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 »

Illustration brings your story to life in a way that words alone can’t. There is a multitude of talented illustrators out there. You just need to know where to look. Besides knowing exactly where to find these amazing people, there are other considerations you need to take into account before diving in. It’s essential to find an art style that compliments your specific story and combing through portfolios takes time. First, you must ask yourself a very important question… Do You Need … Read More »

New year or not, I’ve resolved to figure out the hidden secrets of social media countless times over the past years. The formulae seem easy, yet my calculations are always off. Knowing that social media is a huge part of a writer’s marketing strategy, I decided to get some help from the experts (i.e., Google) on how to focus my efforts in 2021. Unsurprisingly, consistency is key. I am not very good with this and get bored after about a … Read More »

  It’s quite the cat and mouse game—a user tries to get their post seen, Facebook changes how things are seen, user finds something new that works, Facebook changes, user updates, Facebook changes. Over and over. Well, they’ve changed things yet again. It’s easy to get frustrated at all of this. But frustration doesn’t get your post seen. Try to think of it as a game. How can I outsmart the all-knowing Facebook? How Facebook Decides What to Show its … Read More »

With the pandemic having shut down most in-person events, we’re all looking for ways to connect with other writers online. One way you can do that is to participate in a Twitter chat. A Twitter chat is a weekly or bi-weekly affair where a bunch of people use a hashtag to hold a conversation. The chats usually run about an hour, during which time everyone participating in the chat uses the hashtag and converses freely with anyone who shows up. … Read More »

Making book ads can be a pain and take a lot of time. There are many programs out there that you can use to create ads, but one that is particularly easy to use and makes eye-catching ads is Book Brush. There are five tools in this program: Instant Ad Mockups, Custom Ad Creator, Video Creator, Box Set Creator, and Cover Creator. You can sign up for a free account and have access to some of the tools, but for … Read More »