The Writer’s Weekly Wrap-Up (Issue #25)

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!)

Write. Publish. Repeat.

Can you imagine publishing more than a dozen novels, totalling close to two million words?

Can you imagine doing it in a single year?

If you thought NaNoWriMo was painful, imagine the schedule that previously pro-bloggers, Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant keep. Because in 2013, they did just that.

I’m a big fan of the Self-Publishing Podcast (I’ve even included it in a list of my favourites in Wrap-Up Issue #21), which features the writing duo and is a fantastic resource for writers.

But their new book, Write. Publish. Repeat. (The No-Luck-Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success), is the bee’s knees.

It’s an über informative guidebook as well as a motivational “get-your-head-on-straight” pep talk for authors who are willing to put in the work to develop their writing careers.

The guys have created a system to producing quality work that earns them a full-time income – and the book has already made it into the top 100 books on Amazon.

Hmmm, maybe they’re onto something?

I bought my copy yesterday, and the highlighting hasn’t stopped! 😉

Cruise through some of the reviews, and if you feel the book is worthy, go grab a copy for yourself.

All done? Then let’s move on to the featured articles for the week.

Featured Articles

Cut Through the Internet Marketing Advice Fluff and Find What Really Works for You from Peter Sandeen at Firepole Marketing

This is a fantastic post from Peter, discussing the important difference between marketing tactics and marketing strategy–and why incorporating one without the other can lead to rather dismal results.

To Blog Or Not To Blog: Is It Really Necessary? from Kimberley Grabas at Your Writer Platform

One of the top questions I get, writers often want to know if blogging is a “must”. The short answer is that blogging is not for everyone, but it’s important to understand the full potential of blogging before you can determine the right choice for your own writing career.

Book Marketing Predictions for 2014 from Penny Sansevieri at Huffington Post

Want a sneak peak at what the new year holds for book marketing and promotion? Penny shares her thoughts and predictions on what to expect in 2014.

Literary Agent Tells All: 5 Things You Don’t Know About Book Publishing from Elizabeth Evans at The Write Life

A helpful behind-the-scenes look at the traditional path to getting published. Very enlightening!

How to Write an Effective Book Tweet from Heather Hart at Training Authors

We all know by now that “BUY MY BOOK!” does not an effective Tweet make. But what does? Heather walks us through some simple ways to get the job done.

How Indie Authors Sell Foreign Rights from Orna Ross at Alli Self-Publishing Advice Blog

Orna shows us some great tips and strategies for handling the somewhat tricky business of selling our foreign rights.

The Future of Online Publishing: 4 Experts, 6 Principles (FS030) from Chase Reeves at The Fizzle Show

Wonder what the future of blogging looks like? Check out this podcast with Chase Reeves and other blogging experts, and discover the 6 principles of online publishing.

28 Blog Post Ideas for Writers and Authors to Use Today! from Laura Pepper Wu at 30 Day Books

Here’s an early holiday gift! An easy peasy, fill-in-the-blanks checklist to get the blog post ideas flowing for the new year.

7 Key Elements for a Successful Nonfiction Writer’s Business Plan from Nina Amir at Write Nonfiction Now

If the thought of hammering out a business plan makes your head ache, try taking a look at Nina’s simple (but important) aspects to developing a solid business plan. It may not be as bad as you think… 😉

Boxed Set Bargains Rocking the Charts at Amazon from Lindsay Buroker at LindsayBuroker.com

Lindsay shares some insights on how “bundling” your work can lead to increased sales on Amazon.

11 Lame Excuses That Successful Bloggers Never Make from Linda Formichelli at Boost Blog Traffic

Oops! Do any of these excuses sound familiar? I’m pretty sure I sold myself on every one of these, at one point or another. Plus, if you change out “blogger” for “writer”, I’m doubly guilty. What about you?

Improve the Way You Work With Images in WordPress from Joe Fylan at WPKube

Super helpful article on managing your images–especially how image size affects site speed–on your WordPress site.

Are You Missing Your Best Fiction Marketing Opportunity? from Jason Kong at Story Rally

Great stories make your marketing job much easier. In this article, Jason encourages us to “…write the best damn story [we] can with no apologies…”, and we’ll find that our work will delight those readers that matter.

Why Writers Must Self-Publish Their Books from Joel Friedlander at The Book Designer

In this post, Joel delves into the self-publishing environment today, and why he believes writers need to know how to publish their own books.

How You Can Become a Self-Publishing Rockstar from Sean Platt at Write To Done

Since we’re talking about his book in this week’s wrap-up, I suppose it’s only appropriate to include a post written by Sean as well. In it, Sean shares four truths to becoming a self-publishing rockstar.

How to Make Money From Your Writing at Alli Self-Publishing Advice Blog

A video with Orna Ross and Jane Friedman on the business of making money with writing and publishing.

Discounting is For Dummies – Here’s Why (And What To Do Instead) from Derek Halpern at Social Triggers

Check out Derek’s video to find out how discounts can actually harm your sales, and what you can do to promote your work and spike sales.

How to Become an Authority Online (8 Simple Steps) from Lewis Howes at LewisHowes.com

Here’s a video from Lewis that breaks down the 8 key things all big experts like Tim Ferriss, Gary Vaynerchuk, Marie Forleo, and Seth Godin do to “build massive businesses and cultivate broad audiences who love them endlessly”.

How to Design Infographics from Denise Wakeman at The Future of Ink

Infographics are an excellent medium to share information in a visually appealing way–plus they are loads of fun to make if you have the right tools and at least a pinch of creativity. Check out Denise’s post for more.

Just For Fun

The following is a quote from a recent interview Sean Platt did with Jonathan Fields on JonathanFields.com. If you’re drunk on the fantasy of being a writer, this line should sober you up:

So that’s a wrap for this week! I hope you enjoyed your carefully curated reading material. 🙂

And if you’ve read Write. Publish. Repeat., let me know what you think in the comments below. I’m interested to hear what other writers think of Johnny and Sean’s approach to building a successful–and sustainable–writing career.

(Please note: some of the above links are affiliate links.)

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