Writing an article is one thing—getting it read is another. If your blog is in its infancy, you might be lamenting the low numbers of readers your articles are getting. After all, they’re well-crafted labours of love, and they deserve a huge readership! This is where many authors run into the chicken-egg conundrum: readers only find out about new content when a friend, social media channel, or search engine shares it with them. But without ... keep reading
Great Minds: Walt Whitman’s Quest for Perfection
Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass is one of the greatest pieces of poetry—American or otherwise—ever created. Some might even call it perfection. So how does one man create so much of that perfection, and a better question, why can’t we do it? The truth is, Leaves of Grass was far from perfect when it was first published 160 years ago.
Depending on who you ask, Whitman went through eight or more editions to get it to the state it’s in today. We’ve compiled a “Leaves of Grass Timeline” to demonstrate Whitman’s process in turning mediocrity int... keep reading
How to Choose the Right Editor for Your Book
Hiring an editor can feel a bit like choosing a mate or business partner. Trust and shared vision are critical, and you’ll want to pair up with someone who brings the right strengths and assets to the relationship. Picking the right person will have a huge impact on your current happiness levels and your long-term success, so it’s worth taking the time to choose wisely. Here are some guidelines to help you find your perfect match.
1. Hire a pro, not your friend with an English degree.
Plenty of people can spell and use ... keep reading
What platform medium is best for your personality?
One of the most important parts of your author platform is having a consistent way to reach out to your fans. Like most authors you’ve probably considered a blog, but there are plenty of other ways to share your thoughts. When choosing your platform’s primary communication medium, start by considering your personality: which medium (or, for the ambitious, media) allows you to be your most authentic self? Take a look at these four popular options and see which one suits you best.
... keep reading
Five steps to setting up your first podcast
Podcasts have been around for almost four decades, and are now more popular than ever. One of the reasons for this is that almost anyone can do it—all you need is a microphone, a computer, and an idea. In fact, because it’s so easy, podcasting has become one of the go-to ways for authors to reach their audiences. What better way to get your voice heard than by recording it? To help you get started with this rising medium, we’ve put together a five-step guide on preparing your fi... keep reading
Try this “Party Trick” to strike the right tone in your book
Hey there!
Have you ever said something inappropriate at a party? I know I have – like the time I was catching up with a friend about our dating adventures, only to realize that a preschooler was quietly listening intently to our stories – colourful language and all.
Now, I do like a good old gossipy chat with a close friend and I’m not likely to stop having them, but being appropriate is all about striking the right tone for the situation. Looking back, we should have known better – we were at a kid’s birthday party! Oopsies…
Here’... keep reading
What should you call your author website?
This tip orginally appeared in our e-magazine. To get more writing tips and inspiration straight to your mailbox, subscribe here.
As an author, of course you want to sell copies of your book, so you might be tempted to name your website after your book and humbly relegate yourself to the “About the Author” page. Don’t do it!
It’s critical to your career as an author that you have a website that’s all about you, with your own name in the URL. Why?
- The infrastructu... keep reading
Know the difference: forward vs foreword
This tip orginally appeared in our e-magazine. To get more writing tips and inspiration straight to your mailbox, subscribe here.
It’s one of the most common malapropisms in publishing.
Many people who should know better regularly erroneously use the word “forward” when referring to the introductory chapter of a book – and we can only chalk so much of it it up to overzealous autocorrect.
Remember: “Forward” is an adjective that means R... keep reading
Six steps to getting great book blurbs
It’s a good time to be a book lover. With 32.8 million books listed on Amazon, there is no shortage of choice for readers. Those same stats, however, are stacked against authors. With the average reader finishing only an estimated 15 books a year (and many picking up far fewer), you’ve got to squeeze through a pretty fine filter for a reader to pick your words over someone else’s.
With competition this fierce, high-profile blurbs and endorsements are more important than ever for building your book’s credibility and visibility. Reader reviews ... keep reading
How to Boost Your Book Sales With Amazon Reviews
We all dream of seeing a five-start review of our book gracing the front page of the New York Times book section, but for most authors–especially unestablished and self-published ones–the feat is extraordinarily difficult to accomplish. Fortunately, Amazon reader reviews are even more important for creating credibility and boosting your Amazon book rating, and should be treated as an equally huge opportunity. A New York Times review is great, but when potential customers are on Amazon ready to hit the Add to Cart button, the customer reviews are the ones ... keep reading