The Writing Edge for Business Writers: 2/9/18

Feb 9, 2018 | Reading Lists

You’re a businessperson. You may not think of yourself as a writer, but you know that writing well can boost your results and your career. Naturally, you want to do better. Every week I point you to articles and blog posts that I think will teach you something or spark an idea or two. The posts are about the intertwined tasks of reading and writing. Some weeks there are more pointers than others.

This week I’m pointing you to posts on Amazon keywords, deciding if self-publishing is for you, all about ISBNs, the scoop on landing pages, and which social media channels will boost your book the most.

From Penny Sansevieri: Optimizing Your Books for Amazon Keyword Search

“Today’s guest post is by Penny Sansevieri and is excerpted from How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon: 2018 Edition.”

From Stephen Woessner: The plain truth about publishing: How to decide if you should find a publisher or self-publish (podcast)

“Wendy Keller is an award-winning former journalist, a respected literary agent, an author, speaker and acclaimed book marketing consultant. She has sold nearly 2,000 rights deals worldwide including 16 New York Times Bestsellers and 9 international bestsellers. She got her first job as a newspaper reporter as a 16-year-old college freshman. Since then, Wendy worked for PR Newswire; the Knight-Ridder newspaper chain; as managing editor of Dateline magazine.”

From IngramSpark: ISBNs for Self-Publishers: What You Need to Know

“Everyone who self-publishes needs to know what an ISBN is. ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number, which is exactly what it is; an identification number, similar to any SKU number you would find on other things you buy such as a box of cereal or a pair of shoes.”

From Jay Lemming: Landing Pages for Indie Authors

“What exactly is a landing page and how does one distinguish it from a regular web page? What benefits do they offer indie authors keen to engage readers with their self-published books?”

From Christy Kirk: Which Social Channels Will Deliver the Biggest Boost for Your Book?

“Social media is a powerful tool to create excitement and interest in your book, but authors are often confused about which social platforms will deliver the best results. Many social marketers recommend maintaining a presence on all social channels. That may work for large corporate brands, but for an individual thought leader it’s not always feasible, nor is it necessary. A targeted, strategic approach to social media can deliver strong results without becoming a full-time job.”

Sources I Check Regularly

I find the posts and articles that I share with you on The Writing Edge in many places. But there are a few that provide insightful pieces again and again. Here they are.

Alliance of Independent Authors

Frances Caballo

Jane Friedman

IngramSpark/a>

Jerry Jenkins

Joel Friedlander

Joanna Penn

Melissa G. Wilson

Problogger

Daphne Gray-Grant

Becky Robinson’s Weaving Influence