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Podcast: Great Book Marketing Tips for Authors
Smith Publicity recently hosted a podcast with our favorite marketing expert, Noelle Stary, of 20 Lemons Marketing. Whether you are a new author or an old hand, there’s something for you in this podcast. Listen to the conversation
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How to Help Your Readers Write the Right Review
By Nora Phoenix One reason why readers may not leave a review is because they don’t know how to write one. As much as we writers like to talk about reviews, we rarely talk about what a perfect review looks like. We are so focused on getting reviews, preferably good ones, and how to…
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What to Think About Before Using a Pen Name
By Noelle Stary, Marketing Strategist, 20 Lemons LLC It has always impressed me how authors come up with such in-depth, detailed stories. How they build the worlds for the backdrop of their story, how they build the depth of characters. But sometimes there is a conflict between the story written, and the perception the author…
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8 Publishing Trends for 2018
Publishing, particularly self-publishing, is one of the fastest changing industries today. Techniques that worked five years ago, three years ago, or even just last year, are quickly becoming passé as readers become more market savvy and more overwhelmed by the onslaught of advertising, particularly from digital sources. So what are the top trends for authors…
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Winter Writers’ Weekend Featured in “Writer’s Digest”
We were so pleased that the Winter Writers’ Weekend was featured in the current issue of Writer’s Digest magazine. You can read the article most easily at the link here, but I did want to put a picture up for everyone to see. Winter Writers’ Weekend002
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You Gotta Have Faith
Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right. Henry Ford I wasn’t sure if there would be interest in my first book, so I didn’t spend much money on it, just did it bare bones. An Author You get what you pay for. Cliché So you just finished writing your…
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Why It’s Not Your Job to Design Your Own Book Cover
By Eric Labacz, Book Cover Designer I worked with a client recently who had spent the last six years writing his book. He described the process of publishing as similar to sending a child into the world. He had no idea how difficult it would be to let it go and have his book take…
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If You Like This You’ll Love…
Whether your book is young adult fiction, a non-fiction self-help book, an historical thriller, or any other genre, associating your book with other, more famous books, is an excellent marketing strategy. But how, as a first-time author, do you do this? You have to make the connection in the minds of your readers and potential…
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E-book Marketing Simplified
I’ve been working a lot helping authors market their work as e-books lately—and that includes my own books. Guess what? Like everything else, the more time and energy you put into it, the better your returns. But, e-book marketing is not difficult. Here’s a short course in the basics. There are several sites on which…
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10 Tips for Social Networking
Many authors are afraid of social networking. Their excuses are as many and varied as the books they write: “I don’t like the internet,” “I’m shy,” “I don’t know how to do it,” “I’m afraid.” The list goes on and on. But whether you are using social media, attending an in-person event, or just gathering…
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Self-Publishing: You Can Do This! by Karen Hodges Miller
There’s never been a better time to be an author. But with over 2 million books published yearly, there has also never been more competition. How can you stand out? Self-Publishing: You Can Do This! gives you a step-by-step guide on how to write, publish, and market your book. The book starts at the beginning,…
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Connecting with Readers: Putting the “Social” in Social Media
Why do we all dread social media? I know very few people—even Millennials—who truly enjoy social media. And when you are using social media to promote your books and yourself as an author, it can feel very, very awkward. The most important word to remember when using social media is “connecting.” Social media is about connecting with…
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Writing a Book That Sells: 9 Questions to Answer Before You Start
You may be so enthusiastic about starting your book that you can’t wait to put your fingers to the keyboard and start to write your first chapter. But before you begin there are a few things you need to think about. Taking some time to organize your work and your thoughts will not only make…
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Watch Out for This When Planning Your Amazon Promotions
By Melissa Macfie Do you ever read the terms of service agreement before clicking “accept” when “signing” an agreement on the internet? Never did I think I would need to know those terms when signing up for a simple Amazon Promotion, but I did. Somewhere in my upbringing the phrase “don’t sign until you read…
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Connecting is better (& more FUN) in Person!
By Cindy Carothers There are at least 15 ways that you can make money from your book above and beyond book sales. I’ll be conducting a workshop on that at the upcoming Winter Writer’s Weekend. It’s one of many, varied presentations on a range of issues all applicable to your work as a writer. You…
