Marketing & Promotion
How to Avoid the “Extra” Work of Social Media
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of speaking at a one-day publishing event hosted by Blurb in Brooklyn, NY.
How to Use NoiseTrade Books as a Strategic Marketing Tool
Note from Jane: I am very grateful to Ed Cyzewski (@edcyzewski) for today's guest post, where he shares valuable insights
My Latest Thoughts on Marketing for Writers
My latest interview, with advice for writers on websites, blogging, social media, and marketing, is now live over at Social
7 Industry Experts Discuss Book Marketing and Promotion
The Summer 2014 issue of Scratch (my magazine for writers) is now available. Inside, you'll find a roundtable I hosted on book
Digital Book Day: A New Marketing Effort By Bestselling Author C.J. Lyons
Over the holiday weekend, C.J. Lyons, a bestselling hybrid author, launched a new initiative called Digital Book Day, partly in
7 Things I Learned from the World’s Best Marketers
Today's guest post is by author Tiana Warner (@tianawarner). The Art of Marketing conference in Vancouver was a full day
Think Local: It’s Not Just for Food
Today's guest post is by author and freelancer Andi Cumbo-Floyd (@andilit). On one side of the street, they sit next to
6 Ways Micro-Publishing Strengthens Your Author Career
Micro-published books are short, tight, and swift. A meaningful discussion of micro-publishing has been pushed aside during the ongoing tug-of-war between traditional publishing and independent publishing (self-publishing). But we are well beyond “everyone is a writer” at this point. We have progressed into “everyone is a publisher,” if they wish to be—and we have been living in this realm for some time already. Fortunately, micro-publishing benefits the industry as a whole by bringing some much-needed simplicity and directness into a publishing equation that is often weighted down by its own complexity and contracts. And it also benefits you, the writer.
How Much Does Author Platform Impact Sales?
Is it possible to successfully publish and sell your e-books—without a platform—as long as you choose the right genre?
The Art and Business of Reader Engagement and Author Platform
Strong reader relationships build unbelievable opportunities. Marketing and promotion ideas usually start by considering what reader relationships you have in place—or can build on. Here is a framework and strategy for building and engaging a readership.
Why I Choose to Both Self-Publish and Traditionally Publish
Since 2009, after the release of my second novel, I’ve been a so-called hybrid author, working with New York publishers as well as self-publishing. I’m often asked why I chose to combine these two seemingly disparate publishing careers, juggling twice the work.
4 Ways to Find Readers Who Love Your Work
So you want to find those raving fans, right? Awesome. We’re about to give you the most boring advice possible. You’re probably going to be disappointed that we’re not going to offer you a magic way to get a ton more readers, but unfortunately that’s not how it works. Ideal fans and readers are gained a few at a time, and it takes time to build that bond, even if you experience a sudden and serendipitous burst of exposure.
Is Your Bio Working Hard or Hardly Working?
Learn how to write a better bio note and improve the opportunities that come your way.
The Importance of Your Book Cover: Achieving the Right Fit
Note from Jane: The following post is the first in a series that will offer tips and advice from successful
The Difference Between Marketing and Publicity
No one can buy a book they’ve never heard of. So, how do readers hear about books? Everyone likes to say it’s word of mouth, but it’s not possible to tell a friend about a book until you’ve heard of it yourself. That’s where publicity and marketing come in.
Book Marketing 101
It is possible, if not desirable, for an author to launch an effective book-marketing campaign without a publisher’s support or assistance. Mainly, it requires time and energy. Here's a comprehensive rundown of the main strategies in use today.
My Advice on Hiring and Working With a Publicist
A publicist often helps secure mainstream media coverage, but they also have tremendous value outside of that. Here's how to effectively work with one.
Why Don’t Publishers Believe in Author Websites?
It's not unusual for authors to be told by their publishers that author websites aren't necessary or effective. Should their insight be trusted?
5 Reasons to Use a Facebook Profile (Not a Page) to Build Platform
A Facebook Profile is often a better option than a fan Page for building author platform. It’s simpler and easier to get your content in front of people, takes less time to manage, and will build a tribe or platform faster, especially if you don’t plan to run ads.
Book Tour Planning 101
Five things to consider as you begin planning book events to spread the word about your book.
Launching an Online Community: Q&A With Author-Entrepreneur Alexis Grant
What does it take to launch a new website and online community? A Q&A with author and entrepreneur Alexis Grant.
Business Is Personal: 5 Common Networking Mistakes
Business is personal. In the long-run game, anyone who treats business as though it is not personal is going to end up stepping on toes and leaving a trail of poor impressions.
Is Crowdfunding Right for You? 5 Questions
Today's guest post is by Justine Schofield, the communications coordinator for Pubslush, a crowdfunding publishing platform. You’ve probably heard of
Does Social Media Really Sell Books?
There's no end to the conflicting advice about social media and book marketing. In this post, I present a framework for what's effective and what's not.
How to Increase Your Odds at Getting Lucky
Learn how self-published novelist Ransom Stephens landed a two-book deal with Amazon—without even querying.
Does Twitter Make Sense for Most Writers?
Is social media a waste of time for writers? Is it possible, in the end, to just focus on writing?
How to Sell More Books By Optimizing Your Metadata
One of the biggest challenges in publishing today is discoverability, particularly at Amazon and other major online retailers. You can ensure your book is found more easily by optimizing your metadata—here's how.
How to Connect With More Readers in Just 5 Minutes
If you're having trouble finding your audience, your message may not be connecting with readers on a personal level. Here's how to fix the problem.
2 Strategic and Compelling Reasons to Keep Blogging—Plus When to Kill a Blog
Note from Jane: Today's guest post is from Dan Blank (@DanBlank) and covers a topic that was recently addressed on
5 Ideas for Using Pinterest as an Author
How authors, especially novelists, can start using Pinterest in a way that's a natural outgrowth of their work.
Amazon KDP Select: Is It Worthwhile for Authors?
Should authors take advantage of the Amazon KDP Select program? A comprehensive discussion of who the program is well-suited for, plus best strategies.
Agent-Assisted Self-Publishing and the Amazon White Glove Program
There are no “rules” for agent-assisted self-publishing, but the biggest drawbacks are usually loss of control and loss of royalties. All authors should negotiate a contract beforehand that protects their rights and lifetime earnings.
It’s Time for (Many) Experienced Writers to Stop Blogging
Author L.L. Barkat argues that writers who already have experience—as well as authors trying to promote themselves—should stop blogging.
5 Things Bad Radio Guests Do (And 7 Ways to Rock on Radio)
Today's guest post is from Brad Phillips (@MrMediaTraining), author of The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need
Getting a Traditional Book Deal After Self-Publishing
Today's guest post is by Judy L. Mandel, author of the Replacement Child, forthcoming from Seal Press in March 2013.
Sell More Fiction by Activating the Power of Book Clubs
Today's guest post is by Rob Eagar, author of Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. Book clubs and discussion groups—where millions
A Framework for Thinking About Author Platform
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of participating in an online Google Hangout with the Bay Area Bloggers, hosted by Anne
The Stephen King Guide to Marketing
Today's guest post is by Jason Kong. You may remember him from an earlier guest post here at JaneFriedman.com: Are
How to Get More (and Better) Press
Today's post is by freelance journalist and independent author Dana Sitar (@DanaSitar). You’ve just released a book. You’re participating in
A Small-Budget Advertising Experiment
Today's guest post is by Dee DeTarsio. While it is more of a brief advertising anecdote than a serious ad
Why Self-Publishing Is a Tragic Term
Today's guest post is by Ed Cyzewski. You may recall him from his previous post here, When Self-Publishing Is More
Are You Making This Marketing Mistake?
Today's guest post is from Jason Kong. When your goal is to sell ideas, books, or yourself, it's easy to
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,
Hustling: How to Spread the Word About Your Work
The following advice is excerpted from The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love,
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
Do You Adopt a Totally Different Voice to Market Yourself?
Today I'm a guest over at Writer Unboxed, where I discuss how finding your unique writing voice is not so
Please Do Not Pay Money for an Online Ad Until You Read This
Articles about the ineffectiveness of online advertising are a dime a dozen. (See this one and this other one, from
Starving Artist Vs. Slimy Marketer: How to Strike a Balance
Today's guest post is from one of my UC students, Jarrod Welling-Cann. He is facing the issue—as we all do
Yes, E-mail Still Works for Book Marketing
After last Friday's post, 4 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Book Marketing Efforts, I received a few responses questioning the
4 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Book Marketing Efforts
When I see bad book marketing out in the wild, I wish I could do something productive to help that