“Own your story, build your brand, and share it with the world—your author journey starts here.”

Authors- How To Brand You and Your Books

by Jolene MacFadden

Genre: Non-Fiction, Author Self-Help

Digital Marketing Assistance for the Business Challenged Writer

One of the most difficult tasks for any creative talent is to effectively brand ourselves and our stories.

This book will help you.

From websites to the most popular social media platforms, I have experienced it all, and will provide you with most of the tips and tricks I have learned through the years. This book will also help you gain some basic understanding behind the 'why you should do these tasks yourself'. It has become a requirement in today's publishing climate for both indie and traditionally published authors to have a social media presence. This book will show you the different places you should be spending your valuable time to, hopefully, be most effective at connecting with your readers and make more sales. I include some great ideas on what to post, how often, and when. (Of course, you do what is best for you and your schedule)

The main goal is to inform, encourage, and to show you that YOU CAN DO THIS or you, your readers, and your professional book writing business

Amazon * Jolene’s Bookstore * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

30 Day Social Media Challenge

Purple Leather Edition

by Jolene MacFadden

Genre: Non-Fiction, Author Self-Help

Welcome to the 30-Day Challenge Workbook. Within these pages are helpful forms that will help you get started on your digital marketing journey for your small business. This workbook along with my other beginner’s reference book called, “Top Ten Ways to Market Your Books for Free”, which works for authors and small businesses, will help you understand the how’s and whys of social media. Again, these are beginner guides only. At the end of 30 days, you will have actionable routines and data to help you formulate a plan of action that works for you and your business.

Comes in paperback or spiral!

Amazon * Jolene’s Bookstore * The Book Patch

Top Ten Ways To Market Your Book for Free:

And Other TidBits of Information for Writers

by Jolene MacFadden

Genre: Non-Fiction, Author Self-Help

Quick and easy information for writers who want to know how to market their book on a very tight budget. Tips and tricks gathered from years of working with writers, publishing my own books, and as a reader wanting to find more on the writers I want to read.

Amazon * Jolene’s Bookstore * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

Free use image from Open Clipart Vectors

Ornery Owl's Review

Rating: Four out of Five Stars

Authors need low‑cost ways to build a book business and readers. Jolene McFadden's book, Authors Brand Yourself, and the accompanying workbook provide practical ways to do this.

The book states its objective clearly:

“There are ways of getting the word out that your story has been published online that do not cost anything.”

This is a practical, beginner‑focused book on author branding and free marketing tactics. The friendly, checklist style, the lots‑of-links approach, and the opportunities to take immediate, practical action make it useful for new and solopreneur authors. It’s not a perfect fit for someone seeking analytical frameworks, metrics, or case studies with ROI.

The book and accompanying workbook live up to the promise of showing authors free and low‑cost ways to brand and market a book.

Strengths:

The book provides beginner and indie authors with tactical entry points including how to set up a web presence, where to list books, how to use social platforms, and building a reader community.
The audience level is clear, and the step lists and checklists match that level.
The manuscript links to platform pages and tools (Books2Read, Jetpack, Cava, remove.bg, etc.).
The author provides plenty of first‑hand examples (author’s profiles, how she uses platforms), and screenshots as well as concrete checklists, sample forms, the bonus resource page and practical how‑tos for each platform.
Voice is supportive and personal (“I’ve done this; here’s what I use”)

Favorite Passage:

“CONSISTENCY, patience, and perseverance are the keys to any winning marketing campaign no matter what the product. Yours is unique to you so you need to figure out what works best for you.”

Areas for improvement

It would be helpful to include a “Beginner’s Roadmap” (e.g., Week 1–12 actions, with suggested metrics), which would turn tactics into an executable plan.

Dense technical info (WordPress export/import, Jetpack) is summarized casually, which is useful, but could be tightened or grouped into a “Tech Appendix” to keep the main narrative crisp.

Google Sites is mentioned as a place to purchase a domain. However, Google Sites no longer exists.

The author suggests Twitter as a potential social media platform. However, Twitter no longer exists. It is now X. (I know, I hate it too.)

The book rarely addresses trade‑offs (e.g., time cost per channel, audience overlap, when to stop a tactic).

The book could strengthen urgency with a sentence about discoverability trends (e.g., retail algorithms favor activity; social reach is shifting).

Questions

What is the recommended minimal schedule for a solo author who can spend 30 minutes/day? A concrete 12‑week plan with time budgets would clarify tradeoffs.
How should success be measured month‑to‑month? Suggested KPIs (newsletter growth, followership growth, review acquisition rate) with realistic benchmarks would help.
When should an author stop using a platform and switch to another? A simple decision tree or rule would be helpful.

Summing Things Up

The book is long and sometimes circular. I read chunks at a time rather than straight through. In fairness, this isn't the kind of book one reads straight through. I kept reading for the many actionable tips and the author’s lived experience.

I would recommend this book and the accompanying workbook to beginner indie authors or writers launching a first book who want a practical, no‑nonsense starter kit. I would not recommend it as a primary resource for authors seeking data‑driven growth strategies or for marketing professionals who want frameworks and metrics.

This book and workbook set live up to their promise of providing a solid, practical toolbox for authors who need to get started on advancing their online presence and promoting their work.

Jolene MacFadden is a multi-published nonfiction author, digital marketer, and lifelong storyteller dedicated to helping writers build their brands and thrive in today’s publishing world. With decades of hands-on experience as a financial counselor, freelance web designer, and marketing strategist, she blends practical know-how with creative insight to guide authors through the often-overwhelming world of book promotion. Her popular guides—"Authors: How to Brand You and Your Books”, “30-Day Social Media Challenge Workbook”, and “Top Ten Ways to Market Your Book for Free”—have become go-to resources for indie, hybrid, and traditionally published authors alike.

An eclectic learner and enthusiastic community builder, Jolene has grown a vibrant multi-platform presence, engaging readers and writers through Pinterest, Mastodon, TikTok, Substack, and YouTube. She hosts the lively Jolene’s Book and Writer’s Talk podcast, where she interviews authors and industry pros across genres, and she regularly speaks at book festivals and writers’ conferences across Florida. Her passion for storytelling, education, and empowerment drives everything she creates—whether it’s a blog post, a marketing workshop, or her Solo Sojourn Project inspiring solo women travelers to explore public lands.

Jolene also writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance under the pen name L. J. Green (Lillian Jade Green), where she blends rich historical detail with intrigue and heart. A proud “Booming Xer,” she lives a life of exploration, blending authorship, digital entrepreneurship, and travel in her home state of Florida.

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