I’m excited about this weekend’s festival, not just because I’m toting my book to sell, but because others have joined in and provided some of their books for me to sell for them. The more titles I have, the more traffic I may bring in. We’ll see if the theory actually works, but the sentiment is there: we small-timers are helping each other.
In this business, we need all the helping hands we can get. That’s why we hold interviews for debut authors and writers with new releases. Why we allow for guest posts. Why we promote each other on Facebook and Twitter. For some of us who are either self-pubbed or published by small houses, this is the best promotional campaign we can get. Word of mouth is huge, and anything one can do to spread the news about another is greatly appreciated.
I’ve talked about how readers can help their favorite authors (“A Call to All Readers,” May 11, 2011) by writing reviews, joining fan pages, hosting the authors on their blogs, etc. Writers can do the same–and more.
If you have a tight group of writing buddies, exchange promotional materials. If your friend has bookmarks, put one in each of your books that you mail out. Post cards or flyers? Address some to those on your contact list. Pens? Again, send ’em out.
Whenever your buddy is advertising something, hit the “Retweet” in Twitter, the “Share” in Facebook. Add tags to your friend’s book on Amazon. Mention whatever is going on in your buddy’s campaign to your web circles.
Of course, review, interview, allow guest posts, all the things I mentioned for readers are applicable for writers, too. If you’ve written a review, post it everywhere–Goodreads, LinkedIn, Facebook, Amazon, AuthorNation, Barnes and Noble–anywhere you’re allowed to do so.
I have a few folks whose writing I can wholeheartedly endorse, and wherever I go, either their books or their promo materials go with me. Does it help? That’s unmeasurable (unless folks are buying their books from me right then), but I’m certain it can’t hurt.
We can–and should–help each other. Although our books are up for sale any time after publication, the prime time for promotions is pre-release through the first few months of release. This is the best time frame to hype a book, and writing buds can be a tremendous help. Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and pitch in?
If you have any more ideas of how writers can help each other, leave a comment. I’d love to see it!
~~~
PS: After all this talk about helping the small-fry authors, I need to advertise helping one of the big fish: Joseph Finder. On my other site,AuthorCulture, I have an interview up with the NY Times Best Seller, whose newest release, Buried Secrets, debuted June 21. It’s a terrific interview. Check it out!
Several years into it, and this blog still refuses to be categorized. It's eclectic and includes everything from writing posts to snippets from my ordinary life. 
Linda W. Yezak 
Great post – AND reminder! Helping other authors is great – and something I try to do myself.
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You are a terrific help, Joanne! I’ve benefited from your generosity!
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Linda–this is terrific. You know how much I love this stuff! Joint marketing is awesome. It’s much easier to promote other people than do so for yourself; and easier to promote yourself when you’re also promoting others at the same time. Good for you.
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It *is* easier to “promote yourself when you’re also promoting others.” I’m not always comfortable tooting my own horn.
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You’re one of the best people I know for helping other writers out. I’m always humbled and amazed (not to mention hugely grateful) for all the little ways you’ve helped me promote my books – including allowing them to ride along with you this weekend’s festival. One of the things I adore about the writing community in general is the generosity and the willingness to help one another out, not just to receive the same favors in return, but because writers honestly enjoy helping others and want them to succeed. Thank you, Linda! You’re always the best. 🙂
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I agree, Katie. We’re a pretty generous bunch. I’ve only met a couple of folks who “made it” and forgot their roots. Considering all the writers I know, that ain’t too shabby! 😀
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I think I’ll slink off now…I’ve been so neglect to retweet/repost/post and whatever else. Thanks for the kick in the pants! LOL
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LOL! I don’t think you need to slink anywhere. You’ve been very supportive of me, and I know you’ve been supportive of others. You’re a treasure!
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Another good opportunity for authors to help authors is sharing in blog tours. A group of authors coordinate some dates, and host each other’s books. I’m involved in several, and here are two different formats.
1. Each author hosts the other author as an interview. The interviews are spread over several weeks. Each author hosts one author a week for several weeks. The next author hosts a new author each week. This means, if 8 authors are in the tour, each one is hosted 8 times on 8 different blogs.
2. A book recommendation tour. There are a couple of ways of doing this. One, if you have read each other’s books, you can do a book recommendation for each other. Two, you recommend any book, one being your own.
To advertise, each blog is given a different date. Usually two blogs a week, but different days. Then everyone in the tour posts about the other blog on facebook, twitter, and other sites. In the case of one I was recently asked to join, there are about 20 participants. Two a week for ten weeks. So, twice a week, I promote the blog up for that date. This means 20 people are promoting a blog on its date. The down side of this is that you are only promoted once in a 10 week campaign. But that one week is a big one.
This could be customized several ways. It could be a book review hosted by one of the bloggers, an author interview, each person posting their own thoughts on the book they have written, etc.
Be creative. Be united. Helping each other is what it’s about.
Eddie Snipes
Author of I Called Him Dancer
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Those are all great ideas! I’ve been involved in a couple of blog tours myself, so I can’t believe I forgot to mention them!
Thanks for contributing, Eddie!
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