Other Stuff

It’s all over! I’m going to list the contest results and winners here. Incidentally, these were the most popular items, and how many people entered to win: Book lamps (1363) Book pillows (1358) Antique typewriter (1623) Tea pot (1476) So if you’re looking for good gifts for writers, those are safe bets. I added in some links below in case …

Firstly, let me say I don’t always do a “year in review” post because I’m inconsistent, and I don’t think many people would read or care. I should also tell you I have no idea what I’m doing, am very much a beginner at this game of online blogging, making money on the internet, or making money from book sales. …

This is a guest post from Jenetta Penner, who is waaaaay better at Pinterest than I am. I’m starting to use it more and asked for some help. This is her advice, and I’m sharing it with you. In the past three years, my niche blog has received almost 7 million page views from Pinterest alone. My top post has …

UPDATE: I wrote a long post with best stock photos for book cover design HERE. This video was just to show you how to browse Google for “similar” images, and also checking to make sure that nobody else is already using them for a cover. It’s a great way to find new images, get book cover ideas, and check to …

I’ve been in love with these lamps since I saw them about a year ago, so I just ordered a bunch of them to use for Christmas presents. I’m planning to add covers from classic books to each of them. I’m giving away  three of them for the holidays (they make great gifts!) I’ve seen these sell online from between $50 and …

I’ve been running this blog, and several other websites, without ever focusing on earning money. That’s a mistake for two reasons. 1. It means I’m more focused on myself than on finding out what readers want and giving it to them. 2. It means I didn’t pay attention to conversion rates. Conversion rates = getting accidental blog traffic to stick …

I’ve learned so much about self-publishing in the last few years, and now – as I begin to focus on publishing more books of my own – I wanted to share my appreciation for some of the amazing people who keep me inspired. I started this list awhile back thinking I could get pictures with everybody as I met them; …

I was at a conference this weekend talking to a lot of smart people; many of whom wanted to write a book. They’d inevitably ask, “are you self-publishing?” and then scowl, because they “want a real, physical book, not just an ebook.” I explained that print on demand has been around for a decade and makes physical paperbacks and hard …

I made this for an event recently, it was a handout – decided to post it here in case it’s helpful… #1 Write a book people want to read. #2 Connect with influencers or other authors in your genre/topic. Review their books. Share their stuff. Comment on their posts. Get noticed. #3 Set up a website that catches emails. Run …

Confession: I let mediocre movies run in the background on my computer when I’m working, so I can “watch them” without them really sucking up too much time. Normally, the Night of the Museum movies are a little fun and cute. Not serious, not hilarious, but not terrible either. Except this one. The quest: the tablet is failing, so EVERYBODY …