Connecting Readers and Writers discussion
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Mod
Perhaps this is the right place to ask questions of our vertically integrated efforts to assist writers getting to the public. I certainly understand the frustrations of trying to get published. I was first published in a news paper in 1976, since then in numerous periodicals and since 2003 more than 20 times as a novelist. I read, publish, and am a bookseller. I'll try to answer questions and encourage anyone who asks.
Mod
I'll go first. Mine has actually been guest blogs I have done. What about you?
Elle wrote: "I have a question for writers: What is your best publicity tip? What one avenue has given you the most readers?I'll go first. Mine has actually been guest blogs I have done. What about you?"
Don't be afraid to connect with other authors (via social networking) and make use of their mutual support. I know other writers who have given me publicity or pointed toward my way, and I have done the same. It helps!
I would like to do more guest blogging, but I'm unsure how to go about it. The guest blog posts I've done so far were the result of an invitation. Is there a polite, non-pushy way to offer my guest posts instead of waiting for an invitation? And if so, how do I go about finding opportunities?Elle wrote: "I have a question for writers: What is your best publicity tip? What one avenue has given you the most readers?
I'll go first. Mine has actually been guest blogs I have done. What about you?"
Hi, Dana.You could post a thread about your availability, some info on your and your books, possible topics you would write about. All bloggers need a break every once in awhile and would take you up on your offer. Have you tried researching some children's book bloggers? I went to your profile and noticed that is what you write.
Good luck,
Karen
Actually, I'm one of those bloggers who could use a break once in a while. lol I'm an author, and I try to do guest blogs as well as keep up with my own blog. It's pretty time-consuming! I could definitely use some guests over at my space, and I'd be happy to do guest posts for others, too. :) Just send me a message, and we can work out details!
Thanks, Karen and Irene. I've been really tied up with the launching on my e-book, Random Ramblings of a Raving Redhead, lately, but I'll definitely follow through with your advice. Irene, I'll be in touch.
I'm an author as well, Dana and I blog at wordpress.com. its nice to have a space on goodreads to talk about my writing. I write vampire novels at the moment, but after this book, I think I'll try human characters, cops and a psychotic fool.
Great, Dana! Looking forward to hearing from you. :)
Elle wrote: "I have a question for writers: What is your best publicity tip? What one avenue has given you the most readers?I'll go first. Mine has actually been guest blogs I have done. What about you?"
I'm writing a novel serial fashion, and posting it to Google+.
In about 3 weeks I've posted 14000 words. I've got 73 +1's (likes), about a dozen share's, and a couple dozen comments. Even one mini-review from a fellow writer I met there.
I don't have anything to sell, as I have yet to finish a novel. I don't plan on selling this novel to the Google+ audience until I have a large enough following there that they will post reviews on Amazon for me.
I'm planning a multi-book series. I expect to always give my followers a window of opportunity to get the books for free, before I post them to Amazon, or wherever I sell them.
Great, Anthony! We are struggling on Google + to get our friends interested in it. Most are sticking with facebook for now. But your serial idea sounds great!
Mary wrote: "Great, Anthony! We are struggling on Google + to get our friends interested in it. Most are sticking with facebook for now. But your serial idea sounds great!"Many people are saying that Facebook is for staying in touch with old friends, and Google+ is for discovering new ones.
Irene, I'd love to do a guest post on your blog! It could be an essay of some kind, a Top 10 list, an author interview, or a character interview. Irene wrote: "Actually, I'm one of those bloggers who could use a break once in a while. lol I'm an author, and I try to do guest blogs as well as keep up with my own blog. It's pretty time-consuming! I could de..."
Hi all,I've created a free website that I think fills a small void and will help us all promote our books.
Signed Editions - post the locations where readers can find signed copies of your books, as well as book signings you are scheduling.
Website: http://signed-edition.com/
I've added three postings as examples. You can add back-links to your book's website. Have a look and let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
Chris
Chris wrote: "Hi all,I've created a free website that I think fills a small void and will help us all promote our books.
Signed Editions - post the locations where readers can find signed copies of your boo..."
Thanks, Chris. Every little bit helps. With more writers going the indie route (I hate the term "indie") book blogs, etc., are going to become important conduits.
Irene wrote: "Actually, I'm one of those bloggers who could use a break once in a while. lol I'm an author, and I try to do guest blogs as well as keep up with my own blog. It's pretty time-consuming! I could de..."I'd be glad to do an interview or a guest blog, too. Would you like me to message you?
I am wondering, as both a reader and writer if we are allowed to post that we are willing to read another authors books, and the flip side having a number of books we want reviewed?
Im generally interested in reader's feedback re: the use of fiction as a tool to support and draw attention to specific social / environmental issues.-M.A.L.
Mod
I see where your coming from but review exchange makes me a little uncomfortable, but I am happy to have you ask people to review your work under the review section on this group. I hope that helps.
Michael wrote: "Im generally interested in reader's feedback re: the use of fiction as a tool to support and draw attention to specific social / environmental issues.-M.A.L."
I have read a couple of books that do this recently. One is independent novelist James Wallace Birch's Discontents, which eerily predicted the Occupy movement; the other is Corey Doctorow's Makers, which deftly captures the economic and social quandary that the West finds itself in. Both are excellent.
Elle wrote: "I have a question for writers: What is your best publicity tip? What one avenue has given you the most readers?I'll go first. Mine has actually been guest blogs I have done. What about you?"
I know this was posted some time ago, but I've only just joined this group - so hope you don't mind me joining in at this late stage. I agree that guest blogs are great, but on a daily basis I have found that Twitter is brilliant, if you can build up a number of people who are interested in your tweets and happy to retweet them.
But when I first published my novel, I had set everything up - website, blog, Facebook, Twitter - and done nothing with them. I had just 9 followers on Twitter. So the last two months have been an amazing journey of finding out what to do and how to do it.
With this in mind, I've written a blog post on my experiences, because I've come across lots of people who are in the same position. Either they haven't got a Twitter account, or they don't know what to do with one when they've got it.
I'm not allowed to post a link to my blog here, but if anybody reading this has been thinking of Twitter, but not knowing where to start - send me a message and I'll do what I can to help. I know how mind blowing the whole thing can be until you have some tools to help!
Rachel,Wow, your post was written for me! I have a twitter account, but no clue what to do with it. Been playing around with it for a few weeks now, but really don't know what I'm doing. Headed off to your blog now... :)
Thanks Chris - I'm going to do an update later today, if I get round to it. But as a brief summary, I think there are three stages to your Twitter promotional activity - and it all depends where you are in your marketing effort. I think that I can now cut back on the engagement in the UK because of my book's position in the charts. It's selling itself, thank goodness. But it's all to do with the timing.I'll try to get it written this afternoon - but if not it will be there in the next few days - so if you go back and check, I think it might prove quite useful.
If you have any questions, I am always very happy to help.
I hope I'm in the right place...This really isn't a discussion of my book or spamming or anything like that--I would just like to get some opinions and feedback regarding reviews.
What are some of the best places to get reviews as an self-published indie author?
My genre is Paranormal Romance and I've found a few places but either I didn't hear back at all, or they took one look at my title and said no, or they were just not doing reviews anymore (or that's what they told me.)
Any info anyone can give out there will be so helpful and most importantly appreciated.
If I posted this is the wrong area I am truly sorry I didn't know where else to go.
Thanks Allison B. Levine
Mod
This really isn't a discussion of my book or spamming or anything like that--I would just like to get some opinions and feedback regarding reviews.
What are some..."
I don't consider that spamming at al. This is the exact place to ask that question. I hope someone can give you a good answer, I think we would all like to know.
Elle wrote: "Allison wrote: "I hope I'm in the right place...This really isn't a discussion of my book or spamming or anything like that--I would just like to get some opinions and feedback regarding reviews...."
Thank you for that!! :)
Places for reviews. A few I collected follow. I was going to create a big document with details of their genres and conditions but decided it was a waste of my time. Sorry for formatting and that I can't provide further info. BTW, I didn't bother sending mine out to any of them, in the end. Instead, I sent out physical copies to the books editor of every newspaper in my target countries. Only after first asking if they would accept it, by e-mail. Expensive and time-consuming. But a few did write reviews.
http://tmycann.wordpress.com/
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/
http://ggpreviews.blogspot.com/
http://soulunsung.blogspot.com/
http://allmetaphor.com/
http://anastaciaknits.net/
http://ashleysbookshelf.blogspot.com/
http://www.babsbookbistro.net/blog/
http://booksandpals.blogspot.com
http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.com
http://bonnielamer.blogspot.com/
http://bookdout.wordpress.com
http://www.tc-bookedup.blogspot.com/
http://bookedinchico.blogspot.com/
http://bookhoundsden.blogspot.com/
http://booklog.eternalised.net/
http://booksrbetter.blogspot.com/
http://www.booksforcompany.com
http://bookslikebreathing.blogspot.com/
http://blog.booksontheknob.org/
http://zzzbooks.blogspot.com
http://www.brazilianbookworm.blogspot...
http://breakoutbooks.blogspot.com/
http://readitreviewit.wordpress.com/
http://cloverhillbookreviews.blogspot...
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com
http://csfantasyreviews.blogspot.com/
http://cupofteareviews.blogspot.com
http://www.dailyebookreviews.com
http://www.darksideofthecovers.com/
http://www.dark-readers.com/
http://dearauthor.com
http://everythingtodowithbooks.blogsp...
http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/
http://fivealarmbookreviews.com
http://flyingofftheshelves.blogspot.com/
http://flyingwithredhaircrow.wordpres...
http://forbiddenpassionsreviews.blogs...
http://fridafantastic.wordpress.com
http://wbrondtkamffer.com
http://hampton-networks.com/book-revi...
http://indieparanormalbooksreviews.bl...
http://mejennihuh2006.blogspot.com/
http://leolteano.hostei.com/blog/word...
http://www.lettersinsideout.net/
http://dream-wish-live.blogspot.com/
http://magicfaeriesparanormalreview.b...
http://mybookgoggles.blogspot.com
http://www.pageflipperz.blogspot.com
http://www.papermustang.com
http://papyrus.calebblake.net/
http://popcornreads.com
http://quillsandzebras.wordpress.com/
http://cynical-believer.blogspot.com/
http://readingromances.wordpress.com
http://roncnofficial.blogspot.com
http://sciencefictionaddiction.blogsp...
http://sfbook.com
http://www.sciencethrillers.com
http://www.siftreviews.com
http://spunkyreviews.blogspot.com
http://thebookhookup.com/
http://www.book-spark.blogspot.com/
http://thecanaryreview.com
http://consumethosebooks.blogspot.com/
http://enovellareview.blogspot.com/
http://thefairytalenerd.blogspot.com/
http://thenewpodlerreviews.blogspot.com/
http://lily-bookhaven.blogspot.com/
http://www.thesundaybookreview.com/
http://www.thewritetomakealiving.com/
http://www.2readornot2read.com/
http://tomesofthesoul.blogspot.com/
http://webbweaver-zelda555.blogspot.com/
http://rockread.westofmars.com/
http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/
http://writingunhooked.wordpress.com/
http://gotfiction.wordpress.com/
http://e-finds.blogspot.com/
http://elizabethswigar.wordpress.com/
http://fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com/
http://flyingofftheshelves.blogspot.com/
http://indieparanormalbooksreviews.bl...
http://www.kindleobsessed.com
http://llbookreview.com
http://www.milorambles.com
http://kindleobsessed.com/
http://llbookreview.com/
http://milorambles.com/
http://mrsgiggles.com/books/
http://murphyslibrary.com/
http://netgalley.com/
http://newpages.com/
http://nightsandweekends.com/bok/
http://nightowlreviews.com/nor/
http://ourlittlebooks.com/
http://panelpatter.blogspot.com/
http://podpeep.blogspot.com/
http://quailridgebooks.com/indie-next...
http://readallday.org/
http://readingreview.com/
http://readerviews.com/index.html
http://rjscafe.wordpress.com/
http://rockread.westofmars.com/
http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/sub...
http://sfandfantasyreviews.blogspot.com/
http://shadowrites.com/
http://smashwordsreviewed.blogspot.com/
http://sooozsaysstuff.blogspot.com/
http://spaldings-racket.blogspot.com/
http://syriasays.com/index.html
http://tatteredcoverbookstore.blogspo...
http://thebookbuff.blogspot.com/
http://thebookstew.blogspot.com/
http://thebookvixen.com/
http://thedarkphantom.wordpress.com/
http://thexdevilsxangel.blogspot.com/
http://thefastertimes.com/indiebooks/
http://thefrugalkindle.blogspot.com/
http://theindiespotlight.com/
http://thekindlechronicles.com/
http://thenextchapterbooks.wordpress....
http://thenovelblog.com/index.aspx
http://thepageflipper.blogspot.com
http://theromancereviews.com/
http://thescattering.wordpress.com/
http://thesecretwriterblog.blogspot.com/
http://tjbook-list.blogspot.com/ (Alternative-Reads.com)
http://topublishornotto.blogspot.com/
http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com/
http://wanda.sibaweb.com/
http://wellreaddonkey.blogspot.com/
http://whatbookisthat.com/
Greg wrote: "Places for reviews. A few I collected follow. I was going to create a big document with details of their genres and conditions but decided it was a waste of my time. Sorry for formatting and that ..."WOW!!! Thank you!!
Good luck. It will take hours to go through... but maybe you can find something useful.
anyone enter the amazon breakthrough novel contest? they had a limit of 5,000 entries and picked 1,000 to advance to the second round. i don't know if the contest is significant, but i was happy to make the second round. There's a general fiction category and a young adult. 5,000 entries in each, and each down to 1,000. the next round goes down to 500. not sure what happens from there.
@ Greg! Wow! That quite a list! Thanks for taking the time to do that for us!
Richard wrote: "anyone enter the amazon breakthrough novel contest? they had a limit of 5,000 entries and picked 1,000 to advance to the second round. ..."Congrats Richard!
I had another author friend who made it to the top 100 or whatever the next to final position was - she didn't make it thru,but she said it was a great way to break out. My fingers are xxxxxx'd for ya!
Chris wrote: "Rachel,Wow, your post was written for me! I have a twitter account, but no clue what to do with it. Been playing around with it for a few weeks now, but really don't know what I'm doing. Headed o..."
Me either... and me TOO!
Chris and Susan - glad that the blog post about Twitter was useful - and Greg - what an incredible list! Fantastic of you to share it. Do you have a blog or anything that lists all these, so that I can point people to it? If you don't, I could cut and paste it into my blog, and reference you in some way - you need to be recognised for this work!
I'm going to be blogging about the whole marketing process (started with Twitter - now spreading to other things) - because since I hit the #1 spot on Amazon UK I get several requests each day asking what I did, so - for what it's worth - I'm going to share the process I went through and hope it helps others. A key element of it has been reviews, so a list like this would be completely invaluable - but I must give credit to you. Is there any way that I can do this that you would be happy with?
Thanks
Hi Rachel,I do have a Blog but haven't put the list up on it because it is nowhere to the quality I would like (the list).
A bit of a perfectionist, I would have continued the list by adding genres, submission guidelines and more.
Feel free to post it on your Blog and credit me with a link to my Goodreads profile or similar. I appreciate that too.
Would you like me to send you the incomplete spreadsheet I have with the other info?
Greg - what a star! If you could email it to me at rachel@rachel-abbott.com that would be terrific. If you put in the email any links that you want - even a link to your book with a bit of blurb - I'm more than happy to do that. I'm just in the process of writing the introduction to the blog sections. It's going to cover everything I did (not that I'm an expert - and I don't want to set myself up as one) but people are asking, so I'm telling. The reviews bit is a week or two ahead, I suspect - but it would be great to have. Thank you.
Hi again,In the mean time, I decided I should probably put them up. So I have just quickly added a list to my Blog with the information that I had already worked on.
Again, it still isn't complete. Feel free to use the URLs on your Blog and link to me.
If you want to link a Blurb of my work, please use the one available on the book, here: The Spanish Helmet
Happy for you to link to Goodreads, Amazon, my Blog... wherever you think best.
Here is my post with a little more info on each (most) of the reviewers: http://www.gregscowen.com/2012/02/a-f...
Glad if it helps anyone.
I've just had a look. My goodness! What an incredible list! I will definitely use it, and I will definitely give you all the promo you want in return for that.The other alternative is that you could do a guest post, so that it comes from you? I am going to write about what to do to ask for a review, and show my review request document. I have never been sent anything like it, but it didn't occur to me to do any less. If you think that a guest post on how you found all of these, then the list, would be more useful to you - please be my guest! Let me know.
Thank you!
Do you know, I am so lazy about Blog posting that I think I would rather you did a post and just link to me if you like?I don't want to bring down the level of your Blog. have you noticed mine? I barely ever update it. I guess I am kind of the organic marketer. I prefer to answer questions and contribute in forums than to push myself out there. And years of experience as a Web developer, I know I am not good at Blogging.
Thanks for the offer, though. I will look forward to seeing your post.
Oh, and I agree, asking the person you are approaching for a review before you send off your book is courtesy. I recommend it.
On the off-chance that some-one wants names and e-mails for New Zealand newspaper book editors/reporters, let me know. Not for generic titles, I will only supply this for authors with a very NZ centric book.
Rachel wrote: "Chris and Susan - glad that the blog post about Twitter was useful - and Greg - what an incredible list! Fantastic of you to share it. Do you have a blog or anything that lists all these, so that..."
Please let me know when that is up--I'm looking forward to learning the best practices!
I've just posted the first post now - but I can't talk about it on here - it's against the rules. I'll post it somewhere else!
Actually, if you just click on my name, it should take you to my page - and there is a blog link there so you should be able to see the first post there - then you can subscribe to the RSS feed or email. Hope that helps.
Rachel wrote: "I've just posted the first post now - but I can't talk about it on here - it's against the rules. I'll post it somewhere else!"Oh no, have I broken rules? I can take down my post if I need to.
I don't set the rules, Greg - I just thought I had better check before putting a link in. I wouldn't worry if nobody has done anything about it.
This is a list I compiled of those that would consider reviewing ebooks by indie writers, specifically SciFi/Fantasy:(Review Site & Site URL)Sorry about the format. Cut and pasted from my spreadsheet.
Adarna SF http://adarnasf.com/
Canary Review http://thecanaryreview.wordpress.com/
Daily Ebook Reviews http://www.dailyebookreviews.com/
Enter The Portal www.entertheportal.wordpress.com
Indie Book Podcast http://www.indiebookpodcast.com/
Kindle Book Review http://thekindlebookreview.blogspot.c...
Marie Violante http://violantewrites.wordpress.com/
MotherLode http://www.gracekrispy.com/my-review-...
Novel Opinion http://novelopinion.org/
Papyrus http://papyrus.calebblake.net/
Red Adept Reviews http://redadeptreviews.com/
Sift Book Reviews http://siftbookreviews.blogspot.com/
IndieReader http://indiereader.com/author-promoti...
Marie Violante http://violantewrites.wordpress.com/
The Literary Mind Bender http://theliterarymb.com/?page_id=12
http://janieraeldridge.blogspot.com/p...
Rainy Day Ramblings (Heidi) http://rainydayramblings.typepad.com/...
Kate Policani http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress...
That's a great list, DL. I mentioned previously that I am doing a blog to help indie authors - would you mind if I either reproduced your list (giving you credit, of course) or pointed them to somwhere that you are already displaying this on your blog?Thanks
Rachel
Greg & DL, thanks for the fantastic lists!
Connecting Readers and Writers
Books mentioned in this topic
Become a Wine Expert Before You Date: Basics to Know About Wine (other topics)Looking and Seeing: Learning to Observe (other topics)
The Spanish Helmet (other topics)
*Please not that any self-promotion of a book, blog or website will be removed.