UPCOMING EVENTS
2019
Weds, December 11 (7pm)
Panel/Q&A: So You Want To Be A Writer
Somerset County Library, Manville branch (100 South 10th Avenue, Manville, NJ 08835)
Featuring: Laurie Wallmark (coordinator/moderator); Mike Griffith; Pascale Kavanagh
2020
Weds, March 11 (7pm)
Panel/Q&A: Getting Published in the 2020s
Somerset County Library, Manville branch (100 South 10th Avenue, Manville, NJ 08835)
Featuring: Brian McKinley (coordinator/moderator); Charles Levin; Jacki Skole; Stacey Wilke; tba
JOIN US?
To become a member of NJAN, all you have to do is join our Groups.io group.
INTERESTED IN HOSTING AN EVENT?
If you're interested in hosting a multi-author event by NJAN or you'd like to have one of our members give a talk at your author event, book club, library, school, writing group etc. contact Jon Gibbs: admin@njauthorsnetwork.com.
The New Jersey Authors' Network (NJAN) is a free to join/free to use network of writers and authors from New Jersey and adjoining states (including those who are self-published, or whose work is part of an anthology).
Its main purpose is to provide a place (via the network's Groups.io group), through which local writers can team up to take part in multi-author panel/Q&As and book signings.
WHY SHOULD I JOIN?
Whether traditionally published or self-published, authors who are less well-known have trouble arranging book signings. I believe one answer is to organize multi-author events (with up to five authors taking part) which offer something more than just a book signing.
From a book store or library's point of view, there's not much additional work involved. On the benefit side, they'll likely generate more interest for the event and (in the case of bookstores) sell more books - it's a numbers game after all.
At present, we do most of our events at New Jersey libraries. With a little planning, a professional approach, and enough people doing their bit, multi-writer panel/Q&As and Meet the Author events can become a regular feature at libraries and book stores throughout New Jersey. That's got to be good for everybody.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Nothing. The network is a free to join, free to use service. There's no membership fee, and no charge for taking part in any event. That said, there are no guarantees either. It's up to you to promote each event as best you can. If you don't promote the events you participate in, invitations to take part will soon dry up (see 'guide for participants' and faq).
SO WHAT'S MY NEXT STEP?
Take a look around the site. The 'guide for participants' page tells you all you need to know about taking part in a signing. If
you want to organize an event yourself, use the 'guide for coordinators'.
When you're ready to join the network, simply join our Groups.io
Group.
Once you join the Yahoo group, go into the Files section. Open the folder called Author One-sheets (for Book Clubs, Meet the Author events etc.).
Click on the Actions tab, select Alphabetical.
Download the file About Author One-Sheets. Use this as a guide to create, and upload, your own promotional one-sheet.
Feel free to add your other links (but please make sure you put them in the relevant folders).
When an event calls for it, the coordinator collates the relevant one-sheets and forwards them to the event host. It's up to individual members to make sure their file is named, formatted, sized etc. appropriately.
Uploading your one-sheet to the Yahoo group saves you having to send out your information every time you want to take part in an event (and saves the coordinator having to request it every time he/she organizes one).
When someone wants to organize a signing, he/she posts a general group message with the relevant details.
DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE
TO ARRANGE THINGS.
Like any other good idea, this will only work if you do. Promote this group on your blog. Invite other NJ authors to join. If you have an agent, ask them to promote it too. If you want to sell your book, you have to put yourself out there.
Hopefully this can help.
Good luck,
Jon Gibbs
