If you are a writer, you need a website or blog. There are three main reasons for this:

1. You Can Showcase Your Writing

Having your own website is like a shop window online, where people can read your writing and follow you as a fan. A lot of people have turned to social media for writing and marketing, but the truth is that social media is here today and gone tomorrow.

In addition, the social media sites set the rules, not you. Even if you have 5,000 fans on your Facebook page, for example, you might notice that you only get a tiny fraction of views. This is because Facebook rewards pages that have a lot of likes, shares and comments, and shows their content to more people. If your fans are not showing these “social signals”, your great content might not get seen by anyone at all.

With a site or blog, on the other hand, you can publish regularly and then let your follower know what’s new.

In addition, you can sell directly from your own site, cutting out all of the publishing middlemen. All you need is:

* A PDF file of your content, such as a short story or novel
* A PayPal account
* A Buy Now button you will create in your PayPal account
* A download page for customers to get their purchase

You can also link to content you are selling on Amazon. Amazon will take a percentage, but they are:

a) The largest bookstore in the world
b) A search engine for shoppers
c) A safe and secure digital marketplace where you will get paid for your work every month
d) A place where you can appear side by side with top authors in your genre, such as romance, mystery or horror

Use your site or blog as the hub of all your activities.

2. Fans and Publishing Professional Can Learn More about You

As you build your reputation as a writer, more and more people will want to know who you are, including:

* Fans
* Literary agents
* Editors at publishing houses
* Writing contest judges

…and more. Make it easy for people to find you, get your biography, and see your full list of works.

3. It Can Be a Writing and Resource Tool for Yourself and Others

If you start a WordPress blog, you can showcase your work to the public if you wish. You can show off your creative writing, blog about topics important to you, share writing industry news, and more.

WordPress also allows you to password protect content, or make it completely private. If you’re like most writers, you probably have a lot of favorite sites, works in progress and more. If you participate in a lot of contests, put your work on your blog with the name of the contest, deadline date and so on to keep track of your success and publish it once the winners have been announced.

Store links, writing tips, your resume and more. Update your writer’s portfolio and biography any time you wish.

Use your blog as the hub of all your writing and promotional activities and watch your career grow.

1. Writer’s Market http://www.writersmarket.com

This is the best writing resource available, for a number of reasons. It gives hints, tips and practical advice on all aspects of being a writer, from starting your first work to what to do once you have been published. It lists paying markets where you can start earning money as a writer. It also breaks down the information into specific types of writing, such as:

* Children’s writing
* Poetry
* Blogging
* Short stories

And more.

In addition, it lists contests, calls for writers, and the latest information on literary agents. Twilight series author Stephenie Meyer got her start from all she learned subscribing to Writer’s Market. Make the most of all the free information at the site and then decide if one or more of their subscriptions is right for you.

Also check out their Paid Services section for chances to write in order to start getting your name recognized in the industry. http://www.writersmarket.com/PaidServices/

2. Writer’s Digest http://www.writersdigest.com/

This is another packed website no writer can live without. It is packed with articles, writers’ challenges, contests, genre-specific advice, and editors’ blogs that can give you real insights on how to break into the world of publishing.

3. Aerogramme Writers’ Studio http://www.aerogrammestudio.com/

This site lists contests, writing opportunities and more – all free.

4. Australian Writers’ Center https://www.writerscentre.com.au/

They offer many online (and live) courses designed to help with all aspects of writing. If you haven’t done much writing since you were in high school, or want to learn the tricks of the trade in reference to particular genres, this is a handy and affordable way to boost your skills.

5. Bartleby http://www.bartleby.com

Bartleby is like a writer’s reference shelf all in one place, with digital versions of classics, grammar books and more. If you’re looking for quotations, inspiration, a dictionary, thesaurus and so on, this is the site for you.

6. Diy MFA http://diymfa.com/

The Do-It-Yourself Master of Fine Arts site tries to help you do just that – learn how to be a writer without having to go back to college. It is packed with ideas, hints and tips. It also has a really fun “Writer Igniter” that gives you a random character, situation, prop and setting to help get your creative juices flowing (http://diymfa.com/writer-igniter). Just use the situations given and start writing, or hit the “shuffle” button to get other prompts.

7. Every Writer http://www.everywritersresource.com/

This is a rather sprawling online magazine packed with writing hints and tips for every genre. It also has a useful list of writers’ organizations that can help propel your career forward: http://www.everywritersresource.com/10-best-organizations-for-writers/

8. Quick and Dirty Tips – Grammar Girl http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl

Hated grammar at school? Not to worry. Grammar Girl makes it a lot more accessible at this interesting site.

9. Scribendi https://www.scribendi.com/

This is the site for all things related to editing and proof-reading. Use the free resources, or explore their paid services to make sure your manuscript is the best can be.

10. Writer’s Relief http://writersrelief.com/

For the past 23 years, this site has been helping authors get published. Check out free articles, listings and more, or use their affordable services.

1. Is it fiction or non-fiction?

2. Does it require a lot of images?

3. What genre of fiction is it?

If it is comics, manga or anime, print might be the best option.

4. Is there a traditional publishing house that regularly prints your type of work?

If you write romance, for example, there are a range of choices. Each of these traditional houses has a publishing program with “slots” that need to be filled. They also offer the advantage of marketing your book and getting it into stores as well as making it available online.

The Traditional Process

In traditional publishing, the author gets an idea for their book and either finishes it, or sends a query letter to see if the publishing house would be interested in it. They might send the letter themselves, or with the help of a literary agent, who will take a commission for the sales of the book.

Once the query letter or manuscript gets to the publishing house, an acquisitions editor reads it and decides whether or not it is a good fit for their list. This does not always have anything to do with how good the book is but rather, how well they think it will sell.

If they accept the book, the publisher buys the rights from the writer. The terms will vary from loose to very strict. They will pay the author an advance on future royalties. The royalty terms should be clearly specified.

The publisher then arranges for the printing, design, cover, manufacture, distribution, and marketing of the book. The advance may be generous or not. For a typical royalty, expect to earn about 35 cents per book sold.

The Self-Publishing Process

With self-publishing on the other hand, especially through the Kindle program at Amazon, you are in control. Upload your Word document and cover, set your price, and your book can be up and selling within a couple of days. You set the price. Price your book at $2.99 and at 70% royalty, you would get around $2 per book.

You retain your rights to your work and Amazon will help with some of the marketing. You will have to do your own editing and get a cover, but you can hire a professional on Fiverr.com. If you want to create a paperback of the book, to be sold via Amazon as a print on demand title (that is, one book published each time there is an order), you can do this using the same Word file through Amazon’s printing division CreateSpace.

The key issue is how much time you have to market your book. You will be taking on a lot of the chores of a traditional publisher. Having said that, the most successful authors with traditional publishers are those who are willing to market themselves at book signings, conferences and so on.

Determine your skills, time and interest, and how much money you want and control over your book, and then choose which publishing option is right for you.

Time management can help solve these issues. Here are some tips to make the most of each day.

1. Set a Schedule

Try to write at the same time every day, a couple of times a day, if you are juggling it with a day job and other activities.

2. Use a Timer

Set an egg timer or an online timer for 25 minutes. Don’t do anything but write. Take a 5-minute break, then give yourself another 25 minutes. Continue in this manner for each writing session.

3. Set a Goal for Each Session

Decide what you want to work on and focus on that. You might be writing additional words for your novel, for example, or editing what you wrote recently.

4. Have Your Own Writing Area

Even if it is just one corner of your kitchen where you have your laptop, pens and paper, have a little office space for yourself that no one will tamper with.

5. Turn Off Distractions

Turn off the phone, stop your email from pinging and make sure your work space is relatively quiet. Avoid looking out of the window or tidying your desk when you are supposed to be writing.

6. Use To-Do Lists

To-do lists keep you on track and remove the stress of trying to remember everything that needs to be done. There is also immense satisfaction in tackling the task and then crossing it off your list.

7. Get Up Early to Write, or Write Late at Night

When the family are all still in bed can be the best time to get writing done. It can mean some sacrifices, but they can be worth it if you are creating a saleable piece of work.

8. Don’t Wait to Be in the Mood to Write

Writing is not so much about talent as work and consistency. Write every day even when you don’t feel like it. Treat it as part of your daily routine, like showering and brushing your teeth.

9. Broaden Your Definition of Writing

There’s always something to do when you are a writer, such as editing, research and so on. Use each scheduled session to the full even if you never write an original word.

10. Tackle the Tough Stuff First

If you struggle with a particular task, do it first to get it out of the way so you won’t dread doing it while you are working on your other writing-related tasks.

11. Don’t Believe in the Myth of Multitasking

There is really no such thing as multitasking. It is simply the brain switching back and forth rapidly between two tasks. The result? More stress for you, and each chore taking more than twice as long compared with working on each thing one at a time.

12. Outsource the Non-Essentials

If you hate doing a task, don’t do it well, and/or it does not have a direct impact on your writing or financial success, then outsource it and hire a freelancer to deal with it. Head over to Fiverr.com, get a lawn service, and so on.

Contents Include:

Colored Animals Rewriting Dots Exercise

Colored Animals Match the Word with Picture

Animal Word Search Puzzles

Animals Spelling Names

Colored Animals Word Scramble

Dot to Dot Animals

Colored Animals Multiple Choices

Dot to Dot with Silhouette

Animal Alphabet Jungle