11/14/07

Sponsor LDSP

I've been doing this blog since April 2006. I've done 483 posts. In celebration of that fact, I'm going to list 483 things about me. (Laughs maniacally.)

Just kidding. (Sorry, I could not resist.)

Seriously, during that year and a half, I've held several contests, the prizes of which have been funded by me. But since I am cheap ...uhm... tired of funding this all by myself ...uhm... need to use that money for chocolate we've been talking about promotion, I thought it would be a good idea to let you do a little self-promotion via sponsorship of this blog.

To be a sponsor, you need to be willing and able to provide a prize during the term of your sponsorship in the form of a copy of YOUR book, plus the cost of shipping it to the prize winner.

There are two forms of sponsorship—sponsoring a contest or sponsoring the blog for a month.

1. Contest sponsorship. Writing contests have two prizes so each contest will have two sponsors. The sponsors of the contest will get a brief bio on the contest introduction page AND the cover of their book with link to website or blog on the sidebar. At the end of the contest, I will announce the winners. Winners will send me their mailing address which I will forward to the sponsor of their prize. Sponsor needs to ship the prize within a week of receiving the winner's address.

2. Blog sponsorship. At the beginning of each month, I will select a new sponsor(s). Sponsor will get a brief bio on the post for the first business day of the month AND the cover of their book with link to website or blog on the sidebar. At the end of the month, I will put the names of everyone who has commented on the blog that month into a hat and draw out a winner. As with the contest sponsorship, I announce the winners and the sponsor ships the prizes. Depending on the level of response, there may be up to three blog sponsors each month.

Why you want to be a sponsor: This gets your book cover and link to your website or blog in front of a targeted audience. (Writers are generally avid readers and BUY books.) My average unique visitor count per day is around 70; some days it goes over 100.

More stupid requirements details for being a sponsor:
  • Since the prize is your book, you must have a published book (traditional or self-published; no e-books).

  • Book must currently be in print and available for purchase via the Internet.

  • If you have published multiple books, you may choose the title you want to offer as the prize.

  • Authors may only sponsor one prize per month and cannot sponsor both a contest and a month at the same time.

  • If you have multiple books and want to give them each a turn at sponsoring a contest or month, sponsorship will be alloted in a way that's fair to others who want to sponsor. (Example: Depending on the response, your first book may sponsor in January; second book may not have a turn until April.)

  • You may choose one link for you book. It can be your personal website or blog, or your publisher's website, or any other website where your book may be purchased.

  • Publishers may sponsor a contest or month, but they must do so in their author's name.

  • Publishers may submit multiple authors/books. Each author will be considered as a separate submission.

  • I will calendar sponsors in the order that I receive the e-mailed request.

  • In your e-mail to request a turn at sponsoring, tell me whether you want to sponsor a contest or a month, the title of your book, the website or blog you want it to link to, a short bio and a photo of yourself (photo optional). E-mail me now.
To win a Contest Prize: Participate in a contest, follow the rules, and win.

To win a Monthly Prize: Leave thoughtful comments. Comments like "That's cool" or "Way to go" do not count. You need to show by the content of you comment that you have read the post and given the topic at least 3.5 seconds of sincere thought.

If you guys like this idea and volunteer to be sponsors, we'll start the Monthly Sponsors in December and the Contest Sponsors with the upcoming Christmas Story Contest. (Look for details on Monday.) If no one volunteers, then we won't.

6 comments:

Marsha Ward said...

Eeeek! There are no comments. That means everyone has beat me to the email. Sheesh. This is what I get for spending time today on actually writing my book?

JK, but not about the writing. I did do that. There's light flickering at the end of the tunnel.

Melanie Goldmund said...

I wish I had a book that was published. I'd be jumping up and down with my hand in the air, screaming, "Pick me as your sponsor, pick me!"

Melanie Goldmund

Pendragon Inman said...

i echo melanie...
i'd sponser if I could. Perhaps in the near future, i'll be able to offer that to you. Meanwhile, i think it's a fun idea. I hope you get the resources you need. :)

Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen said...

Great idea, but dang! I wanted to hear 483 things about YOU!

Tristi Pinkston said...

That's cool, LDSP! Way to go!

(Sorry, it was irresistable)

Tristi Pinkston said...

That's cool, LDSP! Way to go!

(Sorry, it was irresistable)