|
 Writer, meet Reader: New Service Seeks to Bring Authors, Booksellers and Readers Together.
Publishers, are your authors on this list? Over 200 writers have already signed up for the Southern Traveling Authors Registration Service (STARS) author directory service created by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA ) and designed to connect authors with their readers via independent booksellers. The STARS directory of Southern authors is part of Authors Round the South (ARTS), SIBA’s consumer website for people who love southern literature. Launched in January, 2009, STARS was developed by SIBA in response to requests from booksellers. “One of the most common questions SIBA gets from its members,” says Wanda Jewell, SIBA’s Executive Director, ‘is ‘how do I get authors to my store?’ Jewell noted that many of their members are located in smaller towns off the radar of many New York publishing houses’ publicity departments. “So it is a question of providing our stores access to authors, and also of raising the visibility of the stores so the events will be successful,” she said. “We think the STARS service can do both these things.” Nicki Leone, SIBA’s website administrator and one of the principle motivators behind the STARS service, has a frontline bookseller’s appreciation for the program. “When I was a bookstore manager [Bristol Books in Wilmington, NC] I would often receive calls from authors who were going to be in town visiting and wanted to have a book signing while they were here,” she said. “It was always spur of the moment and it was always so frustrating, because there wouldn’t be enough time to promote an appearance. But at the same time, I was also getting calls from local book clubs looking for writers to come talk to them. I never had an easy way to bring those authors and those book clubs together. Well, I think STARS is that way.” How does it work? STARS allows authors to create detailed profile pages with links to their books, websites, press kits and publicity contacts. Most importantly, authors can list their upcoming travel plans and tour dates by location. These “trips” are part of STARS’ searchable database, allowing users to see when authors will be coming to their area, what authors are traveling and might be available for events, and to place requests for specific authors they are interested in meeting. STARS can by used by anyone--bookstores, libraries , book clubs, civic organizations—to find authors. All requests for an author are handled by SIBA, which arranges for the author and the consumer to coordinate with their closest independent bookstore to work out the details of any appearance. What does STARS do for authors? STARS introduces authors to booksellers: Authors who are traveling in the South can make the most of their travel plans by listing their upcoming trips on their STARS profile page. Each time they enter a trip on STARS, an announcement is sent to close by SIBA stores, notifying booksellers that the author will be in the area and is available for events, speaking engagements, book club discussions, etc. When SIBA receives requests from its bookseller members for ideas for authors for their own event programs, they direct the stores to the STARS directory first, and give STARS authors advanced notice of any calls for authors they receive from the southern literary community.
STARS introduces authors to new readers: STARS authors receive featured placement in SIBA consumer publications: They are highlighted on the SIBA bestseller list and followed by her ladyship, the editor, for the Lady Banks’ Commonplace Book newsletter. What does STARS do for bookstores? The STARS service is a resource bookstores can promote to their customers and their community. By promoting STARS to other local businesses, schools and libraries as a source for speakers, SIBA booksellers extend their reach and customer base, and become the go-to source for literary speakers in their area. And because these author requests come directly from the store’s customers, booksellers are assured that there is a guaranteed audience for the writer and their book. STARS is also an excellent resource for stores that need to fill in gaps in their event programming, or wish to launch a reading series of their own. What does STARS do for publishers? By providing continuous promotion and visibility for its authors, STARS helps publishers to “grow” their authors not just for one season, but over the entire course of their career. STARS promotion doesn’t end when an event is scheduled with a SIBA bookstore. Events are listed on the ARTS calendar—the most extensive listing of literary events in the South that we know of—and promoted directly to consumers. What does STARS do for consumers? First and foremost, STARS is an excellent way for readers to discover new authors. And because the searchable database lists scheduled events at bookstores, author home towns, and author “trips” – that is, places authors will be visiting and when, a search on STARS highlights not simple a list of potential speakers, but offers a window into the vivacious literary life of the South. Consumers will not only discover new authors on STARS, but new places to see authors, new stores to visit, and new literary events they might not have realized were happening in their own back yard. Teachers can use STARS to find writers to speak to speak to their classes. Book clubs can use STARS to find authors who would be willing to talk to their group. Writers groups can user STARS to find authors who can speak about the Civic organizations can use STARS to find speakers for their annual meetings. Festival organizers can use the service to find headliners for their event. There is something for every occasion on STARS. Who can list on STARS? Any author with a book in print is eligible for the STARS service. Authors do not need to live in SIBA territory to use STARS, but the only trips they can list are those to SIBA states (AL, AR, GA, FL, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, KY, VA). Authors can apply individually, or publishers, publicists and other literary groups can list authors on their behalf. Plans for the expansion and development STARS service are ongoing, and include allowing literary organizations, book clubs and nonprofits to register on the site, as well as making the service available for other areas of the country. SIBA feels so strongly about the potential for the STARS service that it has submitted the site to the Innovations in Reading Prize recently announced by the National Book Foundation and designed to award “individuals and institutions that have developed successful, innovative approaches to inspire Americans to become life-long and passionate readers.” A copy of SIBA’s application letter can be viewed on the SIBA blog. To find out more information on how to apply to STARS, send an email to the STARS administrator:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. For more information about this and other SIBA Programs, contact: Wanda Jewell
Executive Director, Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance
3806 Yale Avenue, Columbia, SC 29205
803.779.0118
Fax: 803.779.0113
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.sibaweb.com
|
