Over the last few years I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many amazing authors, many of whom I’ve also become great friends with. Recently, I’ve been thinking about being a better promotional friend to those published (traditional or indie) author friends because they deserve it, because I want to help them and because we […]
Category > Marketing
To Retweet or Not to Retweet: On Rebroadcasting Praise
Today we’re happy to welcome back guest blogger James Sutter with some thoughts on social media. Thanks for your contribution, James! Here’s the scene: You’re fiddling around on your smartphone, maybe killing time in line at the grocery store, when suddenly—ding!—there’s a new message on your Twitter. Somebody liked your book! Not only did they […]
Guest Post: What NOT to do with your Website, By Lisa Grabenstetter
I’ve been doing some soul searching lately on the topic of websites, very aware that I need to streamline my online presence. So when illustrator Lisa Grabenstetter decided to write her guest post on the subject, I could not have been more pleased. Thank you Lisa! ******** A Brief History Of The Internet, or How […]
Blogging for Authors
This post is for you writing and creative types who are unhappy with your blogs. You feel like you are Supposed To Blog, but each post is a chore to write, and if anyone comments, it’s the same two friends. Worse, you feel like your blogging doesn’t support your booklife–maybe it even takes away from […]
On Readings, or Oh My God I Made a Fan
So, readings. If you write and share your written work with others in some form, you will eventually be asked to read aloud. Whether this is to promote a published work, or simply to practice in front of your (hopefully supportive) writing group or mom, you will find yourself before an audience in a coffee […]
That Trusty Ol’ Toolkit
It might not be intuitive, but a successful author is–most likely–a well-organized author. It’s all nice and romantic to imagine an office piled ceiling-high with stacks of paper, unpaid bills, absinthe bottles, etc, but let’s leave it at romance. If you don’t have to hunt for information every 10 minutes, if you can answer a […]
The Dos and Don’ts of Your Online Presence
You’ve heard it before: Fake it ’til you make it. In a larger sense this means that if we want to be viewed as professionals, we need to act like professionals. In this particular instance, we can use it as a guide toward how to comport ourselves online. Eventually we are going to make that […]
How To Network at Conventions – Guest Blog
With 2011 now in full swing, many people are looking ahead to which conventions they’d like to attend this year. Or perhaps you’ve never been to one and are considering it. I thought this would be great timing to ask Diana Rowland (Mark of the Demon, Blood of the Demon, Secrets of the Demon) to […]
Market Forces
Okay, you’ve done it! You’ve written a fantastic story; your beta-readers have torn the hell out of it; you’ve fixed the weird bits; you’ve trimmed off the fat. Â You formatted it following William Shunn‘s excellent advice. Â (You did format it using William Shunn’s excellent advice, right? Â Maybe you should double check, especially on the section […]
Guest Post: Robert J. Bennett, author of Mr. Shivers
We are honored to have Robert J. Bennett–author of the acclaimed and deeply creepy Mr. Shivers—as our very first guest blogger. Many thanks to Robert for contributing this post! It is a silly man who spends his nights worrying about his problems, for in the morning he is tired, and his problems remain unchanged. – […]