Finding a Better Hashtag: the Basics of Hashtagify

hashtag for indie authorsHashtags are a great way to direct your post on social media towards viewers who might want to see what you have to say. Everybody knows that. But there are about 60 million hashtags out there. How can you find hashtags that will attract the right people to your post?

Hashtagify is a handy tool for finding useful hashtags. Here’s how it works. Continue reading “Finding a Better Hashtag: the Basics of Hashtagify”

Kindle Instant Preview

KindlesmileLove it or hate it, Amazon is always looking to try new things to benefit their customers, which of course usually benefits the sellers as well. Recently I got an email from them about a new opportunity for books sold via their Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) program. Most of you are familiar with their “Look Inside” feature that allows potential readers to see the first few pages of a book, but this is only while on the Amazon site itself. The new feature, the Kindle Instant Preview, lets people read a sample of your book directly from your own webpage. Continue reading “Kindle Instant Preview”

TaleHunt: Flash Fiction on the Go

talehuntlogoIf you’re looking to get a little writing practice in while on the go, but tweets are too short for you, maybe TaleHunt will fit the bill.

TaleHunt is a smartphone app available for Apple and Android devices. (The developers are working on a version for Windows phones.) It’s free to download and install. I didn’t see any ads or in-app purchase options – although I presume one or the other, or both, will be coming eventually.

The app allows you to write and post 250-character stories – not words, characters – which other users can then read and vote on. The developers are billing it as the first dedicated flash fiction app. It debuted in January and has about 10,000 users right now. Continue reading “TaleHunt: Flash Fiction on the Go”

eBook Formatting in Word: You Can Do This

Microsoft Word LogoThe debate continues, but I’m back to tell you yes, you can format and upload your eBook manuscript in Microsoft Word. My last post led us through the process of getting rid of all the junk, hidden code, and other weirdness . Now we’re ready to format.

There are many ways of performing the same action in Word. I start with setting up my styles. Continue reading “eBook Formatting in Word: You Can Do This”