A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: MSI Press Affiliates

 

It is Tuesday. Time to tall turkey. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.

Today's topic deviates from our usual "conversation" topics of pragmatic and technical advice for authors and would-be authors, as well as those trying to be their own publishers. Instead, we want to bring to you information about a new MSI Press program that has the potential to help authors directly in significant ways: MSI Affiliates. 

An MSI affiliate is an author whose book(s) the MSI Press editorial staff has accepted for inclusion in its webstore as a "friend" of the press. The high quality books of affiliates benefit in a number of ways:

• They are listed in the MSI Press webstore. While MSI does not sell them it does link to places where they are sold and thus provides a conduit for more sales.
• Being in the MSI webstore is a lasting sales/marketing opportunity.
• Being in the MSI webstore also results in the book appearing in more Google searches since it is now linked to a new source of information and more SEO.
• Affiliated books are featured in the MSI Press blog when they first appear in the webstore and annually thereafter with updated information.
• One blog post features the book.
• Another blog post features the author.
• This represents another opportunity to appear in Internet searches and to be introduced to MSI Press blog followers.
• MSI Press blog posts are shared on Twitter and on Face Book -- two more opportunities to appear in Internet searches and to be presented to MSI Press followership on each platform.
• Affiliated authors are invited to write guest posts for the MSI Press blog, which are then shared on Twitter and Face Book -- more marketing opportunities.
• MSI Press affiliates also have their books featured in the monthly MSI Press Newsletter-Bulletin that is distributed to librarians, bookstores, reviewers, and readers in the month that it first appears in the webstore.
• MSI Press affiliates also receive the monthly newsletter that MSI Press authors receive with information about how other books are faring, what is happening in the industry, scams, opportunities, and scads of marketing advice.
• MSI Press affiliates may take advantage of the same opportunities provided MSI Press authors; publisher discounts on book contests, exhibits, advertising, and other forms of marketing
• press releases at cost
• press release distribution at cost

There is a minimal cost to being an affiliate--a better deal than found anywhere else that we know of. The initial cost is a $25 set-up fee. The annual fee for inclusion in the webstore is $10. 

The bottom line is that this is an inexpensive way to get potentially a lot more exposure for a book. The only catch? Affiliates must be invited; they cannot apply. However, they can be nominated. Any affiliate can nominate another author to be an affiliate. So can any MSI Press author. Really want to  be an affiliate but do not know any of the current authors and affiliates? Get to know them! Read a book in your genre from among the MSI Press authors and affiliates. Review the book on Amazon and elsewhere. Let the author know that you have reviewed the book. Spend some time getting to know the author. Share you work with the author. If the author thinks highly of your work, ask the author to refer you to the MSI Press editorial staff for a potential invitation to become an affiliate.

Want to sample what being an affiliate looks like? Click HERE and then on Bouquets of Bitterroots.

Lesson for today's Tuesday talk: Take advantage of the inexpensive means of marketing. Advertising is costly. Social media advertising is cheaper, What MSI Press offers its affiliates is hard to beat.

 Read more posts about publishing HERE.

The Tuesday talks reflect real discussions between the management of MSI Press LLC and our own authors or those would-be authors who come through our doors but don't make the cut--yet. If you have a topic you would like to see addressed, leave the question in the comment section. Chances are, in our 17 years of publishing first-time and experiences authors, we have had a conversation with one of our authors that we can share with you.