While there’s a few basic things every author website needs, the best place to start is, again, to look at other author’s websites. See what they include, how they organize the information, what they do well and what you’re convinced you can do better. Then start to fill out your website accordingly. Books Don’t rely […]
The first step in creating your website is to install WordPress with your host. Yes, there are lots of other website building options out there like SquareSpace and Wix. This, however, is what I know how to do so it’s what I’ll explain. You’re going to log into your cpanel (links and login info should […]
Authors are creative, often introverted, occasionally a bit neurotic. It’s all part of their charm. They craft worlds and characters with mere words. It’s an entirely different skill than the analytic, left-brained fun of setting up an author website. And yet, having a solid presence online, a hub for your books and social media activity, […]
Every author needs a website these days. Social media is great, but you need a centralized place with information about you and about your books. You also don’t want to rely on any social media platform. Once upon a time Myspace (believe it or not) was the social media platform everyone loved. You can see […]
The great thing about paperback publishing is, with the ability to make your book available to the major book distributors, the only difference between you and a traditional publisher is your level of professionalism. While most authors who turn publisher are daunted by the idea of creating an ebook, I’m sorry to say that publishing […]
When it comes to the “publishing” in DIY Publishing, you’ve already done most of the hard parts. Now that you’ve got all the pieces in place, there’s only two steps to publishing your ebook. Create Ebook Files The easiest way to create ebook files is to leverage software that will do it for you. Download […]
When most people think about DIY publishing, formatting the ebook is possibly the biggest void they’re unsure of. It’s actually a lot simpler than you might expect (sooo much easier than formatting your paperback), but kinda boring to discuss. For the most part, formatting your ebook is removing formatting more than anything else. Because in […]
You’ve got your manuscript in top shape, but there’s more to a book than the story when your publishing it yourself. While you may have never heard of book front matter or back matter (who decided on “matter” anyway) they’re the first step to turn your hard work into a professional book. First, you need […]
If you’ve read my earlier social media posts, you’ll know I didn’t think too highly of Pinterest. Repinning seemed like nothing more than vanity marketing, raising people’s awareness of me. And hopefully they liked me. But it didn’t translate into clicks back to my website or increased book sales or reviews. Then, just before Christmas […]
We all know we judge books by their covers. Whether your browsing through Goodreads, skimming over ebooks, or drifting through the library a good cover makes you want to read the synopsis. It can convince you a book might be more interesting than it sounds. When you’ve got a rockin’ novel, you want an equally […]