Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing. Share any best reads you’ve found lately in the comments.
If this round-up is helpful, then you might be interested in the digital magazine I’m launching this fall, Scratch. It’s all about the intersection of writing and money. Click here to sign up for an alert when we launch.
How to Devise the Best Marketing Strategy for the Holidays by M. Louisa Locke (@mlouisalocke)
Writes Locke: “Everywhere the discussion is raging among indie authors: should they [use] KDP Select for the holidays or not? This is an important decision because, if last holiday is any guide, the bulk of ebook sales are going to come in the ninety days after December 25, when huge numbers of new ereaders and tablets of all sorts are found gift-wrapped under the tree.” Click here to read the full post.
The Six Best Book Marketing Blogs by Chris Robley (@ChrisRobley)
This is a short and sweet round-up of blogs that focus on book marketing advice, featuring some well-known sites (The Creative Penn), and some less known (IBMG). Visit the BookBaby blog for the list.
GalleyCat’s Freelance Editor Directory by Jason Boog (@jasonboog)
GalleyCat has built a free, automatically updated directory where editors can post their services and writers can seek freelance editors. As with any system (automated or vetted), do your due diligence before hiring anyone. (Here’s excellent advice on hiring a freelance editor.)
An Open Letter to Young Freelancers by Mark
This post is from the comics world, but much of it applies to freelancers in any creative industry. Visit Thrillbent to read, where you’ll also find a great discussion thread.
5 Authors Using Social Media to Reach Readers and Sell Books by Alyssa Kritsch (@AlyssaMK)
While this article doesn’t do a deep dive on social media strategy, it does provide excellent inspiration and examples of how authors use social media well, and in a way that fits their personalities. Read more at the HootSuite blog.
Goodreads for Authors With Patrick Brown by Joanna Penn (@thecreativepenn)
New to Goodreads? Unsure how to use it as an author? Here’s a great 101 post, at The Creative Penn.
Addendums, Rights Grabs, and Agents by Kristine Rusch (@KristineRusch)
If you’re an author under contract, and you receive an addendum either from your publisher or your agent, this is a must-read post on whether or not you should sign it.
Enjoy this round-up? Don’t miss earlier installments full of goodness.
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
Thanks, Jane. These are my favorite posts! Great one on Goodreads.
Writer Advice always makes me cringe, but I do know there are lots of good sites out there, and it’s nice to have someone in the know direct me to them.
Thanks so much for the share Jane!
– Alyssa from HootSuite
Thanks for the share, plenty to look into tonight.
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Thanks for sharing, the advice is very helpful!
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