Websites and newsletters and social media, oh my! These are the tools of an author's trade, each a means of connecting with readers. Oftentimes, they're each a means of an author's frustration, too. 

 

Over the last decade, I've tested various website hosts, email marketing services, and social media scheduling apps, until I am finally satisfied that I'm using the tools that best meet my needs because they've each helped me simplify my processes. Additionally, I've discovered ways to overcome my own shortcomings, especially when it comes to consistency in creating newsletters and posting to social media.

 

Interested? Read on…

Your author website, whether you're already published or pre-published, is one of your most important platform building tools. It's through your website that you'll begin collecting email addresses to build your email list - your primary tool for connecting with readers. Additionally, if you're seeking publication with a royalty paying publisher, your website presents a professional front for agents and editors who may be interested in your work.

 

Whatever website platform you use, you need a website host you can depend on, and a host that offers excellent customer support. 

 

After designing and managing my own websites, and the websites of several other authors and groups (and dealing with major headaches with inadequate website hosts), I now confidently recommend Bluehost for website hosting needs. 

 

Last year, I migrated my author website to Bluehost, and their support team was wonderful! They saved the day, and all my website content!

 

If you're ready to design your own website, I recommend a WordPress site, as it offers a plethora of options for authors. Bluehost also offers excellent WordPress tutorials. With their help, you can build and manage your own Wordpress site.

 

Last month, I shared my love for Flodesk, the email marketing service I use. But finding a service I loved was only half my battle with newsletters. For years, I struggled to get my newsletters out consistently.

 

I struggled to wrangle the necessary content, pulling book cover photos from one file, quotes from another, other photos from my photo app, and links from wherever. Because I dreaded the process, I avoided the process. 

 

Enter Kelly Wilbanks!

 

Kelly has designed a newsletter compilation system that has revolutionized my process. I'll let her tell you about it. 

So, we all know we need a newsletter, but how do we get into a regular practice of putting one out weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly? How do we develop high-value content that is timely, relevant, and keeps our readers reading?

 

We need a system.

 

I’ve developed the “Newsletters: From Beginning to Send” Trello board. If you're not familiar with Trello, think digital bulletin board.  My board will help you organize your newsletter, store ideas, graphics, pictures, quotes, links, and so much more. So that when you sit down at your keyboard, you’re not looking at a blank page, but a rich selection of curated ideas and resources perfect for your audience.

 

In short, this is a recipe book for your best work. Your only job is to store the “ingredients” for a great newsletter on your board, so they are there when you’re ready to bake. So, let’s get cooking!

 

And, since you are one of my FAVORITE author’s newsletter subscribers, you can use the code WORDS2021 to get a 21% discount on your board right now. 

 

Learn more about Kelly and subscribe to her newsletter here.

Psst… The code gives you almost $10 off Kelly's already reasonable price. 

Like many writers, I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love connecting with readers and friends. I hate the demands to connect. But it is one of the tasks of a job I love, so I do it. Faithfully.

 

This isn't news, you've heard it before, but it bears repeating: the trick to social media consistency is scheduling your posts ahead of time. Batch schedule. Set aside an hour or a day, however long it takes you, and schedule your posts for the week ahead, or the month ahead. 

 

For scheduling, I've used Buffer, Sendible, and one other app, the name of which I've suppressed because of the trauma it induced. Okay, maybe that's a bit melodramatic, but…

 

I finally landed with Later.com and I'm a happy writer. It's simple to use, and it actually posts the posts I schedule. It's surprising how many scheduling apps are glitchy - they may cost less, but if they don't post, what's the point? I've yet to encounter a glitch with Later.com. 

 

No affiliate links here, just my recommendation based on my own experience.

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