Monday, August 11, 2008

Resources For Writers & Publishers

As a first time author who self-published my first book, At The Starting Gate, I find myself in many first-time situations. Immediately upon finishing and publishing the book, I began hearing, "now you need a website and a blog to market and promote your book". More firsts for me. At this point, firsts, are becoming a common theme, recurring regularly.

First I built my website which took a while since I had no idea where to begin. My initial response? Google "how-to-build-a-website". This gave me enough information to get started doing it myself because I could not afford to hire someone to do it for me. Step by step I muddled through tons of research and information and finally produced a finished website I could be proud of - because I did it myself. Professional? No. But, I feel good about the end results.

Next came the blog. Like the website, I had no earthly idea where to start. I didn't even know what a blog was. To-do first? Yes. Google "what is a blog", then on to "how to make a blog". The results were the same as with the website, I had enough information to start and maintain a blog.


Along the way I found some extremely helpful resources. I want to pass those along for anyone who might need them.

1. Build A Better Blog - Business blogging experts Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman are known as The Blog Squad™. Patsi and Denise help professionals set up and optimize great business blogs. They also operate a "blog crisis prevention program" - dedicated to extreme blog makeovers for boring blogs.

2. Writers Weekly - Tells How Not To Waste Money & Time Promoting Your Book

3. Book Marketing Network - A place to share, a place to give, a place to pass it on. For book authors, self-publishers, book publishers, publicists, marketers, and others involved in writing, publishing, and marketing books.

4. Book Marketing - John Kremer's Promoting Your Books and Book Marketing Bestsellers web site.

5. Publicity Hound - Publicity expert Joan Stewart shows you how to use free publicity to establish your credibility, enhance your reputation, position yourself as an expert, sell more products and services, promote a favorite cause or issue, and position your company as an employer of choice

These are just a few resources with some valuable information. I'll post more another time.

2 comments:

  1. hey, can I use these web links and your blog address for an article in my new assignment as newsletter editor for the local Heritage Writer's Guild? good info.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, Lin. You are very welcome to use them.

    ReplyDelete

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