May/June 2012 Issue
May/June Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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Website of the Week
Writing Website of the Week
Published author Roz Morris' website covers a lot of topics about writing--some serious, some for fun. Either way, it's a site that's worth a few minutes of any writer's week. (I recommend following her on Twitter too.Nail Your Novel 
*Not affiliated with our 101 Best Writing Websites feature.
Build a Platform & Start Blogging
Every writer can benefit from having a platform from which to promote their work. And for writers of non-fiction, it’s critical. Here you’ll learn the basics, including setting up a blog, strategies for effective blogging, and how to make your platform a revenue generator as well.
Stop! Before You Post Your Work Online, Read This
Today I’m a guest over at Writer Unboxed: Giving Stuff Away Is Not a Strategy I discuss how and when you might want to give your work away for free, and how … Read more
Should You Hire Someone to Design Your Website?
In publishing, we often say how critical it is to hire a professional editor if you plan to self-publish. Or we say how valuable a professional publicist or PR person can be. … Read more
Before You Write a Single Word: Develop a Reader Profile
Today’s guest post is from Shennandoah Diaz, the Business Development Assistant at Greenleaf Book Group, a publisher and distributor supporting independent authors and small presses. – You can easily find yourself living … Read more
Back to Basics: A Writer's 101 Guide to Blogging
On Thursday at 1p EDT, I’m presenting a live, online class, “Build Your Author Platform Through Blogging.” In preparation for that, I’m gathering my favorite resources and 101 articles that are helpful … Read more
A Time of Immense Change—For You, For Me, For Everyone
Today was my first full day of orientation as a professor teaching e-media at the University of Cincinnati-CCM. (The CCM Village is pictured above—at a very early hour!) Overwhelming doesn’t quite begin … Read more
How to Score a Traditional Deal After Self-Publishing
Today’s Q&A is with authors Anne Milford and Jennifer Gauvain, who originally self-published their book, How Not to Marry the Wrong Guy, in May 2009. They marketed and promoted like madwomen and … Read more
Newest Opportunities to Hear Me Speak
Lots of cool things happening to update you about (pictured above: a candid shot of me speaking at Midwest Writers in July 2010!). Last week I was a guest speaker on a … Read more
Building an Enthusiastic Fan Base as a Self-Published Author
Today’s Q&A is with novelist and 20-year Silicon Valley wage slave John Sundman. I first met John when his novel, Acts of the Apostles, won 1st place in the genre fiction category … Read more
The Digital Age Has Only Helped Storytellers
Today’s Q&A is with author Eric Rickstad, a novelist and screenwriter living in Vermont. His unnerving novels, stories, and scripts strip back the bucolic veneer of rural America and root around in … Read more
Self-Published Authors Should Band Together
Today’s Q&A is with longtime author and publisher Eric Hammel, who started his own publishing company in the 1980s alongside his traditional author career. Given his 30+ years of experience as an … Read more