The eBook I edited: BROKEN: Navigating the Ups and Downs of the Circus Called Work is now available. I’ve worked for months with the authors–Nate Burgos and Stephanie Di Biase on this project. A great read for anyone who has struggled with work dynamics–especially in a creative capacity–the book is both a shoulder to lean on and a tool to make things better.
Category Archives: writing
Setting Goals in Google Analytics
My latest article for BookPromotion.com is up. Read it all here!
The new year is a great time to set yourself up for success not only personally, but professionally. Experts prove that quantifying your goals can greatly improve your chances of achieving them. Using Google Analytics’ goals tool, you can quantify the effectiveness of how users interact with your site, and then use that information to improve how you serve information. (You are already using Analytics on your site, right? If not, here’s why I think you should be.)
StoryFront: Amazon’s New Short-Story Imprint
My article on Amazon Publishing’s new short story imprint went up on BookPromotion.com today. Short story writers and readers, check it out!
Historically, readers are accustomed to buying short stories as part of an anthology. Amazon Publishing is changing that with the launch of StoryFront, a new imprint focused on publishing short fiction—story by story. There are 43 stories included at launch, many available for as little as $.99. StoryFront will also be home to Day One, a Kindle-based weekly literary journal introduced earlier this year that is dedicated to new writers and poets. Day One costs $1.59/month or $1.99 per issue.
Using Analytics to Optimize Your Site
The first thing I do when I sit down to my computer each morning—before I check email or even Facebook—is check my site’s Web stats. Knowing who is visiting my site—and what they’re reading while they’re there isn’t just a way to indulge my voyeuristic side. Here, I uncover valuable information about which of my services are generating the most interest, how people are finding me, and who they are. You can also use the information you find in your stats to help discover what your visitors are most interested in and help them find what they’re looking for. Continue reading Using Analytics to Optimize Your Site
The Red Room: Social Networking for Authors and Readers
One of the best parts of publishing conferences is the people it brings together. Authors, publishers and readers all in one place—exchanging information and learning from one another. But publishing conferences are but a few times a year. (And expensive, to boot.) Where to commune outside of the conference?
The Red Room was designed to virtually bring together writers and readers anytime the mood strikes and as often as possible. Conceived as an online salon for authors and book lovers, The Red Room provides ample opportunity for authors and readers alike to come together. Authors can create a homepage on the site where they can blog, showcase their work, post audio or video, and include past reviews. Plus, each author page has the invitation for readers to message them directly. All of this is included as part of a free membership. Continue reading The Red Room: Social Networking for Authors and Readers
Why You Should Join Amazon Author Central
A lot of my author clients aren’t fans of Amazon. I get it—the advent of Amazon has threatened the existence of indie bookstores and irrevocably changed the way people buy and read books.
But when it comes to participating in Amazon’s AuthorCentral program, in my opinion, this is a case of “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” You may never end up loving Amazon, or choose to be their customer. But when you create an author profile through AuthorCentral, you will be helping to promote yourself and your books in the world’s largest bookstore, and for free. One of the things I consistently drill into the heads of my clients is that they need to control their message online. Because if they don’t do this, someone else will do it for them. This is a great way to own your property on Amazon (which already exists if your book is published) and manage the content associated with your name. Plus, creating an AuthorCentral page is just another opportunity to juice up your SEO results. Continue reading Why You Should Join Amazon Author Central
Make it Easy to Get Your Books Reviewed
A few years ago, book reviews in print media like newspapers and magazines could make a best-seller. While a great (or awful) book review in a major publication can have tremendous impact on a book’s sales, influential book reviews also appear in blogs, in online bookstores, and social media. The easier you make it for reviewers to access information about your books and you as an author, the more likely it is that your book will be reviewed. Here are some tips to get your book into the hands of people who can help you promote it. Continue reading Make it Easy to Get Your Books Reviewed
Steps You Can Take to Protect Your WordPress Site
It’s safe to say that I am a huge WordPress fan—I’ve built more than 70 sites using this platform. And suffice to say that there are a variety of other platforms that I can name that I am emphatically not a fan of. (But that’s fodder for another column.)
My clients also tend to love WordPress as well. Usually within an hour or two, I can train them to update most of the elements on their site with minimal stress. Even some of my most tech-adverse clients have told me that they feel comfortable adding and editing content on their sites—something that gives them a great deal of power when it comes to owning their brand. And it seems that it isn’t just my clients who feel this way. WordPress accounts for nearly one in five sites currently online.
So, what’s the problem? WordPress is a Web-based platform (rather than an application which is downloaded and stored locally). This means that with the correct username and password, anyone with a Web connection can access your site. Also, plug-ins can go a long way towards extending the functionality of a site. But if not maintained and secured, they can provide backdoor ways for hackers to infiltrate your site.
You needn’t abandon WordPress, you just need to be smart about how you use it. Here are some tips for how to keep your site secure. Continue reading Steps You Can Take to Protect Your WordPress Site
An Interview with Timber Buckeye of Buddhist Boot Camp
Before Buddhist Boot Camp was a best-seller, it was a series of personal emails on life lessons from Timber Hawkeye to his friends. When they started sharing his emails with their friends, Timber posted them all on a blog. The author then self-published the content in paperback. That’s when it caught the eye of HarperCollins Publishers, who published what is now a best-selling, compact hardcover book on mindfulness and inspiration.
“The response has been unbelievable,” says Timber. “People were relating to what I had to say, and wanted to hear more. We instinctually have this reluctance to be honest. But when I shared my story about what I went through, people started to share their own stories.”
We Think Alone: A New Project from Miranda July
I first discovered Miranda July when she was promoting her book No One Belongs Here More Than You in 2007. The book’s site broke pretty much every rule about what I would tell you are the best practices for promoting a book online. (I mean, it’s usually ill advised to design an entire site around writing on the top of your refrigerator with dry erase markers, photographing each message as slide, and making the user click through nearly 30 pages to read the whole message.) Yet, this site remains one of the most memorable, creative and clever book sites I’ve ever seen.