Giving back, Marketing, and Community Good Will.

[JCFarnham]

I have decided after months of procrastinating with my own work that I should do something for the greater writing community. Being that I am a graduate of Marketing, I want to give back in the spirit of networking and forming bonds between us, a group of people who, more than any non-artist, need to work together.

So. Here's my idea, my suggestion and my offer to you the people of Mythic Scribes:

I want to do a post or a series of posts on my blog (link in my signature) giving published authors of any kind (self, traditional, upcoming with stuff offered for free, whatever) the chance for a little bit of shameless promotion. A review.

My hope is that we can foster a community spirit of lending each other a hand when it comes to marketing. Now I can't promise that my blog is well visited, but any exposure for your work is exposure right? I would even like to expand this idea to anyone else who has a blog or an account on a review site or anything else like that. You could I suppose call it a kind of Mythic Scribes "blog tour" where by we all review each other in one way or another.

So here's the deal:

1. Pick up a story by a Mythic Scribes author.
2. Read it and review it and post said review on your blog/website.
3. Link to the author's website/blog/Amazon offerings, etc.
4. Simples.

I know it's done an awful lot elsewhere to varying degrees of success (and I'm sure some of you already do this for people) but what I'm hoping to promote is, as I said, that community spirit, I want every one at Mythic Scribes helping each other to get their work out there. So if you're a Mythic Scribes member (and why wouldn't you be you're reading this after all) read on.

Marketing is tough to go at alone. So lets not have to.

What will I personally do?

• I'm opening myself up to submissions. Though obviously I can't read everything under the sun.
• Tell me of your published book, link me to it/send me a copy and I'll try to follow the above 3 steps for you.
• NB. I do have to say that I don't have endless money at the moment, but if I can, I will pay like everyone else. That being said, free copies are welcome and certainly help me not default on my bills haha. After all I don't want this having any of the trappings of a for profit agreement or anything like that. I just want us to get our work out there. Free stuff here and there I think is a good price to pay for the kind of exposure I'm trying to kindle. It's a good will gesture you know?
• I can't say it enough. You must be some form of PUBLISHED. Otherwise it's a waste of time from a marketing point of view.

 

[Steerpike]

Do you have a Kindle?

 

[JCFarnham]

Do you have a Kindle?

Indeed I do.

EDIT: I am talking about you guys sending electronic books natrually (though it probably goes without saying). I have a kindle if you're set up for that.

Anybody else I'm all set up to recieve pdfs and the like so that's fine too.

 

[Mindfire]

I think JC's on to something. AFAIK, one of the big things in writing is gathering an audience. This forum is a collection of largely like-minded individuals who share similar interests and tastes, i.e. a fairly dependable audience, gratis.

 

[JCFarnham]

I think JC's on to something. AFAIK, one of the big things in writing is gathering an audience. This forum is a collection of largely like-minded individuals who share similar interests and tastes, i.e. a fairly dependable audience, gratis.

Precisely right Mindfire. And who better than like minded individuals to give your fiction a little bit of exposure?

The idea, of course, is that you return the reviews you receive, review for review creating a nice back and forth between the members of Mythic Scribes. To top it all off the website itself has a fair bit of daily traffic. The way I see it this is a perfect way to help out members, and help them find their audience. Once the endeavour takes off I expect it to be able to stand of its own accord and ... well, who knows who might stop by one Scribes blog right?

Though for that to happen I can't be the only one reviewing can I

 

[Steerpike]

I really like the idea. I'm happy to do reviews for people as well. I have one book self-published at the moment. It is fantasy, but it is a children's book. I suspect most people are OK with that.

 

[Mindfire]

I'm up for reviews if anyone would like. I'm currently beta reading for Caged Maiden, but I'm willing to take one perhaps one or two others.

 

[Devor]

If you guys write quality member reviews and are willing to hold on to them for a couple of months, I might be able to help with the Marketing. But only with quality original content.

 

[Philip Overby]

I think this is a good idea JC. I think some people are sort of doing this naturally already, but yeah, I'm willing to promote things for people as well. I don't have much clout, but people view my blog now and again. We should definitely use this built in network we have here to help each other out as much as we can. So cheers for that!

 

[robertbevan]

i'd like to get in on this action. only problem is that i haven't got a website or blog properly going just yet.

i've got a blogger account, but i've only made one post on it, and nobody's ever looked at it.

and i've reserved a web address, but haven't done anything with the actual page just yet because i don't know how.

maybe i'll just come back to this thread after i get my shit sorted out.


anyway... i love the idea.

 

[Ireth]

This sounds awesome, but unfortunately I'm unpublished and have no blog.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

I think this is an excellent idea. I've got two short stories published on Amazon, and my novel should be appearing on Amazon in the next few weeks. I'd be happy to reciprocate reviews.

 

[Telcontar]

Well, given that my first novel is brand-new, I'm definitely looking to gather some reviews!

I always add in the caveat, though, that I only want you to leave a good review if you actually liked the book. I do the same. My usual rule goes "When 'reviewing for someone I know, provided it would be a three-star or above, I post it. Anything below that and I do a 'critique' instead and send it to 'em."

JC, would you accept a free book through Smashwords? If so, you would be able to post a review there as well (only confirmed sales can post reviews there, as opposed to Amazon).

 

[robertbevan]

JC, would you accept a free book through Smashwords? If so, you would be able to post a review there as well (only confirmed sales can post reviews there, as opposed to Amazon).

hey... could you clear that up for me? are you saying only confirmed sales are able to post reviews on smashwords? or amazon? because i tried to review a book i picked up free on amazon, and it said i had to be a confirmed sale in order to leave a review.


or did i just read you wrong?

 

[Telcontar]

No, on Amazon you should be able to leave a review no matter what. On Smashwords you have to have purchased the book (or received it as a gift, I assume).

 

[Steerpike]

Yes, I sent a free copy to an Amazon reviewer I wanted to have look at my book, and she was able to post a review.

 

[robertbevan]

well i'm telling you honestly that i wasn't able to leave a review on a book i downloaded for free on amazon.


maybe it's different if you actually send a person a free book? the one i'm talking about was a book i downloaded from a guy who just set the price as free as part of a promotion for his second book.

is it different?

 

[robertbevan]

also... how does that explain this?

JC, would you accept a free book through Smashwords? If so, you would be able to post a review there as well (only confirmed sales can post reviews there, as opposed to Amazon).

the way i'm reading this, telcontar wants to send a free book through smashwords, although smashwords doesn't allow reviews on free books.

i'm not trying to nitpick or be argumentative. i'm just confused. i'm new to all of this, and i want to get in on the action.


also, telcontar... i really like your proposed system of "either say something nice in public or say something constructively critical in private." i think that's a good way of keeping things both honest and supportive.

 

[Steerpike]

well i'm telling you honestly that i wasn't able to leave a review on a book i downloaded for free on amazon.


maybe it's different if you actually send a person a free book? the one i'm talking about was a book i downloaded from a guy who just set the price as free as part of a promotion for his second book.

is it different?

I don't know, Robert. I never made any note of the free book I sent on Amazon. As far as Amazon knew, the reviewer never purchased the book.

 

[Telcontar]

Actually, I have written a review of a book I got for free. You can also review books you didn't even get through amazon, or technically haven't even read. That's why Amazon includes the little "verified purchase" thing next to people who did get the book through them. Not sure what happened with your case, Robert.

Must admit I'm not well versed in Smashwords reviewing rules. Do you mean that don't allow reviews on books that are listed as completely free, or that they don't allow reviews on books that were made free via coupon? I'm almost certain they allow reviews in the second case. Disallowing that would be moronic.

Edit: Just checked: I can certainly leave reviews on free books on Smashwords.