Running an Amazon ad campaign can be a great way to introduce your book to new readers and increase sales, but there’s no denying that Amazon Advertising comes with a learning curve. Let this article serve as your introductory guide to effective Amazon ad campaigns.

As of October 2020, you can run two types of ads through Amazon Advertising: Sponsored Product Ads and Lockscreen Ads. Sponsored Product Ads appear on relevant search result pages and individual product listings, while Lockscreen Ads are shown on readers’ Kindle lockscreens.

To succeed in the business of writing and selling books, you’ll need an online headquarters — a place that readers can visit to learn everything they need to know about who you are, what you write, and where they can purchase your books. In other words, you’ll need an author website.

What information should an author website include? How does one go about creating an author website, exactly? When is the right time to create and launch your online headquarters?

Every successful author needs a platform, which publishing professional Jane Friedman defines as “the ability to sell books because of who you are or who you can reach.”

Unless you’re a celebrity, politician, or public speaker, you probably won’t find commercial success as an author simply because of who you are. Instead, it will be your ability to reach and engage with readers that will ultimately determine your success as a writer.

So, how do you build an author platform that will help you develop a readership and writing career?

Have you ever thought about publishing under a pen name?

There are many reasons why you might choose to do so. Perhaps you'd like to share your stories in secret, select a name that's more memorable or a better fit for your genre, market stories in various genres without causing confusion, or distinguish yourself from another writer or creator with a similar name.

No matter the reason, choosing a pen name that best fits your publishing needs can be tough. What factors should you consider? Is the use of a pseudonym right for you? Let's discuss in today's article, writer!

When I first began writing, I didn't have a clue who my future readers would be.

I wrote for myself, as I believe many writers do when they first begin. But I was eighteen at the time, wafting through the grey space between teenage- and adult-hood, and every time I matured as a person, my writing matured too. As a result, my stories were ever-changing, and I struggled to maintain a hold on the narratives I was trying to tell.

This is why, when I first came across the concept of an ideal reader, my interest immediately piqued. With it, however, came a million questions. What in the world is an ideal reader? Can you be your own? How can having a clear picture of your future readers help shape your stories for the better? Writer, we're breaking it all down in today's article, so let's get started!