If you’ve been following this blog the past month as you build your new author website, you’re almost ready to launch! Now that you’ve uploaded your text and images into your new Pages, you can see what each one will look like when it goes live if you click on the Preview button as you are customizing the Page. When you are satisfied, hit the “publish” button. I recommend you install a Contact form on your Contact Page. If you plan to use MailChimp for delivery of your blog and/or your newsletter, use Easy Forms for MailChimp as your widget. Once you’ve customized the look of your Pages to fit you and your book, it’s time to finalize the navigation bar. In the dashboard under Appearances, you will find the item “Menu.” Here is where you can determine the structure and order of each of your Pages. Drag each item into the order you prefer. Home, Author, Book, Blog, Contact. Then click the blue button “save menu.” Now the Navigation Bar on your new website will appear. You’re almost finished. You will want to activate the plugins for MailChimp, Askimet Anti-Spam, Google Analytics, and Facebook Open Graph, Google + and Twitter Card Tags. MailChimp will automate the delivery of emails from your site. Askimet blocks spammers. Google Analytics will import your metrics into your dashboard so you can see them when you sign in. The Facebook Open Graph widget helps your website links load an image and pop up when…
Today I’m going to share my top 10 digital tools for the business of being an author. Most of these are free and all of them are easy to use. I recommend them to you because I use them and find them valuable and think you will too. (1) WordPress for website and blogging – Hands down there is no better platform for authors… [Read More]
Filed Under: Bitly, Citation Machine, Google Alerts, Google Analytics, LastPass, LessAnnoyingCRM, MailChimp, Marketing Grader, Purdue Online Writing Lab, WordPress
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Passive voice weakens your writing. It obscures responsibility for action. Those who learn English as a second language struggle to make sense of the many ways in which Americans use passive verb constructions in everyday speech. It often finds its way into our writing. Rarely is the writer conscious of this problem in their writing. Passive voice is used by victims. Instead of actors, they… [Read More]
January is a time for new starts and creative bursts. Despite the bitter cold and desolate landscape, this is a wonderful time to generate fresh content. Take this One Week writing challenge. Spend 15-20 minutes every day for the next week. Day 1 Pick a photograph that speaks to you. One with a story behind it that isn’t entirely contained in the visual… [Read More]
Will you read what I’ve written? As soon as I think I’ve finished writing a new piece, there’s that irresistible urge to get feedback from a reader. What do you think, eh? It’s more than yearning for instant ego gratification. That’s pretty nice, too. But it won’t help me take my writing to the next level. The sense of accomplishment from getting it down on… [Read More]
If you are a writer who seeks publication, you need to read. Yes, more books. I often hear from writers who tell me they don’t read because they don’t want to be influenced by others’ works. Bah Hambug! Everything is a Remix! To combine or edit existing materials produces something new. Original ideas aren’t created in a vacuum. You don’t read because you don’t have… [Read More]