I said I was taking a blogging hiatus… but then I was talking in one of my writing groups about publishing and the pros and cons of traditional and independent publishing, and I realized I could write a whole blog series on publishing. And since a lot of people are going to be working on finishing first drafts this month, it seemed like a decent time. (Not that I’m saying people should publish their first drafts. Definitely edit your work. But the conclusion of a first draft is a good time to start thinking about your long-term plans for it.) Now, most of the posts in this series are going to be about indie/self-publishing, because that’s what I have the most experience with, but this post is all about Continue reading “Indie Publishing 101: Traditional vs. Independent Publishing”
Category: Publishing & Career-Building
How to Become an Online Influencer – Guest Post by Livy Lynn
Influence.
That’s a pretty massive word, isn’t it?
The simple fact that each human has the ability to influence one another is such an honor. A gift. A treasure that we’re all called to steward.
We don’t have to look very far to see the laws of influence at work. We see celebrities setting trends on talk shows and on glossy magazine covers. College professors are molding minds, politicians are changing laws, and Hollywood is changing the way our culture thinks about, well, pretty much everything.
But what about us? Bloggers. Writers. YouTubers. Texters. Talkers. Social-media posters. Do we carry as much influence as the big names? Do we get a say in what happens in our world, do we get to shift and design the landscape of this life for others, or are our voices lost in the shuffle?
If you have a voice, you have influence.
And if you have a cell phone, an internet connection, or a laptop, you have the unique opportunity to influence this generation and use your voice for good.
Finding Our Place on the World Stage
We’ve all heard the phrase, “Online Influencers”, right?
I’m sure you’ve seen your favorite YouTuber or popular Instagrammer post an advertisement for a brand or company they’ve partnered with. If you’re Continue reading “How to Become an Online Influencer – Guest Post by Livy Lynn”
Why Writing Isn’t a Solo Activity
People always talk about writing being an introverted profession. We sit at our desks for hours on end, silently producing words and sharing them with few people, until we finish it and have to share it with an editor and then the world. But writing shouldn’t be an isolated activity. We need help now and then (from actual people, not just Google), and we need support. So let’s get into Continue reading “Why Writing Isn’t a Solo Activity”
A Guide to Blogging for the Fiction Writer
Almost everyone says you need a blog as part of your author platform. It’s a great way to connect with readers, and the core of it is writing, which is what we authors are good at. It’s pretty easy to find out how to do the technical stuff to start a blog, but you set up your blog and then… what? How do you actually use fiction blogging to attract readers and build a platform? What do you write about? You actually have quite a few options. Continue reading “A Guide to Blogging for the Fiction Writer”
Practical Tips for Using Pinterest to Increase Blog Traffic
Pinterest is the main source of traffic to this blog and has been since my site redesign in February. In the first week I got a total of about 4,600 views. On February 11th, the beginning of the second week, I got 877 views on one day, and that’s still my highest daily viewcount. Now, my usual daily viewcount is somewhere between ten and thirty, but prior to the redesign I’d been getting a max of about ten views a day. How did I use Pinterest to skyrocket traffic? Well, let me show you.
1. Update your account to a business
Once you update to a business account you’ll have access to analytics and thus be able to see how many clicks, views, repins, etc. your pins get. Plus you’ll seem more trustworthy to anyone stumbling across you. Continue reading “Practical Tips for Using Pinterest to Increase Blog Traffic”