Creativindie Experiments in self-publishing, productivity and building a creative empire

I hear this from authors and clients all the time: That author is making tons of money, with terrible books. My book is way better, so I should be able to make at least that much. There are several things wrong with that logic, but the one that irks me the most is this: It’s condescending to the readers. You’re basically ... Read More »

My book, Book Marketing is Dead, has been out for almost two years. In that time, it’s sold around 10,000 copies and has 140 reviews. But the two reviews most people found helpful are critical. I understand why the normal advice is to ignore negative reviews and not respond, but I think these issues need to be discussed, because authors ... Read More »

I’ve been thinking about writing this post for awhile, but just saw this letter on NYMag’s Dear Polly section from a middle aged author struggling with her declining career, and the response is basically the world’s worst advice to writers. Even worse, it’s exactly what all authors and writers keep repeating and telling each other. And it’s well written. Which ... Read More »

Edit: Shit, October came quickly. It’s Oct. First and I’m heading up to the Resort and Mt. Hood for Pioneer Nation… after that we’ll go down to Lake Tahoe, up to Vancouver, and end up back in Portland again in November. So my scheduling for these events is pretty crazy – I’m going to postpone this series indefinitely. I go ... Read More »

Last week a friend in Armenia invited me on “Blab” to talk about book cover design. I’d never heard of it before. Turns out it’s like Periscope meet Google Hangouts (kind of). It’s not just a one person broadcast, up to four different people can share the screen. And the cool thing is, other people can jump in. And the other ... Read More »

Recently I’ve been making a lot of video, doing some webinars, and preparing to launch my first online courses. One thing that’s always bothered me (maybe the reason it took me a year to even feel comfortable enough on camera to begin) is that I have ugly teeth. Most of my teeth needed root canals, then I got posts and ... Read More »

A few months ago I shut off all my sites to client work. Although I still have lots of unfinished projects, there are two big differences in my life now. 1) I have time.  And it’s amazing. I still work all day, but I’m working on projects that excite me, which keeps me energized; and the more I work on exciting ... Read More »

Easy fixes and insider secrets to Kindle publishing If you aren’t already selling lots of books, it’s one of two problems. #1: Visibility – if nobody ever sees your book, no other factor (covers, reviews, description) is going to matter. #2: Your sales page Maybe you are driving traffic, and even doing some advertising, but you can’t sell any books. ... Read More »

I often see writing communities or forums online, and wonder whether I should sign up. They might only cost $25 a year. But will I get any value out of it? Here are some things to judge: 1. Look at the other members, if you can. Track them down. Are they successful? Do they have a polished platform? Are their ... Read More »

Today I’m stalking authors. I want to get my giveaway for YA authors shared more widely. So I’m chasing hashtags on Twitter and finding YA author lists and communities and direct messaging people. Normally, I wouldn’t do that: but I’m sharing a contest that will benefit YA writers, rather than promoting my own books, so I feel like it’s OK. ... Read More »