build traffic to your author website

10 Ways to Build Traffic to Your Author Website or Blog

This post was first published in 2012 and is regularly updated. First things first: an author's website, whether it gets
Wordpress plug-ins

The WordPress Plugins I Can’t Live Without

Plugins are one of the most wonderful and useful things about Wordpress. Here are some of my favorites for writers.
Debra Eckerling

5 On: Debra Eckerling

Debra Eckerling (@WriteOnOnline), founder of the writers' support group Write On!, discusses common writer challenges, the value of blogs, what it means to take writing to the next level, tragic networking mistakes, and more in this 5 On interview.
marketing roundup

Book Marketing Resources for Authors: The Best of 2016

Every year, I share hundreds (even thousands) of articles and reports on book marketing. Here, I look back on the best of what I found in 2016.
author platform building

Building a Platform to Land a Book Deal: Why It Often Fails

If you're preparing to pitch your nonfiction work to agents or publishers, you may have heard about the necessity of platform. What if you don't have one?
princess saves herself

A Self-Published Poet’s Path to Her First Book Deal

How a self-publishing poet achieved visibility for her book—and landed a book deal with traditional publisher Andrews McMeel.
get 10000 visits

How to Get 10,000 Visits to Your Blog in One Day with No Platform

Getting traction for your online presence—especially a new blog—can feel like an impossible task when you're an unknown writer. But it can be done.
Nov/Dec 2016 Writer's Digest

How to Make Money from Your Website or Blog

I'm proud to have a feature in Writer's Digest magazine on how to monetize your website and blog. I detail eight methods.
writing for free

When Should You Write for Exposure? 5 Questions to Ask

When deciding whether to write for free—or for exposure—here are 5 questions writers should ask.
call-to-action

What Writers Too Often Overlook: Having a Call to Action

Just about every writer would love to have more readers—more readers of their books, their blog, their articles, or whatever creative work they’re producing. But few writers have given much thought to having a call to action that's associated with their work.
blogging mistakes

5 Common Mistakes That Even Longtime Bloggers Make

Wondering why you don't have more blog traffic—or if it's worthwhile to continue your blogging effort? Here are the mistakes that commonly afflict authors.
A woman working at a computer.

How to Save Money and Do Online Book Publicity Yourself

Author and publicist Fauzia Burke offers tips and resources for doing your own internet book publicity.
A camera with an iPad with the text "Your Message Here"

Creating Easy Branded Images for Your Blog and Social Media

Kirsten Oliphant details how to find, create, and edit branded graphics for blogs and social media.
A dollar bill planted among other seedlings in a field

Can You Promote a Book without Making Yourself Miserable?

Author Ed Cyzewski offers insight into building authentic, sustainable practices in book marketing and promotion.
Nadine Darling

5 On: Nadine Darling

Debut author Nadine Darling discusses her revision and query process, blogging, writing with children in the house, and more.
Truth-Telling and Platform-Building

Truth-Telling and Platform-Building

How do you build an online platform when you don't have advice or ready-to-go insights (and don't like offering either)?
Into the Nanten

Self-Publishing Beyond the Book: Serializing, Podcasting, and Merchandising

How an indie author turned a story concept into a full-fledged multimedia universe, including a live blog, illustrated journal, merchandise, and podcast.
Image by nikcname via Flickr

How to Repurpose Your Book or Blog Content for Profit and Promotion

Blogger and author Nina Amir explains how to turn your blog content into books and other information products.
Scott Berkun, The Year Without Pants

Book Marketing Must Center (Mostly) on the Author: Q&A with Scott Berkun

Full-time author and speaker Scott Berkun discusses his book marketing experiences as both a traditionally published author and self-published author.
saner internet life

10 Resolutions for a Saner Internet—and Life

For me, the hardest thing about being online is remembering what I think and the "why" that I'm working for. The multiplicity of voices can make you forget your center.
Author Hangout with Jane Friedman

Platform Building for Authors [30-Minute Video Interview]

In a 30-minute video interview, I discuss the basics of author platform.
Author Biz podcast

Building Your Business As An Author [Interview]

I was delighted to be a guest on Stephen Campbell's podcast, The Author Biz.
Writer Unboxed

Does Building an Online Presence Stress You Out?

You're not alone. Being told to build an online presence creates internal conflict for a lot of writers. This is the topic
5 Free Wordpress Themes for Writers

5 Free WordPress Themes for Writers

If you have a Wordpress-based site, then you know that one of the first choices you have to make (and
What Should Authors Blog About?

What Should Authors Blog About?

The chain of events goes something like this: An author's book nears its publication date (or perhaps the author is attempting
How to Customize a Template-Based Author Website

How to Customize a Template-Based Author Website

Note from Jane: Today’s guest post is by Simone Collins (@SimoneHCollins) at ArtCorgi. See her earlier post on The Advantages
Audience Development for Writers: Your Life-Long Career Investment

Audience Development for Writers: Your Life-Long Career Investment

In this talk from the 2013 Midwest Writers Workshop, I explain the process of growing my readership since 2008, then share a few key principles I follow to make it an enjoyable and sustainable process.
Twitter

How I Got a Six-Figure Twitter Following (and Why It Doesn’t Matter)

It's almost a running joke. Whenever my manager introduces me at an event, he always starts by saying how many
Kitty Cornered by Bob Tarte

How One Introverted Author Successfully Markets His Work

The following Q&A is with author Bob Tarte. Bob lives in Michigan with parrots, ducks, geese, parakeets, rabbits, doves, cats, hens,
How to Blog a Book by Nina Amir

How Long Does It Take to Get Blog Readers?

The following advice is excerpted from How to Blog a Book by Nina Amir, recently released from Writer's Digest Books.
Platform by Michael Hyatt

Top 10 Blog Traffic Killers

The following advice is from Michael Hyatt's newest release, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. The book is one of