© 2021 Kathy Carlton Willis

It’s never too soon (or too late) to use articles that spin off from your books and your brand as part of your marketing plan.

1. Do you have a book that’s already released? Write articles as free advertising to promote your book.
2. Do you have a book you hope to see published? Write articles before the book releases to develop your platform.
3. Do you need to write a book proposal? Add article concepts to your marketing plan.

Steps to Go from To-Do to Ta-Done!

Step 1:
Create a calendar of ideas for each month of the year, using sites listing fun facts and little-known holidays.

Step 2:
For each idea, brainstorm one or two article titles.

Step 3:
Next, find possible publications (print magazines, online e-zines, blogs, and more).

Selecting publications:

• Pick publications with large readerships for more publicity.
• Select sites with share links to increase exposure.
• Pick opportunities that fit your timeline.
• Don’t forget contacts with editors you’ve met.
• Reach out to authors you’ve promoted in the past to see if they can use a guest article.
• Research publications you may have overlooked by doing keyword searches online.

Finding places to publish your articles

• Think of the print magazines, online e-zines, and blogs your target audience reads.
• Consult market guides and submission guidelines databases for opportunities.
• Search your email box to see the sites you subscribe to personally, as well as the magazines you get in the mail or purchase at the store.
• Go to libraries and bookstores to research magazines.

Step 4: The Basic Plan

• List at least three publications for each article idea.
• After you write your query, send to the first one on the list. If you receive a rejection, before emotion ever sets in, send to the next one on the list. Keep moving forward.
• Once you have an article accepted, customize it to fit their needs (hook, word count, etc.).
• Then reword the article and give it a different hook. Start all over sending as a new article to the rest of your list of publication matches.
• Send already published articles to the publications that allow reprints.

If you follow these steps, you will have articles in every phase of development at any given time. A perfect way to promote your books and your brand. What’s keeping you from starting now?
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Kathy Carlton Willis is God’s Grin Gal. She writes and speaks with a balance of funny and faith—whimsy and wisdom. Over a thousand of Kathy’s articles have been published, and she has several books in her Grin Gal brand. Besides serving on faculty at writers’ conferences, Kathy propels writers forward through her membership group, WordGirls (open enrollment in July and January). Find out more on her website and watch her Grin & Grow Breaks on Facebook.