This Indie Author Weekly Update features some posts from Rachel Thompson’s NaNoProNo plus there’s a great post on book covers. Jane Friedman featured one on how to find a publicist. They’re all great!
NaNoProNo Posts
How to Make Author Network Connections with Five Easy Elements by Guest Donna Jennings, Ph.D and from Rachel Thompson: “Some people are unaware I grew up on a farm. I took part in crop planting and harvesting when I wasn’t feeding and watering animals. I translate lessons from farming to authoring because there is a lot in common, like seasons. You plan and prepare, plant the seeds, grow the product, harvest and when it’s ready, you share with the world.”
How to Improve Your Email Newsletters Right Now by Guest Barb Drozdowich and from Redhead Media: “All the experts these days seem to focus on “growing your list,” as part of your author platform. That’s the primary message – bigger and bigger numbers seem to be the most important thing. How many email addresses can you gather up to proudly show off?”
How to Set Your Author Website Foundation by Guest BookWorks and from Rachel Thompson: “The independent author sphere is saturated with bad design and marketing—from unintentionally hilarious book covers to websites that look like refugees from the wreckage of Geocities—and you don’t want to add to it. But it goes much deeper than that. Design isn’t just how your website looks, but what it does (to very loosely paraphrase Steve Jobs), and you have to do more than just have something out there. It needs to be as remarkable as your book.”
How To Grow Your Author Platform by Guest Alexa Bigwarfe and from Bad Redhead Media: “There is nothing worse than doing all the things to have a well-written, edited, fantastic book that completely flops when you launch it. That’s all of our biggest fears as writers, right? Okay, creatives have a lot of fears, but this one: “What if nobody buys my book?” is at the top of the list.”
Book Covers that Sell Your Book
Are you looking for a new book cover designer or premade cover? This will make your search easier! by Diana Urban: “Most authors and book marketers know that covers are important — and that it can be worth spending money for a professionally designed cover. After all, a book’s cover design has a proven impact on sales. But where can you go for help with your book cover design? We’re always on the lookout for useful resources, and we compiled this list for anyone seeking cover design help. We tried to include a variety of designers and premade cover options so you can find the best match for your genre and budget. While we haven’t vetted these specific resources ourselves, we hope they’re good places to start and make your search for cover design help less overwhelming.”
Find a Publicist
Choosing a Publicist: Ruling Out and Ruling In by Guest Barbara Linn Probst and from Jane Friedman’s blog: “Nowadays, many writers elect to hire their own publicists. That’s especially true for those who publish with small, independent, or nontraditional presses, since that may be the only way for them to secure media attention. It’s also true, however, for writers who take the traditional route. Unless you’re a major name, your publisher will have limited time and resources to devote to your book. If you want more exposure, you’ll have to make it happen yourself.”
Pitch for Film & TV
How to Pitch Nonfiction for Film & TV from from Alliance of Independent Authors and by Charles Harris: “As you cast about looking for other ways to generate income from that nonfiction book you slaved over, ever wonder what it takes to pitch your nonfiction book for film or TV? Kick back and let ALLi Author member Charles Harris show you how it’s done.”
Quote of the Week
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Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
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