THE FALL, 2021 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST WILL BE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021! Our fall contest is the most popular one each year. Only 500 participants permitted so DON’T DELAY IF YOU WANT TO PLAY!!
As many fiction writers know, book sales make up only a portion of a writer’s income. Festivals, conferences, and library appearances are valuable tools for additional revenue, and to promote titles. However, lockdowns and restrictions have made these writers’ events more challenging. Many writers are unable to fly around the country to go to the usual calendar of large-scale occasions, and localized events have been postponed or cancelled.
Running your own event online can offer the same advantages of appearing at live events, with the added bonus of reaching a wider audience, and connecting with your readers without the need to travel. Additionally, online events are often preferred by people with busy work lives or family schedules, who can more easily fit a virtual talk or workshop into their day.
What kind of event can you host online?
Most writers’ events can easily be adapted for a virtual format. Although promotion of a new title is the most important type of event for any writer, there are many other kinds of appearances that you can arrange between new releases.
– Workshops – writers’ workshops are widely popular and well attended by aspiring wordsmiths. As an author, you have exceptional guidance and insights to offer into the craft of writing. You can offer a workshop into writing fiction, non-fiction, biography, or whatever you have expertise in.
– Panels – panel discussions are a mainstay at writers’ festivals, but there’s no reason why you need to wait to be invited to one. If you have a strong author network, bring together a group to discuss a theme common to your work. Themes should be topical and offer lots of room for discussion.
– Business of writing – if you work professionally as a writer, you can offer your insights into the writing life for an online audience. Tips and advice regarding getting published, working with editors, and pitching ideas are all very popular with audiences.
How can you market your event?
It is imperative that you have good marketing strategies in place to make your online event a success. As the event is taking place online, having a strong internet presence is important. Begin by developing a thorough understanding of your event and what value it will offer to the attendees. Think about your target audience and consider the best way to deliver your event to them.
Once you have a clear proposition, develop a brief event outline that you can use for marketing. This should clearly demonstrate what the event involves, what it will provide to attendees, and why they should attend. Including some biographical information to show your credentials is a good idea.
You can then use this event outline to market the event through whatever channels you have available. Social media is an easy place to start, and you can even invest in some sponsored ads if you have the budget to do so. If you have a mailing list, sending out information and reminders about the event will result in interest from your existing fan base. Your personal author website is another option.
How can you monetize your event?
The best way to make money from hosting your own online event is to sell tickets. This will require a ticketing system, which you will need to pay for. You can also consider special offers, such as early bird tickets or bonus extras. Authors may want to further incentivize by offering a free copy of your book with each ticket sold. This builds your readership as well as gaining more attendees to your event.
Another option is to find event sponsors. Approach relevant brands to sponsor the event in exchange for you offering them some visibility with your audience. This is especially relevant for non-fiction authors in specific areas. Remember, it’s not necessary to monetize your online event – your objectives might be exposure and building your author brand instead.
What technology should you use?
In the past eighteen months, we have all become more adept at using virtual platforms and video conferencing. There are many options available for presenting to a wide audience. When considering these, some factors to think about include how easy it is to distribute access details, if you have functionality such as sharing your screen or a chat box for questions, and how secure your online event will be to prevent unwanted attendees.
When getting ready to present, make sure you have a reliable internet connection and a good microphone. Using headphones often helps to prevent feedback or outdoor sounds. Choose a platform you are comfortable using and always test your technology beforehand.
RELATED:
- Be The “Go To” Gal! The Importance of Branding Yourself in a Niche Market By Julie Donner Andersen
- How to Become an Expert Niche Writer to Grow Your Brand AND Income – by Faye Arcand
- “Should my website’s URL be my name or my book’s title?”
- Building a Successful Book Selling Model Isn’t Complicated or Mystical. (Psssttt! Here’s the secret…) by Richard Hoy, BoostABook.com
- BUILDING YOUR BOOK-REVIEWING PRACTICE: FIVE TIPS FOR FINDING TITLES TO PITCH By Erika Dreifus
Emma Hall is a young emerging writer living in Melbourne, Australia. Her short fiction has been published in several journals and anthologies, including PENinsula Journal, Litro Magazine, Short and Twisted Anthology and The Wire’s Dream Magazine. Emma is a professional freelance writer and communications consultant, with extensive experience writing articles for print and online publications. She is currently seeking representation for her first novel. Emma writes about books, writing and more at emmahallwrites.com
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor, which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
The Fearless Freelancer: How to Thrive in a Recession
Want to Recession-Proof Your Freelance Business?
Freelancing in a recession doesn’t have to be scary. The Fearless Freelancer gives you a proven, step-by-step process for getting steady, high-paying clients—from a freelancer who’s thrived during two recessions.
Whether this is your first recession or you’ve been through this before, discover how to:
- Boost your confidence so you can stay calm and focus
- Stand out in a sea of freelancers so clients choose you
- Make freelance marketing as easy as tying your shoes
- Find high-paying clients that still need freelancers now
- Create marketing that will attract those clients
- Succeed in a recession even if you’re a new freelancer
Free Bonus Content
Also get dozens of checklists, templates, and other tools to help you recession-proof your freelance business, including:
- Simple Strategic Plan for Surviving the Recession
- The Ultimate LinkedIn Profile Checklist for Freelancers
- Awesome Freelance Website Template
So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter - How To Make Money Writing Without a Byline
Many freelance writers find it difficult to break into the publishing world. What they don't know, however, is that there's a faster and easier way to see their words in print. It's called ghostwriting, and it's an extremely lucrative, fun, and challenging career.
But how do you get started as a ghostwriter? How do you find new clients who will pay you to write their material? How do you charge? And what kind of contracts do you need to succeed? All these questions and more are answered in So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter...How to Make Money Writing Without a Byline.
Read more here:
https://writersweekly.com/books/49.html
7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER - Revised and Expanded Edition
At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.
And of those titles--ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize--an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!
Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!
Read more here:
https://writersweekly.com/books/5635.html