Resources
Want to publish a book?
Writing & Editing Tips
Romance Subgenres: What You Need to Know
How to start writing a book
Finding an editor for your book
Beta Readers – what are they and how to use them
7 Critical Manuscript Self-Edits You Shouldn’t Ignore
How to have a successful NANOWRIMO
7 Strategies for Organizing Your Writing Ideas
The Four Tools Every Author Needs
7 Essentials for Writing a Powerful Book
Publishing & Production
Amazon A+ Content for Authors
2021 has been a huge year for changes at Amazon for authors. We’re all still feeling our way around Kindle Vella, and now they’re rolling out the new-to-us Amazon A+ Content program. It’s all part of some changes that should help authors – especially indie authors – boost their bottom line and have a lot more control over their presence and revenue streams on the site. Let’s explore what’s available with Amazon A+ Content for Authors.
What is the Kindle Vella program?
In April, Amazon announced their new Kindle Vella program. This brand new opportunity is tailor made for indie authors and new voices in publishing. It also seems to be an interesting way to diversify your income as an author, always key to making a writing life work.
It’s open to US-based authors writing in English now, and it will be ready for readers this summer. Is it right for you? Let’s dig into it!
How to send files to your Kindle (PDFs and Mobi files)
The difference between em dash and en dash (editor’s tip)
Front and Back Matter for a Book – they Matter!
Finding an editor for your book
Changing your book price on KDP
How to file your book copyright
How Book Awards Can Give You A Sales Boost
Marketing & Launch
Amazon A+ Content for Authors
2021 has been a huge year for changes at Amazon for authors. We’re all still feeling our way around Kindle Vella, and now they’re rolling out the new-to-us Amazon A+ Content program. It’s all part of some changes that should help authors – especially indie authors – boost their bottom line and have a lot more control over their presence and revenue streams on the site. Let’s explore what’s available with Amazon A+ Content for Authors.
Podcasts for Authors: A Free Book Marketing Tool
There are more than 30 million episodes of podcasts available to listen to right now. Just press a few buttons on your phone and they’re all there: literally millions of hours of content about every subject imaginable. Your book could be one of those subjects.
Ads for Authors: How To Reach Your Audience
Every month, I get a check from Amazon for about $250 for this book alone. WITH NO OTHER MARKETING. I’m not blogging, Instagramming, podcasting, or promoting this book in any other way except Amazon ads.
The Basics of a Book Blog Tour
It can be a challenge to spread the news about your book, especially once the thrill of the launch is done. It takes a bit of recalibration for authors to figure out how to develop a long term strategy to ensure continued success.
Our friend Mardine Perrins published Expiration Date, her dystopian medical thriller, this winter. Now, she is taking charge of her book’s post-launch marketing strategy by kicking off her very first book blog tour on June 21! If you love to read, or if you just want to find out more about how it’s done, check it out here.
Dying of a broken book marketing heart?
Our FAITH in our book gives us the courage to continue… however, if we aren’t doing the right things, if we aren’t making the most strategic decisions, if we aren’t powering forward in a way that puts us in a position to actually have that success, we can wind up completely exhausted, tired of saying, “it’s gonna get there!” and our faith begins to dwindle if we don’t see the results we were looking for.
Four Ways to Rock Your Virtual Book Launch
Book launches used to be crowded, public events, often with lavish budgets to match the lengthy guest list. But the way we look at launch day activities has really changed, thanks to new technology and the real need to lock down during the pandemic. And there’s every indication that these new “slipper-friendly” online book events are sticking around.
Setting Goals for Your Book Launch
They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, and I’m here to tell you that a book about Rome wasn’t either! It takes more than just raw talent and passion to launch your book. You need a plan.
Guerrilla Marketing for Authors: Thinking Outside of the Box
For indie authors, and even those authors published by small trade publishers and hybrid publishers, knowing how to think outside of the box when marketing your book is really important.
Is it a bad book? – Targeting Your Ideal Reader
Sometimes the wrong person stumbles on your book, and there are just going to be those people who don’t like it. But sometimes these bad reviews come from bad marketing, along with targeting the wrong types of readers.
By ensuring you know exactly WHO your reader is, and making a concerted effort to market to that particular audience, you can make sure that reviews like this are far and few between. That they only happen when the wrong reader stumbles across the book.
Reaching Your Ideal Reader
Today I want to tell you about my friend Lila. She wrote a book for kids that was really beautiful. It had gorgeous illustrations from a wildly talented professional artist, she had a story that engaged children and shared a deeply personal – but somehow still universal – message. This book had everything going for it.
When I met Lila, she was trying to figure out how to market this book. As always, we sat down and talked about her ideal reader. It’s important to know your ideal audience when marketing your book and sometimes, your ideal audience isn’t the same as your ideal reader.
Resources & Training
What is the Kindle Vella program?
In April, Amazon announced their new Kindle Vella program. This brand new opportunity is tailor made for indie authors and new voices in publishing. It also seems to be an interesting way to diversify your income as an author, always key to making a writing life work.
It’s open to US-based authors writing in English now, and it will be ready for readers this summer. Is it right for you? Let’s dig into it!
I Wish I’d Known That Before I Published My First Book…
Why we use ConvertKit to grow our author platform
Converting an ebook
