Category: Writer’s Tips

Writer's Tips

#Writers Tips – August Edition – #Prologues, Annoying #Book Quirks, New Platform for Author’s Books

Published on by dgkaye35 Comments

Welcome to August Writer’s Tips. In this edition, Harmony Kent is at the Story Empire and is helping us recognize if a prologue for our books is necessary, John Howell also writes for the Story Empire and shares a great list of what turns off readers in a book, Stevie Turner recommended this site, Shepherd, where we authors can share our books and list comparable authors to our books.

Harmony Kent with Part 5 in her informative series about Writing Prologues and Backstory

https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2022/07/29/how-to-use-prologues-part-5-backstory-delivery/comment-page-1/#comment-161887

..

John Howell lets us know what things about books annoy readers

https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2022/07/27/things-in-books-that-annoy-readers/comment-page-1/#comment-161888

..

How does it work? – Shepherd

Authors pick their 5 favorite books around a topic, theme, or mood they are passionate about, along with why they recommend each of those books. Then, we feature the author and one of their books alongside that list

https://shepherd.com/

https://forauthors.shepherd.com/

©DGKaye2022

Writer's Tips

May Writer’s Tips – #Copyrights, #Plagiarism, Book Matter and More!

Published on by dgkaye51 Comments

Welcome to my May Writer’s Tips. I have collected some fantastic helpful articles in this past month. So as not to overwhelm, I’m going to break up this post under two different umbrellas. In this edition I’ve tailored this month’s discoveries to tips that specifically pertain to book writing and potential legal snags – how to find your writing voice, what constitutes plagiarism, penalties for using song lyrics in our writing, what to put in front matter of our books, and the importance of designating a social media executor.

The BookDesigner takes us through the definition and meaning of Voice in writing:

What Is Voice in Writing? [Examples Included]

Janice Wald of Mostlyblogging.com talks about the 4 types of Plagiarism and the consequences in 2022

https://www.mostlyblogging.com/ethics-sentence/

Anne R. Allen has an informative article with great detail on why writers cannot use song lyrics in their writing, the permissions required, and the penalties of using them:

Can A Writer Quote Song Lyrics in a Memoir or Novel?

Anne R. Allen with another informative post explaining why writers need to appoint a Social Media Executor:

Why Every Writer Needs a Social Media Executor, NOW!

Bryn Donovan has a concise article on all that’s important and why for front matter of books for publishing:

https://www.bryndonovan.com/2022/05/16/11-things-you-can-put-in-the-front-matter-in-a-book/

Stay tuned for next month’s edition of Writer’s Tips where I’ll be sharing some articles with handy tips and some great tools for writers.

©DGKaye2022

Writer's Tips

Writer’s Tips, April Edition – Book Blurbs, Trailers, BookBub, Canva, Formatting, More!

Published on by dgkaye81 Comments

Welcome to my first post of the year of my collaborated Writer’s Tips. I’ve collected and saved a few of these posts as I came across them while I was away, and I know many of you will find something helpful here for writing, publishing, and/or marketing. From advice on writing the blurb, through some wonderful Canva tutorials to publshing updates and more, there’s something helpful for all writers here.

D.L. Finn at the Story Empire on Writing the Blurb Source:

WRITING BOOK BLURBS | Story Empire

Creating an Instagram story, How to Edit PDF docs in Canva, and how to Creat Page Turn Animation by Natalie Ducey Smith

https://natalieducey.com/2022/02/15/social-media-marketing-tip-instagram/

How to edit PDF documents in Canva

https://natalieducey.com/2022/03/22/how-to-edit-a-pdf-document-for-free/

Page turn animation in Canva

https://natalieducey.com/2022/03/15/how-to-market-an-ebook-with-a-page-turn-animation-effect/

The Bookdesigner on making Book Trailers

How to Make a Book Trailer: 4 Must Haves

Four ways the publishing business is changing on Amazon

Amazon Kindle: 4 Big Ways Publishing Your Book Is Changing

7 Steps to formatting your books by Deborah Jay

https://deborahjayauthor.com/2022/03/14/7-steps-to-formatting-your-paperback-book-indieauthor-kdp/comment-page-1/#comment-49293

Jan Sikes shares some great Marketing with BookBub Ads info

https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2022/04/06/mktg-13-bookbub-ads/

Great Punctuation Guide by The Bookdesigner

Punctuation Guide – Your Comprehensive Guide to English Grammar

©DGKaye2022

Writer's Tips

January 2022 – First Edition of Writer’s Tips

Published on by dgkaye70 Comments

Welcome to my January Writer’s Tips. In this month’s edition of posts I hand picked from my reading trails, I’ve found some informative articles for writers from authors, Natalie Ducey – how to add weblinks on #Instagram, publishing predictions for 2022 by agent Laurie McLean at the blog of Anne R. Allen, ideas for promoting sequels on #Bookbub, book promotion blunders by Kathy Steinemann, and, how to use dashes in fiction by Louise Harnby.

Natalie Ducey has a helpful tutorial on how to add weblinks on #Instagram

https://natalieducey.com/2021/12/07/how-to-add-a-weblink-to-instagram-stories/

Anne R. Allen, guest writer, agent Laurie McLean shares her predictions for the publishing world 2022

2022 Publishing Predictions from Agent Laurie McLean

12 Clever ideas for promoting sequels on Bookbub

12 Clever Ideas for Promoting Sequels or Later-Series Books

Fiction editor and proofreader, Louise Harnby shares, how to use dashes in fiction for both U.S. and U.K.

https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog/how-to-use-dashes-in-fiction-dashes-uk-and-us-style

Ten Book Promotion blunders authors make by Kathy Steinemann

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/promotion/#comment-10817

©DGKaye2022

Writer's Tips

Writer’s Tips – December Edition – #Twitter Pinned Tweets, #Editing, Kindlepreneur, #Canva

Published on by dgkaye44 Comments

Welcome to my December edition of Writer’s Tips. In this last edition for 2021, I’m sharing some great information and tools to help with creating social media posts, QR codes for books, Twitter, and editing tips.

Hugh Roberts demonstrates why every blogger should be using the ‘pinned tweet’ option on Twitter, also, how to draft a blog post

Source: Pinned Tweets: Why Every Blogger Should Have One To Help Drive Traffic To Their Blog – Hugh’s Views & News  

https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2021/11/08/dont-have-enough-time-to-draft-blog-posts-this-wordpress-feature-helps/

Stevie Turner alerted me to this great share from the Kindlepreneur – Create a QR code for your books!

https://kindlepreneur.com/qr-code-generator-for-authors/

Great detailed post on revisions and editing our books before they go to the editor by Vivian Zabel, guest writing at Nowastedink with Wendy Van Camp

https://nowastedink.com/2021/11/11/revise-revise-revise-by-vivan-zabel/

Natalie Ducie is back with a new tutorial – How to add text into our Canva images

https://natalieducey.com/2021/11/16/how-to-add-a-hyperlink-to-text-and-elements-in-canva/

From the Bookdesigner – How to create an Index for your book and why you need to

What Is an Index and Why Is It Important for Your Book?

©DGKaye2021

Writer's Tips

November Writer’s Tips – Gutenberg Block Editor, Deadly #Writer Sins, Online Safety, and More!

Published on by 32 Comments

Welcome to November edition of Writer’s Tips where I scan the web in my reading travels and discover some worthy posts helpful to writers. In this post we’re covering, reusable blocks in the new editor, online privacy, avoiding four deadly writer sins, blog traffic, New! KDP Hardcovers, 5 Indie mistakes that could cost authors book sales, Audio books, and Pinterest for book marketing.

 

 

Hugh Roberts our resident Block Editor Guru is showing us how to create a ‘reusable’ block you can add ready made to any post and How to Increase Blog Traffic

Are You Using This Little Known About Block That Helps Promote Your Blog? – Hugh’s Views & News  

 

 

Are You Struggling To Get People To Your Blog? These 7 Free Methods Will Help

 

 

Tech Teacher and author, Jacqui Murrary is sharing great tips on how to stay online safely

https://worddreams.wordpress.com/2021/09/22/lon-ta-6-ways-for-writers-to-protect-their-online-privacy/

 

 

Four Deadly Writer Sins and How to Avoid them, by Ruth Harris at the blog of Anne R. Allen. 5 Indie Author Mistakes that could lose you Book Sales by Tech Author, Barb Drozdowich at the blog of Anne R. Allen and the benefits of creating audio books by William Hahn, guest writer at the blog of Anne R. Allen

5 Indie Author Mistakes That Can Tank Book Sales

 

 

4 Deadly Writer Sins—and How to Avoid Them. Plus a Top-Secret Pro Tip for Writing a Book Readers Can’t Put Down

 

 

The Things I’ve Heard: Confessions of an Audiobook Narrator

 

 

Nicholas Rossis shares the announcement that Amazon KDP is now producing Hardcovers for Indie books

https://nicholasrossis.me/2021/10/09/hardcover-books-on-kdp/#comment-365780

 

 

Jan Sykes at the Story Empire shares what she’s learned from advertising books on Pinterest

https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/2021/10/18/mktg-part-6-pinterest-socialmediamarketing-pinterest/comment-page-1/#comment-151838

 

 

©DGKaye2021

 

 

Writer's Tips

Writer’s Tips – #Facebook Woes, Building #ARC Review Teams, #BookBub, Author Branding

Published on by 36 Comments

Welcome to my August edition of collaborated links full of Writer’s Tips and great promotional ideas for authors. In this edition – Facebook Woes, Building an Arc review team, Slashing your word count, how to use BookBub effectively, branding your blog, and how to get the most out of your Amazon author pages.

 

 

Kathy Steinemann wrote an excellent post on Facebook woes – When Facebook AI Runs Awry. As many of us writers have experienced Facebook woes, Kathy shares her experience and links to contacting the ‘elusive’ Facebook. Check out Kathy’s new author page she created since Facebook would no longer let her into her page.

 

Source: When Facebook AI Runs Awry, Oh My!

 

 

 

Anne R. Allen with an article on how Amazon and BookBub will help us sell our books FREE

 

How Amazon and Bookbub Will Help You Sell Books–FREE

 

 

Sally Cronin with Part 2 on her Smorgasbord Marketing and PR series for authors – Branding your blog and your writing

 

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2021/08/12/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-podcast-book-marketing-and-pr-for-authors-branding-your-blog-or-your-writing-by-sally-cronin/

 

 

The Kindlepreneur, Dave Chesson is back with another article at Anne R. Allen’s blog – How to build an ARC review team for a booklaunch

 

How to Build an ARC Review Team for your Book Launch

 

 

Kathy Steinemann with another article on her series – How to Slash Your Word Count

 

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/word-count-9/#comment-9897

 

 

Getting the most from your Amazon author page

 

https://www.amarketingexpert.com/2021/06/15/the-best-book-marketing-strategies-for-amazon-author-central/

 

There’s something for everyone here so I hope you enjoy!

 

©DGKaye2021

 

Writer's Tips

Writer’s Tips – Tool Rocket, Publishing #Scams, Word Slash, #Stylesheets, #Blogging Tips

Published on by 44 Comments

Welcome to June edition of Writer’s Tips. It’s an exceptionally crazy time for me right now in the middle of getting ready to moving madness. But I’ve managed to capture a few posts that stood out to me in my short travels along blogland. I hope you bloggers and authors all find something of interest here today. Hugh Roberts, Kathy Steinemann, Sally Cronin, Nicholas Rossis and Anne R Allen’s blogs are always filled with valuable information. I also came across an interesting new social platform – Clubhouse, an interesting new medium where we can be heard without being seen. Check it out!

 

Sally Cronin has a new series at her Smorgasbord Invitation, helping authors get the best exposure for their books and themselves in her Public Relations series for authors. Visit the post to find the others in the series

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2021/06/14/smorgasbord-public-relations-for-authors-part-three-hitting-the-red-carpet-by-sally-cronin/

 

Hugh Roberts the blogging guru with 7 Methods to get more Readership for your Blogs

https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2021/05/17/these-7-methods-will-help-get-more-readers-to-your-blog/

 

Kathy Steinemann has a new word series – How to Slash your Word Count, Part 1

https://kathysteinemann.com/Musings/word-count/#comment-8590

 

Nicholas Rossis shares a great tool to convert PDFs, Tool Rocket

https://nicholasrossis.me/2021/04/02/toolrocket-a-free-pdf-converter/

 

Anne R. Allen with a great heads up on how to detect publishing scams – Friends Don’t let Friends fall for Publishing Scams

Friends Don’t Let Friends Fall for Publishing Scams: Look for These Tell-Tale Signs

 

And, a double-header today from Anne R. Allen’s, featuring this article by Ruth Harris – Everything you want to know about Style Sheets and Guides but were afraid to ask

Style Sheets, Style Guides, and Writing Style: Everything You Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask

 

Have any of you heard of Clubhouse? This new social app offers another medium for people to connect.

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-use-clubhouse

 

I hope you all enjoy this edition of Writer’s Tips. 

 

©DGKaye2021