Using Existing Sources
Add Your Name to the Authors Who Visit Book Clubs Page on Facebook
Book clubs are a good resource for putting your name and the name of your book into the hands of people who read. The link found in the previous title is to an existing Facebook page that allows you to put in information about you and your book so that book clubs in your area can contact you if they are interested.
Authors Round the South Website
As a part of BQB’s membership with the Southern Independent Booksellers Association, BQB authors are able to add their information to the above website so that booksellers in the south can learn about them and contact them for book signings or other author opportunities.
In order to set up your profile with this website, click on this link and set up your profile page, link it to your website, add the link to your blog, etc., so that southern booksellers can find you. When you set up your profile, make sure you keep track of your username and password because you will need that information to log back in and keep your profile and your appearances updated.
This website acts as a speakers bureau as well, so if you are traveling, log on to your profile and put in the information about where you will be and when. You can also put the number of miles you are willing to travel from where you live so that booksellers who are in that radius can contact you for an appearance.
Amazon.com/Author Central
If you haven’t already set up your author account on Amazon, do so as soon as you can. Log in to the website above and create your author login and password then put in your bio and all the other information that Amazon allows an author to enter. When you complete this section, whenever someone pulls up one of your books on Amazon, they will be able to click on your name and get to detailed information about you. The more a reader knows about an author, the more interest they usually have, especially a new author.
BarnesandNoble.com
Your author and bio information are added to Barnes and Noble by BQB when we set your book up, but this site is a great way to get your friends and supporters to add reviews to your book(s). They must have a Barnes and Noble account to do so, but it is free to create and it’s not necessary to buy any products in order to add a review. The more reviews a book has, the more attention it gets from prospective buyers.
Event Sites for Posting Book Signings and Events
While BQB puts a lot of time and energy into promoting events such as book signings, it is a good idea that each author makes sure his or her events are promoted as well. These are some of the event posting sites on the Internet that are popular for finding local events and “happenings.” Create an account and make sure that all of your book signings and/or events are posted, and if not, get them added.
upcoming
patch.com
eventful.com
If you know of other event posting sites that we don’t have listed, let us know and we’ll add them to our list and get them on this website page for other BQB authors to use as well.
Use MailChimp.com for Sending Newsletters or Book Signing Updates
Mail Chimp is a free program that can be used for sending newsletters or updates to people who opt-in to get information from you. It’s a great way to notify your fan base of book signings or other events you may be doing as well as to communicate with them about new books, speaking engagements, or any other projects for which you want to draw a crowd.
Begin by signing up at mailchimp.com and then begin creating your email contact lists. A good way to do this is to use the form you can get from the mailchimp website to add to your author website where people can opt-in to receive newsletters or correspondence from you. The mailchimp form automatically puts the contact information into your email list on mailchimp.
Another way to gather an email marketing list is when you do book signings or other appearances or marketing. You can do this by simply having a sign-up sheet for people who are interested in receiving newsletters or ongoing updates from you as an author. Then add their email information to your list in your mailchimp account. Or begin by asking your friends, family, and acquaintances if you can add them to your author update email. Then, keep everyone on your list updated as to any book signings or appearances you will be making along with other information that will keep them posted on you as an author.
Friends of the Library Associations
“Authors for Libraries” is sponsored by ALTAFF, which is a national association for Friends of the Library. The authors program provides an opportunity for authors to join for $39 and among other benefits, you’ll get a hyperlink to your website. The Authors for Libraries section of the website is apparently used by library staff, Friends groups, etc.m to find authors for book signings, library talks, etc.
Get Your Book Reviewed on www.TheBookcast.com
This website offers ongoing reviews of books and is very supportive to indie authors. The following is their information for submissions:
Hello!
Thank you for requesting an invitation for an author interview with The Bookcast. I am delighted that you’re interested, and glad to be able to lend my support to indie authors.
Here is a short list of basic criteria authors need to meet to be part of The Bookcast. (Of course you knew there would be criteria, right? I promise to keep them to a minimum.) Please read this page carefully.
Let’s start with the basic requirements:
– Your book must be published. In other words it’s finished, it’s out there, it’s available for purchase. Please, no works-in-progress.
– Your book should be no more than one year old. Your backlist is excellent,we’re sure, but we’re looking for new and current books.
– One title only, please. Again, we’re sure your entire oeuvre is impressive, but if you have multiple titles being published at nearly the same time, choose the ONE you want to be interviewed for.
Now let’s get down to some details:
– I am not interested in interviewing you for The Bookcast if your book is pornographic, hate-spewing, racist, homophobic, etc. I reserve the unconditional right to decline an interview if, at my sole discretion, a book crosses the line.
– How do I put this delicately .. does your book suck? I am not a book reviewer (i.e. I don’t write value judgements about your book), so I am not going to quibble over whether your spy-conspiracy plot makes sense, or that your Martian aliens are not believable. But, if your book is full of misspellings, bad grammar, poor punctuation, inept vocabulary (meaning you haven’t mastered the basic tools every writer must possess) sorry, no go. I reserve the unconditional right, at my sole discretion, to decline an interview with any author on that basis.
– The Bookcast interviews are in English only. (Your book can be in another language, however.)
– Are you under 18? No problem, as long as I can get your parents’ permission to interview you.
Doing well so far? Excellent!
Now what I need is a sample of your book. I do not need a “review copy” of the finished book, but I do need the first ten pages of published content (excluding table of contents, foreword, dedication, prologue, etc). This sample of your book will help me determine — how do I put this delicately? — if your book sucks. Your “First Ten” will also be posted on The Bookcast if you are selected for an interview. This file can be plain text, a word processor file, or a PDF.
There are also things I will need from you if you are selected for an interview. All of these are required, and all can be submitted electronically. DO NOT SEND THEM NOW.
– A synopsis of your book. Nothing long or complicated; something similar to what you would submit to Amazon is fine. This, too, will be used online.
– Your photo.
– Your bio.
– Your personal contact info. This will NOT be published anywhere online, and is for my use only.
Oh, and there’s one more important detail:
– All interviews for The Bookcast are conducted via Skype (audio only at this time). Skype is easily downloaded, installed, and set up on virtually any computer. All you will need is a decent-quality microphone or audio-enabled webcam, which you probably already have.
So how did you do?
Most authors will meet all the criteria. If that’s you, then simply click REPLY and respond to this email and you’ll be automatically added to the queue of authors awaiting an interview. Don’t worry, that’s not as scary as it sounds. The queue isn’t very long — in fact you’ll probably hear from us again within a few days.
If you don’t meet all the criteria ….
… don’t worry. This is not a one-time-only offer. Fix what needs to be fixed, and get back to us.
Looking forward to hearing from you! Email: Bill@thebookcast.com
Click here to go back to the BQB Authors Portal.