Archive for November, 2008

Organize those passwords!

I’m a sucker for articles and books on how to organize your work, your house and even your life. After reading yet another book on the subject, I was finally moved to organize my many, many user names and passwords for all of the social networking sites I belong to. I’m one of those people [...]

November 24, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: internet

What does your email signature say about you?

New authors are always looking for ways to advertise their book. Here’s an easy one: include it in your email signature. It’s free advertising; every email you send has the ability to connect with a potential reader. It’s also a pretty good idea to have a separate email address for your publishing business or book. [...]

November 21, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: internet, marketing

The top 5 marketing habits of successful authors

I saw a news item yesterday on The Power of Two. The Power of Two is having two healthy habits that will add years to your life. Yesterday’s segment suggested that you (1) find out your family medical history in order to prevent diseases you may be prone to and (2) that exercising your brain by [...]

November 19, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: , ,  Â· Posted in: marketing, self publishing

Stay current in your field

Are you a little behind on what’s new in your field? Here are two easy (and one optional) ways to stay informed: 1. Google Alerts: Go to Google and click on “more” under products. Click on “Alerts” and fill out the form. Try out a few combinations of keywords to get relevant information for you. [...]

November 17, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: internet

8 easy ways to build your mailing list

When you set up a “sign up for my ezine” section on your website, did you initially believe that “if you build it, they will come?” And were you disappointed with the results? Well, you do need to help the process along. Here are 8 easy ways you can let people know about your ezine [...]

November 13, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: , ,  Â· Posted in: internet, self publishing

More on podcasting your novel

Ever since I wrote about serial podcasting I’ve seen references to the original story all over the web. (The original story was in the San Francisco Chronicle.) * One author added some great twists of his own: Author J.C. Hutchins got actors and directors to record promotional clips into his recordings. Director George Romero (of [...]

November 11, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: internet, self publishing

The death of traditional book stores

Brick and mortar stores are losing to online bookstores. I’ve been seeing a lot of articles online on how many bookstores are closing their brick and mortar stores while keeping their online store. The internet, they say, has killed their traditional bookstore business. As self-publishers, their loss is your gain. You stand to make a [...]

November 7, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: , , ,  Â· Posted in: Amazon.com, self publishing

Build your fan base with podcasting

I just read about two novelists in San Francisco who produced serial podcasts of their novels one chapter at a time. Along the way, they acquired thousands of raving fans of their work and attracted agents and publishers eager to sign them. Prior to that success, one author was turned down by hundreds of conventional [...]

November 5, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: internet, self publishing

Resistance is futile

Maggie is my 6 year old, very mixed breed dog. In some ways she’s very smart – too smart – as in knows-how-to-get-in-the-dog-proof-trashcan-smart. Where she’s less than smart is her reaction to being fussed over, whether it’s grooming or being treated for minor health problems. She bites.Her recent ear infection forced me to devise a [...]

November 3, 2008 · Mary · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: internet