How do you support your fellow authors? It seems that we don\u2019t have enough time and energy these days to do all that we feel we must, let alone be able to offer anything much to others. I think that busy authors are especially lacking in the support department.<\/p>\n
Authorship is so all-consuming that we find ourselves overwhelmed by our own obligations and responsibilities. It takes practically everything we have to hold our own in the competitive publishing arena. The tasks involved in being a successful author take so much out of us that we have little left over. <\/p>\n
Additionally, as writers, we\u2019re accustomed to working in solitude\u2014to handling every detail related to the writing, publishing and promotion aspects of our books alone. And we sometimes forget the value in reaching out to ask or to help. <\/p>\n
I maintain, however, that reaching out and supporting other authors shouldn\u2019t be viewed as losing something. So often a giving gesture fosters gifts for everyone involved. We know that. But we still withhold from others. What could we be doing better? What could we be doing more of? Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n
\u2022\tRead other authors\u2019 books and post reviews at Amazon and other appropriate places. Not only will this please the other author, it will give you some added exposure and, perhaps, motivate the author to reciprocate in some way.<\/p>\n
\u2022\tOffer resources and help to fellow authors and struggling authors through your online and real-time networking groups.<\/p>\n
\u2022\tProvide articles\/stories for newsletters related to your book\u2019s genre\/theme. You want to build a rapport with publishers and editors of these periodicals while reaching your book\u2019s audience. (Not all newsletter editors depend on outside submissions, but many do.)<\/p>\n
\u2022\tIf you become aware of a good resource or information you believe another author could use, let him or her know about it. I think most authors just bypass information with this thought, \u201cSo and so might be interested in this, but he may already know it or maybe he saw this article.\u201d We quickly talk ourselves out of sharing the information because of assumptions. <\/p>\n
\u2022\tRead your colleague\u2019s blog posts or newsletters at least occasionally and make comments. You know how much it means to know that someone is reading what you write and that they care enough to comment. <\/p>\n
\u2022\tAttend author signings and other events as a show of support. Others will follow suit.<\/p>\n
\u2022\tRecommend the books of others and let them know when you have done so.<\/p>\n
Adopt a more altruistic demeanor with regard to your fellow authors\u2014including those writing within your field or genre\u2014and I think you\u2019ll be pleasantly surprised at the domino effect of your genuine efforts. <\/p>\n
SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is a networking organization for anyone who is interested in or involved in publishing their work. Our members include highly successful authors, those just starting out and many in between. Our mission is to provide information and resources as well as the opportunity for networking and sharing. We provide an online discussion group and a newsletter as a forum for members. SPAWNews<\/em> is FREE to anyone. Subscribe at the website (listed below). The SPAWN Market Update<\/em> is for members only. We also have an online catalog of members\u2019 books and services which is updated each year and printed as a handout at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and other events throughout the year. <\/p>\n Last weekend, we had a networking event in Ojai, CA with several members and their spouses in attendance.<\/p>\n For more information about SPAWN, to subscribe to SPAWNews<\/em> and to join SPAWN, go to http:\/\/www.spawn.org<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How do you support your fellow authors? It seems that we don\u2019t have enough time and energy these days to do all that we feel we must, let alone be able to offer anything much to others. I think that busy authors are especially lacking in the support department. Authorship is so all-consuming that we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t