And so the Campaign begins!!! (plus the Campaigner Notice-Board)

All I can say is wow!!! What a fantastic response we've had from so many awesome people. The internet has been buzzing and I'm overwhelmed by everyone's interest and enthusiasm in my Third Campaign. To all Campaigners, welcome! I'm so glad to have you on board, and I can't wait to get to know you all as the Campaign progresses.

Can I still join?

Yes. The list is open until August 31st, 11.59pm (EDT). Just go to my original Campaign post and follow the directions.

Where to from here?

The Campaign has begun, so once you've added yourself to one (or more) Linky Lists on my List of Campaigners page, feel free to dive right in. Please note, however, that the Campaigner Groups are not yet finalized, and it's possible I'll have to move some people around depending on numbers in Groups. I'll be doing my best to finalize the Groups by next Friday (after the List of Campaigners closes on Wednesday).

I gave some suggestions in my original post for the type of things you can do now. Basically, I've asked that you follow the Campaigners in your Campaigner Group, but after that everything else is voluntary.

You can connect on Twitter at #writecampaign, in our Yahoo Group, on Campaigners' blogs, on Google Plus (Sarah Ketley has started a Campaigner lists here), or anywhere else you can think of. You could also see what you can come up with in your Groups - I know some people are already starting to interview their fellow Group members.

For those of you who are planning to follow heaps of people, this post about organizing Google Reader might come in handy :)

My first Campaigner Challenge will be on Monday, September 5th, so make sure you come back here for that if you want to take part. I rather think it will be massive!!!

A few people asked me about this, so I thought I'd better clarify. Outside of the events I'll be organizing, it's all up to you. This Campaign is all about giving you guys the opportunity and means (and a bit of encouragement) to network with your fellow writers. I cannot, unfortunately, do the networking for you. Basically, you'll get out of the Campaign what you put in (if you just put your name down in a Linky List and don't now go out there and meet other Campaigners, you won't get the full Campaign experience). So I hope you have fun with your networking and make heaps of great connections with all the awesome writers out there! :)

Beta Match for Campaigners

In the past I've done a beta match on Rach Writes, to help everyone find critique partners and beta readers. I'll be doing one during the Campaign, on Monday, September 19th. So mark that in your calendars and come back then if you're looking for somebody to help out with your writing. (You don't need to have a completed WIP to put your name down, as CPs help during the writing process as well).

Campaigner Notice-Board

Check out these great blogfests, contests, and other announcements:

1. From Christine Tyler at The Writer Coaster - Come join the Sparkfest and let us know what book or author inspired you to write. Give a little back, make some blogger friends, and be entered to win an Amazon gift card!  The Sparkfest runs from August 22-26th. Late entrants are welcome. 
2. During my last Campaign, Kerri Cuev at Craft Junkie organized a Choose Your Own Adventure bloghop for the Group 9 Campaigners. She would like to organize another one this Campaign and is calling for anyone who'd like to be involved. Participants would write their own "part" of the adventure, and then post them in a bloghop for others to read. Check out the details here.
3. From K. M. Walton at Some Things I Think - I need daily votes for the Philly MVB (most valuable blog) award - now through September 9th. Click here for details. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your help!!  
4. From Heather McCorkle at Heather's Oddysey - To celebrate the release of my debut novel, The Secret of Spruce Knoll, I'm doing a Tour Of Secrets where you can learn all about me and my novel. There are great prizes to be won! Check out the details here.
5. From Kelda at Kelda Crich - My blog for horror and dark fantasy short stories is here. This is a new site under my new pen name. Some of you might know me as Deborah Walker.
6. From Rebecca Ryals Russell at Under the Hat - MG/YA Author September Blogathon/Giveaways. Discover new authors and win prizes throughout September. Looking for blogs to promote MG book, Zarena, and YA book releasing Sept, Prophecy.
7. From Deana Barnhart at Deana Barnhart Writing and Publishing Simplified - Everyone in their writing journey experiences firsts. I spotlight that each Friday by interviewing debut authors, new agents, editors, fresh platform builders as well as pick the brains of some old hands in the business and take them back to some of their firsts as a way to inspire us newbies to be better and always strive for greater things. This meme is called Firsts Fridays.
8. From Kimberly Zook at Zook Book Nook - Hooked on Hooks? Get the first 1 - 5 sentences of your WIP ready for the first weekend in October! Starting on Friday Sept. 30th you can post a link to your blog through the Hooked on Hooks linky that will be available on my blog, Zook Book Nook. From Sept. 30th to Oct. 2nd you can link up to have your Hook reviewed by fellow campaigners. The only requirement is to stop by at least three other campaigners blogs to give them comments about their hooks. The WIP may be any piece of writing (short story, essay, fiction, YA, chic lit, fantasy, article, blog post, etc) that you are currently working on.F
9. From Susanna Hill at Susanna Leonard Hill  KidLit Writers: I run a weekly feature on my blog on Wednesdays called Would you Read It. Check out the details here. Participants can enter their working title (if they have one), the genre they're writing (Picture Book, Early Reader, Chapter Book, MG, or YA - this is for children's books only) and their one sentence pitch and then get valuable feedback from objective sources who are knowledgeable about children's books (parents, teachers, librarians, and other writers.) One pitch is posted each week. At the end of the month, readers vote on which pitch they thought was best and that pitch is evaluated by an experienced freelance editor! (one who has worked for Little Simon and Scholastic!) If you win the editor evaluation, not only will you get great advice from her, she might even ask to see your partial or complete ms!  Even if you don't have a pitch to submit, please consider stopping by on Wednesdays and lending your expertise to those brave enough to post their pitch! 
10. From Angela Yuriko Smith at Dandilyon Fluff  Sept 2nd - Live Goodreads Q&A session with author Angela Yuriko Smith on her new release No Money Marketing: All You Need Is Like. Learn how to sell your book without going broke! Check out the details here. 
11. From Christa Desir at Christa Writes "Christa Talks to The Teen"-- My teen beta reader answers questions from adult writers. Friday, August 26. www.christadesir.com
12. From Lorelei Bell at Lorelei - I'm having a birthday bash, and a contest. Winner gets an autographed copy of my novel, Vampire Ascending. Easy to enter, just leave a comment, your name and contact info. Details, and how to win can be viewed on August 27th, at my blog Lorelei's Muse Contest will runc until September 1st" http://loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com/
13. From T.B. McKenzie at Magickless My first book is coming out this Christmas. The Dragon and the Crow, published by Dragonfall Press in Australia. http://www.dragonfallpress.com/F
14. From Shelley Koon at Shelley Koon - Dark Writes Contest to name my Monday feature showcasing blogs pertaining to writing (writers, agents, book reviewers and so on). Can submit up to three entries - winner, picked by me, will receive a $25 gift certificate to the online book seller of their choice. Check it out here.
15. From Ellen Goodlett at Word Thief  Win a SIGNED advance-read copy of Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races, coming October 18th. All you have to do is comment on this entry post!
16. From Marcia Richards at Marcia Richards' Blog - Author interviews at Marcia Richards' Blog: L isa Rivero 8/31, Jody Hedlund 9/7, Kim Wright 9/15. Please join us!

If you have a blogfest, a contest, or a something-or-other you want me to let people know about, fill out this form and I'll run your announcement in the following Friday's post. Make sure you include all the details please.

I think that's it for now. Happy Campaigning everyone!!! :)

Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

There are so many of us out there. Aspiring authors, bloggers (whether established or beginning), industry peeps, even published authors, all of whom want to build their online platforms. We write insightful posts and articles, actively blog within the blogosphere, take part in challenges, competitions, and contests galore.

We have the passion and the drive to make it, but…we could all do with a bit of support.

So I started thinking. What if we link all these people together? What if we create a way to meet people in a similar position, people who genuinely want to help build our online platform while at the same time building theirs? People who want to pay it forward in the spirit of writerly writerness and blogging beautificity (and see it come back to them in turn).

And so, my Writers’ Platform-Building Campaign was born.

What is the Campaign?

Basically, the Campaign is a way to link those of us in the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Campaigners are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs.

I originally referred to my Writers' Platform-Building Campaigns as "Crusades", but I've recently changed that name for reasons including this one. So we'll be referring to ourselves as Campaigners rather than Crusaders from now on (and I hope you can all get behind the new name as strongly as you did behind the original one).

In 2010 we had 55 people take part, many of whom have become great blogging friends. We saw our followers skyrocket and the comments on our posts increase, and had fun taking part in the Challenges as well (kartofflepuffer anyone???).

In February 2011, we had 217 people take part before I closed the List, and many more who wanted to join. I made so many wonderful friends, and heard of some awesome connections and friendships being made between other writers. The new Group concept worked very well, and we saw Group interviews, get-to-know-you sessions, a Choose Your Own Adventure bloghop, among other things. The Challenges were again heaps of fun - I think we'll all remember the goldfish bowl flash fiction for a long time! And the Show Not Tell Challenge in April (linked with Arlee Bird's A-Z Challenge) was a ball of fun too!

I can't wait to see what fun comes out of this Third Campaign!

As the Campaign kicks off, you'll have the names and blog addresses of the Campaigners on my List of Campaigners page (above), so you can keep in touch with the other Campaigners. That way you’ll have a list of bloggers in the same position as you, who genuinely want to help you succeed. And you'll be able to meet those who have the most in common with you. You can visit their blogs and other places they haunt, follow along, leave comments galore, and share your highs and lows as you journey through the blogosphere and build your online platform. And they'll be doing the same for you.

Length of the Campaign

This Campaign will run from August 22nd to October 31st. I'll be closing the List of Campaigners on August 31st, so join up before then if you want to come on board!

Organized Campaign Events

During the Campaign, I'll be running Campaigner Challenges and the Campaigner Notice-Board. Other than that, go for your life! I've set up a Campaigner Yahoo Group here, for you to chat among yourselves, and there'll be lots of Twitter-talk at #writecampaign.

Mark these dates in your diary now:

1. First Campaigner Challenge - Monday, September 5
2. Second Campaigner Challenge - Thursday, September 22
3. Third Campaigner Challenge - Monday, October 17

Each Friday I'll be running a Campaigner Notice-Board, where you can announce blogfests, book launches, things you'd like to share with your other Campaigners, etc etc. You'll need to send me the information in advance, and I've made up a form to make things easier. If you want me to include your details in this Friday's post (August 26), please fill out this form.

How to join?

If you’d like to join the Third Campaign, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. follow me if you haven't already, so you can check out the Campaigner Notice-Board on Fridays and take part in Campaigner Challenges 
2. comment on this post, to let the other Campaigners know you’ll be coming on board
3. blog about the Campaign to help spread the word (include a link to this post and encourage your followers to join)
4. tweet about the Campaign if you're on Twitter, and include a link to this post. Follow me here if you wish
5. pop a link to this post on Facebook (if you’re a Facebook fan) and/or on Google Plus if that's your favorite haunt. Or anywhere else you hang out, it's up to you. My links to Facebook, Google Plus, and LinkedIn are on my sidebar if you want to find me there
6. and fill out this form.

Thanks to JYS at A Writerly Pensheep
for designing this - you're awesome!

Once you’ve joined the Campaign:

1. Go to my List of Campaigners page and put your name down for a Campaigner Group (or more than one if you want to get to know more people)  
2. pop round and introduce yourself to all the Campaigners in your Campaigner Group. If you wish, pop round to some or all of the other Campaigners and introduce yourself as well
3. follow the Campaigners in your Campaigner Group(s) (and others if you wish). Due to the size of the Campaign, there's no need to follow all Campaigners!!!
4. put this Campaign badge on your sidebar and link it back to my Writers' Platform-Building Campaign page. Don't forget to take down the old "I'm a Crusader" Badge
5. keep an eye out for posts/comments/tweets by other Campaigners (and particularly those in your Campaigner Group) and do your best to comment on as many as you can, as often as you can. Also consider following your fellow Campaigners on Twitter and liking them on Facebook, mentioning their blog posts and re-tweeting their tweets, and otherwise supporting them
6. get to know your fellow Campaigners at #writecampaign and/or at the Campaigner Yahoo Group
7. see what fun you can come up with in your Campaigner Groups
8. join in my Campaigner Challenges if you wish. They're a great way to get to know the other Campaigners and have fun at the same time.

I can't wait to have you on board!

Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign - Campaigner Form

Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign - Campaigner Notice-Board Form

What's involved in being a Campaigner?

For those of you who haven't taken part in a Campaign (previously called "Crusades") before, I thought I would write a post letting you know what to expect before my Third Campaign kicks off on August 22nd.

In a nutshell, my Writers' Platform-Building Campaign is a way for you to meet your fellow bloggers and get to know them better, while at the same time getting support in your blogging. It's also a way for you to increase your followers (though please don't join just for that, this is about networking and platform-building rather than increasing follower numbers). 

The Campaigners are people who genuinely want to meet others, pay it forward, and make connections with other bloggers. This therefore gives you a pool of bloggers (some starting out, some established) who you know are in the same position. You can make friends, find critique partners, get support in your writing etc etc - basically, it's up to you. For those bloggers who are just starting out (and even those who've been blogging for a while), the Campaign gives you a head start in finding other like-minded bloggers to connect with.

Campaigners will join Groups based on genres (and a few other fun things), and there will be Campaigner Challenges for everyone to take part in as well. And there'll be a badge (with a new design, woot!) to put up on your blog as well.

If you want to become a Campaigner:

Keep an eye out for my post on Monday August 22nd and follow the directions. Remember to join between August 22nd and August 31st, because I'll be closing the List of Campaigners on August 31st so Campaigners can get to know each other better.

Once you are a Campaigner:

• follow other Campaigner in your Group(s), pop round to their blogs, and introduce yourself
• if you wish, pop round to some or all of the other Campaigners and introduce yourself as well
• join in on the Twitter chat at #amcampaigning
• join in on the Yahoo Campaigner Group
• keep an eye out for the Campaigner Notice-Board on Fridays, where I'll post about blogfests and other announcements concerning Campaigners
• put the Campaigner button on your blog sidebar and link it back to my Writers' Platform-Building Campaign page at the top of Rach Writes...
• keep an eye out for posts by other Campaigners in your Campaign Group, and do your best to comment on as many as you can, as often as you can. This is one of the key ways Campaigners will help each other out and pay it forward
• join in the Campaigner Challenges if you wish. It's a great way to get to know the other Crusaders and have fun at the same time, and there'll be prizes too!

Can't wait to see you all in the Third Campaign!!!

Only three weeks until my Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign!!!

I can't believe how fast this year has raced by. Which means in *checks calendar* three weeks exactly, my Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign* will begin.

If you haven't heard about my Campaigns (formerly called "Crusades"), pop over here and check them out. Basically, I run them twice a year, and they're a great way to network with and get to know writers in the community, including those who write in your particular genre.

My Campaigns are open to all writers, whether published or unpublished, adult or kidlit. At the start of the Campaign, you'll signing up for Campaigner Groups via Linky Links. The groups are based on the genre(s) you write, and this lets you develop connections with those you have the most in common with.

I'll be encouraging you to follow those Campaigners in your own Group(s) (NOT all Campaigners as was the case last time, as the numbers have simply grown too big).

The Third Campaign will begin on Monday 22nd August (the week after WriteOnCon for all those kidlit writers), and will run until October 31st. I'll be closing the List of Campaigners on August 31st, so only those who join between the 22nd and the 31st will be able to become Campaigners - this will let you get to know the people in your Groups better.

I'll be running some Campaigner Challeges during my Third Campaign, which should be heaps of fun. And there'll be the chance to win prizes as well!

If you haven't taken part before, next Monday I'll tell you all about what you can expect if you sign up for the Campaign. If you're keen to know right now, here's the post I wrote about it for the last Campaign (though remember the part about following all Campaigners no longer applies).

I'm so excited about this - can't wait to see you all on board.



* If you missed my announcement about the name change, see here.