Industry Insights
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Do Authors Need a Website? Yes, and Here’s Why It Matters

“Do I need an author website?” Yes, you do. And we build them. You don’t need a big author website, and you don’t need an expensive one. For about $68 a year, you can have a clean, professional home on WordPress, one you actually own. No gatekeepers, no middlemen, no wondering where your content went. If…
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When Amazon Puts Your Book On Sale: What Authors Need to Know

Every now and then, authors publishing on KDP get a small but meaningful surprise. Their book appears on Amazon below the retail price (i.e., Amazon lowers the list price). A deal badge appears. Readers start noticing it more than they had before. And the first instinct is usually to ask what it means. Is it…
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Muting, and How to Prevent it From Happening to You on Facebook—Tips for Authors

Introduction This post is about muting or, rather, how to avoid being muted, by your Facebook audience. Let’s dig in…Every author has seen it—the desperate “Like my page!” posts, the relentless book plugs, the awkward event invites that aren’t really events. Although often well intended, these requests are among the fastest ways to get muted…
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Principles Authors Should Live By on Facebook

Introduction “Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are.”— Franklin D. Roosevelt Facebook sometimes (or often) feels like shouting into the void, you’re not alone. Many authors struggle with what to post, how often to post, and whether their efforts even matter. The truth is, there’s no single formula. But there are guiding principles that separate…
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Facebook Author Strategy: Pages, Profiles, and What Actually Works

Introduction Few subjects stir more confusion among authors than the topic of their Facebook author strategy and answering the question: Should I create a separate author page, or just use my personal profile? On the surface, a fan page feels more “official.” But profiles often feel more authentic, and in today’s Facebook ecosystem, authenticity tends…
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Publisher to Author: “Get on Facebook!” — Essential Strategies for Navigating the Terrain

Introduction It can happen that your publisher, editor, or even agent casually advises you to be on “on Facebook.” For many writers, that suggestion feels less like encouragement and more like a creativity death sentence. After all, you signed up to write books, not craft witty posts every day. So what do you do when…
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Facebook for Authors: Myth, Necessity, or Distraction?

Introduction Facebook has long been a go-to platform for authors seeking to build an online presence. But in recent years new platforms such as Bluesky, Threads, BeReal, and others have emerged, crowding an already busy social media landscape. With so many platforms vying for our attention, it’s totally fair to wonder: Do authors still need…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Cross-Promotion

One of the most powerful tools authors have today is each other. Cross-promotion allows writers to share audiences, build credibility, and expand their reach without feeling like they’re shouting into a void. The key is to approach it as a partnership: you’re not selfishly asking others to share your work, you’re offering to amplify theirs…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” The Reader Magnet (part II).

Last time, we shared the concept of the reader magnet and its importance in helping expand your readership. If you missed that post, you’ll find it here. As mentioned in part 1, a reader magnet is a free, high-value offering—anything from a bonus chapter to a prequel to an upcoming work or an exclusive short…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” The Reader Magnet.

A reader magnet is a free piece of content—like a short story, guide, checklist, or novella—that you offer to your audience in exchange for subscribing to your mailing list. Its primary goal is to attract readers, engage them, turn casual visitors into long-term fans, and add stickiness to your site. By giving something valuable up…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Practical Marketing Tips for Authors: Elevator Pitch vs Hook

Writing a book is a major accomplishment worth celebrating. But finishing the manuscript is only the beginning of a larger journey—one that includes crafting a strong elevator pitch and doing the work to get your book not just published, but also read. Today’s question: Can you give me the elevator pitch quickly? Quicker than that?!…
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Discover the Current Words YouTube Channel

Did you know we have an official YouTube channel? It’s true—we do! And if you haven’t checked it out yet, we’d love to invite you to explore it. Di and I launched the channel because we wanted a fun, accessible way to share what we’ve learned about writing, editing, and indie publishing, and to showcase…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Practical Marketing Tips for Authors: Market Early and Often

Writing a book is a major accomplishment—and one worth celebrating. But finishing the manuscript is only the beginning of the larger journey: getting your work not just published, but read. Much of an author’s success depends on their willingness to market early and often—transforming your story from something known only to you into a book…
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Finding Podcasts for Authors

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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Practical Marketing Tips for Authors: Collect Readers

Writing a book is a major accomplishment worth celebrating. But writing the book is only the beginning of a larger journey to seeing your work not just published, but also read. Today’s question: Who is going to read your book? It’s time to collect readers. Take about six minutes with me today to think about…
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Introducing “You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Practical Marketing Tips for Authors

Writing a book is a major accomplishment worth celebrating. But writing the book is only the beginning of a larger journey to seeing your work published. That’s why we’re excited to launch, “You Wrote It. Now Sell It,” a new video series of marketing tips. This series is designed for writers who want to take…
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Happy Pride!! Celebrate!

At Current Words Publishing, we’re proud members of the Safe Space Alliance and thrilled to say: Happy Pride Month! We’re about to hang the Love Is Love flag out front, alongside the flag that always flies at our home, that is like this: I’ve got that one suspended above the planter TikTok swore would yield a bounty…
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Patchwork Publishing? Not the Warmest Idea.

What we mean by “patchwork” publishing Patchwork can be beautiful—personal, even. Taking bits of fabric, maybe from old clothes or thrifted finds, and stitching them together into a cozy quilt is a satisfying, creative act. It’s sentimental and sustainable, and it can be a lovely way to showcase your sewing skills while keeping fabric out…
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How to Get the Most Out of Critique Groups: A Guest Post by Virginia Watts

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What Happens On A Blog Tour?
