Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.
Update from Anne: Many thanks to Mykyta and all the guest writers who have stepped in to keep this blog going as Ruth and I deal with medical issues. My doctors have started me on a new drug that they say just might put my cancer into remission within a few months, and […]
by Anne R. Allen This week I’ve been hit hard by signs that publishing industry bloggers are disappearing into the Substack world of “become a paid subscriber to continue reading this article.” But it’s also obvious the publishing world still needs us! How do I know? This week, I’ve been buried in emails from book […]
by Rachel Thompson BadRedhead Media, LLC. I have written many posts about the various scams targeting authors. Here are snippets from each one, specifics to look out for, and examples of these scams. My Substack is free, so you can click on each link to read more if you’d like. PR Scams Marketing and […]
Multi-author anthologies are a great marketing tool by Anne R. Allen A couple of weeks ago, a European blogger asked if she could reblog a post I wrote 10 years ago. She said it was the best piece on marketing she’d ever read. (Aw shucks. Here’s me blushing.) The truth is I’d forgotten all about […]
by Penny Sansevieri Amazon ads are a very popular go-to for the majority of authors and we know it’s a big revenue driver for Amazon. But do Amazon ads make money for authors? In some cases, yes, but sadly the majority of authors aren’t using the platform in a way that benefits them. And […]
by Anne R. Allen Talk about self-publishing has diminished in the last few years. Most of the “Kindle Millionaires” that surged onto the scene a decade or so ago have evaporated from indie writing communities. Some of them are, of course, busy writing their next bestseller. But a lot either got traditional publishing contracts, […]
You can market your book with these 10 strategies By Rachel Thompson It can be daunting for authors when you have no idea how to market your book, yet it is essential to get your book in front of readers to make it successful. Here are the most important and effective book marketing strategies […]
Fragmenting Social Media Creates a Problem for Book Marketing By Anne R. Allen I know how it is: your readers started fading from Facebook all through 2022, disgusted by invasive advertising and slimy tactics that spy on your every move. They are also fed up by those bizarre, arbitrary algorithms that send you to Facebook […]
by Sue Coletta When the buzz of TikTok started spreading, I wanted no part of it. With two Facebook accounts, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, Goodreads, etc. the last thing I needed was another social media site. I could barely juggle the audience I’d amassed on social media over the last twelve years. Then I […]
by Anne R. Allen Bad marketing is worse than none. And I’ve seen some breathtakingly bad marketing strategies recently. I assume authors are hiring cut-rate online marketers who have more experience selling real estate in Mumbai and knock-off designer sunglasses than books. Do I need to say this is a bad idea? Being annoying may […]
BookBub: You can use it even if you can’t afford their ads. by Anne R. Allen Isn’t BookBub Just a Bargain Ebook Newsletter? They started out with the daily bargain newsletter. And it’s still going strong. BookBub has become the most successful of all the bargain newsletters in the US and UK. As a reader, […]
Competing book titles can help sell your book! By Penny Sansevieri As an author you’ve probably been told to look at competing titles through multiple stages of your journey from writing, to publishing, to book promotion. Competing book titles can be lucrative references for cover design, book length, and choosing your categories and keywords. They’re […]
Maybe what readers want is peace and quiet and good books. by Anne R. Allen The latest trend in online marketing is building a “personal relationship” with customers and readers. Sending newsy emails about your fab summer vacation isn’t enough anymore. Now you have to ask them about their fab summer vacations. This is supposed […]
Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris