If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
In an age where authors increasingly own the connection to readers, does it matter that Amazon bought Goodreads? What exactly will change in the day to day life of writers and readers? Well, nothing.
If you ever saw her on the street, the words glamour, class, and style would immediately come to mind. Her sunny smile would brighten up the most cloudy and gloomy day.
I have been blessed to be a published author both by the traditional process and I have self-published where I managed every aspect of the process. From both processes, here is what I have learned.
Eighty-one percent of Americans say they want to write and publish a book. That's 200 million people. Could all these people be right? I know from personal experience that writing a book can put your business on the map, big time.
Mollie is that rare agent: smart, wise, savvy, and nice. So we thought we'd pick her brain about the state of books.
Here's an excerpt from Episode 155, my conversation with Lenore Zion, an author who also works as a sex therapist.
Blog tours are all the rage right now for indie and traditionally-published authors. My advice: think it through, and then talk to other people who've done them, and think it through again.
As authors, you know there are a lot of marketing options for promoting your book these days. There's publicity, advertising and of course social media, but before you invest your money and time, it is important to know the benefits and challenges of the three types of marketing options.
Consume writing voraciously, and you will absorb writing skills by osmosis. You will come to appreciate an unexpected word or turn of phrase. You'll intuitively develop awareness of what makes a story arc engaging or a character tantalizing.
Readers -- many of whom have been "fish out of water" themselves during vacations or after moving to new towns (or countries) -- can compare their own real-life experiences with the fictional ones depicted by authors.
I have several friends who are brilliant, dedicated academics. They write excellent books, teach at colleges and universities, and are standouts in their fields. You might want to know where they are speaking next and what they are currently researching, but you'd be hard-pressed to find them on the web.
Of all the social media platforms, Facebook seems to cause authors the most consternation.
While there are more terrible books being published than ever, some writers continue to offer us novels reminding us why the written word -- when used with grace, wit, wisdom, and fierce intelligence -- matters.
Today Pinterest is evolving its features to include business -- and not just personal -- accounts. Pinterest is raising brand awareness and also driving purchasing decisions.
Twelve children's authors and illustrators traveled to the Sandy Hook Elementary School to participate in the school's first assembly program. This came about through the diligent effort of Marc Tyler Nobleman, author of more than 70 books.
Marc Tyler Nobleman had the idea for an author "talent show" for Sandy Hook almost immediately. Here is the wonderful, loving and positive result of that idea.
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THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANEby Neil Gaiman
Published on June 18th, 2013
THE FARAWAY NEARBYby Rebecca Solnit
Published on June 13th, 2013
YOU ARE ONE OF THEMby Elliott Holt
Published on May 30th, 2013
AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOEDby Khaled Hosseini
