This Week in the Blogs, February 13 – 19, 2016

It’s important to know how to stand out from the crowd when you self-publish your books and this week’s selection of articles can help you with that. Take a few minutes to check them out.

Joan Stewart on Build Book Buzz
10 rock-solid reasons why authors should build an email list
“Two weeks before launching her book, the frantic author calls, begging me to help her identify every possible reader who might be interested in her book, and brainstorm ways to reach them. … One of my first questions always is, “Do you have an email list?””

Nina Amir on How to Blog a Book
How to Ensure Your Blog Gets Read and Your Book Sells
“To ensure your blogged book gets read and later, when published, sells, begin your project with a Competition Analysis. In this section of your business plan, you take a detailed look at what traditionally published books have been written on your topic and how your book compares to them.”

Jim Devitt on Indies Unlimited
2016 Social Media Platform Cheat Sheets
“Social media platforms are constantly evolving. It’s difficult to keep up with all the changes to profile pictures, timeline rules, and Tweet specs. A few weeks back, we received a request for updated cheat sheets for the major platforms.”

Amanda Luedeke on McGregor Literary
The Biggest Marketing Mistake anAuthor Can Make
“I see author after author spend money and time on book trailers and digital shorts and book-specific websites and splash pages and artwork and bookmarks and THINGS. … I see them show off their items proudly, because LOOK HOW PRETTY! THIS CLICKY PEN WILL CERTAINLY GET PEOPLE TO BUY MY BOOK!”

Sabrina Ricci on Digital Pubbing
Indie Authors: Where Do You Get Your Industry News?
“Here are some sites and blogs that I read regularly. Some of them cover the publishing industry, including news, book deals, and job moves. Others give updates on the indie world, such as Amazon algorithm changes or hot book genre trends. And some speculate on the future of publishing, and how digital affects the way books are made and consumer.”

 
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