R.L. (Becky) Coffield contributed to the Suite 101 blog site this week with a piece on how joining a small publishers’ networking organization can increase book sales potential.
Sarah Bolme, Director of Christian Small Publishers Association, in her blog last year gave four benefits of joining publishers associations. And she named 5 main organizations, including SPAWN. Her reasons include:
• You gain respect in the publishing industry.
• You receive cutting edge information.
• You save money.
• Doors of opportunity open to you.
Virginia Lawrence and I, here at SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) would add this: If you join and participate in an organization such as SPAWN:
• You are less likely to make emotionally devastating and costly mistakes.
• You have the opportunity to become completely aware of your options.
• You are provided the tools and resources to make better decisions.
• Your success potential increases dramatically.
But, as I said, this is only the case for those who actually participate in and partake of the offerings within the framework of the organization.
In the May 2008 edition of the SPAWN Market Update (in the member area of the SPAWN website), I profiled 24 regional publishing organizations in several states, including Arizona, California, Texas, Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico, Florida, Missouri, New York and even Ontario, Canada. Most of these organizations have face-to-face meetings where you can mingle with and learn from other authors and publishers.
The New Year is upon us. Once the Christmas gifts are opened, the holiday tree has lost most of its needles, the carolers have moved on and you’ve eaten your last piece of fudge, it’s time to get back to what really matters—your book.
Whether you are writing it, seeking a publisher for it, trying to figure out your publishing options, have decided to self-publish or are in promotion mode, membership AND PARTICIPATION in one or more publishers associations will benefit you and your project.
As soon as you put the holidays behind you, take that check your grandmother gave you, sell your Starbucks’ gift card to your brother, rob your piggybank or dip into your retirement fund and join an appropriate publishers’ organization. In fact, I recommend joining more than one.
Join SPAWN, for example, for the opportunity to network online with others throughout the nation—in fact, the world and for the solid knowledge base and experience of the principals. The four most valuable features are the forum, the discussion group (for networking purposes), the huge online resource bank and the monthly SPAWN Market Update which is jam-packed with information and opportunities for authors, small publishers, freelance writers, screenwriters and artists. SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network)
http://www.spawn.org
Also look into joining the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) or Small Publishers of North America (SPAN). You can join SPAWN and then get a discounted membership in either IBPA or SPAN. If you already belong to IBPA or SPAN, you can join SPAWN at a discounted rate.
If you are also interested in exploring a regional publishers association, let me know where you live and I’ll attempt to locate one near you. PLFry620@yahoo.com.
In the meantime, if you are thinking about writing a book, you are writing a book, you are seeking publication or you are promoting a book, you need my 15 star book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Order yours today at:
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html