This post is part of a weekly series on YWP, aptly titled “The Writer’s Weekly Wrap-Up”.

Each Sunday, I will endeavour to provide you with a curated list of the best articles I have seen throughout the week that relate to building your platform.

The featured articles cover topics on book marketing and promotion, blogging, social media and self-publishing. (I may even throw in a few inspirational and fun posts, just so that it’s not all work and no play!)

“I’m Marketing Like Crazy, But Is It Really Working?”

There’s a saying that “50% of marketing works; we just don’t know which 50%.”

So don’t think you’re alone when you find it difficult to determine what marketing tactics are actually moving you forward. It’s a cumulative effect, and only over time will you see the results and impact of your actions.

The tricky part is identifying and intensifying the things that are increasing your momentum, and discarding those that have no effect. In many cases, it’s trial and error since it can be difficult to tease out what produces results and what is just wasted effort.

That said, having a marketing plan in place where you have outlined your goals and the strategies you’ll use to reach them, is important.

And, as horrifying as it is to some authors, you’re actually working on your ‘start-up’ or small business. A fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach is not going to bring you the results you want. [Read more…]

This post is part of a weekly series on YWP, aptly titled “The Writer’s Weekly Wrap-Up”.

Each Sunday, I will endeavour to provide you with a curated list of the best articles I have seen throughout the week that relate to building your platform.

The featured articles cover topics on book marketing and promotion, blogging, social media and self-publishing. (I may even throw in a few inspirational and fun posts, just so that it’s not all work and no play!)

What Can YOU Do to Improve the Self-Publishing Industry?

Freelance writer, blogger and self-published author, Molly Greene, recently gave me the opportunity to weigh in on the topic of self-improvement — or more exactly, self-publishing improvement.

Here is the question she posed:

“What can self-published authors do as individuals that will ultimately improve the process or reputation of the industry in a way that benefits us all? Specifically, what skill or action can we acquire or do – aside from honing our writing skills – that will help enhance this business for everyone?”

[Read more…]

This post is part of a weekly series on YWP, aptly titled “The Writer’s Weekly Wrap-Up”.

Each Sunday, I will endeavour to provide you with a curated list of the best articles I have seen throughout the week that relate to building your platform.

The featured articles cover topics on book marketing and promotion, blogging, social media and self-publishing. (I may even throw in a few inspirational and fun posts, just so that it’s not all work and no play!)

Perfect Summer Days

Every year this happens, and yet every year I’m shocked at how quickly the ‘endless summer’ passes.

For those of you who live in more temperate climes, the close of summer days may not be as dramatic, but for those of us Canadians who reside in less moderate regions, the end of August signals the stealthy creep of Jack Frost — and the quick pounce of Old Man Winter!

But for now, we’ll leave the back-to-school supply scramble to the very last minute, put off thoughts of snow and icicles, and enjoy one last long weekend of beautiful summer weather.

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the lawnmower is broken.”

~ James Dent

Enjoy this week’s roundup on a deck with a cold, frosty one! [Read more…]