This Week in the Blogs, December 30, 2017 – January 5, 2018

POSTED ON Jan 7, 2018

Joel Friedlander

Written by Joel Friedlander

Home > Blog > Social Media > This Week in the Blogs, December 30, 2017 – January 5, 2018

Well, we’ve rounded the corner and headed into 2018. What will the new year hold for authors and self-publishers? We rounded up some of the best articles on the year ahead and mixed them in with some great advice you can use today. Enjoy!

Mark Coker on Smashwords
2018 Book Industry Predictions: Are Indie Authors Losing their Independence?
“When I think about the future, I start by looking at the past and then I look for patterns and trends. What are the entrenched macro trends and forces that, like gravity, are likely to continue in the same direction for many years to come? And how will these trends impact what they touch, and how will that change the course of the future? It’s a fun exercise, even when what I see doesn’t fit within the rim of rose-colored glasses. By imagining possible outcomes, we can formulate strategies for the future, or we can take steps to prevent that future from happening.”

Erika Liodice on Writer Unboxed
How to Find the Right Illustrator for Your Children’s Book
“‘What are racing pigeons?’ I asked. He didn’t know, so I pulled out my phone and started googling. I learned that racing pigeons are specially trained homing pigeons that are released hundreds of miles away from their lofts and race home, relying on their homing instinct to guide them. Intrigued, I got sucked down the rabbit hole and was introduced to the two-hundred-year-old sport of pigeon racing. … I discovered extraordinary winged athletes that race at speeds of up to 60 mph for several hours at a time, earning them the nickname ‘thoroughbreds of the sky.’ By the time I emerged from the rabbit hole, the idea for a children’s book about a team of racing pigeons had arrived, fully formed, in my brain.”

Orna Ross on Self-Publishing Advice Center
Self-Publishing Predictions for 2018
“Happy New Year! Here are ALLi’s predictions based on emerging trends we’ve seen.”

Ashley Kimler on The Creative Penn
Publishing Wide: Selling Ebooks And Print Books Direct From Your Author Website
“Now that you’re an author, book sales are your business. If you want to be successful, you have to step into the realm of a true entrepreneur. If you’re only processing book orders on one channel, you’re isolating yourself from an entire universe of opportunity. Here are some tips on how you can setup automation processes to efficiently manage multiple sales avenues for your book(s).”

Stephanie Chandler on Nonfiction Authors Association Blog
Why Indie Authors Must Embrace Change An Indie Author Manifesto for the New Year
“The loss of a distribution partner is an inconvenience, but it shouldn’t be a major setback. As indie authors, we need to be resilient to change. Heck, we need to embrace it. That experience inspired me to create this indie author manifesto—I hope you find it inspiring as we start off on another year that’s bound to present its own surprises.”

Too Good to Miss

Calvin Emerson on Reedsy Blog
How 13 designers reimagined 2017’s best selling book covers
“We pulled together a list of our top bestsellers of 2017 and invited our community of designers to redesign their favorite. There was just one caveat: designers had to incorporate stock imagery exclusively from Adobe Stock. 520 entries later, we were not disappointed.”

Self-Publishing News You Can Use

By Amy Collins

Publishers Weekly has just published a very extensive list of the writers and book conferences being held in 2018. This list is a terrific place to start your marketing plans for 2018. Author sessions, book sales tents and speaking opportunities abound at these events.

Links of interest

Publishers Weekly List of Select Book Conferences, Festivals, and Fairs in 2018

Photo: bigstockphoto.com

Joel Friedlander

Written by
Joel Friedlander

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