When asked about the best writing apps or software, I used to say, “Just use whatever you have and are comfortable with.” But recently I’ve been focused on upping my productivity and wordcount, so I’m testing everything to see if anything helps. Here’s a quick review of some of the things I think are cool, and what I actually ended …
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The best bluetooth keyboards for writers who want to boost their word count quickly (and look awesome doing it)
This summer I’m determined to double my daily wordcount and establish a writing habit. I’ll be experimenting with various productivity hacks to get more writing done, but today I took a big step forward by getting a bluetooth keyboard to pair with my iPhone and iPad. I’d already done online research and had an idea of what I was looking …
Read More »Book marketing on Instagram for authors (swag, ARCs, book boxes and more)
Author Jessica Pierce does some amazing Instagram promotion and wrote this awesome post about it. I often get asked questions such as, “Jess, what the heck is this Instagram stuff and how can I use it to sell my YA book?” or “Plz halp me because I don’t get Bookstagram.” Have no fear! I’m not the end-all-be-all expert, but I …
Read More »Best books on writing and creative entrepreneurship
I started this blog in 2011 and did nothing for a year except read all the books on creativity. It was research for a manifesto, but the more I read, the more fascinated I became with the subject. After another 5 years of freelancing, building digital products and working as a creative professional (my income comes from things I make …
Read More »Perennial Seller: a media manipulator talks book marketing
This morning I did an interview on writing fiction and we discussed, among other things, whether writing faster books leads to inferior quality and whether writing to market creates inferior art. These are real conversations, and though I would answer “no” to both, I’m often challenged by thousands of passionate creators who very firmly believe “YES.” The conversation prompted me …
Read More »How to get your book on Oprah – A LONG SHOT COME TRUE
This is a guest post by author Miantae Metcalf McConnell – I was so impressed she got her book featured in Oprah magazine, and I asked her to share what that process looked like. Every month O, The Oprah Magazine publishes a list of books that they recommend to their readers, a “Top Ten List” situated in the magazine’s Reading …
Read More »How To Organize a Barnes & Noble Book Signing for your Self-Published Book
Note from Derek: I usually tell authors not to bother with in-person stuff like book signings because it’s too much work, and to focus on online stuff instead… but book signings can be FUN – and doing a signing in Barnes & Noble (or any “real” bookstore) feels more significant, like a milestone or bucket list item. So when I saw …
Read More »2000 preorders cancelled! Incentivized purchases for book launches and Amazon’s fine print
I screwed up. Months ago I agreed to be part of a multi-author box set. I usually say no to these, but I have personal relationship with Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich (I even featured it in my PhD Thesis) so I submitted my chapter. The authors all offered a free course or bonus to incentivize preorder purchases, and these …
Read More »How to (quietly) launch a bestselling vampire book on Amazon
I haven’t published a *new* book for over a year. Possibly, Amazon took the wind out of my sails when I overextended myself and failed to meet preorder deadlines (thus losing my preorder privileges for 12 months). I have gone back and fixed up or completed some other titles – so I’ve probably written and published about 100,000 words in …
Read More »147 ways to make money with your writing NOW (online writing jobs)
Like hundreds of other posts, I started this article in 2012 and only finished it in 2018. Why the gap? It took me six years to figure out how to make my blog profitable enough to start using it. I want to help you do it faster than I did. So here’s a massive list of tips and resources on …
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