Stay safe, and stay sane. I hear these words more and more lately, and I think it’s succinct and meaningful. I hope everyone who reads this is healthy and doing well.
One thing I’ve been able to do as a result of sheltering in place is read a lot more. If you’re looking for some inspirational stories or tips or even some random tidbits, then I’ve got a list for you.
Learning from Writers
- “What Independent Writers Can Learn From E L James” on Book Baby Blog. How promotion and community building helped with her success.
- “Why Beatrix Potter Ended Up Self-Publishing The Tale of Peter Rabbit” on Mental Floss. For some inspiration.
- “Lessons From a Revision” on Writer Unboxed. Revising a novel that you haven’t looked at in years.
- “I wish I hadn’t done that: Tales from the book promotion road” on Build Book Buzz. What works on a book tour (maybe adapt this for a virtual tour?)
- “5 Book Marketing Dos and Don’ts to Help You Sell Your Book” on How to Blog a Book. Involves talking to other authors.
- “How this author turned her One Direction erotic fan fiction into a lucrative empire” on ABC News. She’s sold over 11 million copies.
- “How Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith Grew Her Email List by 23k Using a Reader Quiz” on Author Media. Quizzes + email = growth.
Learning from Other Industries
- “What Today’s Music Artists Can Teach Us About Content Marketing” on NewsCred Insights. The music industry always seems one step ahead, which means writers can learn a lot from it.
- “” on Impact. Content is king.
- “Failure Is Part of Success, Especially for Women” on Thrive Global. Quotes from Oprah, J.K. Rowling, Arianna Huffington, and more.
- “What Marketers Can Learn From Equinox’s Mishandling of Its Most Recent Crisis” on News Cred Insights. Some general lessons.
- ““Because they believed in me I believed in myself.”” on ConvertKit. Learning from failures and getting personal.
- ““You saved my goats’ lives.”” on ConvertKit. Niches are powerful.
Things You Can Do At Home
- “Book Marketing During COVID-19” on Book Launch. Be sensitive, but don’t be afraid to do outreach and start new projects.
- “Guide to streaming: from Disney+ to NBA League Pass and Crunchyroll” on The Verge. So many options for what to watch.
- “Want to Be Super Successful? Science Says Do Any 1 of These 10 Things” on Inc. Some good tips for what you can do while at home.
- “Authors! Refresh, Rehab, Repair, and Renovate: How to Rejuvenate Your Backlist” on Anne R. Allen’s Blog. Now’s a great time to update your covers, blurbs, and author bios.
- Colorfy. An app for coloring.
- “Coronavirus prompts book delivery service” on Abacus.” Happening in Beijing, as of early March.
- “The 2010s were supposed to bring the ebook revolution. It never quite came.” on Vox. Wonder how popular ebooks will be in the next few weeks?
Interesting Reads and Projects
- “The Infectious Pestilence Did Reign” on Slate. From the tagline, “How the plague ravaged William Shakespeare’s world and inspired his work, from Romeo and Juliet to Macbeth.”
- “The Original Renegade” on NY Times. From the tagline, “A 14-year-old in Atlanta created one of the biggest dances on the internet. But nobody really knows that.”
- “Mister Rogers Had a Simple Set of Rules for Talking to Children” on The Atlantic. Talk to kids in a literal way.
- “Retired Navy SEAL Explains How to Prepare for Dangerous Situations” Video on Wired. Be aware of your surroundings.
- “Introducing the News Provenance Project” on NY Times. Ways the Times is working on their content.
- Global Good Morning. Ways to say good morning in many regions around the world.
- “A history of Book Row, NYC’s long-time downtown haven for bibliophiles” on 6sqft. For those missing the Strand bookstore.
- “Want to Fall in Love With Your Partner Again? Science Says to Ask Them These 36 Questions” on Inc. You can do this one at home too.
- The Oatmeal. Because lolz.
Stay safe, and stay sane.
