The Scoop, October 27, 2016

Book Marketing: How to Create An Author Brand
Communicating an author’s brand is especially challenging when you’re an indie author not bound by the constraints of traditional publishing to stick to a specific genre. Australian author, poet, book designer and musician Jessica Bell describes how she rose to the challenge of branding her work – by branding the author rather than the books. Thanks to Jessica for sharing this detailed case study of the process that went into branding her self-published collection of books.

Continue reading on Self Publishing Advice >>

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​5 Things Writers Should Know About Wattpad & the Future of Publishing
A little more than a year ago, I took a chance and posted one of my novels in its entirety on a site called Wattpad. It’s a social reading site, meaning writers post their fiction for free for readers to binge on, bolstered by the force multiplier of social media. Since then, I’ve racked up three-quarters of a million reads of my work, obtained a generous sponsorship from a major television studio, had my work plugged into Hollywood movie campaigns, received serious consideration for TV adaptation of one of my short stories from a well-known producer (fingers crossed) and much, much more. Wattpad even accepted me into its Stars program, a special incubator for writers’ careers.

Continue reading on Writer’s Digest >>

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Build a Bigger Brand with Book Ambassadors
Book ambassadors are loyal readers who fangirl over your book and tell the world about it. Once you have book ambassadors, you’re set, baby.

But how in the blue blazes do you get ’em?

I’ve outlined thirteen tips for rounding up some seriously loyal fans and creating a bomb-tastic community. You can thank me by sharing this post like crazy, pretty please.

Continue reading on Curiouser Editing >>

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​Understanding “Advances” in Publishing Deals
“Advances” – technically, advances against royalties, are lump-sum payments some publishers pay to authors “in advance” of publishing the author’s work.

More simply, an “advance” is the money an author receives up front on a publishing deal.

Not all authors receive advances, and not all publishers offer them. Small and micro-publishers often pay smaller advances than larger houses—though this isn’t always true. Let’s take a closer look at what an advance represents and how it should—and shouldn’t—impact an author’s willingness to sign a publishing contract.

Continue reading on Writers in the Storm >>

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