Tips for Authors in the New Year

Happy New Year! Is it just me, or does each year seem to go by quicker than the last? It can make you feel like you didn't get everything accomplished you wanted to. I bet you got more done than you think. But the cold long month of January is a great time to make a plan for trying new things in the upcoming year. And there's no shortage of social media sites, events, and marketing tools out there. Most authors are just trying to find time to keep up with their writing. But, exploring one or two new options is always a good idea.

Here are a few things you might try in 2014 to help your writing career. Even if they don't  produce huge results, each little step you take adds up in the long run.

• Triberr.com: if you have a blog and are on Twitter, then give Triberr a try. It's a great way to instantly tweet about your tribe member's blogs and they in turn tweet about yours. Your exposure will increase exponentially.
• Libboo.com: a free site where authors can submit their books and readers "compete" to get free copies of them by sharing about your book.
• Bookbub.com: A site with more than 2 million subscribers that allows readers to receive daily book deals. If you have a published ebook with good reviews, check this out.
• Author Co-op: Partner with a few other authors in your area to create an author marketing co-op. There are more opportunities than one author can attend by themselves in a year, but if you and a few others divide them up and each take one another's books and market them together, you can increase your exposure (and it will give you more time to write!)
• Be a mentor: If you've published a book, you have valuable insight into the process that many other writers are looking for. Let your local librarians, teachers, and independent book store owners know you are available to  help other authors. It's also a great way to speak to book clubs that often meet at those venues.
• Be a teacher: There are a lot of people out there who want to write, either professionally or just for fun. Either way, you can help hone their skills. Offer a writing course at your local library or school for adults (or for kids if you want). It'd be a great way to get your name out in the community.

Please share any ideas you have that authors can do in 2014. Happy New Year and Happy Writing!

--KSR Writer