Mardi Gras Thurs/Effective Social Media with Gurus

Mardi Gras Update

The winner of Wednesday's Daily Prize Drawing......


KELLY Polark!!!!!!!!!


I'm so happy for you. Send me your email and I will put you in touch with Marietta for your query or 1 chapter critique as well as a 30 minute phone call!!!!

To others, don't get discouraged! We have 2 more agent critiques to giveaway by the end of the week. Just be sure to Follow and Comment.

Important Reminders:

• Follow Elana and me by 12PST/3 ET time tonight and automatically be entered into the Follower Drawing which will include a query critique from the amazing (and hilarious) Jennifer Laughren at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
• Comment today for a chance to win the last Daily Prize listed below.
• Today is the last clue for the Scavenger Hunt. Go back and make sure you have collected all four clues (one in each post this week) and come back tomorrow to fill out the Grand Prize Drawing Form. Winners will be announced Monday.
  
• You can still get extra points for the Grand prize Drawing. Click here to see what you can do.
• The Grand PUBA prizes which include an Agented package that includes free marketing and an Unagented package that includes a query/3 chapter critique by my agent, Alyssa Henkin/Trident Media.

Effective Social Media - Blogging and Tweeting the Right way!

Today, I wanted to get you some information on Bogging and Tweeting (Twitter).

The last Daily Prize Drawing will be tonight. It will be a copy of Lee's ebook on The Zen of Blogging and a copy of the book Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz. So be sure to Follow and Comment today!

Now presenting......

Lee Wind, avid blogger and author of the ebook The Zen of Blogging.

Today, he tells us the top 3 reasons why blogging is awesome for authors. (To purchase a copy of Lee's ebook, go to his site.) You can also follow him on Twitter.



Also presenting...

Greg Pincus, Social Media Guru who speaks at conference as well as runs several great blogs. His writing blog, GottaBook and his social media blog, The Happy Accident. You can also follow him on Twitter for some great social media advice.

Today, he tells us about the Golden Rules of Twitter.




Hope that was helpful!

Thanks to Lee and Greg for taking the time to do the Vlogs!

Clue #4 is the word "Now."

A Call to My Lovely Lurkers

I see you!

I know you are out there. I can see when you stop by and then disappear into the blogosphere. Such a shame because I am a TOTAL sucker for new blogs and love to check other blogs out.

The top 10 reasons why you love to lurk (and my response):

10) You are lazy (So get in bed and comment then.)
9) You have carpal tunnel (I say no pain no gain!)
8) You are shy. (why do we all blog? Can you say introverts!)
7) You have nothing to say (great, b/c bloggers talk about nothing so you'll fit in just fine! Besides we're not looking for Oscar speeches here people!)
6) You are a spy. (If so, you better find out more about statcounter)
5) You always wanted to be a spy (me too! But I can't see you anyway.)
4) Your name is Tom (get it...peeping?)
3) You can't find the "post comment" button (I creatively call mine - shout outs)
2) You are just sooooooo busy (aren't we all?)
1) I'm not as funny as I think I am (I know hard to believe)

Well, Mother Reader and Lee Wind have come up with a way to get you lurkers out of the blogger closet.

The 2010 Comment Challenge to get you Starting Today (Friday, January 8), and running through Thursday, January 28, 2010. The goal is to comment on at least five kidlitosphere blogs a day. Keep track of your numbers, and report in on Fridays with Mother Reader or Lee.

A prize package will be involved, drawing from among the bloggers who reach the 100 Comment Mark (five comments a day for twenty-one days with one day free of comment charge).I hear some random door prizes might be available just for trying.

Every comment doesn’t have to be insightful and intellectual (trust me - my posts aren't!) It can be hard to think of something to say. But we don't care - just say "hi!" We die-hard bloggers love to meet new people. Also, when you make yourself heard, other bloggers may check out your blog. Can’t hurt your stats. Plus, you’ve made that blogger’s day a little bit brighter. Maybe you’ll make a new BFF — Blog Friend Forever.

I know, the whole thing sounds awesome. Ready to join us? Then sign up. And tell all your friends, because that’s kind of, like, the point.

To kick it off, whoever comments on this announcement will get thrown into (not literally) a drawing for an author marketing book! BTW - the only rule I have is only Followers can win. I reward my delurkers. :) Plus that means I can at least keep up with you after you go silent again in 21 days!!! :)

So talk away!

I look forward to meeting you all and making some new friends.