Writers tend to worry about putting their content online. “What if my work gets stolen?” I’m asked all the time. Mostly, I don’t see content getting stolen from websites or blogs, but…but…sometimes it does get “scraped.” This can be prevented, however, and shouldn’t stop writers from publishing their work on the Internet often and freely. I wouldn’t call scraping stealing…
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I speak to and with aspiring authors almost every day. They all share the dream of becoming published authors. What stops them? If I ask them they will tell me the following: “I can’t seem to get my book written.” “I don’t have an agent.” “I received 20 rejections from publishers.” “I don’t have an author platform.” “I don’t have…
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When I began my career as a journalist, the only way to make money writing articles was to get an assignment with or to sell an essay to a print publication, such as a newspaper or magazine. These days opportunities abound online for writers wanting to make a bit of money—especially if you want to write about your interests and…
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Recently I was interviewed by the Author Learning Center, so I went to their site to check out some of the interviews there. I discovered a video by one of my favorite authors, Seth Godin, who is a marketing guru. I highly recommend you watch it. Then consider what he says. He has an important lesson for nonfiction writers about…
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We writers hear it all the time. I just heard it at least five times at the San Francisco Writers Conference this past weekend from at least five different publishing and PR experts. To become a published author–and to produce a successful book (one that sells to lots of readers) you need more than a good idea and good writing….
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I was sitting on the judges panel for the 2012 San Francisco Writers Conference Pitchfest, which is usually a contest—we changed the rules at the last minute this year, when my literary agent and fellow judge, Verna Dreisbach, leaned over and said, “It’s okay, Nina. It’s okay.” I realized I had sort of gone off the deep end. It was…
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Why look for a contract with a big traditional publisher when you can raise your own money for an advance and control your project start to finish? Jim Kukral can’t think of many good reasons. I thought I’d begin podcasting with a bang! That’s why I decided to make my first interview with Jim Kukral of Digital Book Launch. As…
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I spend a lot of time on social networks every day—maybe more than I should or have to if I knew how to do a better or more effective job with my social marketing. However, those efforts have garnered me a decent—not huge—platform, one that grows every day. In fact, it’s growing faster every day. I’d like it to grow…
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Many aspiring and published authors balk at the idea of getting involved in social networks. My clients continually tell me they don’t want to have to “sell” themselves and their writing via social media nor do they want to “waste” their precious writing time on this endeavor. So, when I found myself at BlogWorld and New Media Expo 2011 in…
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