Plugging on

Patrick Forsyth is keen on initiatives that support indie authors

I had a new novel published recently – A Rather Curious Crime

– and found myself apologising to a friend as I plugged it (again). But doing so goes with the territory. it is difficult to get published and even more difficult to get attention focused on a new book (perhaps especially in these troubled times). Any writer needs all the assistance they can get and time spent on keeping up to date with what might help is worthwhile.

As well as reading this magazine, keep an eye on news currently coming out regularly from such bodies as ALCS (Authors’ Licensing & Collecting Society), PLR (Public Lending Right), The Society of Authors and SWWJ (Society of Women Writers & Journalists) all of which are sending out useful information. Not a member? Maybe now is the time to join.

A key asset in the market place for authors is the independent bookshop; they do a great job and it can be a struggle for them to keep going. Something that will help them, and will help book buyers and authors is Bookshop. org – this started in the US and launched in the UK in November. It aims to provide an alternative to Amazon. People order online and can elect for a portion of the profit their purchase creates to go to a fund for independent booksellers or to one individual bookshop of their choice. If your favourite bookshop has not joined then perhaps you could encourage them to do so, and authors too can be listed as affiliates so that sales of their books both make them additional money and help support the independents too.

Seems to me a good initiative and one that suits the times.