Sarah Juckes of ALLi partner member CompletelyNovel outlines different ways for self-published authors to band together for greater book promotion traction.
One key concern for writers embarking on a self-publishing career is the prospect of going it alone – especially when it comes to book marketing. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been looking at ways indie authors have been joining forces to combat this.
Turning Community into Collaboration
The mutual support available within the self-publishing community is invaluable
One of the wonderful things about organisations such as ALLi is the community that comes with it. Authors can share advice, links and contacts, with other independent authors. For a lot of authors I have spoken to, this mutual support is an essential part of combating this feeling of being ‘alone’. In the last year, I’ve also seen a growing trend of authors who are using community to create marketing opportunities.
Authors have formed collectives such as Triskele Books, or come together as a one-off to produce box sets, as with the Outside the Box: Women Writing Women collection, whose contributors are all members of ALLi.
Why It Works
A collaborative project by seven author members of ALLi from around the world
Collaborating with other authors works as we are all essentially aiming for the same goal – to reach readers. If a reader enjoyed one author’s travel diaries across North America, they might also enjoy a cycling adventure through South America. By working together on the same event, article or campaign, you stand to increase your audience and potentially attract more readers to your book by helping them join the dots between similar books to yours. It’s great to see collaborations between authors beginning to emerge – but what other ways can we be working together?
Could independent publishing go the way of the music industry and see ‘support acts’ behind every main author event?
Completely Collaborating
That's why in November 2013, inspired by the collaborative opportunities on offer with ALLi, we set up CompletelyNovel’s One Big Book Launch, a collaborative book launch that enabled ten authors to join forces and launch their books at an top event in London. The launch was one of the most inspirational and fun evenings of my year. Independent books stood proudly alongside traditionally published books, and by sharing readers, marketing efforts, budgets and celebrations, each author involved managed to reach more readers. Due to the success of last year's event, we have now opened submissions to authors for 2015. (Click here to apply here before 19th April.)
Authors joining forces at Completely Novel's One Big Book Launch, November 2013
Although you must be in London to take part in this event, it's a project that could be replicated anywhere in the world, wherever you happen to be.
OVER TO YOU
Have you discovered a new kind of collaborative project that has raised your profile as an author and boosted your sales? Is there a joint venture that you'd like to try for which you're seeking partners? Let's continue the conversation via the comment box!
EASY TWEET
#Authors: could collaborative #bookmarketing work for you? Ideas from @SarahAnnJuckes #selfpub #AuthorALLi Click To Tweet
I have just published a multi-author book -Regency Quintet – Valentine Edition and it has proved a great success -is NO 1 on UK Regency list today. We have all seen a knock on with our other books and are so delighted we are planning to put up a Christmas Edition as well. I think pricing it at £1.50 was the key to selling so many – readers love a bargain – and five full length books in one is certainly that. We wanted to gain new readers -making money is secondary.
ALLi Members: Linking in with other like-minded authors is a great way to make the most of your ALLi membership. Check out member profiles through the search box on the home page to see whom you might hook up with: http://allianceindependentauthors.org/