Rachel Drury talks about why she set up Buy the Book, and how you can get involved if you are a self-published author.
Buy the Book
Going through the process of publishing my own book, I realised that there was nowhere for me to go to ask for help or guidance. The book marketplace can be daunting at times, and when we go it alone we can sometimes feel overwhelmed and intimidated. I wanted to create a place where people could go to for support and information after publishing their book. So, in February this year, I set up Buy the Book.
Community
There are two aspects to Buy the Book: one is to offer a marketplace for self-published authors, and the other is to create a vibrant community.
An author community is vital: our writers support each other throughout the self-publishing—and self-promoting journey. As well as monthly member calls and workshops, we have an active and welcoming Facebook group. By coming together we can share tips about the process and exchange contacts in the industry.
Workshop
We recently hosted a workshop ‘You hit publish-then what?’ which is available on our YouTube channel. This workshop discusses the ways in which an author can self-promote and self-market even in the absence of having a traditional publisher.
I believe that self-publishing will become an ever-increasing option for authors to pursue their dream of holding their book in their hands.
Buy the Book offers authors a simple online solution to sell their books directly to their readers, including the offer of signing the book. Once a member signs up, we list their book on the website, list an author page, and members can then join and participate in our Facebook group and monthly member calls. Once a month, we publish a newsletter which features news and interviews with our members.
We are just beginning but already have more than twenty authors on our site, across a whole range of genres. If you’d like to be part of it, please get in touch with rachel@buythebook.ie, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
