7 Ways Authors Can Support Their Author Friends: Kindled Spirits



As authors, we have an advantage in the online world, whether we realize it or not. Fiction. Nonfiction. Screenwriting. Poetry. Essays. Articles. It applies to all. 

In order to connect with our audience, authors must be active on multiple platforms - websites and social media, as well as live and virtual stages. This leads to a plethora of opportunities to collaborate, support, and highlight our author friends. 

When Dr. Meg Haworth (author of Get Well Now; Healing Yourself with Food and The Power of The Mind) interviewed me for her YouTube series earlier this week, I noted how in three months, we will have collaborated five times. 

- We met when we were interviewed for a Meet the Author series
- We both spoke at Alina Fridman's Finding Fabulous Summit
- Meg was a guest on my live show in May 
- I will be a guest on her YouTube series in July
- We are speaking on a self-care goals panel for the Women's National Book Association - San Francisco Chapter Lunch N Learn in July 

As "Kindled Spirits," as Dr Meg called it. we know there is more to come.

Here are 7 easy ways authors can support each other through collaboration: 

1. Create a Joint Blog. Writers on the Move is a great example of authors coming together to share their knowledge.

2. Trade Book Reviews. On Amazon, Goodreads, or write one on your blog.

3. Do Interview Swaps. This can take place on a blog, live show, video, or podcast.

4. Spread Social Media Love. Make a point to tweet or post about an author-friend at least once a week ... once a day is even better. Share their books, an article, or a photo. You can also take the time to comment on their posts.  

5. Curate Panels and Events. Create events with author friends in mind, so you can ask them to participate.

6. Send Ideas. Do you receive a newsletter that shares podcast interview opportunities? Are you part of a cool networking group or meetup? Share the deets with author friends who would get the most out of it! 

7. Refer and Recommend. When someone asks for a referral - whether it's a speaker for an event, a book for a book club, or an author interview - think of who you know who would be a good fit and make an intro. Keep a list of author friends, along with their specialties. Don't know what that is? Just ask.

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As an author, getting out there is a lot about the power of relationships. Authors' relationships with other authors: priceless!

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How do you support your author friends? What collaboration opportunities get the best results? Please share in the comments.

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Watch the Ladies Take the Lead Meet the Authors Panel: 


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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

11 comments:

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

Yay! Feel free to use my registered hashtag, #SharingwithWriters! We are all in this together. The writing universe is big enough for all of us.
Hugs,
Carolyn.

Debra Eckerling said...

Thanks, Carolyn! And, I must note, you are the one who introduced me to this group. So thank you for that and for all you do to help writers. xo

Karen Cioffi said...

Debra, these are excellent and easy to use tips to help fellow authors. It takes just a little effort but can make a big difference. The power-of-one doesn't quite make it when trying to build visibility for your author platform. Denise Cassino of Bestseller Services motivated me in a workshop she gave back in 2009. I started Writers on the Move right after the workshop.

Debra Eckerling said...

Thanks for your comment, Karen! So true! And thank you for creating such a wonderful resource that educates, while bringing writers together!

Terry Whalin said...

Debra,

Thank you for these excellent suggestions. As writers we need each other for support and encouragement. Writing is such a solitary task. These suggestions get us connected to others.

Terry

Debra Eckerling said...

Thanks, Terry! Absolutely! To your writing success.

lastpg said...

Your suggestions are very helpful, Deb. The organizations I belong to--SCBWI and Southwest Writers--support each other in many ways. I will keep your post and see what more I can do for my fellow authors. Thanks you!

deborah lyn said...

Thanks Debra for these fantastic tips (all in one place), for working together with other writers. We need each other in so many ways as we travel this solitary writer's journey.
"As an author, getting out there is a lot about the power of relationships. Authors' relationships with other authors: priceless!"

So glad too for the link to your podcast, I now have it bookmarked!!

Debra Eckerling said...

Thanks, @Lastpg. Good for you for making such strong connections!

And thank you for your comment, Deborah. You can catch all of the eps of #GoalChatLive on YouTube and the latest episodes of my podcast are up on TheDEBShow.com. Btw, the interview I did with Dr Meg et al on Spirit & Self-Care will be up on Thursday, June 17.

Lynn said...

You offer some great ideas in this article. Would you be willing to let me repost it on Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com, in August, giving you and this site credit of course?

Thanks for sharing,

B. Lynn Goodwin
www.writeradvice.com

Karen Cioffi said...

Hi, Lynn. Debra gives you permission to reprint her article in August, and of course linking back to her site, her book, and to WOTM. I'm sure if she sees your comment, she'll jump in.

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