Attend any writers’ conference and at some point the questions about an online presence will be heard. Is a website really necessary? Do I have to succumb to the social media craze? Should I invest my time in an online presence, or should I just focus on my writing? Spoiler alert: there are no definitive answers. However, a website provides a platform, and social media is more than a craze. An online presence can help you make connections, build name … Read More »

Here are the blog posts that received the most visits this past year. Jessica Baker, 7/20/20: Scrivener vs Final Draft: Choosing the One That’s Right for You Shutta Crum, 12/3/21: No More Journals! (Better Gifts for Writers) Arielle Haughee, 8/23/21: Announcing RPLA Finalists Shutta Crum, 3/5/21: Writing the Wordless, or Almost Wordless, Picture Book Arielle Haughee, 3/3/21: Using Microsoft Word to Write Concrete Poetry Nate Hoffelder, 3/28/21: Ten Ways for Authors to Waste Their Money Peg Sias Lantz, 10/13/21: The … Read More »

There are a hundred and one different sites on the web where authors can give away an ebook. They can use services like InstaFreebie, forums like MobileRead, or blogging platforms like BookLikes. I was just revising a list post on this topic when I was reminded of one option that almost never makes this type of list. Their own website. An author’s website is both the most common place for an author to give away an ebook and the most … Read More »

You spend hours upon hours on your blog, why not make sure as many people as possible see it? The point of a blog is to reach readers, and there are little tricks you can do to boost your visibility and gain more readers. Also, you want to make sure your content is delivered in a way that makes sure people are actually reading what you post. Blog audiences have expectations for content, just like genre readers. In fact, thinking … Read More »

You’re reading a blog post now. That means you either opened an email, clicked on a social media link, or found this on Google. FWA’s marketing plan is working—you found us! Now how can you get readers to find you online, and even better, buy your books? The three must-haves for an author’s digital marketing plan include: a website, blog, and newsletter. Let’s take a look at all three and how they work together. Your Author Website This is your … Read More »

As we publish and promote our work online, we have several security issues to contend with: Protecting our online properties and identities, avoiding being scammed and tricked through email, and even ensuring that our blogs and websites aren’t hacked by people whose idea of a good time is to ruin someone else’s work. Writers, especially if you’re not very tech savvy, are vulnerable to all kinds of cyber attacks, hacks, and scams. And if you don’t know how to protect … Read More »