In honor of Marcie’s first anniversary, we’re launching the Author Blog Challenge!

Woo-hoo! We started this blog journey a year ago today, and look where we are now! 13,501 all-time views, 194 posts, 467 comments, 9 categories, and nearly 100 subscribers. We’re hoping you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have, and have learned some useful information that you’ve been able to implement to help boost your book marketing campaigns.

In order to celebrate our first anniversary, we’ve decided to launch the Author Blog Challenge!

That’s right. We are starting a blog challenge open exclusively to author types (published authors, authors-in-progress, would-be authors). The challenge will run from June 2 through June 29, 2012, but please feel free to register now!

What can you expect from the challenge?

• The opportunity to write about your book, writing process, successes, questions, and marketing ideas
• The opportunity to win a different giveaway every day of the challenge (each daily participant will be entered in a drawing)
  
• The opportunity to build your brand by offering a giveaway for the contest (first come, first served until we fill all 28 slots)
• The opportunity to improve your SEO and increase your readers, subscribers, and exposure
• The opportunity to connect with other authors and writers, to learn, share, connect, and perhaps build lasting relationships

While it’s a 28-day challenge, there’s no minimum number of required posts, but we recommend that you post as often as possible to make the most of your participation in the challenge.

There are several things you can do to prepare between now and June 2:

• Read the rules.
• Register for the challenge!
• Get your thinking cap on! We’ll be posting daily topics, but you needn’t post on our subjects. So start thinking about the kinds of posts you’ll write for the challenge.
• Commit to the number of posts you will write. If you decide you will post all 28 days, make it a point to do so. If you know that’s an unrealistic goal, don’t commit to it. Commit to 14 or 21 posts, and then keep to your goal. It would be far better for you to set a realistic goal you supersede than to set a goal you know you probably won’t meet and beat yourself up about not meeting it.
• Invite other author types to participate.
• Join our Facebook group.
• Follow us on Twitter and tweet about the challenge.
• Grab a banner or graphic and add it to your blog.
• Donate an item for our free daily giveaway.

This is our inaugural Author Blog Challenge, but if it goes well, we plan to make it a semiannual event.

Please help us spread the word and make it a huge success!

Best –

Laura & Marcie

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We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

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Visit the Write | Market | Design Facebook page to meet other authors and aspiring authors who have a sincere interest in writing, publishing, and selling the best books they can. And if you need a self-publishing consultant in your corner for anything from advice on structure to developing a marketing strategy, drop us a note at MarcieBrock@WriteMarketDesign.com or give us a call at 602.518.5376!

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