This is mainly a statement to other authors. Because of yesterday's event fiasco, I wanted to clarify what the CT Authors Partnership's mission statements are. I will take them from the page on this website. You can review this by going over to the Events tab and clicking the option "CT Authors Partnership".
Saving the arts - Books are becoming an activity of the past. Indie authors are a wonderful way of keeping them alive. We come up with unique ideas that traditional publishing companies do not market. A lot of us also relate to today's events and create characters and settings that are easy to identify with. The nonprofit also aims to help literacy in the state of CT and encourage careers in the arts.
Connecting readers to writers - The main problem with indie authors is finding their audience. The nonprofit seeks to come up with a marketing plan for the author, based on their means. We might need to step in and let someone borrow a computer to build a website or help design business cards for events. We want the authors to be where they need to and sell books.
Serving socioeconomic needs of writers - I learned this growing up poor and living without help. Some people do not have a way to do laundry, get clothes, or have the money to take a bus. Not everyone is as advantaged as the other. The nonprofit looks to close this gap by meeting those needs. We might not be the people helping you, but we will search for any solution.
As the nonprofit expands, it might add more to its mission statement. For the time being, though, the CT Authors Partnership has no money. Nobody has donated. Everything has come out of a refund or my husband's paychecks, money we are not going to recoup. Money was spent on advertising and marketing.
For a new nonprofit, I understand that trust is hard. Nobody knows me. I get that. But I have delivered. I hosted two events and nobody was turned away or fooled. I cannot guarantee a crowd. I cannot control people who promise me something and do not come through. I cannot the actions of others.
CT Authors Partnership is a commitment. It is going to be tough and we will fail often. If you did not know that about the literary industry, you are in the wrong place.
I work very hard to advertise. I plaster social media everyday with info about my books and events. Sometimes, it's as much as 6x/day, with different hashtags to attract more crowds. I have traveled downtown and even out of town to deliver flyers and ask people to pass the word. Social media event coverage! Contacted the news! Spent hours calling everyone I knew!
I am doing this on my own, with nobody else. Often, I have my son with me. I have no babysitter. Luckily, since COVID, everybody has been kind about Calvin coming with me.
Before you make judgements, why don't you listen? Have some empathy? Understand that people starting out need extra chances and help too?
Think before you speak.
Namaste!
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