In this episode of Alexa’s Publishing Chat, host Alexa Bigwarfe speaks with USA Today bestselling romance author Danika Bloom about the power of building an author network and community. They discuss the benefits of connecting with fellow authors, from mindset support and skill-building to effective collaboration strategies that help expand readership and boost sales. Danika also offers advice on nurturing author relationships and shares creative collaboration examples, such as shared worlds, anthologies, and Kickstarter campaigns.
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In this podcast episode we discuss:
- The importance of building an author network and community for long-term career growth.
- How connecting with other authors helps manage the inner critic and provides motivation.
- The value of having a purposeful network to support marketing efforts and book promotion.
- Collaborations like book swaps, newsletter swaps, and co-authoring as great ways to expand reach and promote books.
- The benefits of attending conferences, meeting like-minded authors, and participating in shared world anthologies to grow your audience.
- Tips for finding the right collaborators, including reaching out to authors in your genre and fostering genuine relationships.
- How maintaining relationships through regular meetings or mastermind groups can nurture collaborations and spark new ideas.
- Encouragement to be brave and reach out to others in the writing community, even if you’re just starting out.
- Danica’s recommendation to try her 21-day SMS course for new authors
Guest Bio
USA Today bestselling romance author, Danika Bloom has been building and supporting author communities for almost 20 years. Danika’s author superpower is connecting people and helping new authors find the allies they need to succeed. She was a two-term VP for her RWA chapter, founder of the membership community Author Ever After, and creator of the Passion Project to Published framework, a done-with-you program that helps pre-published romance authors earn their first royalties.
Important Links:
https://www.danikabloom.com/
https://www.authoreverafter.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@authoreverafter
Episode Highlights
[00:04:17] – The Power of Author Communities
Danika highlights the importance of building author networks, emphasizing how collaborations and support systems are essential for success and motivation in the writing journey.
[00:06:53] – Collaborations That Sell Books
Danika discusses successful collaborations, such as newsletter swaps, joint marketing efforts, and collaborative book promotions with other authors to expand reach and boost sales.
[00:11:39] – Shared Worlds and Anthologies
Danika explains how shared-world series and anthologies can be effective for cross-promotion and achieving milestones, such as USA Today bestseller status.
[00:16:52] – Creative Collaboration Ideas
Highlights from Danika’s experiences, like co-writing novellas and running a Kickstarter for a holiday anthology, showcasing how innovative projects can drive community engagement.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
- Author Ever After: Danika’s community and support platform for romance authors.
- Romance Author Mastermind – A conference for romance writers.
- Various collaboration formats: Shared worlds, anthologies, newsletter swaps, and BookBub review swaps.
Similar Episodes You’ll Enjoy
- Better together! The case for community! with Alexa Bigwarfe {ep 119}
- Collaboration in Book Marketing with Pam Sheppard {ep. 106}
- We get by with a little help from our {writer} friends with Lanette Pottle {ep. 102}
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