I've worked on and off all day today on what I had thought would be a simple essay about genre labels. When I will learn that adding simple to anything guarantees it's going to be anything but, is anyones guess. I must have gone off on twelve different tangents, so I'm working on editing that down to three or four essays, the first of which I will post Sunday.
But, guess what? We're teaming up with AuthorIsland.com again for another contest. In case you haven't yet discovered Author Island, then you are really missing out. Author Island is a great resource for readers. With daily contests, book blurbs, linkage to author sites, interviews and more. You can even sign up to be put on the mailing list so that you get early peaks at upcoming books and contests.
Run by DeNita Tuttle, Author Island also features on-line chats with authors where you can talk with the author, ask questions, win chat only contests, and read excerpts of their work. If you can't tell, I adore Author Island.
Now, onto the contest. Since Author Island is a great way for Authors to promote their work, I thought we'd run a poll. If you'll look at the sidebar to your left, you'll see it at the top. Simply choose your pick, and then comment here and tell us why you chose what you did. Examples are great, so please elaborate as much as possible on your comment.
There will be other chances to win throughout the week-long contest, so be sure to check back! Now go VOTE!
Take Care
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25 comments:
I picked website - while it can take many forms (blog, site, forums, combo, probably others I can't think of right now) - if you don't have some sort of web footprint, I tend to doubt the author's existence.
I love the website... it just helps me get into the world of the author and the books... I really hate to find a website neglected or not updated, I wonder if the author is really dedicated to its writers!
I said 'Be reviewed'. That's often a huge influence for the books I pick up - reviews from People Magazine and the blogs I frequent help me pinpoint which books I'll truly enjoy and which ones I should pass on.
I said website - but there is a disclaimer. It needs to be easy to navigate, regularly maintained, current and needs to have a booklist showing if books are connected or not. If the author wants to blog thats great but blog! There is nothing worse than there being a blog which hasn't been updated for months. Don't have it there if you aren't going to use it!
I say website. If I can't find anything about a new to me author or book, I won't buy it, and an authors website is usually the best place to look, if they maintain it that is!
I picked website, blurbs in other books and places, contests, and be reviewed because every one of those things help an author promoto their books.
A website is especially important, that's where they should have info on their works and stuff. The blurbs help spread the word too and if they have a quote from another author who's very well-known, the readers will most than likely check them out. Reviews are great, too, specially big sites like Amazon, a lot of people read the reviews there.
promoto?? God, that made me laugh so hard, I kept imagening myself doing the robot dance for some reason, LOL.
Websites draw a great deal of interest and depending upon what is on the website this can be a great asset.
I always base an author's books upon the website since that is the major area that we can learn about the books, the reviews and the releases. Easy on the eyes, easy to navigate and current websites are necessary to generate interest.
I have to agree with the website. I like to look up an author to see what books she/he has coming out. That's why the website should be current. If I look up a favorite author and there has been nothing new added for over a year I start to think they are not writing anymore.
I picked the website as the most important thing for an author to do to promote their books. Whenever I hear of a new author, the first thing I do is look them up online.
If there is no website for me to learn about their books or the order of their series, usually I won't be as quick to further research them to get their books. I like to know the order of the books, when the next book is coming out, read the author's blog, enter their contests, etc.
The biggest mistake an author could make is not having a website.
Now I know alot of authors who DO have websites, but they hardly ever update them and have very little content on them. That's just as bad as not having a website.
I picked "Other", which could actually be tied into being Reviewed...but only by this site. I have come to find your reviews to be acurate and make me either get excited or not so excited about picking up thier book. So Authors, submit submit to the reviewers of this awesome site. They end up getting promoted in such a big way here. :)
I think Contests or rather being involved in some. Like for instence for me doing those Scavenger Hunts are great beacause I learn so much about new authors I have never read before
A well formatted website that makes it easy to read blurbs and excerpts for past and upcoming stories. Offering contests for questions about excerpts, scavenger hunts (that don't take more than a few minutes to find the answers) and reviews posted on various websites and group chats.
Wow! This is such an interesting poll. I chose be reviewed, because that is how I choose books to buy, from other reviews and blogs. They are mostly online, but still reviews. But I guess I am in the minority. But I really learned a lot. I would love your thoughts on the poll after it is over.
I chose website. I found my favorite group (The Cherries) on JCs website. I also learned about all her other books as well. A well run website will also let you link to other terrific websites (such as this one!)
Lori.
I choose website. I regularly check my favorite authors sites to see when they'll have new books out. I also like when they give recommendations on their sites...I've found many new authors this way.
I chose other - I have found many new authors through Books We Love, Author's Island, and the websites and contests. Then when I finish a book, I pass it on to others to read.
I met an Author who sent me books while I was laid up from surgery and those books have already been read by three people. Also I have written reviews on Celebrity Cafe.
While I do agree that it's important for an author to maintain a website, I chose other because I believe that a website is only the starting point for self-promotion. I think having a blog or a page on a social networking site such as Myspace where you connect with readers in "real" time is ore important than a website, which can quickly become static. And blogs and Myspace pages are a great way to get out the Word of Mouth, which is always the best way to create buzz for your book.
Since my other comment was lost to the ether, I will try again.
I like to read blurbs in other books. This gives me a chance to read a little of the story, and may get me a name that I can then go and look up a website or a blog for.
I picked website.
It's fun to learn about a new author to me before reading their books.I find it more intriguing when an author puts more background on their character's too.
I picked other - I look for new authors from surfing websites. I like to read what other people think on message boards. Also, when I enter contests to win books, I read their excerpts and find a lot of interesting new authors that way.
Duh.
Website.
Preferably ours. :)
I also picked reviews. :)
And contests. :)
Think those new/first time pub'd authors will get the hint?
Oh yeah, and I've got a FAB pick to bring to our readers, starting on SUNDAY!
I have to say Website. There are so many books out there, that I don't have as much time as I'd like to spend browsing in a bookstore. I like that I can go on an author's website and read an excerpt of a book any time of the day or night, to see if I want to buy it.
Also, I think Contests are becoming a huge promotional tool. I admit, I'm addicted to Contests and love to win things, so it's a benefit to me. But I think the authors/sponsors gain so much exposure from them, that they also benefit. I would never have found this site and these authors if I hadn't entered previous contests while browsing AuthorIsland.com
I have to say Website is the most important tool an author can use. We are able to look at what an author writes, read excerpts, etc.. as long as they have a website to go to. The next best thing is group websites like Author Island where you can see a bunch at once.
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