Blog: Spread the Word
Author Kelly Harmon had a really great blog post about gifts for writers. I disagreed a little with her on the “what not to give” list—I happen to love (and use) notebooks and journals—but all the other suggestions are excellent. Especially good were the marketing help suggestions—if you like someone’s work then spread the word. There are over 200,000 books published each year by traditional publishers and over 500,000 self-published. It can be difficult for any author or book to stand out in the crowd—the vast majority of books sell less than 1,000 copies. Derek Sivers has a great TEDtalk about how to start a movement. Malcolm Gladwell talks about something similar in The Tipping Point. The secret is people spreading the word, of “mavens and connectors” as Gladwell calls them, telling everyone they know about this great thing they have found.So, to close out this season of giving and thanks, if there’s an author whose work you’re enjoying, spread the word—tag their books on Amazon; write a review on Amazon, Goodreads or any other website; submit their name to contests; blog, tweet, like, dig, and stumble their website and works; and, perhaps, most importantly, let the author know. It can get lonely out here in cyberspace, wondering if anyone is actually enjoying what we do.
I’d like to close by introducing you to the amazing work of four creative types whose work I enjoy and who are looking for a little support for what they do:
author Alma Alexander, author of the fabulous The Secrets of Jin-Shei, is raising funds via Kickstarter to publish a few short story collections. If the short story collections are even a tenth as good as The Secrets of Jin-Shei then they are going to knock socks off. Support pledges start at $10 and in exchange you’ll receive an e-book edition of two of the collections. Deadline for raising funds in order for the project to go forward is January 9th!
Clarkesworld Magazine, a magazine of science fiction and fantasy, is looking for “citizen” support in the form of donations of $10 or more. Now, I have to admit I don’t know a lot about this magazine, I have not had a chance to read it, but the cover art is to die for, and that alone is worth $10. So even if you’re not down with the magazine itself, check out the cover artists and give them some love--I particularly like the work of Serj Iulian. At last year's Readercon, my sister bought a journal with "Evil Snowman" on the cover and I got one with "A Day Without You - Second Phase."
Poet on the Prairie is an independent documentary film about a disappearing American icon—the American Mustang. The filmmakers need to raise money in order to edit and distribute the film. Like Buck, it tells an inspiration story—this time of the Black Hill Wild Horse Santuary and of the founder's lifelong efforts to save wild horses.
The Zach Caruso band is a New Jersey-based band that I stumbled across during a trip to Philadelphia. I went to a fundraiser for a local animal shelter and these guys were playing when I walked in. If you like bluesy-rock, then you’ll love these guys—check out their playlist (Deep Blue Sea blows me away every time I hear it) and if you like what you hear, buy their albums, tell all your friends, and then email the band and beg them to get on the road and come to your town. I’ve begged them to come to New England, but so far, no luck. If we get enough people asking, maybe we can pry them out of Jersey.
Comments
My blog software failed to register your mention in December, or I'd have popped by sooner. I am now a subscriber. :)
(And, I am reading through your flash fiction... Loving it.)
Thanks for the mention on your blog. Much appreciated.