The Writer’s Weekly Wrap-Up (Issue #19)

This post is part of a weekly series on YWP, aptly titled “The Writer’s Weekly Wrap-Up”.

Each Sunday, I will endeavour to provide you with a curated list of the best articles I have seen throughout the week that relate to building your platform.

The featured articles cover topics on book marketing and promotion, blogging, social media and self-publishing. (I may even throw in a few inspirational and fun posts, just so that it’s not all work and no play!)

A Cornucopia of Gratitude

This is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for your support, your comments and your efforts in helping me share with fellow writers the information (and inspiration) needed to market our books and build our platforms.

It is immensely rewarding to be able to do work that I love, while helping others, and I so appreciate you allowing me the opportunity!

I am very proud of the YWP community, and I am grateful for each and every member of our ‘tribe’. You rock! 🙂

And in the spirit of extreme gratefulness, I thought I would share with you this video by Shawn Achor, who discusses how small changes that we can make daily (like showing gratitude), can turn into lasting positive changes in our ability to be happy and successful.

According to Shawn (and I agree), our formula for happiness and success is broken. We aren’t happy until we meet some measurement or attain some goal, but those measurements and goals are moving targets: once we get there (if we get there), we quickly set the bar a little higher.

He suggests that if we find a way to to be positive in the present, we’ll start to see what we are really capable of.

This isn’t some touchy, feely, hearts-and-roses talk on happiness.  Shawn Achor graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and researches, teaches and speaks on the intersection between human potential, success and happiness. Definitely worth the twelve and a half minutes of your time to watch:

(View Shawn Achor’s “The Happiness Advantage: Linking Positive Brains to Performance” on YouTube)

Here’s Shawn’s list of to-do’s (daily) to get that ripple effect going:

• 3 gratitudes
• journaling
• exercise
• meditation
• random (conscious) acts of kindness

I’ll be putting this into practice; if you do as well, shoot me an email and let me know how it goes!

Now on to the list of featured articles for this week:

Featured Articles

Parting Ways With Your Agent from Elisabeth Weed at Writer Unboxed

Elisabeth shares some clear and practical advice on firing your agent, including understanding your reasons for why you think you need to.

35 Hot Blogs to Help 21st Century Writers Light Their Fire from Kimberley Grabas at Your Writer Platform

From the archives, this post lists some of my favourite sites that help writers with everything from writing and publishing to book marketing and social media.

After You Sign The Publishing Contract: What Comes Next? from Randy Susan Meyers at Beyond the Margins

Wonder what to expect after the contract is signed? Randy shares a helpful timeline to calm your nerves and give you an outline of the process after you get ‘the first cheque’.

7 Tips for Amazon Keywords and Best Selling Books from Jason Matthews at How to Make, Market and Sell Ebooks

Jason walks us through some great ways to make sure our metadata is working for us (not against us), and he includes a video tutorial as well.

How to Use Mind Maps to Unleash Your Brain’s Creativity and Potential from Melanie Panola at Life Hacker

I did this before I realized it was called mind-mapping! This is a super helpful post that not only helps you get started, but gives some super creative ways you can use mind maps to get what’s in your head, out!

12 Things We Learned at the 2013 Writer’s Digest Conference West from Wise Ink

A review by the Wise Ink gals of their experience at this year’s WD conference, with some insightful takeaways on self-publishing, writing and working with a publisher.

32 Simple Rules Successful Entrepreneurs Live By from Farnoosh at Prolific Living

“You were born with the gifts for running your own show”, says Farnoosh. Find some inspiration in this list to get your authorpreneurial juices flowing!

How to Create YouTube Videos That Connect with People from James Wedmore at Social Media Examiner

James shares 5 valuable tips, with some great examples, on how to enhance your YouTube marketing.

Frustrated Self-Publisher Escapes DIY Trap from Joel Friedlander at The Book Designer

Self-publishing doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do everything yourself. Joel describes how he got caught -and how he got himself out- of the ‘DIY trap’.

How to Make $10,000 Per Month from Derek Halpern at Social Triggers

Derek discusses the value of having -and the difference between- dream goals and realistic goals. Watch the video to learn Derek’s secret for earning $10,000+ per month.

Self-Publishing: A Simple 10 Step Guide For Indie Authors from Electronic Bindery

Here is a simple, ten-step guide to self-publishing for those just starting out.

Celebrate Small from Corbett Barr at Think Traffic

“Small doesn’t get the respect it deserves.” Corbett wants us to change our thinking about what it is to be ‘small’ or new (or aspiring). Celebrate where you are at, right now, because your impact can be significant.

Just For Fun

For my Canadian readers, please have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

And for those of you in other parts of the world, enjoy your Sunday!

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