Anne R. Allen Archives - Social Media Just for Writers

Indie Author Weekly Update – May 26, 2017

In this edition of the Indie Author Weekly Update enjoy posts from Anne R. Allen, Amy Collins, Joanna Penn, Gary McLaren, and Publishing Perspectives. Topics range from blogging to Goodreads to Amazon Charts. Enjoy!

Practice Novels: 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Publish that 1st Novel…Yet by Anne R. Allen: “We often hear stories about authors who have phenomenal success with a “first novel.” I’m sure most writers fantasize about being one of those success stories as we begin our careers. I sure did. But here’s what I didn’t know when I was having those fantasies: a novel that is published first is rarely the actual first novel an author wrote.”

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Indie Author Weekly Update – May 19, 2017

May 19, 2017 By Frances Caballo Leave a Comment

Today’s Indie Author Update includes posts on blogging, social media tools, word-of-mouth marketing, and so much more! I hope you enjoy these posts, ones I considered the best from all the post I read this past week.

How ‘word-of-mouth marketing’ REALLY happens by Dan Blank: “Today I want to share a small case study with you, illustrating how word-of-mouth marketing really happens. My goal is to encourage you to connect in meaningful ways with others who resonate with the writing and creative work you are passionate about. Okay, let’s dig in…”

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Blogs and Podcasts I Read and Listen to Every Week

April 3, 2017 By Frances Caballo 3 Comments

We all have our secret list of favorite blogs and podcasts we prefer. I base my preferences on whether or not I learn anything new and, especially in the case of podcasts, whether there’s an entertainment value.

Don’t get me wrong; solid information is what keeps me coming back week after week. But when it comes to podcasts, the audio has to be clear, the guests interesting, and the topics need to resonate with my struggles or interest. I listen to podcasts while I’m on the treadmill so if an episode doesn’t hold my interest sufficiently, the exercise can become unbearable.

I thought you might want to find out which bloggers and podcasters I pay close attention to. Well, here they are.

Bloggers I Read

Anne R. Allen

I adore Anne’s blog. Aside from being one smart lady, her mix of sass and education is priceless.

Buffer Blog

The folks at Buffer write in-depth posts that always teach me a new skill. I rely on this blog to keep my social media skills sharp.

BookWorks

I’m proud to be a blogger at BookWorks, but that’s not why the blog is on this list. I enjoy the other bloggers, including Penny Sansevieri, Carla King, Helen Sedwick, and Joel Friedlander, who write sharp posts. I always learn something when I read a new post, which is why I read blogs in the first place.

TheBookDesigner.com by Joel Friedlander

Blogger, author, and entrepreneur, Joel Friedlander is a masterful blogger and businessman who blogs on Mondays and has guest bloggers appear on Wednesdays. I always look forward to seeing what’s new on his site. Be sure to read his monthly reviews of book covers. You’ll learn a lot.

Jane Friedman

Jane is an author, former publisher of Writer’s Digest, and astute marketing maven. I always enjoy seeing what she has to say or one of her guest bloggers.

Digital Pubbing

Sabrina is a writer, ebook developer, and blogger at DigitalPubbing.com. I enjoy her interviews, posts, and compilation of top posts on specific topics. I wouldn’t miss an issue.

Podcasts I Follow

Serial

The reporters from This American Life are the hosts of this show. They dissect a story to its core, using their investigative reporter skills. If you can learn something from this podcast, it’s how to tell a story in an engaging, entertaining manner. But these stories are real so while they are entertaining, they can also be quite sad. I love this series. I’ve listened to the first two seasons and am eagerly awaiting season three.

Self-Publishing Formula Podcast

Mark Dawson and James Blatch co-host this podcast. Mark Dawson is a thriller author who hosts trainings on online advertising for indie authors. James Blatch is a former BBC News journalist who is currently writing his first novel. Together they form a formidable team.

Smarty Pants Book Marketing

Chris and Becca Syme, a mother-daughter team. Chris is a marketer and Becca is a hybrid author. Together they interview guests and share marketing strategies.

The Author Biz by Stephen Campbell

Stephen Campbell loves to analyze figures, so his guests often arrive at the show with spreadsheets noting how much they’ve spent, how much they’ve earned, and how many books they’ve sold. It’s always fun to hear about another indie author’s success.

The Creative Penn

This is my favorite podcast. I adore Joanna Penn’s personal ramblings at the beginning of the show, and she can make even the seemingly most boring topic fascinating. She’s bubbly, positive, and informative – a winning combination.

The author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She’s a regular speaker at the San Francisco Writers Conference. In addition, she’s a contributing writer at TheBookDesigner.com, and blogger and Social Media Expert for BookWorks. She’s written several social media books including the 2nd edition of Social Media Just for Writers, The Author’s Guide to Goodreads, and Social Media in 30 Minutes a Day. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, finding new readers, and selling more books. Her clients include authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for my free email course.

Practical tips for marketing your books on the social web

Get a free copy of Avoid Social Media Time Suck from Smashwords!

Indie Author Weekly Update – March 24, 2017

March 24, 2017 By Frances Caballo 2 Comments

Today’s edition of the Indie Author Weekly Update is jam-packed with seven posts across nearly the entire spectrum of information that indie authors need to know.

Don’t miss Joanna Penn’s podcast interview of Mark Dawson or Self-Publishing Relief’s tips on how to make your book stand out on Amazon. There are great tips in these posts.

Indie Author Updates

Everything you need to know about hashtags from Lilach Bullock: “Ever since the first hashtag was used back in 2007 on Twitter, the popularity of hashtags has continuously grown and they have become a huge part of some of the biggest social networks. So in this blog post, I will be covering everything there is to know about hashtags: the do’s and don’t’s, how, where and when to use them, and the top hashtag tools on the market.”

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Indie Author Weekly Update – March 10, 2017

March 10, 2017 By Frances Caballo Leave a Comment

In this week’s Indie Author Weekly Update you’ll find posts on blogging, branding, author bios, social media, and more. I hope you enjoy this week’s selection.

Meanwhile, after several days of rain and hail we’re enjoying a few days of respite, sun, and warmer temperatures. The warmer temps are always inviting to pursue a hike or bike ride. Don’t you agree? I hope you find your time in the outdoors as inspiring as I do.

Indie Author Update

Why Do I Need a Media Kit? 5 Reasons (+ FREE online workshop series March 13-24!) from Chris Well: “The media kit is an essential tool for every author who wants to leverage the power of the media to build their brand. This set of PR materials gives media influencers and others a clear snapshot of what you have to offer.”

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Indie Author Weekly Update – February 10, 2017

February 10, 2017 By Frances Caballo Leave a Comment

This week’s Indie Author Update covers a gamut of topics, from marketing plans to blogging to Twitter.

I normally schedule one Conversations with Frances each month but in March and April I’m breaking the patter and featuring four guests instead of two. I hope you check out the lineup and sign up for these free webinars.

Indie Author Updates

How I Became a Bestseller with a Coordinated Marketing Plan from BookBub Partners: “When my first novel, The Fairy Tale Bride, was traditionally published in October of 2000, I had all the usual hopes and dreams of new writers — letters from readers, great reviews, and, of course, becoming a bestselling author.”

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Indie Authors: Follow These 40 on Twitter in 2017

January 2, 2017 By Frances Caballo 10 Comments

As you probably already know, Twitter is where I spend most of my time online. My day starts with Twitter and ends with Facebook, but as a Twitter fan woman, Twitter is my darling amongst the social media I use.

To help you start the year right, I decided to create this list of my top contacts and purveyors of information in 140 characters or fewer. I hope these individuals, experts, and entities soon become your favorites too.

Note: The list is organized alphabetically, not by ranking.

Authors and Experts to Follow on Twitter in 2017

Alliance of Independent Authors

Founded by author and poet Orna Ross, @IndieAuthor ALLI is a membership organization of indie authors and advisors.

Andrea Vahl

Andrea has been writing about social media for years. Although she caters to the business world, her words are genuine pearls of wisdom and she’s well worth following and keeping track of.

Anne R. Allen

I adore Anne’s blog and enjoy following her on Twitter too. She is one smart lady!

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15 Best Blogs for Indie Authors to Follow

December 26, 2016 By Frances Caballo 11 Comments

Blogs Just for Indie Authors

Blogging can be so important to an indie author’s brand.

Should you blog? That depends. Many fiction authors do well even though they don’t blog. Instead of blogging, though, they have an active presence on Facebook and perhaps two other sites where they engage with their readers.

But if you write nonfiction, well, you just can’t get around the need to blog regularly. How else would you expose your writing, thoughts, education, and expertise to potential clients as well as readers?

I read a lot of blogs, and from the ones I read regularly, I’ve selected my list of the top 15 blogs for indie authors. If any are new to you, expand your world and check them out.

Here’s the list:

TheBookDesigner.com

TheBookDesigner is Joel Friedlander’s blog. He started this blog out of thin air several years ago and has grown it into a mainstay in the independent publishing arena. If you’re self-published, you have to read this blog.

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Indie Author Weekly Update

December 23, 2016 By Frances Caballo 2 Comments

The Indie Author Update this week includes posts from bloggers I haven’t previously included, namely Marketing Drive, Rachel Thompson, and Anne Hill. I hope you enjoy all the posts I’ve selected for you from across the book industry’s blogosphere.

On another note, tomorrow is Christmas Eve and Hanukkah. However you celebrate this time of year, may your gatherings be joyful and the new year bring you all that you desire in your writing career.

Indie Author Updates

Twitter finally debuts live video for users Weekender from Marketing Dive: Live video has taken the digital landscape by storm in 2016, as key trends such as growing demand for digital content, real-time experiences and authenticity converge to enable anyone to broadcast an immersive moment. Successful live videos have the potential to go viral, like Candace Payne’s Chewbacca Mask broadcast did on Facebook Live, a video that has been viewed more than 162 million times.

Check out this week's Indie Author Updates Click To Tweet

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Indie Author Weekly Roundup September 16, 2016

September 16, 2016 By Frances Caballo Leave a Comment

This week’s Indie Author Weekly Roundup is rich with social media advice. I hope you enjoy this edition.

If you haven’t signed up for my webinar with Joanna Penn, do so now. I will debut my new webinar series, Conversations with Frances with Joanna as my first guest. It promises to be a lively discussion as we talk about marketing and her new program, How to Write a Novel. Join us!

Not Sure How to Approach Social Media? CARE about Your Readers via Jane Friedman: “Among all the rules you’ll find online—the 80/20 rule (only 20 percent of your posts should be about your books or blog posts), the admonitions against using social media as a bullhorn, the warnings about over-automating—there’s also an unspoken tenet. This tenet isn’t a rule that comes up on the blogosphere. Instead, it’s more of a system of approach; to describe it, I use an acronym that I created while preparing for the San Francisco Writers Conference last February.”

Fact: 78 percent of Americans have a social media profile Click To Tweet

Indie Author Updates

Pinning Away Pinterest Social Media by Ronel Janse Van Vuuren: “I had this nagging suspicion that my social media skills are a bit lacking. So I signed up for an email course through social media strategist Frances Caballo’s blog while I was there reading yet another great article. I knew that I was wasting valuable writing-time managing my social media platform. Yet I didn’t know how to fix it on my own. (Yeah, misspelling the title of this blogpost could’ve worked well here…)”

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