 Information for Authors
Does contactanauthor really help authors find work?
Yes, it does. As you can see from these testimonials, the feedback we get from authors is really good. How well the site works for you personally will depend on what you are able to offer and how well you present yourself.
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Who can be listed on ContactAnAuthor?
We welcome applications from
authors who live in the UK and who have had at least one
book published in the UK. We're also willing to consider scriptwriters who have been professionally produced and poets with a good track record in anthologies.
We prefer authors who have been published by mainstream publishers. However, we are willing to consider self-published non-fiction authors whose books are difficult to get published by the traditional route because they appeal to a niche market. We rarely acccept self published fiction writers, unless they have particular skills or knowledge that may interest our site users.
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How much does it cost?
Advertising your availability on ContactAnAuthor costs £45 a year. There is no VAT as we are not currently registered.
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How do I apply?
Just complete our application form and
submit it to us. (You don't have to pay anything at this stage.)
We look at all applications individually and, when we do turn someone down, we try do so gently.
Back to top What do I get for my money?
You get your own web page within the site, an entry in the database and a listing on any site searches that pick you out. Your web page is completely under your control and can be found via external search engines such as Google as well as by the specialised search facility on the site.
To enable you to make full use of the site, you have a password protected administration page that allows you to change your page content, picture and other details whenever you like. It also lets you see how many times you've been picked out on a search and how many times your page has been viewed.
In addition, we occasionally pass on requests for authors that come into our office. These usually have very specific requirements that can't be easily met via the normal search facility and have included a school in Saudi Arabia who wanted an author visit and a major book chain who wanted to organise an author visit for each of their shops.
Back to top Do you promote the site to potential users?
Yes, we promote the site as widely as possible, both on and off line. So far this has included advertising in Writers News, The Times Educational Supplement, The School Libranian and the Women's Institute magazine, emailing every school in the country about the site, sending flyers to all UK publishers and national newspapers and emailing many conference organisers and others who use speakers.
The site already has good rankings on Google and we run an ongoing Google Adwords campaign which ensures it shows up on as many relevant searches as possible.
Back to top What information can I put on my page?
The blurb section of your page gives you the freedom to put as much information you like, including details of your writing background, reviews and testimonials, your experience as a speaker and what happens at one of your workshops.
Other sections of the page include a picture of you or one of your books, your contact details, a link to your website if you have one, the types of books you write and the titles of your most recent and/or best known books
as you wish. You can choose to link
some or all of the books to their pages
on amazon.co.uk which provide extra information and the opportunity
for site users to order the books.
Back to top I haven't got my own website. Does that matter?
No. Your webpage on the site provides a useful alternative to having your own site as it enables people to locate you via the web. You can give people the address of your page so they can go there directly, and you can link to it from other sites.
Back to top What happens after my application is approved?
We'll send you a username and password so you can log in to your administration pages. Once there, you'll be able to fill in your contact details and enter the information and picture you want on your page. There are clear instructions to help you do this, and you're welcome to contact us if you need extra advice. Don't worry - no one can see your page until you're happy with it and have paid.
Back to top When do I have to pay?
You have to
pay before you start to show up on searches. However, it's sensible to delay paying until you've entered all the information on your
page and are ready for your entry to go live.
You can pay by credit card or by cheque. Credit card payments are handled by the Nochex payment system. We've chosen this as it is based in the UK and subject to the Data Protection
Act.
Back to top I've reached the end of the page, but you haven't answered my question.
If there's anything else you would like to ask, please email us at authors contactanauthor.co.uk.
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