I write stuff for kids...and muse on writing, children's books, and the publishing industry in general

Monday, January 9, 2012

Dreams and Campaigns, oh my! (And please vote in my Campaign question below)

Hi all, it's great to be back in blogland once again, and thanks for your lovely messages in my December post. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season and got in lots of eating, sleeping, reading, writing, playing, and present opening! I'm gearing up for a busy year ahead, with querying FROM THE OTHER SIDE, working on my new manuscript KASANDAI, and carrying out one or two Campaigns, plus of course the usual reading heaps of new books (yay!), writing heaps, working with my critique partners, and a bunch of other stuff.

My Writers' Platform-Building Campaigns - The question of timing

A big question arises with regards to my Campaigns: Should I hold one Campaign a year or two? Obviously, Campaigns require a HUGE amount of organizing and administering, but I'm happy to do it twice a year if people want it. If it was twice a year, the next Campaign would begin on Monday, February 6, 2012. Otherwise, I could just do one massive Campaign starting in August every year. Thoughts? I'd love to hear what you think - could you please vote in the poll below.


Should we hold 1 Campaign per year or 2 (Feb and August)?
1 only
2 please


  
pollcode.com free polls 



Help needed for my Campaigns (do you want to join my team?)

As to the Campaign question, I find myself in the place where I can no longer run them on my own. There are just too many tasks involved in each Campaign, and I've only lately realized I'm not superwoman *snorts*. So I'm going to need some volunteers to join my team, whether it's just for one Campaign or on an ongoing basis. Just as a quick summary, I need people to compile lists of prizes and follow up with donors, administer the judging (three people probably, one for each Challenge), type up my prize award posts with linkage etc, compile the Friday Campaigner Notice-Board posts, plus a bunch of other stuff.

I can't give any payment of course, but I'll be popping you in the list of people to be followed as a Campaigner, and I might even try to do a blog interview as well so people can get to know you. Any of you interested? Somebody? Anybody...?

Write Dreams

Remember last year how I participated in Write Hope, a writers' charity fundraising auction to benefit the Japan Disaster appeal? Well this time Marieke, Luna, and Amanda are running a new charity auction called Write Dreams, to benefit Donna's Dream House, where Christmas was cancelled this year due to arson.

Write Dreams features Nozomi again, of course, and bidding opens on a stack of awesome prizes on January 16th. So make sure you pop over and follow along so you hear all their news. On Thursday I'll be interviewing Luna, so we can find out more about the cause behind Write Dreams, something particularly dear to Luna's heart - can't wait to see you back here then.

Interview with Brooke Johnson

Next Monday I'll be conducting an interview with Brooke Johnson, debut author of THE CLOCKWORK GIANT, a YA Steampunk novel. And there'll be a CONTEST for commentors too, yay! So make sure you pop back on Monday as well.

I think that's it for now. It's so great to be back with you all. Can't wait to hear what you got up to on your holidays.

Hugs,


40 comments:

Denise Covey said...

Hope you had an awesome Christmas and that you'll have a great 2012! I've been at the beach and am heading to Perth for 10 days next week so I'm still on hols, lol! I voted.

Denise

Joanna said...

Happy New Year, Rach. To be honest with various other challenges getting going for picture book writers, I won't be up for anything in Feb, but would hope to in August :) I'll vote below.

thepatientdreamer said...

Great to have you back and hear you had a good Holiday. I worked through with no holidays, next one will be around August this year. (Will just have the odd day off here and there) I had fun last year with the first Campaign ever, but this year I have to really knuckle down with my writing but I would love still to do one this year.

THE SARCASM GODDESS said...

I'd really like to participate in the campaign. How do I sign up?

Sarah Tokeley said...

I could help in August, but not in February if that's any help to you.

T.B. McKenzie said...

I'm up for an internship! Count me in. February is fine. It will give me another thing to do instead of real work. I hate real work.

Gillian said...

Hi! I wasn't able to take part last time around but I'd love the chance to in Feb. I'd be able to help out then too (but probably not in August unfortunately). If that's any use, please let me know. :)

Rachael Harrie said...

Hey guys, thanks so much for your comments and for voting!

Hope you enjoy the beach @Denise :)

Thanks @Joanna, I'll look forward to seeing you in August. Luck with the PB challenges

So sorry you didn't have a holiday @patientdreamer. Bet you're counting down until August! So glad you had fun - I'll hope you can take part in one this year as well :)

@SarcasmGoddess - that would be awesome (LOL, I'll assume you're not being sarcastic ;) ). I'll have directions closer to the time, but basically I'll put out the post and you'll need to fill out a form and follow the instructions in the post - you'll have a week to join before it closes so make sure you get in quick if you can :)

@Sarah, thanks so much, that would be awesome! I'll mark you down for August.

@T.B. - really appreciate it. LOL, bring on the procrastination ;)

@Gillian, that would be wonderful. If we end up having the Campaign in Feb as well (which already looks likely from the poll results), I'd love your help. Thanks :) You'll have awesome fun with the Campaign :)

Charity Bradford said...

Rachael, I'm part of a group writing blog that wants to gain followers. How might that work with the campaign? We don't really have a specific genre.

Just wondering. :) Hope you had a wonderful Decemember!

Mark Koopmans said...

Aloha Rach and Happy New Year,

You have done so much to motivate and help me here on the Blogosthingy that I owe you a couple of pints.

In lieu of free alcohol, please feel free to "put me in, Coach" for one or both Campaigns... with the only caveat that I am CRAP with trying to raise funds/prizes, but am a great editor, and judging sounds fun - not work.

But, I'll do whatever's needed :)
+

Miranda Hardy said...

Glad to hear from you Rach. Hope your holidays were great. I'd be willing to help for the August campaign, as well. Love the campaigns.

PT Dilloway said...

Maybe you should campaign year round.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I'm very interested in helping you out, Rach. I believe I was a judge during the last campaign. I'm willing to do that and/or help type up the lists for you, or whatever. Feel free to email me and we can figure it out.

On suggestion to get more peeps to help out: you could offer to include links to their site on each post you write up during said campaign. Kind of making them a co-host. (Just an idea...)

Colene Murphy said...

Wow, busy busy! Good luck with your query! And all your other amazing ventures! You guys do such wonderful work for other people. That's beautiful

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Since it's such a big event, I'd say once a year in August is good. I'm a co-host for the April A to Z Challenge and I know how much planning is going into that event!

K.T. Hanna said...

Great to hear from you again :D

Looking forward to a campaign or the campaigns whichever one you end up doing.

I realize that one would probably be more manageable, but if you do two I'll gladly help with both. I did prizes and a round of judging last time. And you know I'll gladly help with anything you need :D

Angela Brown said...

I would love for there to be 2 campaigns but one big one in August sounds better to me.

I would like to participate. Just let me know what I can do to help.

Kerri Cuev said...

Happy New Year Rach! Sounds like you're gearing up for an awesome year! Good luck! :)

Cherie Reich said...

Happy New Year! Good luck with all you have planned. Glad you've decided to continue the campaign (whether it's once a year or twice).

Misha Gerrick said...

I think that having one big campaign is better, since last year I hardly had time to get to know my campaign mates early in the year and things look ready to look the same this time around.

Still, if you do do it twice, I will try my best to take part in both.

Patricia T. said...

Happy New Year Rach. There are so many things going on right now, that I'd only be able to participate in August. I think one big campaign a year with plenty of notice would fair better. And, perhaps more help would be available.

Cally Jackson said...

I accidentally wrote my comment in the poll comment box. Hope you can see it! :-)

Carrie Butler said...

Happy New Year, Rach! I think I'd prefer to wait and devote all of my energy in August. (That said, if you have it in February, I'd still love to participate/judge a round or two!)

Best wishes! :)

Claire Hennessy said...

Happy New Year Rachael. Hope you enjoyed your well earned break. I would be happy to help out again. I have just started a full time job so would not have a ton of time but could definitely be able to offer something. I would enter in both Feb and August if you did Campaigns then (would hate to miss out on all the fun), but would prefer just one in August. It was quite an intense experience! Thanks so much for even contemplating doing two a year!

Kaylie Austen said...

I've only come across the Campaign this last time around, and I was really excited. Unfortunately, I couldn't do much since I had unforeseen time constraints.
I would like to see the campaign twice a year. This way, more people have a chance to get in and network.
I wouldn't mind helping, and joining your team. But, we all understand these campaigns take A LOT OF TIME, and once a year is better than nothing. I hope you can keep doing two...but maybe I'm just selfish, hehe.

Cindy Thrasher said...

Last year was my first campaign...now that I understand a bit more about how it works, I'm looking forward to getting out of my comfort zone. Also, don't know if I have the resume to support it, but I'd be happy to help...I know, at a minimum, I can get the coffee and sweep the floors...

Unknown said...

You're back!
Since there's a huge amount of work involved (a HUGE amount for you, and a not so huge amount for us!), I've voted for one campaign... You need to stay sane, don't you?! Perhaps it shouldn't be in August - isn't WriteOnCon then? Though WriteOnCon isn't very long...
Just thoughts!

Exciting that you're going to be (already are?) querying FTOS!

Katie Dunn said...

Count me in on helping out with the Campaign (both if there are two)! I can only imagine how much organizing goes into it and the last one was such a blast I think it would be great to get more involved.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

You can count on me Rach.

Barbara McDowell said...

Welcome back, Rach! I'm glad you had a great holiday and are hitting 2012 goals hard.

I loved the campaign last round, but ended up being pulled away a lot and unable to network as I'd planned (fall is a super busy work time for me). I do like the idea of you having it once a year. Would a different start time be a happy medium? Like March so it is done before the rush of people's summer vacations, but not February where some might be just out of recouping from the holiday rush

Rachael Harrie said...

@Charity - that would work really well. You’d just put your name down for the “Adult Group” or the “YA Group”, whichever it is.

@Mark - thanks so much :) Your help would be much appreciated *grins*

@Miranda Hardy - awesome, I'll put you down, ta :)

@Grumpy, LOL, I'd go mad, surely :D

@Sheri - awesome, thanks :) Good idea too, will keep that in mind.


@Colene - lovely to hear from you, and thanks so much :) Hope you've had a great New Year, will pop over to visit soon

@Alex, definitely takes a lot of planning, that's for sure!

@K.T Hanna - wonderful, thanks so much for that :) Loved your help last time, so great you'll be coming back on board again.

@Angela, that makes sense, definitely. Awesome, thanks :)

@Kerri Cuev - To you as well :) LOL, definitely!

@Cherie Reich, Happy New Year to you as well. Thanks so much, hope you can take part again :)

@Misha, ta for your thoughts. Wonderful to have you back this year as well :)

@Patricia T. - thanks so much. It is pretty busy, isn't it. It's pretty even between the 1 and 2 votes - ah, what to do, what to do *grins*

@Cally, ta for that - yep, saw you comment tks :)

@Carrie - Happy New Year to you as well. Yeah, one big one in August might be the thing. And thanks :)

@Claire, lovely to hear from you again, and congrats on your job. Ta for that. LOL, it was intense, wasn't it!

Rachael Harrie said...

@Kaylie, no probs at all. 2 might be better than one. Am starting to think about a mini Campaign in Feb and a big one in August - that might be the thing :)

@Cindy - Definitely! And LOL, don't worry about the resume. When I held the first Campaign I only had 15 followers *grins* Trust me, it grows :D

@Rachel - *hugs back* LOL, definitely need to stay sane :) Yeah, I usually start it the week after WriteOnCon - no way would I clash the two *grins*

@Kathleen, thanks so much for that. Yep, definitely heaps of organizing. So glad you had a blast last time!

@Michael, thanks so much for that. You did such a fantastic job last time :)

@Barbara - thanks so much. Different start time is an idea, would have to think on that. Thanks *grins*

Steph Schmidt said...

If you need a volunteer with OCD need to organize sign me up! I'd need a little bit of heads up so I could adjust my week accordingly but processing and organizing with speed is my specialty.

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

I enjoyed your campaign so much in August, Rach, but I think I'm really only able to participate in one per year. This year, anyway. We'll be traveling in February and I won't have wi-fi access on any kind of a regular schedule. Best luck if you do have the February campaign, though. I hope you had good holidays.

Unknown said...

Awesome this has garnered a lot of attention! I'm happy for you. I'd love to help out if I can.

www.jolenestockman.com said...

I have met so many incredible people via Campaigning (kicking off with the super sweet / funny / awesome / amazingly-hardworking Rach herself!), and I will be jumping into the 2012 Campaigns for sure. Thank you so much Rach (and volunteers!)! Bring on your own kick-ass publishing news - karma demands it!!!!!

Anna Tan said...

I voted for one, because it looks like a lot of work, and I can't join in Feb anyway :( Though having 2 would allow more people (or at least different sets of people?) to join...

Would love to help you out if it's in the 2nd half of the year (I'm usually pretty busy up til June).

digillette said...

I think it would be great if you could do two full campaigns. I know it is a lot of work, but it seems that many people can only do one or the other. (I know August probably won't work so well for me if I get accepted into grad school. *fingers crossed*) What it be helpful to limit people to only participating in one campaign per year? So if we choose February, we don't sign up for August? Just a thought. . .

Elizabeth said...

Awesome header and blog posts.....NEW follower.

I am stopping by from the Top Writing Blog competition.

Just wanted to say hello. This is a great way to find new blogs and visit ones you haven't visited in a while. :)

Elizabeth - Silver's Reviews

http://silversolara.blogspot.com

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