How to Secure Sponsors for Your Events

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About the Author

Roberta Vigilance is a book author and event sponsorship consultant. Her motto: Plan Events. Secure Sponsors. For more information about her services and book (How to Plan Sponsored Events Effectively and Secure Sponsors Successfully), see http://www.eventsandsponsors.com.

7 Ways to Connect with Readers on Goodreads

Guest post by Joan Stewart of The Publicity Hound

Gone are the days when an author could count on a book review in a newspaper or magazine to send books flying off the shelves. Book review sections in newspapers and magazines have practically disappeared.

That's why it's imperative that you know where millions of readers are clustered online, discussing, reviewing and recommending books in their favorite genres. If you can tap into just a few of these many online communities, you can build up excitement and momentum for your book that can result in more sales than you might have seen from a printed review.

The biggest of these sites? Goodreads, the largest site for readers and book recommendations in the world. It boasts more than 7.3 million members, from casual readers to bonafide bookworms.



Goodreads members create virtual bookshelves and have added more than 260 million books they love reading. They recommend, review and compare books. They keep track of what they've read and what they want to read. The reason Goodreads is one of the most valuable tools in your promotion toolbox is because whenever someone views a book, Goodreads always shows them their friends' reviews of that same book.

And your goal, as an author, is to have as many people as possible add your book to their shelves and review it. Goodreads makes it easy for you through its Author Program. After you've signed up for an account, you can connect with readers several ways:

1. Create an author profile.

You're a great writer. So write a terrific bio accompanied by an attractive, good-quality head shot. Explain what makes you tick. Share your list of favorite books. Include the URL for your website, as well as links to your social media profiles, so people know where to find you on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure that all of your own books are listed on Goodreads.  You can also connect your blog to Goodreads and add a widget to your website or blog.

If you're a writer but haven't published a book yet, check out the writing section of your profile where you can post your writing for others to read and review.

John Kremer's author profile: http://www.goodreads.com/johnkremer.

2. Create and promote your events.

Planning a book signing? A speaking engagement? A blog tour? A book launch? Your fans will want to know. Use your author profile to publicize these events.

3. Post videos.

Goodreads is all about the written word, but no one can dispute the attraction to video, especially with so many people watching video on mobile phones. Authors can upload book trailers, interviews, readings and video blogs as long as the videos are embedded and hosted by YouTube or six other video sites.

4. Join groups.

One of the beauties of this site is the ability to connect with readers who are interested in the same things you write about, even on the narrowest of topics, so join a group and add to the conversation. I found these groups: Vampire Academy, Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy, Homeschoolers, Erotic Enchants, and Arabic Books. Groups can be public, moderated, restricted by domain, or secret.

5. Create quizzes.

Readers love a good quiz. If you wrote an historical novel, quiz readers on historical facts of the era. Cookbook authors, how about a quiz on food science?

6. Give away books.

Goodreads' First Reads program that lets you create buzz for an upcoming book by listing however many free copies you wish to give away on the site. Members apply, and Goodreads chooses the winners, who are encouraged but not required to write a review of the books they receive. Many publishers participate in this giveaway to generate reviews.

7. Participate as a reader, too!

People will be forming an opinion about you by looking at your bookshelves, so consider filling them with your Top 10 favorites, accompanied by a mini-review of each. Other authors catalog everything they have ever read. Post quotes. Or share your own writing for others to review. List books on your must-read list.

Remember that this site is all about a love of books, and letting your friends know which titles you recommend. It isn't about free commercials. So tone down the promotion, share other authors' works, talk to your readers, and you'll be just fine.

Goodreads is just one of dozens of online communities where you must have a presence if you're serious about creating buzz for your books.

Confused about which sites are best for you? Join me at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 29, when I host the webinar Where to Find Millions of Readers Online to Review, Recommend & Buy Your Books.

You'll learn about the biggest and best online book review sites, online book clubs, and web-based book discussion groups--and which ones are best for poetry. Register by clicking here.



About the Author

Publicity expert Joan Stewart, aka The Publicity Hound, shows you how to use traditional and social media to promote any product, service, cause or issue and publishes the popular ezine, The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week.

How to Get the Most from Professional Editing: 3 Tips from a Book Editor

Guest post by Lauren Ruiz

Perhaps you've heard: Nowadays your manuscript has to be near perfect to land you an agent or the interest of a publishing house. If you plan to bypass all that and self-publish, then your manuscript has to be even better. For this reason, hiring a freelance editor beforehand greatly improves your chances of success.

Whether you'll be seeking an editor in the future, or have already found one you trust and like, your goal should be to get the most out of the experience.

Here are three pieces of advice from a professional editor on how to do so:

1. Hand It Over at Its Best.

The better shape your manuscript is in when you hand it over, the better shape it will be returned in. If you've done your homework on the big things—on structure and pacing, for example—your editor will be able to focus on flow, clarity, and punctuation, making your piece more polished, and thus closer to being publication-ready.

If after editing, you have major reworking to do, then your piece will probably require more professional editing. Because professional attention can be expensive, you may not want that. Handing over your best increases the likelihood of only needing one round.

Note: Some editors, like me, offer discounts on resubmissions, which is helpful.

Before you submit your manuscript, read up on the craft of writing, and ideally have fellow writers (at least one) read all or part of your piece. Move, remove, add, and rewrite, based on their feedback and your best judgment.

2. Tell Your Editor Your Concerns.

Whether your editor does or doesn't ask, bring up any concerns you have with your piece.

Some writers don't do this. They assume the editor will catch everything. But while, hopefully, your editor will, there's no reason to take the chance.

When you do explain your concerns, be thorough and specific. If necessary, make a list.

Telling an editor you're worried about your characterization, for example, will alert them to take note of how you paint your characters for readers, but the more specific, the better. For example, "I'm especially worried about Lillian's character because..." will narrow the focus and make it more likely that you'll get an answer or solution. If you only have general concerns, that's okay. Just be sure to speak up.

3. Ask Your Editor to Offer Explanations for the Edits When Possible.

Editors have different styles. Some will explain just about every edit, some plenty of them, and others very few. Though you should have an idea of where your chosen editor falls (ask for a sample edit!), make it clear that you'd like as many comments and explanations as possible. This will allow you to not only make informed decisions on whether to keep the edits, but also to improve your writing.

There's no doubt in my mind that you will be at least a little better as a writer after receiving professional editing (if not exponentially so)—especially if you ask for explanations.

To get the most out of professional editing employ these three tips and keep this in mind: trust your editor, trust yourself, and be glad that you're on the track.



About the Author

Lauren I. Ruiz is the founder of Pure Text, where she offers professional but affordable proofreading and editing for authors, businesses, and creative writers. She loves helping writers and writing be better.