You can host guest writers on your site, or you can write guest posts for others.

I host guest bloggers here as a way of bringing you new perspectives on information you need to have, but also so I can help my guests expand their networks. Everybody wins in that situation.

I’ve also been doing quite a bit of guest blogging in the past year or so for sites that reach authors like you.

I share links to my guest posts on social media, but if you and I aren’t connected on Twitter or LinkedIn, or if you haven’t “liked” my Facebook page or joined my Facebook book marketing group, you probably haven’t my guest blogging in action.

Guest blogging in action

With that in mind, here are links to my guest posts since the first of the year. On any that you click through to read, please linger on the host sites to learn more about what they do and how they might be able to help you in your publishing journey.

Here they are in reverse chronological order.

The Best-Kept Fiction Marketing Secret

What’s the best kept fiction marketing secret out there? Guest blogging.

Savvy, successful novelists know it helps them reach more readers in a way that’s more meaningful than tweets or Facebook posts.

I’m constantly recommending this tactic to fiction writers, but they resist, telling me, “That’s for nonfiction authors.”

They’re wrong.

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Don’t Confuse a Book Endorsement With a Review

In recent conversations with authors, I’ve noticed that several use the terms “book endorsement” and “book review” interchangeably.

That’s not a good idea.

In the book publishing business, they have different meanings and purposes. Using them incorrectly could confuse the people supporting you. In addition, you could end up with the opposite of what you want and need.

So, what are they, how are they different, and why does it matter? Here’s the short course.

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Book Marketing Myths – Let’s Do Some Myth-Busting!

We are surrounded by “myth” – information about book marketing. Social media makes it worse – one person sees one of these myths in a tweet or post, accepts it as truth, and spreads the myth even further.

What’s fact and what’s fiction?

Let’s look at three of the most common book marketing myths and understand the impact they have on your book’s success in the marketplace.

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Sell More Books with Guest Blogging – Get the Visibility You Need

Like so many other bloggers, I welcome relevant guest posts from authors and other experts who have something to say that will interest my readers.

I know that guest posts from authors help sell more of their books because of one simple trick: I use an Amazon Associates link for their book in their bio and in the post.

I don’t do this to earn money – the pennies will barely pay for my beloved tall, extra hot, skinny vanilla latte at Starbucks. I do it so I can see which topics resonate with my readers. When the writer’s book sells well, I know we’ve struck a chord. That tells me I need more content like that.

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7 Questions to Ask Before Creating Your Book Marketing Plan

A book marketing plan is a document that outlines what you want to accomplish with your book, how you’ll do it, what you can afford to spend, and when you’ll do the work involved.

If you want to sell books, creating a book marketing plan isn’t optional – it’s essential.

Why?

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6 Ideas for Promoting Your Book While Watching TV

I’m one of those people who likes to watch TV to unwind, but just can’t sit there and watch TV. Know what I mean?

I don’t really like that about myself, but I’ve not only accepted it, I’ve learned to take advantage of it. I try to do something productive while sitting there – knitting, cleaning out my inbox, promoting my books, and so on.

That’s right. I promote my books while watching TV, and you can, too.

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What’s Your Author Brand?

What do you have in common with Apple, Coca-Cola, Disney, and McDonald’s?

You’re all brands.

You’re probably familiar with the term “branding,” but do you know what it means and how it applies to you?

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3 Reasons to Embrace One-Star Reader Reviews

Have you experienced that rite of passage in the book publishing industry known as the one-star review?

No matter where you are in the publishing spectrum – a self-published first-timer or a celebrated best-selling author – you can expect to see a one-star review show up eventually.

Nobody wants or hopes for one, of course. But it’s inevitable.

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8 Ways to Make Your Book’s Press Release Work Harder

Authors who are serious about book marketing, promotion, and publicity have a press release that announces their book. This essential media relations and search engine optimization (SEO) tool is a book marketing basic.

Many, however, don’t know how to get the most from this tool that they’ve worked hard to write and perfect.

The primary purpose of your book announcement press release is to help secure book publicity. Definitely use it with that purpose in mind, but don’t stop there.

Think bigger.

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Let Your Characters Engage with Fans Online

Elmo has a Twitter account.

Superman has a Facebook Page.

Barbie is on Instagram.

If these big brand fictional characters are active on social media, shouldn’t your characters use social media, too?

(read more)

If you enjoy writing more than marketing, considering giving guest blogging a try. Be sure to download my free “Guest Blogging Cheat Sheet,” too, for tips that will be sure to get you invited back to your host’s site.

What’s your best tip for being a great guest blogger? Please tell us in a comment.

Tip of the Month

I like to share a “Tip of the Month,” a free resource or tool for authors, on the last Wednesday of the month.

This month it’s a resource I downloaded last week and plan to use (a lot): Blog Clarity’s “35 Attention Getting Fill in the Blank Blog Post Titles.”

This one-page PDF download is divided into two columns. The left side of the page lists the 35 options — for example, “How to _____ in Three Steps.” The right side offers corresponding examples — “How to Win an Argument in Three Steps.”

It’s an excellent example of an email list “lead magnet” that encourages people to add their email address to the site’s list in exchange for truly helpful content.

To get your free blog title template, fill out the form at the Blog Clarity site.

You want the guest blogging experience to build bridges to the host, the blog’s readers, and other bloggers reaching your audience. The best way to do that is to be a great guest blogger.

When you want to be a stand-out guest in real-world social experiences, you go beyond what’s expected. To be a great guest blogger, make working with you an easy, pleasant, and rewarding experience for your host.

Tips that will help you stand out

Here are five tips that will help differentiate you from other guest bloggers:

1. Ask the blogger for guidelines — then follow them. Some have them, some don’t. Some who do forget to share them when issuing an invitation to write a guest post. But ask, because if you don’t know what they’re expecting, it’s harder to meet — or exceed — expectations. Review them one last time before submitting the column to make sure you’ve incorporated everything.
2. Study the blog’s content and format. How is the information presented? Does the blogger use long or short paragraphs? What about subheads and bullets? Make your post easier to work with by incorporating the blog’s structural elements.
3. Name the blog post file for the blogger, not you. Put yourself in the blogger’s shoes — what do you need when working with material from someone else? As someone who accepts guest posts here and is the co-editor of an association blog, I always appreciate it when the file arrives with the blogger’s name and the topic. “Beckwith, book promo on shoestring” is more helpful to me than the generic, “guest blog post.”
4. Provide a head shot labeled with your name. Getting a head shot named “Library shot” doesn’t help me find that photo of you taken in a library after I saved your head shot to my system, but “Meghan McAllister” does.
5. Write a great post. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that since you’re not getting paid for it, you don’t have to do your best job. You’re not going to make a good impression with sloppy, rambling writing. Take every guest gig as seriously as you take any other writing assignment. You’re giving readers a sample of what you’re capable of — shouldn’t it be your best work?

To be the guest blogger who builds bridges, make connections, and expands your fan base, do your best job with every guest post.

What’s your advice for being a great guest blogger?