Before I launched my Facebook page for Socialexis, I sent the link to my sister and my best friend, asking them to look it over. Both came back with the same criticism: I needed a more professional photo. I knew they were right. Not only did I need one to promote my new business, I […]
You know the drill… Time for links! Should you write for free? (I say no.) The Traveling Philosopher weighs in on what he calls the devaluation of words at the Huffington Post. If you’re still not sure you should use Twitter (haven’t I convinced you already?), literary agent Janet Reid offers yet another reason. I […]
I hate all the emphasis in the publishing world on “platform.” I even hate the word itself. I think it takes away from what writers should be focusing on: writing. But the reality is, platform is important. I get that. I get that platform is vital to selling books. Yet I wonder if we’re all […]
Not only do we have an awesome Q&A today with a traveler and writer, we also have my first-ever giveaway! A copy of The Art of Solo Travel. I’ll explain how to enter after the interview. The author of that book, Stephanie Lee, is here to share advice on traveling solo and tell us about […]
I could care less what Chelsea Clinton wears at her wedding this weekend. What I DO care about are great links from this week on writing and social media. Enjoy. Super helpful interview from MediaBistro’s GalleyCat with author Rachel Shukert on her new travel memoir. Her ideas are good enough to copy. Speaking of authors […]
I love communicating with readers of this blog, hearing about your projects over e-mail, getting updates on Twitter. It’s so great hearing from you that I’d like to take that private communication to another level — and introduce you all to each other. We’ve had successful blog parties here before, but lots of readers have […]
This lady knows her stuff. That was obvious to me the first time I “met” Marian Schembari on Twitter (she’s @marianschembari). She knows what she’s talking about. Whenever I have an idea about social media, I bounce it off Marian. And the cool things for readers of this blog? Marian specializes in social media for […]
I’ve felt slightly overwhelmed this week trying to juggle three major projects: book revisions, my new social media biz and a revamp of my website. Everything, including this blog, will soon be at alexisgrant.com. Finally! To lighten my to-do list, I’m going to pass on the writers’ roundup this week, and instead ask you to […]
Everyone’s always complaining about how much time it takes to build an online community — to grow a following on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. It’s true. It does take a lot of time. So I like to give my clients tips to maximize every minute they spend online. And this particular tip will help […]
Does anyone else feel overwhelmed when they’re about to start a revision? I can deal with little changes. But big-picture changes, ones that will improve the story arc or theme, fixes that are arguably the most important — those feel daunting. Then again, what wouldn’t feel daunting when looking at a 273-page document? (About 84,000 […]