Blog
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Platform
Publishing
Promotion
Contact Page Dos & Don’ts for Authors
Learn how to create a successful author contact page and form that helps readers and influencers find you and makes spammers leave you alone.
How to Worldbuild Your Book into a Bestseller
Discover the power of story worldbuilding to captivate readers and boost book sales. Create immersive settings that leave a lasting impact.
How to Run a Local Book Festival
If you’ve wished for an in-person venue to sell books and connect with readers and authors, find out how starting a book festival can help.
How to Write Stories Readers Will Love by Knowing the Zeitgeist
If it takes you two years to write a book, you owe it to yourself to ask the question, "What kinds of books will be popular in two years?" Reader preferences change over time, but sometimes they change rapidly. If you don't keep up, you can get stuck writing a book...
How to Create an Online Course
Learn how to transform your book into an engaging online course. Discover what types of content work best and how to maximize your course’s success.
How to Write Better Short Stories With Steve Diamond
Discover all the benefits of writing short stories and find out how to write a great one that will impact readers and prompt them to buy your books.
Web Hosting for Frugal Authors
To build an author website, you first need web hosting. Discover which type of web hosting is best for your author website and which to avoid.
How to Avoid Book-Marketing Overwhelm
If book marketing feels overwhelming, you may be facing these 10 stressors. Learn how to deal with each one and reduce your marketing stress.
Platform
Platform
Are Pen Names Going Away?
There are several great reasons (and several bad ones) to use an author pen name. Find out which reasons still make sense in the age of AI authors and bots.
From Tech Timid to Tech Savvy: How to Master Any Technology
Fear of technology keeps many authors from moving forward. Learn how to master technology and have fewer tech headaches.
Speak, Engage, and Inspire: Secrets of Entertaining & Educational Webinars that Sell
Hosting a webinar can help you get to know your “Timothy” and grow your email list. Discover 12 tips for hosting a successful author webinar.
2024 Laptop Buying Guide for Authors
Authors can get overwhelmed by the process of choosing and buying a laptop computer. Find out what you need (or don’t need) and what works best.
How to Win Friends and Pitch Your Book
Discover 6 steps to crafting a short pitch for your book and yourself before you attend your next conference or cocktail party.
The Most Important Lessons from 10 Years of Novel Marketing
Discover our list of the most important episodes we’ve recorded in the past ten years of podcasting about book marketing.
How to Get Book Clubs to Pick YOUR Book
Authors dream of having a book club pick their book to read and discuss. Find out how to make your book book-club-friendly.
Substack for Authors: An Exciting Opportunity or Just Hype?
Find out the advantages and limitations of Substack for authors with various platform-building strategies.
Publishing
Publishing
Are Pen Names Going Away?
There are several great reasons (and several bad ones) to use an author pen name. Find out which reasons still make sense in the age of AI authors and bots.
Why Your Book is Still Unfinished (Hint: It’s Your Phone’s Fault)
10 tips for using your smartphone to increase your productivity and limiting its ability to keep you from writing your book.
Printing the Future: Print-on-Demand with Offset-Quality by Bookvault
Learn how you can print high-quality hardbacks, outsource fulfillment, and sell directly from your author website, without using Amazon.
The Powerful Nonfiction Pitching Recipe That Works for Both Fiction and Nonfiction
Learning the formula for creating a compelling pitch that resonates with readers is key to selling your book. Learn four formats that can work for your nonfiction pitch.
Chrome Extensions Every Author Needs in 2024
Find out which Chrome extensions can make you more productive, improve your writing, and give you more time to write in 2024.
Publishing Industry Secrets Revealed at the Penguin Random House Trial
These secrets of the publishing industry offer important points for all authors to consider as they choose a publishing path.
How to Write for American Readers – An Author’s Guide to America’s Regional Cultures
To write for American readers, you must understand which American readers you’re targeting. Learn how American culture differs by region so you can write what resonates.
How to Publish Your Book as an Audiobook With Scott Sigler
The booming audiobook market is prompting many authors to consider publishing their own audiobooks. Discover how to get your book on audio and increase your sales.
Promotion
Promotion
How to Use Research to Market Your Novel
Wondering what to include in your newsletter, blog, or podcast? Find out how to repurpose your research and thrill your readers.
How to Write Better Short Stories With Steve Diamond
Discover all the benefits of writing short stories and find out how to write a great one that will impact readers and prompt them to buy your books.
How to Avoid Book-Marketing Overwhelm
If book marketing feels overwhelming, you may be facing these 10 stressors. Learn how to deal with each one and reduce your marketing stress.
How Connor Boyack Sold Millions of Books Directly to Readers Without Using Amazon
Learn a reproducible strategy for getting to know your readers, selling to them directly, and avoiding Amazon’s ecosystem.
Why Most Authors Don’t Need Social Media in 2025
Social media changes so quickly. Find out which platforms and strategies work for selling books in 2022.
Black Friday Book Promotion Tips for Authors
Eight tips and three warnings to help you make the most of your Black Friday book promotion and marketing plan.
How to Protect Your Writing From Reputation Theft
Learn how to protect your writing from copyright infringement and which legal tools help you deal with AI-generated fraudulent versions of your books.
Book Marketing 101: Price
Learn how book pricing impacts sales and discover 14 strategies for finding the optimum price for your new or backlist books.