Post #23 – Women’s Memoirs, Book Business – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
Memoir Writing Contest Announcement that Uses Leverage
Kendra and I are on the alert for interesting examples of leverage. We found one that is clever and thought we’d pass it on to you. The content will also interest you as it is a memoir contest. However, it closes on January 31, so you need to submit immediately, if you’re interested.
The organization that produces the Guide to Literary Agents and has a website with the same name has announced its first Dear Lucky Agent Contest with a focus on memoir. First the details of the contest, in case you are interested. Then, on to the way they are using leverage.
To enter the contest, you need to submit the first 200 words of your memoir. If you win, you will receive a critique of 25 pages of your work by an agent as well as two books from Writer’s Digest — an affiliated company. (They are both owned by F+W Publications.) Here’s the link to the Memoir Contest.
About now you’re wondering how much it costs to enter this contest. Nothing.
Here’s where leverage comes in. It costs you nothing to enter except a bit of social networking on your part. Let me back up here. Almost all contests have entry fees because there are real out of pocket costs associated with contests — staff to run them, prizes, judges, etc. The Guide to Literary Agents is doing something that is right up our discussion alley. They’re using the leverage of each person who wants to submit to the contest to get out the word about the contest. Of course, that also means that a lot of people are learning about the Guide to Literary Agents who may have never heard of the publication. I imagine they hope the contest will generate more book sales for them.
In order for your submission to be eligible you have to either (1) “Mention and link to this contest twice through any social media – blogs, Twitter, Facebook, forums, message boards, comments on other blog sites; or (2) just mention this contest once and also add Guide to Literary Agent Blog to your blogroll.” The folks at Guide to Literary Agents have clearly thought this through. You have to provide links so that each entry’s social networking efforts can be verified.
Clever. See if you can think of a way to use this idea. If you do, let us know and we’ll brag on you.
memoir contest promotion
marketing leverage
book marketing tips
memoir
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What a great idea! I am going to spread the word and enter the contest. You two are doing some really advanced social marketing. I want to spend as much time as I can trying to keep up with you.
Hi Shirley:
Great to have you here and thanks for getting the word out. The more we can do to help each other, the more progress we’ll all make.
-Matilda