There’s a lot of book marketing “stuff” out there for authors, and while much of it is fantastic – it’s a bit like drinking from a firehose if you’re trying to consume all of that information. This list is geared with a very specific eye to what is helpful, educational, and a time-saver for your book promotion. And if there’s a resource you use religiously that we’ve left off, please, please share it in the comments below and give them some love – that’s what this is all about.
Though this list is in no particular order, all of these folks are people I follow and read all the time. In the case of actual time-saver resources, I only recommend things I’ve used – consistently. (If you missed my recent list of book recommendations, you can check it out here.) The idea here, and the theme, is less is more. I used to publish endlessly long lists of book promotion resources and while I genuinely loved pulling a list like that together, many of you didn’t have the time or the bandwidth to ferret through each of them.
So here we go, with my power-19 book promotion resources that will hopefully save you time, money, and also help educate you in the process!
1. Jane Friedman
Jane tops our list and though I said that there is no particular order to this list, putting her at the #1 spot was no accident. Her blog is fantastic, her advice is rock solid and her newsletters (both the paid and free one) are outstanding. Promise yourself in 2019 to never miss a blog post, you won’t regret it. @JaneFriedman
2. Anne R Allen
One of Writer’s Digest’s 101 Best Websites for Writers, Ann updates on Sundays and her blog includes regular contributions from former Big Six editor, Ruth Harris. @annerallen
3. Sanebox
Ok, so this isn’t a writing-related resource, per se, but it’s one I would never live without. Sanebox is basically an email filter on steroids. I use it to keep my inbox clean by forwarding messages to my future self. For example, if there’s something I need to remind myself to do, let’s say, a week from now. Instead of jotting it on a list, I can forward the email with a specific date and it’ll pop back into my inbox at that time. Sanebox also lets you filter out newsletters and other less-important content that doesn’t need to be filling your inbox. There’s also these cool features like @sanereply which is a special folder that tells you who hasn’t responded to your email yet (I love this, in particular) as well as @saneblackhole, which lets you pop emails into it that you never, ever wish to see again. I can’t tell you how many random newsletters I’ve been subscribed to that I toss in there. @sanebox
4. Writing Spirit
Julie Isaac, the founder, offers tools, solutions, and support to thousands of writers since 2003. @WritingSpirit
5. Book Life
This is a fantastic addition to what Publisher’s Weekly already offers. With a site dedicated to indie authors, they offer success stories, author profiles, how-tos, news and more, all to help indie authors achieve their goals. @booklife
6. BookWorks
With Betty Sargent, at the helm (who has a very impressive publishing resume), it’s the new go-to for all things self-published. The blog is fantastic, with a hard-working team cranking out the best and most helpful information on self-publishing. @BookWorksNYC
7. Social Media Examiner
This team of experts is a great resource for any author looking to improve their social media presence, learn how to use a new social platform or just keep current on the latest social media trends. Though not book promotion specific, this site is packed with expert advice, great blogs, and a podcast! @SMExaminer
8. Canva
If you’re looking to enhance your graphics game this year, look no farther than Canva. First off, if you’re not doing graphics with each of your blog posts or social media updates you should. Graphics really help to enhance your overall book promotion game, too. There’s a free version of Canva and a paid one, too. @Canva
9. Pexels
There are a lot of places for free images, but none so good as Pexels. I use them a lot when creating images for our blog or other book promotion efforts. Lots of sites that claim to have “free images” have very poor quality images, or a lack of options when searching for that just right image for your blog. Not so with Pexels. The site has a wide array of just about anything you could need! @PexelsPhotos
10. ALLI – Alliance of Independent Authors
I love ALLI because of their vetting process (all vendors are vetted) and their book promotion information. They’ve got a great newsletter and blog, jam-packed with lots of great information for authors. Including case studies, surveys, and a fantastic podcast! @IndieAuthorALLI
11. Midwest Book Review
I adore Midwest Book Review, and they’ve been around for as long as we have. Not only do they have a fabulous newsletter, but they offer a fantastic book review service and if you’re looking for more, here’s a link to many (many) other places to strike book promotion gold with book reviews: http://www.midwestbookreview.com/links/othr_rev.htm
12. David Gaughran
David Gaughran is someone I follow pretty closely. Not only are his books great but his blog is packed with really helpful, timely, book promotion advice – he also often tackles Amazon, getting more visibility there. He also has several books out which always make our book recommendation list!
13. Helping Writers Become Authors
By full disclosure we’ve worked with K.M. Weiland several times and she’s one of our all-time favorite authors. She offers a lot of information on her site, and also mentors authors through her blog, one of Writer’s Digest’s 101 Best Websites for Writers. @KMWeiland
14. IndieReader
I started writing blog posts for IndieReader, which was so fun and fabulous. I love everything that they are about. They really support indie authors and offer a site that covers all kinds of great book promotion ideas and virtually everything about indie authors, books and the independent book scene all in one spot. Solid online venue for discriminating book-lovers to find and purchase books published by the people who wrote them. @IndieReader
15. Louise Myers
Louise Myers talks all about the power of social media graphics. And she offers tips on how you can make your presence more visually appealing. @Louise_Myers
16. Magnolia Media Network
Formerly the Future of Ink, Magnolia Media Network offers content to help authors navigate their marketing choices. Nancy Camden and Dr. Ellen Britt share expert interviews, tools, and great articles. Don’t miss this one! @magnolianet
17. Publicity Hound
Joan is the Publicity Hound and she is as tenacious as the name suggests. Joan is my go-to for all things marketing. She has fantastic resources on her website, great webinars, and shares a ton of helpful marketing insight via Twitter. @PublicityHound
18. The Creative Penn
The Creative Penn is packed with information and resources. The best way to navigate through it all is to click on the “Start here!” link. @thecreativepenn
19. Writer Unboxed
Writer Unboxed has articles from a ton of contributors that all offer advice and food for thought on the craft and business of writing fiction. @WriterUnboxed
In 2019, in order to find success as an author, you must continue to raise the bar and bring your A-game to the book marketing table. And as I’ve said, not only are these resources fabulous, but they will help you develop important skills for your writing and book promotion.
As a bonus, since my goal here is to save you time and money, I’m encouraging you to download my monthly book marketing planner here. It’s free and features ideas for strategies you can put to work for you all year long!
Love my power-19 book marketing resources? I’ve made it easy for you to share with the tweets below!
Click to Tweet: Power up your 2019 book marketing with these 19 kickass resources every author should be using via @bookgal #bookmarketing #authortips #amwriting https://bit.ly/2R94lo4
Click to Tweet: Rev those book promotion engines and ramp up your 2019 success with these essential resources from @bookgal #bookmarketing #indieauthors https://bit.ly/2R94lo4
Click to Tweet: Sell more books this year with these power-19 book marketing resources via @bookgal #sellmorebooks #bookmarketing #authortips https://bit.ly/2R94lo4
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