Here’s a collection of links to informative articles for self-published and traditional authors. Included on the list are articles that cover the entire publishing process–including writing, editing, book design, publishing, marketing, and author career management. If you’ve read (or written) an article that should be included in a future roundup, share the link in the comment section at the end of the article!
DIY Author Roundup October 2015: 31 Great Posts for Indie Authors
WRITING FOR INDIE AUTHORS
#1) Tricks and Traps of Using Real People in Your Writing, Part 3: Invasion of Privacy
Helen Sedwick (The Book Designer)
It’s so tempting to base our characters on real people–but that can bring legal and ethical questions. In this article, Helen Sedwick outlines the finer points of the legal definition of “invasion of privacy.” Along the way, she explains each of the five elements required to bring legal proof of invasion of privacy. [Read the article here.]
#2) 13 Things to Remember When Writing Historical Fiction [Webinar]
Gar LaSalle and Kelsye Nelson (Avasta Press)
Do you write historical fiction? In this webinar replay, publisher and instructor Kelsye Nelson hosts author Gar LaSalle as he shares his favorite tips for writing historical fiction. Watch it here:
#3) 8 Myths about Guest Posting Exploded! (Plus Your Free Swipe File)
Bryan Collins (Become a Writer Today)
Guest posting helps you find new readers and build your authority with a larger audience. Bryan Collins shares his experiences guest blogging in the past year, for the likes of Copyblogger and Fast Company. He also deals with eight of the most common myths about writing guest posts–and offers you a free swipe file to help you pitch a website with your idea today. [Read the article here.]
#4) Why Indie Authors Need Writing Communities
Betty Kelly Sargent (Publishers Weekly)
Writing can be such a solitary activity. BookWorks CEO Betty Kelly Sargent suggests you should link up with an author community–which can be in-person or online. Best of all, she writes, a strong author community can also help you build your audience (and sell books). [Read the article here.]
#5) Why Do Writers Love to Write in Coffee Shops?
Robin Storey (Storey-Lines)
One way for writers to go out in public and still write is to set up at their local coffeeshop. Novelist Robin Storey points out the long authorial tradition of writing in cafes, then shares some tips for making your time there productive. [Read the article here.]
#6) iBooks Author Conference 2015 Brings Together Authors, Educators, Creative Professionals
Chris Well (DIY Author)
The first iBooks Author Conference (October 8-9, 2015 in Nashville) will focus on content creators who use Apple’s iBooks Author to create interactive eBooks with multimedia. Attendees will network with other creators and share best practices for the iBooks Author platform. [Read the article here.]
EDITING FOR INDIE AUTHORS
#7) Why Finding a Good Beta Reader Can Make You a Better Writer
(ProWritingAid)
Once you’ve finished that manuscript, you may feel like jumping right back in as your own editor. However, there are several reasons that finding someone else to read your book is the way to go. This article shares why you need Beta readers, and suggests why you may find them on Wattpad, Scribophile, and Penned. [Read the article here.]
#8) Survey: Is there a correlation between investing in editing/design/marketing and final earnings?
Ricardo Fayet (Talking New Media)
Does paying for professional editing and design sell more of your books? A survey from author services network Reedsy seeks to create a comprehensive picture of author earnings. Reedsy’s Ricardo Fayet says authors will only be asked a few simple questions–with the results combined with data from Nielsen, Bowker, and the AuthorEarnings reports for a “clearer picture of the publishing landscape.” [Read the article here.]
#9) Editing is only the beginning…
Abby Rosmarin (HuffPost)
Following the publication of Chick Lit (And Other Formulas for Life), novelist Abby Rosmarin shares nine things she learned during the self-publishing process. Among the points is that editing seemed tedious–until she found out it was easier and “more predictable” than some of the other steps in the process. [Read the article here.]
#10) NLP For Writers: Make Your Writing Resonate With a Wider Audience
Lisa Lepki (DIY Author)
No matter what you write–fiction, self-help, textbooks, whatever–there are words that will super-charge your writing for a deeper engagement with your reader. This strategy includes using words that appeal to the five senses and internal dialogue. Read the article for a complete description of the strategy and a handy chart with the NLP words. [Read the article here.]
BOOK DESIGN FOR INDIE AUTHORS
#11) Why Self-Published Book Covers Are Better Than You Think
Sarah Juckes (Publishing Perspectives)
Self-published authors who entered CompletelyNovel’s recent indie book cover competition showed that many self-published authors have figured out what readers expect from a book’s cover. In fact, writes Sarah Juckes, it turns out that many self-pub authors hire the same designers that make book covers for traditional publishers. [Read the article here.]
#12) Why Change Your Book Cover Artwork?
Rachel Amphlett (Molly Greene: Writer)
Know the phrase ‘kill your darlings’? According to novelist Rachel Amphlett, that advice should extend to your book covers, too. She shares the behind-the-scenes story that led to her commissioning brand-new covers for the books in her Dan Taylor thriller series. [Read the article here.]
#13) Why Do So Many of This Year’s Book Covers Have the Same Design Style?
Heather Schwedel (Slate)
Does it seem book designers all get their ideas from the same place? Heather Schwedel takes note of two recent trends in book cover design, and includes sample covers to show what she means. [Read the article here.]
#14) Warren Ellis met his book cover designer through Instagram
Jennifer McCartney (Publishers Weekly)
Best-selling author Warren Ellis went indie with his self-published collection of essays, Cunning Plans. Jennifer McCartney digs into the reasoning behind the self-pub success. She also shares how Ellis came to work with his book cover designer, Roger Strunk, whom he met through social media. [Read the article here.]
#15) Telling a Book by its Cover: the Basic Elements of a Print Book
Maggie Bonham (DIY Author)
First impressions do count: When putting together a print book, it’s helpful to understand what the main components of a book are and what readers, consciously or subconsciously, expect when they see a book on the shelf. Read the article for the basic standard that readers will use when comparing your book to all the others. [Read the article here.]
PUBLISHING FOR INDIE AUTHORS
#16) How to Price Ebooks to Free at Amazon without KDP Select Exclusivity
Mark Coker (Smashwords)
Many authors (and some publishers) have learned that using a “free” strategy can be an effective method to lure new readers into a series or to sample an author. Unfortunately, Amazon limits the practice to authors who are exclusive–and only for a few days each quarter. But Smashwords and its retail partners have a workaround that can help you break past the exclusivity barrier, and Mark Coker wants to share it with you. [Read the article here.]
#17) Don’t Make These 6 Self-Publishing Mistakes
Diane Lee (DianeLee.com.au)
In the months since she published her first book, author Diane Lee had a chance to sit back and analyze why she’s not a blockbuster author. Now she has a list of what she did wrong–and what you can learn from her mistakes. [Read the article here.]
#18) 5 Steps To Getting A “Big Name” To Write Your Book’s Foreword
Joseph C. Kunz, Jr. (Kunz On Publishing)
How do you get someone special to agree to write the foreword for your book? Author, self-publisher, and marketing expert Joseph C. Kunz, Jr. explains that it’s not so tough. In this article, he explains how to target the right person–and the steps to encourage that person to write the foreword to your book. [Read the article here.]
#19) Creating Space
Hugh Howey (The Wayfinder)
With the news that Jamie McGuire‘s CreateSpace print-on-demand book Beautiful Redemption will be available in Walmart stores, author and self-publishing advocate Hugh Howey explains why this is so important to the publishing debate. [Read the article here.]
#20) The Truth About Podcasting: 17 Top Podcasters Reveal What You Should Know Before Podcasting
Chris Well (DIY Author)
The audience for podcasts–on-demand radio and TV shows distributed through podcast networks–grows every day. Before you decide to launch your own podcast, check out the advice from several top podcasters, including Joanna Penn (The Creative Penn), John Lee Dumas (Entreprenuer On Fire), and Veronica Belmont (Sword & Laser). [Read the article here.]
MARKETING FOR INDIE AUTHORS
#21) Build Your Brand: 5 Reasons Every Writer Needs an Online Media Kit
Chris Well (ProWritingAid)
If you’re a professional writer, your website needs an online press kit that explains what you write. (This is true whether you’re a blogger or novelist, educator or journalist, or any other kind of writer.) This kit is important in staking your position, building your business, and expanding your audience. Find out five reasons this kind of information package is so important to you as a writer. [Read the article here.]
#22) 3 Ways to Integrate Video Into Your Marketing Strategy
Ann Handley (Entrepreneur)
These days, anyone with a smartphone is carrying around a veritable production studio. Should you include video in your online marketing? Content marketing expert Ann Handley shares how you can get started–and how to make it count. [Read the article here.]
#23) How Your Newsletter can get you More Readers, Visibility and Sales
Penny Sansevieri (Author Marketing Experts)
Despite all the new technology and social platforms on the scene, experts say that good ol’ email is still the best way to stay in touch with your tribe. Penny Sansevieri outlines what an email newsletter can do for you, best practices, and a list to get you started. [Read the article here.]
#24) Should you sign up for SELF-e from Library Journal?
Sandra Beckwith (Build Book Buzz)
Do you want to get your book into libraries? For some authors, it’s a great idea–for other authors, not so much. The key, explains Sandra Beckwith, is figuring out your own goals as an author. [Read the article here.]
#25) How to Use Instagram to Build Your Audience [Infograph]
Samantha McNesby (DIY Author)
How well does an author’s platform perform on Instagram? Better than you might expect. Samantha McNesby explains how Instagram works–and ways you can harness the power of visual media for your book or brand. [Read the article here.]
CAREER MANAGEMENT FOR INDIE AUTHORS (MONEY, HEALTH, LIFESTYLE, CAREER)
#26) Why writing “better books” will not lead to more sales
Derek Murphy (Creativindie)
Sometimes it gets disheartening to see a “terrible” author (by your standards) do better in the marketplace than you. However, warns consultant and book designer Derek Murphy, it’s dangerous to assume that you know better than the audience. [Read the article here.]
#27) Top 15 Blogs for Indie Authors – Part I
Ron Callari (BookWorks)
There’s all kinds of self-publishing advice on the web, but whom can you trust? Social media marketing consultant Ron Callari has combed the Internet and come up with a list of the 15 websites that he recommends to self-published authors. (And, yes, DIY Author was included.) This article, the first of a 3-part series, includes each site’s Alexa ranking, PageRank, and an “Actionable Take-away.” [Read the article here.]
#28) These 7 Tips Helped Me Avoid Solopreneur Isolation
John Rampton (Entreprenuer)
Having worked on his own schedule for several years, entrepreneur John Rampton has experienced the benefits of the work-at-home career–as well as the loneliness of working alone. in this article, Rampton offers some tips to help you get me over those “isolated days.” Although not specifically written for authors, some of these points still apply. [Read the article here.]
#29) Five ways to grow your savings without a steady paycheck
Carrie Smith (Christian Science Monitor)
For the freelance writer or self-employed author, sometimes the infrequent income makes it hard to pay the bills. Wise Bread’s Carrie Smith offers five tips to help you grow your savings–even when your paycheck isn’t steady. [Read the article here.]
#30) What does it take to be a successful Indie writer?
Shawn Inmon (Indies Unlimited)
If your dream is to write full-time, you’re not alone. But what does it take to make that dream a reality? Independent author Shawn Inmon has studied several successful authors–and come up with a list of steps to create a sustainable income from writing. [Read the article here.]
#31 Fit to Write: 9 Tips for Becoming a Healthier, More Productive Author
Chris Well (DIY Author)
As writers, it’s too easy to let all that sitting affect our health–which makes it harder to write. This article includes suggestions, tips, and words of encouragement from several of your fellow authors. [Read the article here.]
YOUR TURN: Have you read (or written) a recent article that should be included in a future roundup? Share the link in the comment below!
Your article should provide valuable information or instruction to authors. (No sales or affiliate pages.)
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