Friday July 18, 2008 - 2:10 p.m. - You design the contest.
I have thought and pondered until I'm frazzled. I asked and you answered, "Do You Like Contests?" I got your answers. They were all good answers to the question. It helped to understand how and why you would or would not enter a contest.
Still, I'm looking for a way to get more comments and readers to my spaces and blogs. I also want to give away a book!
Who - will win the prize? How would you choose a winner? What would someone have to do to win?
What - is the prize? A copy of my book, At The Starting Gate.
Where - will this happen? The contest/give-away must be designed around making comments on my blogs, either here on my Starting Gate Blog or my Spaces Blog or both. Got any ideas?
When - will the winner get the prize? How long should it run, a week, a month, what?
Why - I want to get more people to comment on my blogs. And, I want to give away a copy of my book.
Okay, there it is. Now, I can stop trying to figure it out alone.
Can you help me?
well since i just ordered your book, i'm a little hesitant to give you ideas on how to give away that book so i can win a book...i found little response on my blog when i tried to give things away like the jeweled bookmarks or pif-pay it forward challenges. i think people don't want to commit or don't want to let out their home addresses or don't want any responsibilities other than commenting if they want to. hmm. big problem. i'm buying your book because of the excerpts you've had online. maybe you need to do a better job of describing what's in the book to entice bloggers to want it???
ReplyDeletegood question-will be interesting to see what others have to say.
I don't really know what the heck I'm doing anyway. Every since I wrote the book I've tried so many things I read, heard, found through research (or whatever) to promote it. The website has been finished sooo long, it's out of date now - needs to be "revamped", deleted, something. So, Now I guess it is time to start again from the beginning, go in a new (promotional) direction, or put this all on hold and start writing again - soon.
ReplyDeletemaybe an online give away would be more relevant when you have more followers. i think you should nail down a date for a signing and lets get to planning. there you can give away a copy or two.
ReplyDeletefrom here on out you can be sure to put your blog addresses on the postcard inside the book.
one of the problems i have, even in my mid thirties, is that many of my friends do not do technology. so getting them to follow me in any real way is hard. which means you are then reaching out to strangers, on a product that is not in the mainstream market no less. that is why i see that authors have to do so much traveling and marketing of their books...going from bookstores across cities to gain exposure and a following of their work.
so how does one do it with technology? maybe visit the websites of other authors and communicate with them...see if they have blogs you could frequent, so establishing a presence for yourself there (considering their followers read the comments, you may gain some attention)...find where aspiring authors hang out online and begin visiting there. maybe there are some forums or chats you could join in (search writers forums).
i will continue thinking. in the meantime, beginning to write again always sounds good to me. if you have a story in you ready to go, write!
oh, and now also begin to let people know they can find you on facebook :~) ... and re:your comment on what to o next there...nothing. just be sure to check it daily to see if youve gotten any comments or new friend requests. as you pick up in terms of online friends, you will see your page beginning to get a little busy (in terms of comments and the like). in the meantime customize as you please.
your biggest fan,
me