I was asked by Daniel Boone Regional Library to be a part of the Celebrate Local Author's Day and I was honored! I didn't serve on the panels yet listening to the writers/authors there seemed to be a common thread... persistence and passion! Many of them had wrote books years ago and are just now getting them published. This isn't something that happens overnight and once you have wrote a book you would need (it's highly recommended) to have it professionally edited. This isn't always a quick process but one that is necessary to make sure that you are putting the best work out in front of the world to be noticed. Really interesting to hear some of the trials and tribulations they have went through to get to where they are today including talking about social media and marketing.
We have all heard the words "Social Media" and it's also something many of us are familiar with as we post, tweet, upload and share but did you know that social media also plays a huge role in your marketing efforts. Years ago before social media was created (Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Instagram, Blogs, E-Newsletters etc.) people relied on printed materials, advertisements, e-mail blasts and mailings. While they still may use e-mail blasts you may not reach everyone as they have filters catching a lot of mail in their spam folders. With the creation of this newer social media the doors have been opened wider because you can capture a grander audience and interact with them on a daily or even hourly basis. Majority of us have smart phones and we are on them constantly. It's important to know your audience and how to interact with them.
After the panel discussions were over they had a book fair that the local authors were able to sit up tables to sell their book(s) and interact with anyone that had questions. Here are some of the authors that were also a part of today's event and I would encourage you to check them all when you have a chance! (Sorry the pictures aren't the best.... I left my good camera at home!)
"Sarsaparilla Sue and the Sassmouth"
Author: Julie L. Barnett
Illustrator: Jessie Starbuck
"The Easy Bake Coven Series" and "Guardian Trilogy"
Author: Liz Schulte
"The Feedsack Dress", "Show Me The Murder" and "Show Me The Deadly Deer"
Author: Carolyn Mulford
"Where Secrets Reside" and "In The Shadows"
Author: Susan Finlay
"Oil in the Wok"
Author: YuMin Ye
"For the Love of Jack"
Author: Breanna C. Troesser
"Rebecca's Road" and "The Absent Woman"
Author: Marlene Lee
"Broken Slippers"
Author: Deborah Sue Crews
"Reluctant Witch"
Author: A.R. Potts
"Healthy Mom Healthy Me"
Author: Gwen Ratermann
"David and Dad Catch the Rainbow"
Author: David K. Aycock
"Heart of a Warrior", "Fighting Poles" and "Quinton"
Author: Paul Mazan
"Christiana's Saga: From Norway to Dakota Territory", "The Changing Face of Sex" and "Offbeat Travel"
Author: Wayne Anderson
"Alzheimer's Caregiving: A Voice of Experience"
Author: Penelope Braun
A huge thank you to Sarah Howard and Patricia Miller for inviting all of us out to attend this event! I know I walked away with some great tips and hope to implement some of them in the near future!
Daniel Boone Regional Library
100 W Broadway
Columbia, MO 65203
*Please note: No one asked me to do this and I wanted to show my support towards other local authors and encourage you to visit their respective sites and/or Facebook pages. Many of these authors have multiple books and I may not have listed them all... again please check out their websites or Facebook pages to keep up on the latest up-to-date information and what they are doing!
No comments:
Post a Comment