Wednesday, July 24, 2013

RWA National Brief Recap


I’m home!  I had a wonderful time at the Romance Writers of America National Conference in Atlanta, but it’s good to be back and returning to my regular writing groove. 

I not only networked and met up with a lot of wonderful people, sold and gave away copies of some of my books, and attended a lot of parties, but I also went to workshops.  The program this year reflected the change in the publishing industry.  There were a lot of workshops relating to self-publishing, along with more usual topics like writing craft and promotion--not to mention spotlights on certain publishers.  I had a lot of fun going to Harlequin and Berkley-related panels and events. 

One topic that I focused on more than many of the others was promotion.  I attended several panels on branding oneself, and although I don’t think I have that nailed down yet I doubt anyone’ll be surprised that my brand includes suspense, romance... and animals. 

The other subject that particularly interested me was how to form a street team.  That sounds like so much fun!  What’s a street team?  Well, it’s a group of people who can be friends and fans of a particular writer, who in essence help with that writer’s promotion by reading her work and posting and encouraging reviews, receiving bookmarks and other promotional material and passing them out in bookstores, libraries, and other relevant places, and generally talking about that writer’s work.  In return, they receive free copies of the author’s books and other fun stuff like swag--T-shirts, for example.  And of course they stay in contact with that writer and learn what’s yet to come.

I’m currently considering whether and when to form a street team.  Do you have any ideas?  Do you have, or belong to, a street team?  What’s your opinion of them?  And... if and when I get around to trying to form one, would you be interested in joining??? 

The RWA National Conference--it rocked yet again!

5 comments:

Betty Hechtman said...

Intersting about the street team. I've heard the term, but didn't know quite what it was. It sounds kind of like a fan club. Did they give details how to start one?

Dee W said...

OK, I used to be a bookseller, so I read a lot of blogs to keep up with authors I enjoy. I was reading Jennifer Chivarini's (sorry I know that's not right) and if you were one of the 1st 15 or so to comment, she sent you a special pin and postcards to hand out to your friends, potential readers. I was going to a quilting retreat and gave them all away to a lot of quilters who had not been exposed to her before. And it worked! I've run into people who said, I'd never read her until you recommended her!

Linda O. Johnston said...

I didn't hear a lot of details, Betty, just some suggestions--and they included hiring a personal assistant to deal with it!

Linda O. Johnston said...

That does sound like a sort of street team, Dee W--or at least it worked like one!

Betty Hechtman said...

Hiring a personal assitant? They've got to be kidding.