Writer Stimulus Packages

[alanajoli]

What is it about writers that makes them want to give stuff away to us, their devoted readers?

You all know I'm a sucker for contests, but it's been a good year for me that way. I've won a number of books this year, have received plenty of books and advance reader copies to review, and have shared book costs with friends who have similar reading tastes. I still buy a lot of books, because I still hold to my bookstore mentality of book buying (buying books is a good thing!), but I've cut way back on my spendy tendencies. I even used a gift card to buy movies instead of books at one point this year, which is a real rarity. (The Great Muppet Caper was just calling me... I hadn't seen it in ages...)

Lately I've noticed that writers have really upped the stakes of their contests. Over at Bitten by Books, the prize isn't always an ARC, sometimes it's an amazon gift card (one of which I was lucky enough to win, from the lovely stacia_kane). Individual authors have also increased their winnings: mdhenry offered the Zombie Stimulus Package with a proof of pre-order of Road Trip of the Living Dead (which theoretically, you could still enter--the release date is tomorrow, and that's when the contest winners will be announced). Mark offered gift certificates for dinner and a movie (worth $75), coffee and gas (worth $25), and a third prize of urban fantasy novels he's accumulated. To celebrate her upcoming release of Angel's Blood on March 3rd, nalini_singh is giving away a $100 gift card to any bookseller she can easily buy a gift card from. It's a new series for her, and she's definitely launching it with a bang!

So, what's the verdict? Are authors just incredibly generous folks? Are they desperate to get their books into your hands? Did it work yet? We know I'm a sucker for this sort of thing--and I really hope that it works in favor of the generous writers who are putting themselves out there to reach their readers!

http://nalinisingh.blogspot.com/2009/02/countdown-to-angels-blood.html

Comments

[dqg-neal.livejournal.com]

Devoted readers is what keeps the publishers signing new contracts for the authors.

That and authors marketing themselves is important in this day and age. The publishers aren't spending nearly enough money on it, or teaching the authors what they can do for themselves. The authors hope that for ever contest they have they might gain a few more readers... or have the winners pass on their experience and help promote the author.

And yes, they are generous people too. Because we all know that there are other things to be spending your money on. So getting their fans to read books with similar tastes they hope that other authors will be reciprical on it.

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

It has definitely worked for me as a reader. The blogosphere has made me far more dedicated to certain writers with whom I feel a kinship, based on their online presence. ;)