Not that it can’t be everyone’s favorite CMS (content management system) — it already is: a whopping quarter (26.4% actually) of all of the World Wide Web is running the darned thing — but I’m old enough to know some people just won’t like it.
For whatever reason. Misconceptions (I find the “blogging” thing actually gets in the way, a lot). Legit technical requirements. The way it looks and feels. The way it smells. The way it makes their underwear bunch up in all the wrong places. Who the ef knows. Point is, a few folks will want alternatives.
And for those of you looking for one, here’s a short list I pulled together quickly for you to check out. I won’t bother giving you much info about any of them, except for this little factoid:
WordPress has a 59.4% share of the whole CMS market. In second place is Joomla, way down at 6% (yes, that huge a diff). So I guess that would make Joomla a good one to start with on your search for a WordPress alternative.
I don’t claim this is in any way comprehensive. But as you can see, there’s a good selection here. In alphabetical order:
Have fun! And of course, enjoy today;s featured selections below!
— EES
Please Share the Love!
Blogging
![1+tip[1]](https://wordpreneur.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/1tip1-167x130.jpg "1+tip[1]")
“Can’t you give me just 1 tip (for getting book reviews)?” she asked
“The other day a newly published author who had befriended me 5 minutes earlier asked me if I could give her just one tip how to get book reviews from Amazon top reviewers.
I told her to read my book.
She came back with, ‘Can’t you give me just 1 tip?’
Hmm… Apparently this author was not aware how much in demand these reviews are; on average Hall-of-Fame reviewers get 250+ review requests per month.
So, I told her that getting a book reviewed by an Amazon top reviewer isn’t a ‘1-tip thing,’ especially if the book did not have any reviews yet. Getting reviews is a challenging task that encompasses many steps; which is why my book has 100 pages.
She immediately un-friended me.
I guess that says it all. Just another wannabe author who does not really want to learn the trade. The indie author industry is overrun with people like that. The sooner they get out and make room for the people who really hone their craft and all skills, the better for all.
Of course, from experience I know that most indie authors work a lot harder than this one.
So, here is one tip for authors whose books received already a few reviews (including from top reviewers).
‘Like/find helpful’ the reviewers’ reviews!!!”
Continue reading @ Gisela’s Straightforward Blog »
“Self-Made” is a Myth; Here’s the Real Formula for Success
“[T]hat’s what most people get wrong. They never learn how to reach out. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there…”
» Medium
$4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book Only Spending $30 on Advertising
“I had a plan. A big plan. Heck, I had the plan of the universe — to sell thousands of copies of my new release Science Fiction book, Project Atlantis, during the first month I published it.
This plan started six months before I started writing the book. The plan entailed rapidly finishing three books in a series — Project Atlantis, Destination Atlantis, and Colony Atlantis — and once it had been edited, beta-read, and sent out to my ARC reviewers, I’d release Project Atlantis, then Destination Atlantis seven days later, and Colony Atlantis fourteen days after Destination Atlantis. Additionally, I’d have the fourth book, Beyond Atlantis, almost 100% written. Yet, I’d have Beyond Atlantis’s pre-order already up and running before Colony Atlantis was released, all the while dropping over $1500 dollars in Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and on Promo Sites, and whatever else I could get my greedy paws on.
Well, I did none of the above.
Here is what happened that led me to only spending $30 on Facebook and Amazon ads and how I was able to make $4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book.”
Continue reading @ Medium »
10 Actionable WordPress Security Tips for the Layman
“[T]he more popular something is, the more people want to leverage on it for nefarious means… Fortunately, WordPress is a platform that offers you a multitude of opportunity to defend yourself.”
» WHSR
Content & Ideas
“Can’t you give me just 1 tip (for getting book reviews)?” she asked
“The other day a newly published author who had befriended me 5 minutes earlier asked me if I could give her just one tip how to get book reviews from Amazon top reviewers.
I told her to read my book.
She came back with, ‘Can’t you give me just 1 tip?’
Hmm… Apparently this author was not aware how much in demand these reviews are; on average Hall-of-Fame reviewers get 250+ review requests per month.
So, I told her that getting a book reviewed by an Amazon top reviewer isn’t a ‘1-tip thing,’ especially if the book did not have any reviews yet. Getting reviews is a challenging task that encompasses many steps; which is why my book has 100 pages.
She immediately un-friended me.
I guess that says it all. Just another wannabe author who does not really want to learn the trade. The indie author industry is overrun with people like that. The sooner they get out and make room for the people who really hone their craft and all skills, the better for all.
Of course, from experience I know that most indie authors work a lot harder than this one.
So, here is one tip for authors whose books received already a few reviews (including from top reviewers).
‘Like/find helpful’ the reviewers’ reviews!!!”
Continue reading @ Gisela’s Straightforward Blog »
“Self-Made” is a Myth; Here’s the Real Formula for Success
“[T]hat’s what most people get wrong. They never learn how to reach out. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there…”
» Medium
$4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book Only Spending $30 on Advertising
“I had a plan. A big plan. Heck, I had the plan of the universe — to sell thousands of copies of my new release Science Fiction book, Project Atlantis, during the first month I published it.
This plan started six months before I started writing the book. The plan entailed rapidly finishing three books in a series — Project Atlantis, Destination Atlantis, and Colony Atlantis — and once it had been edited, beta-read, and sent out to my ARC reviewers, I’d release Project Atlantis, then Destination Atlantis seven days later, and Colony Atlantis fourteen days after Destination Atlantis. Additionally, I’d have the fourth book, Beyond Atlantis, almost 100% written. Yet, I’d have Beyond Atlantis’s pre-order already up and running before Colony Atlantis was released, all the while dropping over $1500 dollars in Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and on Promo Sites, and whatever else I could get my greedy paws on.
Well, I did none of the above.
Here is what happened that led me to only spending $30 on Facebook and Amazon ads and how I was able to make $4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book.”
Continue reading @ Medium »
10 Actionable WordPress Security Tips for the Layman
“[T]he more popular something is, the more people want to leverage on it for nefarious means… Fortunately, WordPress is a platform that offers you a multitude of opportunity to defend yourself.”
» WHSR
Free
21 Best Writing Apps and Tools For Bloggers
“[T]here are tonnes of apps and useful tools out there to help make your everyday writing and content planning that little bit easier.”
Eight writing commandments to (sometimes) break
Eight writing commandments to (sometimes) break
SOURCE: The Writer
LINK: https://www.writermag.com/2018/05/22/writing-commandments/
Write what you know. About this little nugget, award-winning writer Todd James Pierce says, ‘Unless you have a vastly more exciting life than I do, this might not lend itself to compelling subject material.'”
Publishing Alternatives to the Big Five – What Is Best for Your Book?
“…
Big Five: The parent companies are Penguin-Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan, but there are so many imprints (or specialized publishing arms) within these. They rule the publishing world, in a way, and it’s harder than ever to get in the door. Agents are required. An agent I spoke with said that these publishers, if they accept your book, give you about two to six weeks to make a splash. After that, the book goes to backlist, which means it’s hard to get and gets no attention. The author is still responsible for all publicity, unless you score a really great deal. Advances are minimal. Authors do not front money, and most (so I’ve been told) do not earn back their advances through sales. Standard royalty after advance is paid back.
To me, it’s a bit like the lottery. You may win, you may not, and it’ll take a lot of luck and hard work (and your own money to hire a publicist–around $5000 on average–to help you get the reviews, blurbs, and promotion you’ll need for that splash). Some of my clients have scored, and I cheer them on. But it’s a long shot for most first-time authors. Luckily, there are many other options.
Mid-size, academic, and small presses: Included are J.P. Tarcher, Harbinger, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Scholastic, Workman, John Wiley & Sons, W.W. Norton, Chronicle, Tyndale, and quite a few others; most university presses; and small, specialty presses. Some require agents, some do not. I sold most of my books to small or mid-size presses. I had an agent for five books, then he retired, and I used my contacts to sell directly. Both avenues worked well although I got a better deal with the agented books, which may have been the times. Advances are small, if at all. Some of my clients have gotten excellent publicity help from their press; others have not. These presses also expect the author to promote heavily, possibly hire a publicist too. My books are (mostly) still available and I found the presses (mostly) wonderful to deal with, often offering high-quality editing. Authors do not front money for production; standard royalty package.”
Continue reading @ Mary Carroll Moore »
Outlining Fiction: 6 Tips For Writers Who Hate Outlines
“Hate outlines? I know many writers do, because I often get questions about outlining fiction. It’s a real challenge for many writers, and I sympathize. Way back in the 1970s when I started writing fiction I hated outlines with a passion.
That was way before Amazon and ebooks, so if I wanted to sell my novels to publishers, I had to outline. When I whined about it my literary agent at the time told ‘me: “just write an outline. You don’t have to follow it.‘
Outlining fiction: do it YOUR way
That was the best advice I’ve ever received: you don’t have to follow your outline. Your outline is just a way to make your novel real to you. Over the years, I’ve pantsed/ outlined my way to many, many novels. These days, I rarely think about outlining at all. It seems as if my outlines just magically appear — I think about a novel, and before I know it, I’ve created a workable outline. 🙂
It will happen for you too — persist with your own method of outlining, and sooner or later, writing novels (and nonfiction too) will be easier, because you will outline automatically.
So let’s look at five tips which will help if you hate outlines, so that you can find a process that works for you. No stress. As my agent pointed out, you don’t have to follow the outline you created. You almost certainly won’t, because a good outline kickstarts your thinking. Your completed novel will be much better than it would have been without an outline.
1. Start with text: your creative brain thinks in images, not linear outlines
Want to outline? Just start writing.
Yes… I know it sounds simple, but stick with me.
Let’s say that you’re writing a romantic mystery novel, with a super-glamorous billionaire. Or whatever you like. Choose your favorite genre.
Click your timer, and write for five minutes. Start off this way: ‘I’m writing a romantic mystery, with billionaire. My heroine is Tessy Anne Smith. She’s just won an internship at the hottest public relations company in New York city. She’s scared she won’t fit in… yadda yadda…’
Not an idea in your head? That’s OK.
Use this simple character template:
Name + Age + Occupation + Major Attribute + (optional) Big Problem
Viz: Tessy Anne Smith, 21, PR intern, ambitious — big problem: evicted from her apartment, staying with friends.
Another example: Megan Summers, 31, resident at a city hospital, loves medicine — big problem: someone’s killing patients. She’s blamed.
Tip: stop TRYING. Just write. Allow words pop into your head, without judgement, and without trying to edit. Focus on quantity. You’ll get quality out of it.”
Continue reading @ Fab Freelance Writing »
Marketing
“Can’t you give me just 1 tip (for getting book reviews)?” she asked
“The other day a newly published author who had befriended me 5 minutes earlier asked me if I could give her just one tip how to get book reviews from Amazon top reviewers.
I told her to read my book.
She came back with, ‘Can’t you give me just 1 tip?’
Hmm… Apparently this author was not aware how much in demand these reviews are; on average Hall-of-Fame reviewers get 250+ review requests per month.
So, I told her that getting a book reviewed by an Amazon top reviewer isn’t a ‘1-tip thing,’ especially if the book did not have any reviews yet. Getting reviews is a challenging task that encompasses many steps; which is why my book has 100 pages.
She immediately un-friended me.
I guess that says it all. Just another wannabe author who does not really want to learn the trade. The indie author industry is overrun with people like that. The sooner they get out and make room for the people who really hone their craft and all skills, the better for all.
Of course, from experience I know that most indie authors work a lot harder than this one.
So, here is one tip for authors whose books received already a few reviews (including from top reviewers).
‘Like/find helpful’ the reviewers’ reviews!!!”
Continue reading @ Gisela’s Straightforward Blog »
“Self-Made” is a Myth; Here’s the Real Formula for Success
“[T]hat’s what most people get wrong. They never learn how to reach out. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there…”
» Medium
$4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book Only Spending $30 on Advertising
“I had a plan. A big plan. Heck, I had the plan of the universe — to sell thousands of copies of my new release Science Fiction book, Project Atlantis, during the first month I published it.
This plan started six months before I started writing the book. The plan entailed rapidly finishing three books in a series — Project Atlantis, Destination Atlantis, and Colony Atlantis — and once it had been edited, beta-read, and sent out to my ARC reviewers, I’d release Project Atlantis, then Destination Atlantis seven days later, and Colony Atlantis fourteen days after Destination Atlantis. Additionally, I’d have the fourth book, Beyond Atlantis, almost 100% written. Yet, I’d have Beyond Atlantis’s pre-order already up and running before Colony Atlantis was released, all the while dropping over $1500 dollars in Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and on Promo Sites, and whatever else I could get my greedy paws on.
Well, I did none of the above.
Here is what happened that led me to only spending $30 on Facebook and Amazon ads and how I was able to make $4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book.”
Continue reading @ Medium »
10 Actionable WordPress Security Tips for the Layman
“[T]he more popular something is, the more people want to leverage on it for nefarious means… Fortunately, WordPress is a platform that offers you a multitude of opportunity to defend yourself.”
» WHSR
Writing
“Can’t you give me just 1 tip (for getting book reviews)?” she asked
“The other day a newly published author who had befriended me 5 minutes earlier asked me if I could give her just one tip how to get book reviews from Amazon top reviewers.
I told her to read my book.
She came back with, ‘Can’t you give me just 1 tip?’
Hmm… Apparently this author was not aware how much in demand these reviews are; on average Hall-of-Fame reviewers get 250+ review requests per month.
So, I told her that getting a book reviewed by an Amazon top reviewer isn’t a ‘1-tip thing,’ especially if the book did not have any reviews yet. Getting reviews is a challenging task that encompasses many steps; which is why my book has 100 pages.
She immediately un-friended me.
I guess that says it all. Just another wannabe author who does not really want to learn the trade. The indie author industry is overrun with people like that. The sooner they get out and make room for the people who really hone their craft and all skills, the better for all.
Of course, from experience I know that most indie authors work a lot harder than this one.
So, here is one tip for authors whose books received already a few reviews (including from top reviewers).
‘Like/find helpful’ the reviewers’ reviews!!!”
Continue reading @ Gisela’s Straightforward Blog »
“Self-Made” is a Myth; Here’s the Real Formula for Success
“[T]hat’s what most people get wrong. They never learn how to reach out. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there…”
» Medium
$4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book Only Spending $30 on Advertising
“I had a plan. A big plan. Heck, I had the plan of the universe — to sell thousands of copies of my new release Science Fiction book, Project Atlantis, during the first month I published it.
This plan started six months before I started writing the book. The plan entailed rapidly finishing three books in a series — Project Atlantis, Destination Atlantis, and Colony Atlantis — and once it had been edited, beta-read, and sent out to my ARC reviewers, I’d release Project Atlantis, then Destination Atlantis seven days later, and Colony Atlantis fourteen days after Destination Atlantis. Additionally, I’d have the fourth book, Beyond Atlantis, almost 100% written. Yet, I’d have Beyond Atlantis’s pre-order already up and running before Colony Atlantis was released, all the while dropping over $1500 dollars in Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and on Promo Sites, and whatever else I could get my greedy paws on.
Well, I did none of the above.
Here is what happened that led me to only spending $30 on Facebook and Amazon ads and how I was able to make $4,344.81 in 40 Days with my Fiction Book.”
Continue reading @ Medium »
10 Actionable WordPress Security Tips for the Layman
“[T]he more popular something is, the more people want to leverage on it for nefarious means… Fortunately, WordPress is a platform that offers you a multitude of opportunity to defend yourself.”
