I just read a blog post from a self-styled “international marketing expert” that rubbed me the wrong way. It was basically a rant against helping other people for free, when she had courses for that, and they should pay her, dammit! I understand that people want to be protective of their content… but I often
Quick Answer Creativity is both — a genetic baseline you’re born with and a skill you can develop through practice, constraints, and exposure to new ideas. Most creativity experts today agree that creativity is not something you’re born with; it’s something you do. Anybody can be creative. This is a pleasant, inspiring...
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
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
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...
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
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
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,
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
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...
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
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...
