Recently I surveyed writers about their biggest challenge, and the following response caught my attention: Some days . . . all of it. I feel totally lost at times. How do I build an audience, know my work is where it should be, decide which publishing path to pursue, know who is the right person […]
I often get this question: “How do I find the right publisher for my book?” Standard Answer The standard answer is to go to Writer’s Market, an 896-page tome that gets updated each year. The problem is, this doesn’t really work for obvious reasons. Better Answer The better answer is what I call The Bookshelf Method, an easier […]
AJ Harper’s book is generous. But on her way to providing what many writers likely want—a thoroughgoing step-by-step guide to writing a truly great book—she has to do some disabusing first. In this market space of writing and publishing and book-marketing, a lot of experts talk about how easy and quick it can be to […]
Once you’ve begun building your email list, it’s important to begin sending your subscribers useful content. This could be a blog post, a podcast episode, a video, or some other form of content. (A fun way to approach this is to geek out about the same things your audience likes to geek out about. Click […]
If you’re like many writers, you began this year with some goals in mind. You were determined to finish your manuscript or start your website or submit your book proposal or grow your audience. How is it going? Maybe you’ve made some progress but not as much as you wanted. Maybe you haven’t made much […]
Most writers know the importance of building a platform—an audience of people who are interested in your work and will buy your book when it releases. What writers may not know is the best way to do this is by growing an email list. Why? Have a look at the graphic below: This graphic from […]
Often attracting an audience (aka building a platform) feels difficult because we misunderstand its purpose. We think it’s about: Sending an email or writing a blog post every week Coming up with something brilliant to say on a consistent basis Sharing about our writing journey regularly These are all things we may end up doing […]
Recently I joined a gym. Well, I say a gym. It’s actually a nearby high school’s fitness center that’s much cheaper than other gyms and is just 7 minutes from my house. I joined because I want to train for my first Olympic-distance triathlon, and I need a place both to swim and to cycle […]
Reading the right books can help you become a better, more successful writer, but where to start!? I’ve been an avid reader of books for writers a long time now, and it’s a topic I’ve written about in the past. But as I keep reading more books in this genre, I expand and refine my […]
We think a lot about beginnings and endings. Beginnings often come with a rush of excitement that tends to overwhelm the also attendant anxiety. Endings are when we look back. We celebrate the wins, course-correct for losses, and look to a new beginning. Endings come with a sense of closure and finality. But what about […]
