Marketing Magic: The Seven Points of Contact for Authors

In marketing, there is a saying that pretty much every person in the industry hears at some point:  Half of advertising doesn’t work, we just don’t know what half. It’s a flip comment that’s usually good for a quick guffaw, but I hate this saying. It implies that there is no strategy to marketing outreach, and that… Read more »

What I Learned From Starting a Blog Interview Series

As writers, we can’t help digesting as many author interviews as possible in the hopes of discovering how exactly that bestselling author wrote a blockbuster book. We want to discover the writing secrets that enable  people to create unforgettable stories. That’s why I couldn’t resist the opportunity to start an interview series on my blog…. Read more »

7 Ways I Jumpstarted My Author Platform

I’m a marketing professional and blogger who runs an online short story publication … so I’ve been in the game of building an audience online for years. It’s what I do for clients, and it’s also been, essentially, a personal hobby. But when it came time for my first novel to get published earlier this… Read more »

#5OnFri: 5 Fears of Blogging (And How to Overcome Them)

It’s not just you. Starting a blog can be knee-knocking scary—even when you know it can help you get published, build an audience of eager readers, and build your credibility as a writer. Because what will you write about? What if you don’t have time? And why should anybody listen to you when a bajillion successful bloggers out there have been… Read more »

Folla’ Back! Pros & Cons of Mass Following on Twitter

At ThrillerFest, a social media expert introduced me to a new concept for Twitter platform growth: what I’ve started calling the follow-back tactic. In short, you search for and follow people in your target audience, and you follow them. They follow you back to reciprocate, and everyone’s platforms grow. So simple! I couldn’t believe I’d… Read more »

Thrillerfest: Industry Experts on Platforming

At this year’s ThrillerFest, discussions about platforming and marketing focused heavily on social media. Lynne Constantine suggested writers should of social media as a virtual cocktail party, in terms of how you should interact with others—it’s about connections, not sales. So don’t let social media platforming intimidate you—Kimberley Cameron assured that “It’s nothing to be… Read more »

The Five Best Social Media Tools to Manage Your Author Platform

So you’re putting in the work and growing your author platform. High fives. But whether you’ve decided it’s time to become a master of all things Pinterest or simply resolved to tweet once every single day, the demands of maintaining a platform can easily become overwhelming. Don’t worry, it’s not you, it’s the Internet. But… Read more »

Episode 40: DIY MFA Social Media Extravaganza

Hey there, word nerds! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode of DIY MFA Radio. Today we’re going to talk about a super important topic for any author: Social Media. Social media can be tricky for writers because there’s so much to wrap your head around. Don’t worry. I’ll share some nuts and bolts, basic information… Read more »