It seems to me we need more people like Abbie supporting herself and the rest of the Indie writers.
This is what's she is doing.
Virtual Bookfair. Online via Facebook from Feb 20th to March 4th.
This is being run by Abbie of the Support Indies Authors group on Goodreads.com with their support.
Yes, it is reputable. Check it out at Facebook!
DETAILS
Who am I?
My name is Abbie Chandler, and last July I finally published my first paranormal mystery, The Veiled Soul. I've been writing for what seems like all my life, but this is my first leap into the world of publication. I always have at least three writing projects open at a time, and I'm always coming up with new ideas! You can find more information about me from my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/abbiechandler13/
What was the idea behind the book fair?
I quickly discovered that while Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes&Noble.com are wonderful platforms for self-published and indie authors, it's a marketing nightmare. I work part time as a freelance writer and part time as a cocktail waitress. My funds for marketing are extremely limited. I'm bombarded every day with ways to market my book, but they always cost hundreds of dollars. The alternative was social media groups that supposedly helped connect indie authors with readers, but they were so saturated with authors posting about their books that I knew that most readers probably weren't even looking at the site anymore. So what could I, an author living from paycheck to paycheck, do to help promote my book?
Maybe it was the fact that I was ordering from the kids menu at work one night, but I had this flashback to the book fairs from elementary school. We got to spend an hour or so each day for several days browsing the books that were set up in the gym. For a bookworm like myself, it was a dream come true. I wanted to take that concept and modernize it for the adult world. And so the virtual book fair was born. I don't know if it's the first one ever (I would guess not), but it's the first once I've ever come across, and the first one I've ever done!
How will the book fair work?
It will be done strictly from Facebook. Set up as a Facebook event, it will run from February 20-March. Ever day of the event will be set aside for books from a particular genre. Guests will be able to see book covers, summaries, and purchase links. They'll be able to read information about the author and view book trailers (when available). The best part is that most of our authors are also on Facebook, so guests can connect directly to the author and ask them question about their works or their writing styles! In addition, each day will include chances for the guests to win free books!
What do I hope to achieve from this?
The idea is to connect people who want to discover new books and authors with writers who are otherwise struggling to expand their audience. In setting it up this way, I hope to avoid certain marketing faux pas. Since the event will only run for two weeks, we won't be bombarding guests with "Buy me now!" posts for the rest of their lives. Once the two weeks are up, guests can either bookmark their favorite books or buy, and then they don't have to worry about hearing from us again until the next one. If they want to connect with the authors on social media for updates on particular works, they can. I hope that the guests who do win or buy books will leave honest reviews (remember, reviews feed authors!!), and they'll discover a new author that they like!
What types of books will be included?
All kinds!!
Romance
Mystery
Horror/Thriller
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Paranormal
Humor/Satire
LGBT
Religious
YA
Chick-Lit
Literary Fiction
Non-fiction
Who can join?
Anyone with a Facebook account can join! Print giveaway from the site will be restricted to US residents only, but authors will also be promoting their own e-book and print giveaway that will span other countries.
How do I join?
Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/927569970656592/ and sign up today! Although the event hasn't started yet, book discussions have! Guests are already voting for their favorite genres and discussing their love for books! The event is completely free. Who knows- maybe you'll find your next favorite book, your next favorite author, and connect with a new friend!
