Making the Group Effort: Networking Advice for Authors
By Michelle M. Pillow
I’m considered a hybrid author. I’ve been with big publishers, smaller e-first presses, and indie. In my experience, the only certainty with marketing is that the playing field is constantly changing. One year we’re all pushing Yahoo forum groups, then Myspace, then Facebook, and on it goes.
Yes, self-publishing has made it easier to put out a book, but keeping a consistent income in light of industry changes, marketing ups and downs, and what feels like a flooded marketplace can be difficult. There are many things we can’t control. So what’s an author to do when faced with this journey? Having allies to navigate the waters will make flowing with the changes easier.
In the ever-changing publishing world, one tried-and-true marketing effort has remained consistent: networking. I’m not just talking about going to conferences and meeting editors and agents to get those publishing deals. I’m talking about building a vast resource of other professionally minded authors.
When I began, funds were limited, and I had to seek out opportunities to reach readers in an affordable and inventive way. Networking helped me implement many grassroots marketing efforts that had big payoff. In a competitive marketplace, friendships matter. Being an author is hard. Let me rephrase that. Being a working professional author who lasts more than a few years is incredibly hard. If you’re in this line of work as a career, then you’ll need perseverance. It becomes necessary to surround yourself with authors who share the same work philosophy and goals as you. With time, you will find author friends who gel well with your personality and your work ethics.
Networking Payoff
A great part of cultivating relationships with other authors is that you’re able to pool your resources. For example, a sale of 30 books for the holidays will attract more readers than a sale of one. With everyone promoting the sale page, that means more visibility for all.
When I first started, I met the very talented Mandy M. Roth. We both share the same drive for success and the idea that it’s much easier to make it in this business if we’re not doing it alone. Since the beginning, we have co-organized many group projects and run a private author marketing group. Through these endeavors, we have organized multi-author box sets, group sales and giveaways, online scavenger hunts, newsletter sign-up drives, and countless other promo pushes. The best part is that these can all be done with an investment of time and minimal out-of-pocket costs. In return, authors share their experiences and promo opportunities with us. It’s win-win.
I also conducted over 100 author interviews for Paranormal Underground Magazine, giving authors free promotion. It wasn’t a paid position, but through it I had an excuse to meet and talk to authors I normally wouldn’t cross paths with. That made my network even wider, and I was offered non-fiction book contracts from a publisher because of it. Investing time and giving back to the author community by offering free interviews paid off in many ways.
Choose Your Crew Carefully
It’s easier to row a boat if we’re all going in the same direction. My best advice for finding your network of people and joining group projects is to be choosy. Don’t say yes to everything. Seek out networks with authors who have a similar purpose and goals. Everyone needs to be rowing in the same direction and putting the same amount of work in.
Ask yourself: What promo opportunities can I offer others? What group efforts can I organize? Who can I ask to be involved? How have other authors helped or inspired me?
Have you ever collaborated with other authors? I’d love to read your answers and thoughts below.
This article was originally published at Kobo Writing Life.
