Tag: libraries working with

Getting Your EBook into Libraries

indie author books in libraries penguin-835742_640One of my marketing goals for this year was to find new readers by trying to get a few of my titles into libraries. Oh, was I naïve. I thought it would be so easy, like that Kevin Costner baseball movie — build it and they will come. I thought I could just sign up with a few distributors and let them do the work. I was wrong.

See, libraries first need to actually purchase your book from those distributors. But they have limited resources. They often have small budgets and few hands on deck. A lot like small bookstores. They want to know that whatever titles they decide to shelve will be read. They want to know that they’re spending those limited budget dollars on quality products. They don’t want to take Aunt Ida’s unedited memoir about her trip to Yellowstone. (No offense to Aunt Ida, of course.) Continue reading “Getting Your EBook into Libraries”

Indie Author Day and Your Public Library

Indie Author Day LogoMelissa Bowersock recently told us about October 8th, the inaugural Indie Author Day across the US and Canada. She suggested you look here to see if your library is participating. If your library isn’t listed, you can click on the “Let us know” button to nominate your library, then give your local library a friendly call to explain the event, and ask if they’d be interested in participating.

One of the first questions you’re likely to hear from your library contact is, “But what do we do?” My local library had its Indie Author Day a couple of months ago, before news hit the airwaves about Bibliolabs and a nationwide movement. I thought it might be helpful to share some of what they did. Continue reading “Indie Author Day and Your Public Library”

What Can You Do for Indie Author Day?

Indie Author Day Logo

You ever notice how there’s a Dill Pickle Day and a Take Your Dog to Work Day? Well, guess what? Finally a day for us, for indie authors. October 8th is the inaugural Indie Author Day across the US and Canada. Yippee! So what does that mean? No, we don’t get a discount on our lunch at Denny’s that day. What we do get is the opportunity to partner with our local libraries to celebrate, educate and promote indie authors and readers. How cool is that? Continue reading “What Can You Do for Indie Author Day?”

Yes, Virginia, There Really Is an Indie Author Day

Indie Author Day LogoStarting out as an indie author, you might feel like there is a monumental task ahead of you and you are facing it alone. As an indie author with some miles beneath your fingers, you now know there is a whole community of other authors willing to support you in your quest. That’s a nice feeling.

Then why does it seem we are the minority? With thousands and thousands of indie authors out there – what is missing? There is power in numbers – and we have the numbers. And now, the good folks at Indie Author Day are helping us to mobilize our numbers and make them count for something. So why aren’t you signed up??

It’s easy to get involved with Indie Author Day – and it’s all FREE for authors. If you’ve read Melissa Bowersock’s introductory Indie Author Day article that ran this morning, she gives us the basics. After going through the author inquiry process myself, I thought maybe those of you who have yet to sign up might like to know some of the perks of using the form on the IAD site. Here they are:

  1. IAD will send you the email address for the contact at your library. You don’t even have to look anything up!
  2. IAD will also supply you with a template email which you may use to contact your library, making it pretty easy.
  3. When you contact your library, you CC the library coordinator at IAD, and he or she will also contact the library so you will have an “official” advocate.
  4. If your library doesn’t end up participating, IAD will contact you and let you know about other libraries in your area where you can participate.
  5. Even if things don’t work out for this year, using the form will get you and your library in the queue for next year!

So, be sure to check and see if your library is already participating, and if it’s not, make sure to use the Indie Author Day signup form to get involved. It could be the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship between you and your library.

Again, there is power in numbers. Let’s flex our muscles and make Indie Author Day a huge success.