Tomorrow is the first day of Book Blogger Appreciation Week! But you know, without writers, there would be no reason for book bloggers to exist. Therefore, I’m excited to tell you that Book Blogger Appreciation Week has joined up with She Writes!
Are you familiar with She Writes? In its own words, here’s what this online community is all about:
“She Writes is a community and a workplace for women who write, with over 11,000 active members from all fifty states and more than thirty countries. Right now, emerging writers and established bestsellers are finding services, support and actionable advice on She Writes. In the future, the site will empower women writers further by connecting them directly to readers in a marketplace distinguished by its commitment to the production and distribution of high quality content. She Writes was founded by author and salonniere Kamy Wicoff, in partnership with Deborah Siegel, Ph.D., author and consultant. It is a mission-driven company, based on the belief that writing is life- and world-changing for women.”
I met Kamy when we both spoke on the “Evolving Publishing Ecosystem” panel at BlogHer’10 this summer. After we were both stumped by a question from author Gretchen Rubin during our session – “There are SO many book blogs – which ones should I start with?” (there are no quick-and-easy answers to that one!) – we talked about the idea that one way of addressing it could be to develop a greater book-blogger presence in the She Writes community. After all, as most of us know already, one thing that the publishing ecosystem is evolving into is a place where the connections between readers and authors are more direct. We want to get to know and promote the work of great authors, and they want to find and share their work with us, so let’s make it easier for all of us to do that!
Book Blogger Appreciation Week seems like a great time to get this relationship underway, and Kamy, Amy, and I discussed some ways to do that a few days ago. I’ll be maintaining the BBAW page at She Writes and posting daily updates there all this week, where I’ll be recapping the events of each day and highlighting the award winners. Kamy will contribute a guest post on the BBAW blog, and she and Amy discussed a She Writes Radio show with some of the award winners next week.
However, there are plans to keep this going well beyond BBAW. Kamy has invited me to contribute book-blog posts to She Writes on an ongoing basis, and I’m eager to do that. I plan to post about hot topics in the book-blog community, and I also want to post spotlights on individual book bloggers across all niches, so that She Writes’ authors have the chance to meet you! If you’re interested in connecting directly with authors and would like to be featured, e-mail me at 3.rsblog AT Gmail DOT com.
Bloggers are writers, and regardless of whether their writing ambitions reach beyond the blog, they’re welcome in the She Writes community – so if you haven’t joined yet, you should! (If you’ve been part of Ning groups before, the site’s layout and functionality will look familiar.) And once you become a member, join the group Blogging About Books and Writing, and add BBAW (and me) as friends!
Oh, and speaking of…did you catch Amy’s guest post at BookPage about the history and mission of BBAW?
And just as bloggers are writers, some writers are bloggers…
…and some writers are well aware of the ways of our symbiotic relationship. Irene Ziegler has a proposition for you – it involves a library.
From the “You’re Never Too Old” Files: Randy Susan Meyer presents 41 authors who didn’t even get started before they were 40.
Author’s Conflict of the Week, #1: Your latest book – just out in paperback – was chosen as a Target Breakout Book (yay!), but Target’s being boycotted for supporting a politician you wouldn’t (boo!). Hope Edelman reflects on mixed emotions and alternative places to shop.
Author’s Conflict of the Week, #2: Allison Winn Scotch vs. The Blurbs.
Bloggers are readers, too, and Molly Bumble has a few requests for book reviewers.
Reviews posted since last reportDangerous Neighbors, by Beth Kephart
Recently read, with review to be posted
Red Hook Road, by Ayelet Waldman
The Lonely Polygamist, by Brady Udall
New to the Wishlist
Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World, by Seth Stevenson (via DearReader.com)
Sounds Like Crazy, by Shana Mahaffey
The Lady Matador’s Hotel, by Cristina Garcia
Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire, by Margot Berwin
Lonely: A Memoir, by Emily White
