Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living

Life's too short to play it safe

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Freeways to Flip-Flops
    • My Gutsy Story® Anthology
  • Media
    • Press Kit +Videos
    • Print Media
    • Awards-Reviews-Testimonials
    • Sonia’s Blog Tour
  • About Sonia
  • Contact
We Travel With A Purpose

What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?

November 25, 2014 by Sonia Marsh 10 Comments

36
SHARES
ShareTweetGooglePinterestLinkedinMail
Receiving my Award from Debra Gaynor
Receiving my Award from Debra Gaynor

 

The 2014  Readers’ Favorites Awards ceremony just ended in Miami, Florida. I was lucky to step on stage to receive the “Gold” medal for my memoir,

Freeways to Flip-Flops: A Family’s Year of gutsy Living on a Tropical Island

 Gold Medal on Book

The ceremony was held at the Regency Hotel in conjunction with the Miami Book Fair, on November 22nd, 2014.

Apart from the typical book exposure, recognition, a medal, bragging rights, PR, networking and potential book sales,  I believe the most important thing you get, is the unexpected. It’s up to you to find out what that is for you.

 Sonia’s Summary of the Awards ceremony

 

What do you get from your Award?

  • Your book is displayed at the Readers’ Favorite Booth at the Miami Book Festival
  • PR- Readers’ Favorites promoted the event and listed all the winners online
  • The media was at the Awards ceremony, and randomly selected authors to interview. I tried to “push” my way in front of a journalist, but arrived too late
  • Why I believe it’s important to enter Book Award Contests

 

Sonia at Readers Favorite Booth at 2014 Miami Book Fair
Sonia at Readers Favorite Booth at 2014 Miami Book Fair
My author friends, Susan Ellison Busch and Linda Kovic-Skow
My author friends, Susan Ellison Busch and Linda Kovic-Skow
Miami Book Fair rainy first day
Miami Book Fair rainy first day
Booths in rain
Booths in rain

What do you get from networking during the awards?

  • Meeting other authors from around the world and making new friends.
  • Brainstorming about ways to promote, ideas on what to focus on, helping one another.
  • What’s your next book?
  • Unexpected epiphanies? ( I got one related to what’s going on in my life right now. One author said, “You will figure something out while you are here. Something you are not expecting.”)

 

Gisela Hausmann, Linda Kovic-Skow, Sonia Marsh
Gisela Haussman, Linda Kovic-Skow, Sonia Marsh
Sonia, Carol Bodensteiner and Linda Kovic-Skow
Sonia, Carol Bodensteiner and Linda Kovic-Skow

I finally met author Gisela Hausmann, also a gold medal winner in the “Motivational” category, and Carol Bodensteiner, a silver medal winner. They are both “My Gutsy Story®“ Anthology contributors.

Sonia’s Conclusion (from her perspective)

All of us face the same problems as indie authors.

  • The # 1 question I kept hearing was, “How do I sell more books?

I have written about this topic (click link above) and know that book marketing and promotion is a full-time job. Many authors don’t have enough time as they also have day-jobs, so I believe we have to be realistic about our book sales, and what we are able to accomplish on a small budget.

  • Find Your Readers

One lesson I learned from my author friend, Linda Kovic-Skow,  whom I really enjoyed spending time with sight-seeing as well as networking is the following:

Sonia Marsh, Linda Kovic-Skow, Debra Gaynor and Susan Joyce
Sonia Marsh, Linda Kovic-Skow, Debra Gaynor and Susan Joyce

We need to find our readers, and not just focus on our writer friends, (which I believe many of us, including myself, tend to do.)

BUT HOW?

If you’re a memoir writer like Linda Kovic-Skow, and myself, then join the “We Love Memoirs Group,” on Facebook. Most of the 2,000 followers are readers, not writers.

The perfect example is Susan Jackson, a huge fan of memoirs, who made T-Shirts for all of us Memoir writers, and stayed with us, to show her support as a memoir reader.

T_shirts from Susan Jackson
Susan Jackson made the T-Shirts for us. She has the white one on the far right

Thank you Susan for your kindness. I love my turquoise T-Shirt.

My T-shirt made by Susan Jackson

 

ATTENTION READERS AND WRITERS

  • HAVE YOU JOINED OUR CONTEST TO WIN 10 FREE COPIES OF EITHER ANTHOLOGY? Click here for details
  • WANT TO GET PUBLISHED IN OUR AWARD-WINNING  2015 ANTHOLOGY? Click here for details.

Filed Under: Book Promotion, People, Writing & Work Tagged With: What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?

Comments

  1. Carol Bodensteiner says

    November 25, 2014 at 4:56 pm

    All good points, Sonia. I’d add third-party credibility with readers and other media to the benefits. People take our writing more seriously because of the award.

    All the best. Hope to see you again sometime soon!
    Carol Bodensteiner recently posted..Journey to publication began with NANOWRIMOMy Profile

    Reply
    • Sonia Marsh says

      November 25, 2014 at 9:27 pm

      I agree Carol, and I mentioned recognition, but readers like to see an Award-winning label on the book, especially from an unknown author.
      Sonia Marsh recently posted..What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?My Profile

      Reply
  2. Kathleen Pooler says

    November 25, 2014 at 5:11 pm

    This is so exciting , Sonia. All your hard work has paid off. Congratulations and thank you for sharing the tips. Love the photos, too.
    Kathleen Pooler recently posted..The Work-in-Progress Blog Tour: A Memoir MomentMy Profile

    Reply
    • Sonia Marsh says

      November 25, 2014 at 9:28 pm

      Thanks Kathy. Are you part of “We Love memoirs?”
      Sonia Marsh recently posted..What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?My Profile

      Reply
  3. ladyfi says

    November 25, 2014 at 8:47 pm

    Congratulations – you deserve it!
    ladyfi recently posted..Autumn is leave-ingMy Profile

    Reply
    • Sonia Marsh says

      November 25, 2014 at 9:28 pm

      Thank you Fiona.
      Sonia Marsh recently posted..What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?My Profile

      Reply
  4. Penelope James says

    November 26, 2014 at 12:04 am

    Thanks for sharing this experience with us! Congratulations on this award, your book deserves this acknowledgment, and as the author, you must be feeling very proud. I’m proud to know you and to have followed your author career almost since its start. I am left with your conclusion, Find your Readers. Are not our readers the reason why we write?

    Reply
    • Sonia Marsh says

      November 26, 2014 at 6:02 am

      Pennie, yes we write for our readers, but many of us get “stuck” in our circle of writer friends, and have a hard time finding the actual readers. That is why I suggest we look for online groups that have mostly readers, like “We Love Memoirs.”
      Sonia Marsh recently posted..What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?My Profile

      Reply
  5. Pat says

    November 26, 2014 at 4:50 am

    Right on target as always, Sonia. Sure wish I could’ve been there to meet and greet and celebrate with you. Although I imagine that if you had to crouch down to receive your award, Debra would have to stand on a step ladder to present mine.
    Pat recently posted..Kathy Pooler Advocating Awareness: International Day to End Violence Against WomenMy Profile

    Reply
    • Sonia Marsh says

      November 26, 2014 at 6:13 am

      Pat,

      You are right. Debra is very short, and I’m 5′ 8.5″
      As a basketball player, you would have to kneel down, as a few people did.

      Sorry to miss you in Europe around the holidays.
      Sonia Marsh recently posted..What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?My Profile

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Sign up for my Gutsy Updates

Come on over to see my new blog: We Travel With A Purpose

Welcome!

Welcome!

Click the cover to buy on Amazon

Recent Posts

  • After Lockdown: My New Adventure In England
  • How I Cope During Lockdown
  • My way of staying positive during these difficult times?

Archives

  • ►2021 (1)
    • ►April (1)
  • ►2020 (3)
    • ►April (2)
    • ►March (1)
  • ►2019 (1)
    • ►April (1)
  • ►2018 (10)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►November (1)
    • ►October (1)
    • ►September (2)
    • ►July (3)
    • ►May (1)
    • ►January (1)
  • ►2017 (9)
    • ►August (1)
    • ►June (1)
    • ►April (2)
    • ►March (1)
    • ►February (3)
    • ►January (1)
  • ►2016 (40)
    • ►December (1)
    • ►November (4)
    • ►October (5)
    • ►September (4)
    • ►August (4)
    • ►July (3)
    • ►June (3)
    • ►May (4)
    • ►April (4)
    • ►March (3)
    • ►February (1)
    • ►January (4)
  • ►2015 (60)
    • ►December (3)
    • ►November (3)
    • ►October (4)
    • ►September (3)
    • ►August (6)
    • ►July (5)
    • ►June (5)
    • ►May (3)
    • ►April (5)
    • ►March (8)
    • ►February (8)
    • ►January (7)
  • ►2014 (105)
    • ►December (9)
    • ►November (8)
    • ►October (9)
    • ►September (9)
    • ►August (8)
    • ►July (9)
    • ►June (9)
    • ►May (9)
    • ►April (8)
    • ►March (9)
    • ►February (8)
    • ►January (10)
  • ►2013 (104)
    • ►December (9)
    • ►November (9)
    • ►October (9)
    • ►September (8)
    • ►August (9)
    • ►July (9)
    • ►June (8)
    • ►May (9)
    • ►April (9)
    • ►March (8)
    • ►February (8)
    • ►January (9)
  • ►2012 (112)
    • ►December (10)
    • ►November (10)
    • ►October (9)
    • ►September (8)
    • ►August (10)
    • ►July (9)
    • ►June (8)
    • ►May (9)
    • ►April (10)
    • ►March (10)
    • ►February (8)
    • ►January (11)
  • ►2011 (105)
    • ►December (10)
    • ►November (8)
    • ►October (9)
    • ►September (9)
    • ►August (8)
    • ►July (8)
    • ►June (10)
    • ►May (9)
    • ►April (8)
    • ►March (9)
    • ►February (8)
    • ►January (9)

Also Available At:

Sign up for my Gutsy Updates with Holden Safaris.
Travel with me to Africa as I share my life-changing experiences.

Latest from the Blog

  • After Lockdown: My New Adventure In England
  • How I Cope During Lockdown
  • My way of staying positive during these difficult times?
  • How to Keep Your Mind Off the Coronavirus
  • Follow Me to Dubai on My New Travel Website

Copyright © 2017 — Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living • All rights reserved.
Site customised by Peace of Africa Designs