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
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
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.”)
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:
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.
Thank you Susan for your kindness. I love my turquoise T-Shirt.
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.
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 NANOWRIMO
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?
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 Moment
Thanks Kathy. Are you part of “We Love memoirs?”
Sonia Marsh recently posted..What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?
Congratulations – you deserve it!
ladyfi recently posted..Autumn is leave-ing
Thank you Fiona.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..What Do You Get From Winning a Book Award?
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?
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?
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 Women
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?