• The 4 Ps and Cs of Marketing a Self-Published Book

    One of the first things taught in any marketing course are the four Ps: product, place, price and promotion. The four Cs are the updated version, and the two theories work together to create the 'Marketing Mix', that is the important factors that should be taken into account when starting a small business, or preparing to sell a product. Each of the four principles bleed into each other, and while it is useful sketch ideas under each heading, don't be afraid to make linkages between them.

    Any author self-publishing their work needs to get into this mindset, and plan their own answer to each of these principles. It is a useful exercise to help you understand the author/reader relationship, and it also gives depth of knowledge to a process that could be arbitrary for a first-time self-publishing author with no experience.

  • How to Find Your Writing Tribe

    Writing a book can be a big and scary process—and it can also be lonely and demotivating if you don't have anyone to share the process with. Often creative people struggle to find people they can relate to and share their journeys with (and non-creative people aren't always interested in their journeys). 

    Fear not, writerly friends! You can totally make writing and other-types-of-creative friends, and there are people out there who can't wait to meet you. It's not even as hard as you think it is; you already have stuff in common that excites you and you know what it is to be brought alive by art and there is no stronger people-connector than that. 

  • 5 Apps for a Productive Writing Life

    I'm not even going to lie; it has taken me forever to figure out a way to keep my whole life on track, let alone the writing parts. Being able to plan everything in my life has given me the freedom to be able to spend time writing without letting anything else fall by the wayside—not to mention that now I can track writing opportunities, competitions, submission deadlines and goals, and all the books and articles I can't wait to read!

    Here are the 5 'regular' apps that I use all the time, that work together to make my productivity system and keep my professional, personal AND writing lives under control.