Category: Tutorials

How-to articles for writers.

A New Year’s Gif from Me to You

Ok, it’s a terrible pun but I have a good excuse.

“Who wants to do a tutorial on animated gifs?” asked Kat one day, while we minions huddled together over a bowl of gruel for warmth.

“I’ll give it a go,” I volunteered, all brave-like. “I want to animate a header for a website I’m working on anyway, it’ll be a good chance to learn how.” The minions sniggered, I’m sure I heard someone whisper, “geek”.

“Well, make it simple.” Kat, whip in hand, was attempting to balance on her new three-inch stiletto-heeled boots, a gift from Santa. Allegedly. “I’ve only made them in Photoshop so far and that’s too much of a drama.”

I got a bit nervous, Kat actually knew this stuff. “Um, do writers really need to know about animated gifs?” The other minions grinned and started passing notes around.

“We all need to use our websites better,” Kat thundered. “Find me an easy and free way for everyone to add animations to their blogs.” Continue reading “A New Year’s Gif from Me to You”

Tutorial: Socl

Our Jim Devitt wrote an introductory post about a new social media platform called Socl. If you missed Jim’s post, you can read it here. Personally, I’m not crazy about any platform that only gives you options to sign in through other social media outlets. I don’t like giving apps access to my Facebook account. But that’s just me. Being a photographer, I figured this was a platform I should check out, so I sucked it up and signed up for Socl. You’re welcome.

Once you’ve given Socl permission to violate you, I mean access you, through Facebook or WindowsLive, you’re good to go. Now you should set up your profile. At the top of the screen, you’ll see the word “me.” Go ahead and click on that and it will bring you to the profile screen at left. Then, click on settings (pink arrow). Continue reading “Tutorial: Socl”

Becoming a Triberr Warrior

When I first encountered Triberr, for some unfathomable reason I had a Lord of the Flies moment and pictured small boys on an island wearing war paint. After battling away with it, as I do with all things social media, I discovered it was a fantastic place. I stripped off my clothes, grabbed a conch shell and had a go at finding others.

Indie authors need to leverage all kinds of social media in order to effectively sell their books. Running a blog has been a great way for me to get the word out about books and other writing, but it’s also a way to share information that helps my book marketing. Triberr enables you to grow that blogging community.

Indie Authors and Triberr.

Triberr was started by Dino Dogan and Dan Cristo. Their idea is simple: have a site in which everyone in your Tribe tweets your new blog posts, and you do the same for others in your Tribe.

All you have to do is approve the tweets and Triberr does the rest. It’s a great way to build your blog following quickly and effectively. Continue reading “Becoming a Triberr Warrior”

What Is a Book Video Trailer?

Oh you love the lens. You love it!

Also known as what is a book trailer video. Or a book video. Or a book trailer. It really doesn’t matter what you call it…it needs to get the job done.

Recently, I was very surprised at the responses a fellow indie author (Nick) received to a poll he conducted on his Facebook page. It went something like this:

a. Video trailers help sell books
b. Video trailers don’t help sell books
c. What is a video trailer? Continue reading “What Is a Book Video Trailer?”