Local Press Still Works: A Pitch Template for Small-Town Papers

National outlets ignore most indie pitches, but small-town papers still answer their email. Here's a practical pitch template built for local press.

What to Do When Your Author Talk Has an Audience of Three

Three people in the room can still be a worthwhile evening, if you know what to actually do with it.

Reveal Parties That Convert: What to Post Before, During and After

Excitement and sales aren't the same thing. Here is what to post at each stage of a reveal so one actually leads to the other.

How to Turn One Event Into a Week of Content

One event happened once. The content from it doesn't have to stop after one post.

Solo Writing Retreat vs Group Retreat: What Each One Is Really For

A solo retreat and a group retreat aren't two versions of the same trip. They're built for two different kinds of stuck.

What Bookstores Wish Indie Authors Knew Before Asking for a Visit

A bookstore's silence after your visit request usually has a reason, and it's rarely about your book.

The Author Talk Structure That Keeps a Room Listening

A table fee is easy to pay and easy to lose. Here is how to tell, before you commit, which fairs are actually worth it.

How to Turn a Dead Bookstore Slot into a Sold-Out Signing

Nobody hands you a good signing slot. Here is how to build one out of whatever slot you actually get.

The Event Photo Mistake That Kills Your Social Reach Before You Post It

The caption isn't what's holding your event post back. The photo decided that before you even started typing.

What Actually Happens at a Writing Retreat (Beyond the Instagram Version)

The photos show a quiet desk by a window. What actually happens at a writing retreat looks a little less polished, and a lot more useful.

The School Visit Pitch That Actually Gets a Reply

Most school visit pitches get ignored, not because the author isn't good enough, but because the email itself never gives a busy teacher a reason to open it.

The Book Fair Booth Layout That Stops Foot Traffic Cold

Your table layout is talking before you are, and most of the time it's saying the wrong thing.