GETTING STARTED ON THE WEB
FOR WRITERS:
Establishing and Managing Your Digital Brand
by
Kandie R. Delley
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
Kandie R. Delley on Smashwords
Copyright © 2011 by Kandie R. Delley
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Additional Notes: The use of company, software names and websites other than Ms. Delley’s personal sites are not listed as ‘endorsements’ and no profit from said companies or software entities were issued to Ms. Delley. Names like Adobe Photoshop® or Microsoft® are strictly provided as examples to assist the reader. Their trademark and copyrights are of the respective owners.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Available upon request
Original Cover Art Design: Candie Price for The Candie Jar LLC
Cover Art Revision: Kandie Delley for KanDel Media
Edited by Kate Holcomb, Cheryl Dorsey Mallorie Halsall, and Kandie Delley
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.
Table of Contents
Part One: Building a Financial Legacy
Using Your Writing as an Asset Builder
The Girl with Five Talents
Gateway to Prosperity
Part Two: Find Your Place on the Web
Do You Really Need a Website?
Say My Domain Name
Get the Perfect Host
Who Is Registry
Part Three: Elements of a Website
Understanding Web Languages
Website Layout Samples
How Do Pages Work?
What Are Templates
Graphic Design Software
Flash and Multimedia
Part Four: Marketing & Publicity
Online Marketing and Promotions
Keywords
Search Engine Submission
Electronic Newsletter
Web Banner and Ad Spot Designs
Book Trailer and Electronic Press Kits
Publicity and Advertising
Social Media Marketing
Electronic Marketing Material Examples
Bonus Chapter: How to Get Your Book Published
In Closing
Don’t Just Know It, Believe It [Article]
Additional Resources
About the Author
Introduction
After working nearly fifteen years in areas of the entertainment industry ranging from publishing, music, TV and film to communication arts, I do consider myself to be somewhat of an expert. However, this book isn't meant to create the expert actor, as I'm assuming you have already taken adequate measures to perfect your craft.
This book is for writers who now feel they have reached a point where they need to elevate their game and get on the web to promote their talent and services. This book is not about contracts, agents, or how to acquire the next literary gig. Rather, it is meant to educate you on expanding your brand on the internet while developing and executing multiple streams of income.
As Writers, we have to work out “creative hustle”, using our talents to not only entertain others, but make room for financial prosperity so that we can do what we love full-time. With that said, this book will help you re-focus your attention to the main thing about your creative journey, which includes web marketing.
No matter how much we want to etch our art into the universe and make a mark in the publishing and entertainment industries, we still have to dot the ‘I's’ and cross the ‘T's’. This starts with building your web presence.
Overall, this book will teach you the preliminary stages of getting started, which are diversifying your skill set or talents to earn supplemental income and building a network while establishing and commencing brand management. Once mastered, these stages will allow you to take your work to the next level.
Beyond the fact that our art is needed to maintain the balance, beauty, and appreciation of humanity in our world, it's also a great way to make residual income. This book is based on my personal journey, experiences, education and training and is in no way a substitution for your own research and accredited learning. It's always best to research, ask questions, and invest in your education and training so that you can find the outlets which work best for you.
The internet is a great place to be and can be used for so many different things. For now, we'll focus on using the internet to garner your exposure through marketing and promotions. Before we get started on the web, let's find out why it's important to consider this avenue to share your art and build wealth.
PART ONE:
Building a Financial Legacy
Chapter 1: Using Your
Creative Talents
as Asset Builders
I am a writer, but I have a right to get paid too!
Residual Income, by definition, is one of an ongoing stream of payments for the completion of past achievements.
Eureka! So that means you get paid over and over again for something you have already created. No wonder so many in the entertainment field are diving into different profitable mediums.
From songwriting to play writing, screenwriting to novel writing, there are several different ways to capitalize on our art form. After all, writing is the hub of communication that many ancient civilizations were built on. As underrated and unacknowledged as Writers can be at times, it is our form of expression that is the stepping stone to effective communication.
Have you ever been curious as to why so many entertainers are becoming multi-hyphenated? You have rappers becoming actors, actors becoming singers and musicians and all of them are getting into merchandising with perfumes, clothing lines and real estate.
You may loathe their marketing strategies (their brands stamped on everything), but these multi-hyphenates have great business sense or, rather, great business managers. Residual sales through intellectual property, along with licensing and merchandising are banking some celebrities into Forbes Magazine's honorable mentions!
By pursuing my creative skills, I've become a better business woman. I've read books on personal finance and wealth building and do you know what one of their top asset building points was to personal wealth beyond real estate? Bingo! Intellectual property such as books, songs, movies, etc... People going this route are making a certain percent of money per sale of each of their products for the life of that product in various forms: from the internet, book publishing rights, film rights, DVD sales, and so on and so forth.
Over the years, it appears as though becoming an author is the biggest trend for many prominent entertainers and athletes, releasing novels, biographies and anecdotal anthologies year-round. There are people still receiving residual income from a commercial they wrote, produced or performed in years ago.
Whether they are serious and prolific writers or collaborating with ghost writers, all are ways to make money off of a single product time and time again. Intellectual property can definitely be a lucrative asset-building machine. This concept is nothing new, though under-appreciated by artists who can and/or will not evolve to the business aspect of what they create.
Part of what you do is all about learning to run the business of you! You can't support your craft or do it full time if you don't have an income that supports that goal. I know learning about residual income was a great motivator for me. Hopefully, it will be for you too!
While being in the accounting field for nearly as long as the entertainment business, I've come to love talking about money, especially earning money from my art. That may seem uncharacteristic of a creative person's mindset, but who wouldn't love to get paid doing what they love to do? I love words, music and storytelling and I relish in the fact that my creative work has touched lives. I'm blessed to have been able to do what I love while helping others.
There have been a handful of light bulb moments for me since I began writing professionally and one of them was learning to become a better steward over my finances. Since then, it has been my personal mission to be ready so that I can enjoy some of the finer things in life without worrying about the security of my family and without sacrificing or compromising my dreams in order to have a memorable journey in this crazy, but amazing thing called life. Each year, my focus becomes tighter, my vision clearer. Once you tap into the entrepreneur inside of you, you will see the same changes in your life.
Getting back to asset building, let's face the facts: accounting and finance classes are electives in most public schools. These precursors to acquiring a financial legacy sometimes aren't taught to children, especially in inner-city and minority communities, yet they are fundamental skills in the business world.
I encourage parents to truly get their kids involved in understanding financial responsibility at an early age and groom them to become better stewards. After all, how you treat your finances can be a reflection of how you treat yourself, to some degree.
Becoming financially aware and financially intelligent has made an incredible difference in my life. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm here to share my process thus far. So, in order for you to jump into the sea of financial prosperity by using your gifts, you have to get started on the web!
Chapter 2: The Girl with Five Talents
Okay, it's safe to assume that you have talent that can be used towards financial prosperity, but I bet if you look deeper you will see that you have more than one talent or gift and maybe now you've developed additional skills such as graphic design. For example, I write, produce, act, consult and now do graphic design. I use it all to help keep my personal website up and running.
Since 2005, I have provided graphic design services to other writers, performers, and small business owners. This new skill was birthed from wanting to learn how to independently maintain my own website and make it visually appealing. Using graphic images, along with articles and short stories on my website, has increased the traffic and number of repeat visitors. Graphic design, among other skills I've developed, as well as my creative talents, have truly improved my overall web exposure and reduced costs while increasing revenue and networking opportunities.
The journey to fulfilling your dream is going to cost money. True, you can find a second or third job, “diversify” your talent or develop skills that will bring a return investment; but keep in mind that when you use these assets to fund the big picture, you will need to rejuvenate or take a break. If you're not careful, you can burn out on the one thing you love creatively because it's now a business option.