What’s on TV? YOU! Preparing for Your Television Interview

e-morningscramble-fullWe authors are always looking for new ways to get our books out in front of the public, be it guest blogging, book signings, or radio spots., Some of our cohorts (Carol and Lynne) have already given us guidelines for the radio shows. If we’re really lucky, we can score a TV spot. No, really; it’s not out of the question. Just think about those local TV shows that run on weekday mornings, the ones that love to feature the goat lady who makes her own soaps from goat milk, the fire captain who’s going to be the grand marshal of the Independence Day parade, the teenager who won a medal for saving his little sister from drowning. Those TV shows need guests, and you need to get the word out. It’s a perfect match, and a great way to practice your pitch.

Once you’ve pitched your book to the show and been slotted in (I know you can), there are a few things to keep in mind before the show. Continue reading “What’s on TV? YOU! Preparing for Your Television Interview”

Amazon: Love it, hate it; you just can’t ignore it

IndieNewsBeatwithCJWhile for most columns I try to steer clear of the mighty Amazon, sometimes it’s simply not possible, because these guys are just everywhere.

Over the last couple of weeks, Amazon has announced a surge in turnover. From making a paltry $16.1 billion in the first quarter of 2013, in the same period this year its turnover has increased to a slightly-less-paltry $19.7 billion. In addition, in the same quarter it expanded its workforce by 7,000 new employees, bringing its total global workforce to 124,000. Continue reading “Amazon: Love it, hate it; you just can’t ignore it”

Dropbox: A Handy Tool for Authors

DropboxHave you ever lost all the work you’d done because you didn’t back up?  I think it’s happened to all of us.  It’s happened to me. After a power surge in my 100-year-old home, I ended up paying a computer forensics company $1500 to get my data back. That was a long time ago.  And believe me, I learned my lesson.

Last Friday, our Rich Meyer wrote a post about the different ways he backs up his information. Everyone needs to do what’s most convenient for them, otherwise – you know how it goes – we just won’t do it, will we? Personally, I back up to CDs and to an external hard drive. Neither of those are greatly convenient, but I do them anyway. There is something better, however. Continue reading “Dropbox: A Handy Tool for Authors”

Is Instagram Effective for Writers?

surfing and husky photoAs a writer, you no doubt spend a lot of your time shut away behind closed doors, typing furiously. Life is lonely and you may only break the isolation to visit the fridge or hang about at the virtual water cooler of social media. However, social media isn’t a respite from writing, it involves more writing and is a notorious time suck.

I recently discovered a better way to take a break and still check in with online friends. It’s one of the easiest platforms to add to your social media — it’s fast, and it integrates easily into other profiles like Twitter and Facebook, so you can share your photos across all your social media accounts. I joined Instagram. Continue reading “Is Instagram Effective for Writers?”