant explains how to manage your platform-building activities on social media sites.
How to Get More Speaking Gigs (Even If You Don’t Have a Lot of Speaking Experience)
Author and speaker Dorit Sasson offers tips on how to build author platform through local speaking engagements.
How to Find and Reach Influencers to Help Promote Your Book
Writing coach Angela Ackerman discusses how influencers can help you market your book, how to identify potential influencers, and how to reach them.
A Definition of Author Platform
Author platform is one of the most difficult concepts to explain, partly because everyone defines it a little differently. Here’s what agents and editors mean by platform, plus a clear definition of what platform is NOT.
How to Grow Your Email List
Kirsten Oliphant discusses various ways to grow your email subscriber list.
Learn an Overlooked Writing Skill: Free Training on July 27
Join me for a live training to learn to write sales copy that’s as impressive as your story; you’ll improve book descriptions, ad copy and reader emails.
5 Steps to a Killer Book Talk
Every author dreams of having a successful book reading in a roomful of admiring fans. Yet too few actually spend enough time planning what they will say.
5 Common Mistakes That Even Longtime Bloggers Make
Wondering why you don’t have more blog traffic—or if it’s worthwhile to continue your blogging effort? Here are the mistakes that commonly afflict authors.
Before You Start a Podcast: 4 Tips for Authors
Podcast producer Devon Fredericksen offers four tips for authors creating podcasts.
What Should You Put in Your Email Newsletter?
Learn about the various types of email newsletter that are sent by authors—with pros and cons of each—plus how to choose which type YOU should send.
Book Cover Redesign as Marketing Tool
Cover designer Alexander von Ness explains the value of a book cover redesign and walks through several cover redesigns and their goals.
When Less Is More on Social Media
Social media expert Chris Syme explains why less is more in social media, and how to make the most use of primary and secondary social media channels.
My Latest Advice on Book Publishing and Marketing
Get links to my latest interviews and Q&A sessions where I discuss the publishing industry as well as marketing and promotion.
How to Customize Your Email Newsletter Sign-Up Forms to Increase Reader Engagement
The connection with your email newsletter subscribers starts much sooner than you think, in a place that many gloss over or ignore: your signup forms.
Using Video for Author Marketing: What Beginners Need to Know
In my latest post over at Writer Unboxed, I discuss what writers need to know if they’re considering video as part of their marketing and promotion strategy. In brief, here’s what writers should avoid: Don’t do book trailers. Don’t talk at length in a static shot. Don’t post unedited video longer than a minute or […]
Crowdfunding Usually Doesn’t Work for Writers—But It Can
Over 70% of author crowdfunding campaigns fail, but you can beat the odds if you embrace your role as chief marketing officer of your book.
Starting an Email Newsletter: Why to Do It and Which Service to Use
Author Kirsten Oliphant explains how to get started forming a list of email subscribers, including how to choose an email service provider.
Building Your Professional Author Website: WordPress vs Squarespace
Web design expert Ron Bueker discusses the pros and cons of using WordPress and Squarespace to build your author website and brand.
How to Use Guest Blogging to Promote Your Book
Online marketing expert Beth Hayden explains how to use guest blogging to promote your book.
How to Save Money and Do Online Book Publicity Yourself
Author and publicist Fauzia Burke offers tips and resources for doing your own internet book publicity.
The Author Website: Your Central Marketing Hub
The primary function and value of an author website is marketing related.
A Former Book Publicist’s Advice to Traditionally Published Authors
Andrea Dunlop, a former Doubleday publicist, discusses how to approach a book launch from a publicist’s point of view.
Pinterest for Authors: A Beginner’s Guide
Learn four reasons writers might want to use Pinterest, how to best use the platform, and best practices to get the most traction for your work.
How to Find and Work With a Book Publicist—Successfully
What every author needs to know before they hire a publicist, and how to work with one successfully.
Storytelling Across Media: Q&A with Agent Laurie McLean
Agent Laurie McLean discusses the platform and book launch strategy for author/musician Simon Curtis.
Selling Your Books Internationally
Helen Sedwick and Orna Ross discuss selling international rights to your book.
Author Collectives and Co-ops: What They Are and How to Start One
Writers’ collectives can help independent authors gain an advantage in quality, cost control, and marketing.
Are Paid Book Reviews Worth It?
The majority of authors will not benefit from paid book reviews, and should invest their time and money elsewhere. Here’s why.
Using Kindle Scout as Part of a Book Launch Campaign
Learn how to use Kindle Scout as part of a pre-release marketing strategy for a self-published book.
5 On: April Eberhardt
Literary agent and publishing consultant April Eberhardt discusses effective book promotion, what makes writing exceptional from a publishing perspective, her preference for representing women’s fiction, and more in this 5 On interview.
Long-Term Marketing Models for Self-Published Authors
Too many authors focus on short-term fixes for book marketing, when they need to implement a long-term approach that will work over many months and years.
How Writers Can Optimize Their Book’s Description on Amazon
Author and editor C. S. Lakin offers guidelines on crafting your Amazon book description to maximize sales.
How to Use Facebook Contests & Giveaways to Build a Fan Base
Social media marketing expert Chris Syme discusses how to use Facebook contests and giveaways to turn fans into super fans.
5 Ways to Use Instagram as an Author
Writers Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine explain all the ways authors can use Instagram to build their readership.
Can You Promote a Book without Making Yourself Miserable?
Author Ed Cyzewski offers insight into building authentic, sustainable practices in book marketing and promotion.
5 On: Dana Kaye
Publicist Dana Kaye discusses why not to pretend to be a publicist, the question of gender bias in publishing and publicity, marketing mistakes and misconceptions, and more.
How Authors Can Find Their Ideal Reading Audience
Writing coach and author Angela Ackerman discusses techniques for identifying and connecting with your target reading audience.
Truth-Telling and Platform-Building
How do you build an online platform when you don’t have advice or ready-to-go insights (and don’t like offering either)?
Self-Publishing Beyond the Book: Serializing, Podcasting, and Merchandising
How an indie author turned a story concept into a full-fledged multimedia universe, including a live blog, illustrated journal, merchandise, and podcast.
Beware of One-Size-Fits-All Advice for Social Media
Be careful before applying someone else’s social media advice to your situation.
Writing Your Book’s Back-Cover Copy
Editor Jessi Rita Hoffman explains how to craft professional and compelling back-cover copy for your book.
5 Ways to Quickly Improve Your Email Newsletter Performance
How to improve the effectiveness of your email newsletter through very specific changes to your sign-up forms and content.
Using Pinterest to Market Children’s Picture Books
A children’s author shares her strategies for promoting her picture books on Pinterest—as well as what adult fiction marketing techniques haven’t worked for her.
Email Newsletters for Authors: Get Started Guide
Everything you need to know to start sending an effective email newsletter.
How to Repurpose Your Book or Blog Content for Profit and Promotion
Blogger and author Nina Amir explains how to turn your blog content into books and other information products.
What Marketing Support Looks Like at a Big 5 Publisher
Thriller author Todd Moss describes his own marketing efforts and the marketing efforts of his Big Five publisher, Putnam, for his book The Golden Hour.
That Overused Word “Community”—But Why We Still Have to Talk About It
What does it mean to “engage” with a community? And what’s the benefit?