Do you need sources to interview for a book, article, blog entry, or whatever? Or do you want to promote your book or business by being a source to reporters and writers for their books, articles, blog entries, and whatever? Here are two email resources that are free for you to make connections, whichever side of the interview you are on:

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) has been around a number of years and sends out emails three times each day with posts from researchers, reporters, and writers looking for people to interview. You can sign up as a reporter to post your needs, or as a subscriber looking to be a resource for someone else—or both (like me). Go to: http://www.helpareporter.com/

Reporter Connection is a fairly new resource so, right now, it has fewer listings. However, it is run by Bill and Steve Harrison—two of the best book marketers on the planet—so I expect the Reporter Connection will quickly attract listings and popularity. Check it out and sign up here: http://www.reporterconnection.com/

Resources like HARO and Reporter Connection make writers’ lives easier and broaden your reach to find valuable, knowledgeable interview subjects, or connect you with media contacts who are begging for your input. “Just do it!”

Last week I told you about Amanda Hocking, the virtually unknown, self-published fiction author who suddenly found her digital books solidly planted at the top of Amazon’s bestseller’s list, netting her millions of dollars in less than a year. At age 26, it is a dream realized early in her career. What was her no-cost secret weapon to finding a following—and book buyers? Book bloggers. Book bloggers have become increasingly influential and can collectively reach millions of potential readers, thereby turning books into best sellers.

No one can guarantee that you’ll experience the same success as Amanda, but you can certainly give it a try by emulating her savvy move to get her book into the hands of book bloggers. Here’s how: Read the rest of this entry

I love a good David versus Goliath story and this one about a young author’s journey to publication both warms my heart and makes me a bit jealous. More importantly for this post, however, is that the story is filled with solid how-to information for anyone who dares to dream the writer’s dream of making a living by doing what you love—writing. The sensational aspect of this story is that a 26-year old girl from Austin, Minnesota, who could not attract the attention of a traditional publisher for her novels, recently sold more than 900,000 copies of her books on Amazon and is now a multi-millionaire. Even more amazing is that she did it without spending a dime on advertising or spending time on the talk circuit. How did she do it? Read the rest of this entry

If you’ve ever written a book proposal, you know that publishers base their decision to publish on whether or not there is an audience for your book. And, guess who is responsible to determine if there is or if there isn’t a market?

You. Not the publisher. Not the editor. You.

Your book proposal research cannot be based on a hunch. You need to add some data to back it up. While the old school process of hunting down organizations, clubs, television programs and publications that support your audience is still a good idea, here is a two-step online method that will boost your confidence and help fill your data gap. Read the rest of this entry

Last week, I strongly encouraged you to put up a website to showcase your writing talent and services and outlined steps focused on do-it-yourself development. I cannot overstress the importance of having an online presence. This week, I want to look at different types of writer’s websites so you can decide which one is right for you. Here is a quick list of the five most typical writer websites:

1.  Author-centered.

The author-centered website puts you front and center. Your books or other writing are secondary. If you have an established fan base that aches to know more about you, your life, your writing process, your upcoming books and book signings, the author-centered website is for you.

2.  Book-centered.

A book-centered website has a single goal: to sell your book. You need to convince visitors that they want to read your book by using teaser content, unanswered questions, or a free sample chapter that hooks the reader. Book-centered websites work well for authors who understand and use marketing efforts to identify an audience, figure out how to reach them, and send them to the site to learn more about the book.

3.  Topic-centered.

If you specialize in writing for a specific topic or industry, this type of website will show-and-tell others about your expertise. Make sure the home page clearly identifies your topic, and include links to a bank of articles or set up a blog to show off your knowledge. At the end of each article or post, make sure you tell readers what you want from them, i.e., “contact me to write your next brochure copy,” or “hire me to speak at your next industry function.”

4.  Service-centered.

For writers who rely on paying clients to help get the rent paid, a service-center site is your online brochure and a “must have” in your marketing arsenal. If you set up a service-centered website, avoid using too many “I” statements that focus on what you can do. Use “you” statements that focus on what you can do for your potential clients and customers.

5.  Multi-purposed.

Many writers have multiple talents they want to showcase. You might be both an author promoting a book and a copywriter looking for work. You might want to sell your books directly from the site as well as offer topic-specific speaking services. Multi-purposed websites can quickly get messy when you don’t have a clear message to place on your home page. However, one way to diminish the confusion is to place distinct ‘gateway’ buttons on the home page. By clicking one button, the visitor is directed to the page about your copywriting services. By clicking another button, the visitor is directed to the page touting your new book.

Whatever type of website is a good fit for you, take action to define it, build it, and publish it—as soon as possible.