You've stumbled upon my working page, where I stash old odds and ends.
#2 - 1,218 ViewsShould You Sue Your eBook Reviewers?When you're making millions of dollars from your eBooks you might feel you should sue those readers that give you 1-star reviews. You won't get that problem from me.
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#3 - 943 ViewsHow To Lose a Copyblogger Essay Contest, But Win the Hearts and Minds of Their Users
The amount of worthless information this site passes off as useful continues to astound me. It would do so on a daily basis, but they take the weekends off over there.
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Recent and Popular Blog Posts about Montana History and Writing
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Are Your Novels Puzzles or Blocks?Do you write your novels from beginning to end, or do you like to skip around a bit? Here's a take on two ways to finally get that masterpiece finished.
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Is Christmas a Website Traffic Killer?
Few websites post over the holidays. Why? You're looking for fresh content and something to do when you're bored out of your head, right?
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So What is Google Hummingbird and Why Should I Care?
Every few months Google feels the need to add another beast to their growing menagerie. How long will we run around like headless chickens over this?
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Taking Back Your Internet BookmarksSometimes those sites you thought were great just weren't. Maybe they lost their mojo, got too busy, or forgot their roots. And maybe it's time you take your bookmarks back from them.
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The Marias Massacre - A Montana Disgrace
On a cold Montana morning in 1870 the U.S. Army slaughtered an Indian village largely made up of old men, women, and children. Then the government tried to cover it up.
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DIY eBook Cover Resources
Are you looking for a way to start designing your own eBook covers quickly and easily? These new resources might help you.
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Black Walnut Let Loose on Amazon Today!Trained by the US government in Iraq, Afghanistan, and God knows where else, this urban vigilante is taking the law into his own hands. Justice is coming to Chicago – and his name is Black Walnut!
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SEO, Self-Publishing, and 1980s Kevin Bacon Movies
I've seen my fair share of 1980s Kevin Bacon movies, and I know they can teach us something about writing and what it means to be successful.
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What is Room 223?A couple months ago I decided to start writing a story for the Kindle World of Kurt Vonnegut. Here's the cover, and the story should follow shortly.
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How To Lose a Copyblogger Essay Contest, But Win the Hearts and Minds of Their Users
Copyblogger is one of the Big Boys. They have a huge following and know everything. God, I love to piss them off.
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My Foray into Amazon Box-Sets
I've been looking at the gorgeous eBook box-sets of others for some time, and decided it was time to get my own. Here's what I did, and maybe it'll help you.
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The Problem Discounted eBooks Pose
I'm worried sites aren't as effective, that authors are pissing their money away, and that discounted books will soon become just as unread as free.
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Amazon KDP Publishing: Choosing the Right Keywords, Categories and PriceTarot Card Killer is now on Sale. Here are some tips on how you can maximize your publishing experience on Amazon KDP to increase your book's visibility.
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Black Walnut – A New Vigilante Justice Novel
Black Walnut fights against racism, poverty, and police brutality. He's a one-man killing machine, and he's nuts!
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Can I Have a Review?Lots of authors complain about not getting reviews. Well, when was the last time you asked? I'm asking now, in case you didn't notice.
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Excerpt of My Upcoming Murder Mystery Thriller
Next Tuesday is the big day for my new novel release. Until then here's an excerpt to tide you over. You have been eagerly waiting, right?
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Three Months of Amazon Perma-Free Results
For the past 3 months I've been keeping daily counts of how many books I'm giving away on Amazon. Here are my results.
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eBook Marketing: Bringing the Dead Back to Life
Sometimes a book starts off strong and then just dies, getting no sales for months at a time. It happened to me, and here's what I did about it.
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Word Count Meters for Your Website
When I can see the progress I'm making it allows me to make more. Word counts really help me and I'm making word count counters a permanent part of this site. Should you do the same?
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My New SEO Book is On SaleMy new SEO eBook is now on sale. This one should push a lot of people's buttons, if it even gets noticed. Here's a chapter summary.
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Sun Tzu and the Art of SEO
Sun Tzu knew how to wage war, and many of his principles can be applied to SEO. Here are a few to think about on your next campaign.
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A Tale of Two EditsA few months back I edited two works, one fiction and the other non-fiction. I ran across a lot of little things that made me think about the fundamentals of editing. Here they are.
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Controversial New eBook CoverI'll be putting out a new SEO eBook next week and I wanted to do something a little different with the cover. I'm certain it'll get a reaction.
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So What Am I Writing for National Write a Novel Month?
NaNoWriMo is halfway over now and I'm making great progress on my new Mystery/Thriller novel set in Hong Kong. Here's all the messy details!
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My Tarot Books Earn a Gold Star Award
The Book Designer is a great site to learn about self-publishing. It's also a wonderful place to submit your new eBooks for their eBook Cover Design Awards. They treated me well!
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My Kindle Fire Department Paid eBook Promotion ResultsLast week I did a Kindle Fire Department (KFD) eBook promotion ad for my perma-free book. It wasn't as effective as I'd hoped, and here are my results.
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My BookBlast Paid eBook Promotion Results
Last week I did a BookBlast eBook promotion ad for my perma-free book. Here are the results, which I was quite pleased by.
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Dealing With a BookBub RejectionWhen it comes to eBook promotions, BookBub is like the most popular girl in school. A rejection hurts, but with any luck you'll be able to show her! (Which means getting a date)
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Montana, What Do You Want to Read?Montana has a long and rich history. What do you want to know about its people, places, and politics? I'm not working on a MT book now, so that means I'm taking requests.
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My Freebooksy Paid eBook Promotion Results (Hint: They Were Great!)
I decided to do a paid eBook promotion with Freebooksy a few days ago. I was pleasantly surprised by the results, and I think you will be too if you give them a chance.
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Using Google Maps for Fiction Writing
Writing fiction day in and day out isn't the easiest thing. Sometimes you get stuck, and when that happens Google Maps is a great place to turn.
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It's been about a month since my last Montana history book went on sale, and I haven't written about the state since. It's time to get back to work.
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How Word Counts Helped Me Write a Million Words in Less Than a YearI began keeping track of the words I wrote each day starting in February. A few days ago I passed the 1,000,000 word mark for the year. So what's the secret?
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How You Can Get Your Blog to 100 Posts Fast
This marks the 100th blog post for the Big Sky Words Writing Blog. Here are some tips for how you can get your site to it's 100th post.
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Saying 'To Hell' With Your eBook PricesI see a lot of authors get frustrated when their book doesn't sell. Often they'll say 'to hell with it' and lower the price. Why not do the opposite?
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Using the Goodreads Daily Email to Market Your eBook Effectively
Some people post everyday, multiple times a day. Some people don't do a damn thing. Find a middle ground by planning your blog in advance.
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Planning Your Blog 50 Days in AdvanceSome people post everyday, multiple times a day. Some people don't do a damn thing. Find a middle ground by planning your blog in advance.
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10 Reasons it’s Time for You to Stop Commenting on Blogs
It must have been love, but it's over now. Are you wasting your time commenting on sites that ignore you, don't care about you, and maybe even want you to go? What the hell are you doing that for?
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Why Websites That Say ‘Fuck It’ Do Better Long-Term
I'm getting so sick of my favorite sites copying one another. Lots of websites do this shit, and if you'd just say 'fuck it' you might be able to come up with something original for a change.
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My Amazon KDP Select Free Promo Roller CoasterWhen you do an Amazon KDP Select free promo you'll shoot straight up, and then straight down. Here's how you can start selling that book you just gave away for free.
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A Huge Blog Commenting MisstepI love Copyblogger. They have a great team and always put up fresh content. But I got a big kick out of a recent commenting spree from one of their guest posters. Learn from this and don't repeat these blog commenting mistakes.
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Why's Your Website Telling Me to 'Go Fuck Myself?'I hate old content and most people feel the same. Each time I see a site with content a week old I get offended. After all, the site just told me to 'Go Fuck Myself!'
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New Montana History eBook is On SaleI’m happy to announce that the second volume of my Montana History Series is now on sale. You can download Priests and Prospectors at either Amazon or Smashwords, and in a few weeks it’ll be on iTunes, Sony, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other great eBook retailers.
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Rob Me Blind with this Montana History eBook Sale!On Tuesday, September 24, the latest volume of my Montana history eBook series goes on sale. To celebrate I'm putting Tribes and Trappers on sale until then for $2.99 on Amazon.
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75 Websites That Promote Your eBook
You can write the greatest book in the world, but if no one reads it what's the point? Discover 75 eBook promotion sites that will have your book racing up the bestseller charts in no time!
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Ten Minute Tarot: How to Successfully Launch and Market an eBookKnowing how to release your eBook correctly, and then market it so that it sells, is one of the most difficult problems self-published authors face. Here's what I did with my latest release.
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Astounding, Mesmerizing, and Revealing New Tarot eBook CoverFeast your eyes on this wonder of modern engineering! No, it's not the latest use of your taxpayers money, but it is the new cover of my soon-to-be released Tarot eBook!
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I'm very pleased to announced that I've got a new eBook cover for my Tarot book. This new cover is going to kick off a week or two of heavy eBook promotions on my part, and I hope you'll be around to see.
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Now that my epic fantasy novel The Jongurian Mission is free I decided it was time for new covers for the whole series. Check them out for the first time here!
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Montana's Mountain Men: Jim BridgerHe blazed trails and battled Mormons. He trapped and traded and even left Hugh Glass to die. Learn all about one of the West's favorite sons.
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Was Fort Bridger Sold or Stolen?Jim Bridger may or may not have sold his fort to the Mormons. Later in life he said he didn't, but he Mormons have a receipt.
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Montana's Indian Tribes in the 1850s and 1860s
The Indian reservations got their start in Montana with the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851. The gold rushes of the 1860s, however, saw prospectors march all over those lands.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The TimelineWhen you're writing an epic fantasy novel you'll usually be dealing with quite the span of time. A fantasy novel timeline can really help you keep names, dates, and figures straight so your book doesn't have errors.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The Story OutlineJust like you might have a little trouble keeping track of your characters, so too might you find your story slipping away from you at times. That's when a good outline comes in real handy.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The Character OutlineMost fantasy novels will have dozens of characters, perhaps even more. Writing a character outline will help you keep track of them and their place in your story.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The Story IdeasLots of fantasy stories never become novels because authors give up. And one of the main reasons they give up is because they haven't written down their story ideas. Don't be like them.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: Fantasy Character IdeasYou've got a rocking fantasy world created, now's the time to fill it. Start off with some rough character ideas that will help you develop your story, then flesh them out later.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The ReligionNot all fantasy worlds have their own unique religions, but those that do are a lot more richer for it. Take a look at what some sample fantasy world religions might look like.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The HistoryIf you don't know where you've been, how can you know where you're going? That's why creating a rich and detailed history for your fantasy world is so important: it gives you direction.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The AntagonistsIf you've got one then you've got to have the other. Without opposition your fantasy novel will be rather dull. Here's a look at how to plan your other half.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The SettingIf your fantasy world is boring, lifeless, and lacks details, you'll sure have a hard time selling your fantasy novel. Here are some examples of a fantasy novel's setting.
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How to Write a Fantasy Novel that Sells: The ProtagonistsMost fantasy novels will have two main groups in opposition. This post deals with how to make your protagonists better by making your fantasy world as detailed as possible.
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Who the Hell Was Francois Finlay?Most people in Montana have heard of the first man to find gold in Montana, Francois Finlay, or Benetsee. But who really was this person that history seems to have forgotten?
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Henry Plummer and the Montana VigilantesIf you were transporting gold in Bannack in 1863 chances were you'd be robbed. Sheriff Henry Plummer was behind it, and the Montana Vigilantes stopped it.
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Small Waves Don't Make a Splash With Amazon KDPSome people do really well selling with Amazon KDP Select. Others, not so much. Here are the results of my Amazon KDP Select experience.
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Writing a Website's Mission StatementDo you have a clear idea where you're going with your website? What's your plan for six months from now? How about five years? Writing a mission statement for your website might be just the thing.
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How to Promote Your eBook with No Planning Whatsoever!
You should always plan your eBook marketing campaign carefully. But what if you haven't planned a thing and today's the big day? Read these eBook last minute marketing tips!
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Writing a Fantasy Novel in InstallmentsThere are many ways to go about writing a fantasy novel, and perhaps writing short installments is the way to go. Here's one that I'm working on and hope to serialize soon.
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Top 10 Reasons Fantasy eBook Novels Don't Have MapsYou'll see them in print novels all the time, but rarely will you see fantasy maps in eBooks. Why is that? Read and find out!
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Small Waves Don't Make a Splash With Amazon KDPSome people do great selling with Amazon KDP Select. Others, not so much. Here are the results of my Amazon KDP Select experience.
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New eBook Covers for My Historical Novels
I'm happy to announce that the Warring States series has a new set of covers!
Discover the splendors of ancient China with these three mesmerizing historical novels. |
A Slow NovemberNovember was a very slow month for me. Well, I didn't do much for other people but I sure did a lot for myself.
An Energetic SeptemberSeptember was my most profitable month for writing. I did a lot for others but still managed to put out two books of my own. Here's the monthly report.
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A Productive OctoberOctober was a great month. I published 2 new eBooks and did 30 separate writing projects for other people. Here's the rundown.
A Nose-to-the-Grindstone December
I wanted to wrap the year up with a bang and I manged to do so, putting out quite a few eBooks for myself and a lot of stuff for others.
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A Hectic August
August was one of the most hectic writing months I've had all year. I was so inundated with other people's writing that working on my own stuff was quite tough, but not impossible.
A Busy July
July was quite the busy month for me. I made a lot of money writing for other people, and I managed to get my own books further along.
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Amazon Perma-Free Books and the Recent Rankings Mayhem
What the hell is happening at Amazon? For weeks now I’ve been reading about perma-free books jumping all over the charts. Let's get to the bottom of this mess!
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Should You Change Your Published Novel's Cover?
Are your eBook sales in a slump? Think your cover's to blame? If you made it yourself or got it on the cheap, maybe it's time for a change.
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Should You Change Your Published Novel's Cover?Are you getting enough sales? Did you make it yourself? Does it even tell what your story's about? Perhaps it's time for a change.
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Editing Your Website Long-TermSmall websites are easily manageable. Large websites not so much. Is your website running perfectly, or are there a few things you could fix?
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Editing Your Published Novel? Make It Shine!Chances are your published novel could do with a good once over. I made the decision to re-edit a novel following a reader's comments. Here's the results.
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How Do Amazon's Ranking Algorithms Work?Why is it that some books show up better in Amazon search results than others? And is there anything you can do to improve your rankings, and your sales?
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Authors Supporting Authors – Saturday 99¢ eBook Sale
Readers rejoice! This Saturday there'll be a massive eBook sale on Amazon showcasing the work of 25 different authors with 25 different books. And each book is just 99¢! So what are you waiting for? Grab your next favorite today!
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Smashwords Summer/Winter eBook Promotions
Each year Smashwords allows you to offer deep discounts to your readers. Should you give it a try?
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Special Promotion on SEO and Website Content Writing
I've gone crazy! I'm out of my mind! Somebody please hit me on the head with a hammer! For a limited time only you can get a great SEO and Website content writing eBook for just 99¢!
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Writing a Website's Blog: Increasing Traffic QuicklyIncreasing blog traffic can be a difficult and time consuming process. Follow these tips to increase your blog traffic quickly.
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The Mountain Men of Montana: The RendezvousOnce a year the mountain men and fur trappers would meet up. They'd drink heavily, gamble plenty, and fight often. Most of the year's wages would be made and lost.
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Adventures in SEO Writing #3I do a lot of SEO writing for people all over the world. Here are a few of my more interesting jobs.
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Adventures in SEO Writing #2I do a lot of SEO writing for people all over the world. Here are a few of my more interesting jobs.
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Adventures in SEO Writing #4I do a lot of SEO writing for people all over the world. Here are a few of my more interesting jobs.
Adventures in SEO Writing
I do a lot of SEO writing for people all over the world. Here are a few of my more interesting jobs.
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Google Panda 10-day Rollouts and Your SEO SiteChanges have been taking place. Is your site experiencing fluctuations with Page Rank? And can you do anything about it?
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Writing a Website's Landing PageYour website’s landing page is often the first thing a visitor to your site will see. What you have on your landing page could keep them interested, or turn them away.
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Always Be Increasing Blog Traffic
There are many ways to do it. All of them are easy. Try a few, and see what happens.
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William Clark and Pompey's PillarOn July, 25, 1806 William Clark made his most permanent mark on Montana, and one that's still there today.
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10 Great Mountain Men Fur Trapping BooksThe Mountain Men dared to go where few white men had been before. The Rocky Mountains were a tough place to live and work, and these 10 books will tell you why.
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Nelson Story and the 1866 Montana Cattle DriveThe first Texas Longhorns came to Montana in 1866, thanks to a former miner who could see which way the future was heading.
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Works In Progress
Here you'll find books that I'm currently working on. Some of them get written quickly, others languish in obscurity.
Many of these posts are common threads that lasted over one or more weeks. Perhaps you'll find something of interest.
Many of these posts are common threads that lasted over one or more weeks. Perhaps you'll find something of interest.
How to Write a Fantasy Novel
I got the idea to start writing a new fantasy novel and decided I'd thoroughly discuss the outline process.
- How to Write a Fantasy Novel
- How to Write a Fantasy Novel's Setting
- How to Write a Fantasy Novel's Setting (The West)
- How to Write a Fantasy Novel's Setting (The East)
- How to Write a Fantasy Novel's Main Characters
- Top 10 Reasons Fantasy eBook Novels Don't Have Maps
- Writing a Fantasy Novel in Installments
- How to Write a Fantasy Novel That Sells