Author's Den- Free Marketing With A Punch

I recently visited my AuthorsDen page and then looked up some other authors I knew to be on the site. If you have not opened an AuthorsDen account, you should put this at the top of your marketing list. AuthorsDen is a social networking site for readers and authors to connect. The basic account is free, but it does offer you upgraded membership that allows you to do a little more stuff if you want.

Before you spend any money on it, open the free account and kick the tires on the site. I love it because when I post a news story, Google usually picks it up right away and it shows up at the top of the search results. If for no other reason, having a free account is worth that kind of marketing exposure.

AuthorsDen allows you to create your book pages, link to a site where visitors can purchase your book, create news stories, articles, events and poetry. As you upgrade your membership, the number of these items you can have on your profile increases.

Another cool feature of AuthorsDen is that it allows other members to become fans of yours. You can then communicate with them via messages. Certain membership levels let you send and track newsletters and messages. You can also upgrade your membership and become a featured author which places little ads about your book and profile in high traffic areas. Once you open your free account, you can view various upgrade options.

Two other interesting services you can take advantage of is their signed book store and their AuthorsDen on the Road. The signed book store allows you to add your book to AuthorsDen's bookstore. They sell the book, collect the money, and then reimburse you less a small transaction fee. In return, you sign the book someone purchases and then send it to them. I sold books this way, but getting my money from AuthorsDen was like pulling teeth-- after months of begging, threatening, praying and pleading, I finally would get my money. I opted out of the program, but my experience may not be typical.

AuthorsDen on the Road is a program that allows you to send your book to AuthorsDen and they will display it at a booth at various book conferences and events they attend as sponsors. If you opt in to this program (for a fee, of course), then you can also attend the event and sell/sign your books.

AuthorsDen also has an active community on their forums. It's a great place to ask, or answer questions. In fact, there are a lot of things you can do on AuthorsDen; so much so that this post just scratches the surface. It is one of my top picks for places that authors must have a presence on. Visit and look around. It won't take long to convince you to set up your own free account after you kick the tires.

For full disclosure's sake, I did upgrade to a bronze account about a year ago. I wanted to keep the news and articles I had while I added more. You are limited to the number of each you can have at the free account.

While you are checking out the site, visit these AuthorsDen pages. Each is an author who has contributed a guest post to this blog. Enjoy!

Tony Eldridge
Karen Harrington
Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Karen Cioffi
Joanna Penn
Penny C. Sansevieri
C.L. Vaughn
Michael J. Balkind