Do you want me to tell you a story? Is there a better question to stoke the imagination and create anticipation? The promise of a story has always electrified me. I’ve wanted to become a writer since my parents read me bedtime stories filled with fantasy and adventure. I would often sneak out of bed… Read more »
After several conversations with bestselling authors and those making full-time income as indie authors, I knew it was time to pivot my marketing strategy. Sure, you can still use older methods to gain visibility for your book and increase your sales. You can slap a permafree novel on your website, then upsell to your new… Read more »
Happy Friday, word nerds! Today’s #5onFri revolves around cats – those creatures who make for both the BEST and WORST writing partners, somehow at the very same time. From illuminated manuscripts depicting cats at the feet of scribes to Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote with a tortie draped around his neck, the unique partnership between… Read more »
Posting and browsing the feeds on social media is fun, but if you’re working to build a professional platform for your author career, you need to do more. For that, you want to keep an eye on your analytics. And when it comes to analytics, no matter what social networks or other digital channels you… Read more »
Just the thought of a “critique group” used to send shivers down my spine. Now, I am convinced that my writers’ circle, a variation on the traditional critique group, was the most important part of my recent post, #5onFri: 5 Things that Saved my Novel from Oblivion. To me, a writers’ circle is more intimate, supportive, and… Read more »
This last year has been a difficult one, and some communities have been more deeply affected than others. Right now, I am heartbroken by the acts of violence toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Between the deadly shooting in Atlanta to the thousands of attacks tracked by Stop AAPI Hate, I feel a deep sadness… Read more »
Social media is a fascinating facet of modern life. On the personal side of things, it keeps people connected, disseminates information… but, sometimes, also causes conflict. On the career side of the ledger, social media is often written off as nothing more than a marketing tactic. However, there are actually several unique and powerful uses… Read more »
Welcome to the Author Marketing Toolkit, where you can learn from 20+ years of time-tested marketing and insights expertise, translated for authors. I’m Carol Van Den Hende, an MBA and strategist who’s known for bringing chocolate when I speak at conferences (surely, we’ll get back to in-person events one day!) I’m thrilled to be joining… Read more »
Do you think you are good at taking feedback? You: “Hey, do these sentences look okay? Could you take a look? They’re from a work in progress: The Blue Arrow Gallery is a newish silver box with large windows in the front. It sits a half dozen blocks from downtown on the edge of the… Read more »
I’m a writer. Not an author, mind you. A writer. And I have the life of a writer. This distinction was never more apparent until October 2018, when I overheard some colleagues in the English department office of the high school where I teach, talking about an article one of them had published in a… Read more »
