Authors have to be willing to learn the hell out of damn near everything. We have to be willing to constantly step out of our comfort zones and do the thing that seems the hardest (or the most boring).

Much of what's on the interwebs related to book marketing makes me cringe. I see four main problems (and lots and lots of little problems) with the marketing advice out there today.

I'm a bit of a self-improvement junky. Ask anyone who knows me. I'm always reading, listening or watching something that I think will help me improve in some area of my life. (And will help me help my clients, too.)

It’s the final day of our author website challenge! Here’s where we bring this series together to determine your content and web maintenance calendar.

I've struggled to find the time to learn career-building skills as I balance the management of my editing business, family obligations, and my writing. But I also realize that every new skill I gain makes me more valuable as an author and editor.

What’s one way to increase your author website traffic and email subscribers in the new year? Plan a giveaway. 

It’s time to create a landing page for your reader magnet. As Sue Campbell teaches us, lead magnets are one of the best ways to build an email list.

As a writer, it’s crucial to spend time learning about your audience. The more you know about your potential readers, the better you can serve their needs. Knowing more will enable you to increase your web traffic and sell more books.

Today we're going to focus on optimizing our email opt-in forms and creating automated emails to welcome people to your email list. Many authors miss opportunities when it comes to the opt-in forms you put on your website by burying them in a far corner.

Let’s face it; selling books isn’t always the best way to stay afloat as a writer, especially when you’re starting out. Most of us need more than printed books to pay the bills. The good news is that I have a suggestion for you that won’t have you investing money in inventory or shipping; the digital product.

We’ve cleared our author websites of clutter and broken links. Now we’re ready to complete a content audit to improve the performance of our site.

We're ready to give your blog a fresh look. Many authors overlook the importance of blog design. This is a mistake — a big one.

This year, I’ve decided to take this slower time to focus on creating new content and getting my website prepped for the upcoming busier months. Maybe you want to do the same? If so, here we go.

My coach is always asking this powerful question: Do you like your reasons? Sometimes we make decisions without stopping to consider whether or not we like our reason for doing something.

I find that the average writer is very hesitant to set grand career goals. Yet, almost all of us have an opaque picture buried in our subconscious of what runaway success looks like.

I'm writing today to make the case for doing scary things. Choosing to be the kind of person who writes books and builds an audience for them is pretty damn terrifying, when you think about it. Which you probably have. Excessively.

Here's a quick and dirty plan any writer can follow to keep their marketing game strong while busting out a new book during NaNoWriMo—or whenever you're in the cave.

If you want to claim the mantle of writer, you will be rejected. Your challenge is figuring out how to roll with it and not get dizzy; how to maintain some sense of equilibrium in the chaos of the writer's life you signed onto, so you can get your work done.

A small investment, good copy and careful attention to a few basics will give you a professional looking author website that will help you attract and retain readers.

What should we do if we start writing a story and lose our inspiration? This hateful lack of inspiration happens to every writer, even those who meet deadlines in rapid succession.