Whatever Holiday Shopping Guide 2014 Starts Monday!
Posted on November 28, 2014 Posted by John Scalzi 46 Comments
Every year in the first full week of December I run a shopping guide for the holidays, and over the years it’s been quite successful: Lots of people have found out about excellent books and crafts and charities and what have you, making for excellent gift-giving opportunities during the holiday season. I’ve decided to do it again this year.
So: Starting Monday, December 1, the Whatever Holiday Shopping Guide Returns! If you’re a writer or other creator, this will be an excellent time to promote your work on a site which gets up to 50,000 visitors daily, almost all of whom will be interested in stuff for the holidays. If you’re someone looking to give gifts, you’ll see lots of excellent ideas. And you’ll also have a day to suggest stuff to other folks too. Everybody wins!
To give you all time to prepare, here’s the schedule of what will be promoted on which days:
Monday December 1: Traditionally Published Authors — If your work is being published by a publisher a) who is not you and b) gets your books into actual, physical bookstores on a returnable basis, this is your day to tell people about your books. This includes comics/graphic novels.
Tuesday December 2: Non-Traditionally Published Authors — Self published? Electronically published? Or other? This is your day. This also includes comics/graphic novels.
Wednesday December 3: Other Creators — Artists, knitters, jewelers, musicians, and anyone who has cool stuff to sell this holiday season, this will be the day to show off your creations.
Thursday December 4: Fan Favorite Day — Not an author/artist/musician/other creator but know about some really cool stuff you think people will want to know about for the holidays? Share! Share with the crowd!
Friday December 5: Charities — If you are involved in a charity, or have a favorite charity you’d like to let people know about, this is the day to do it.
If you have questions about how all of this will work, go ahead and ask them in the comment thread (Don’t start promoting your stuff yet — it’s not time yet), although I will note that specific instructions for each day will appear on that day. Don’t worry, it’ll be pretty easy. Thanks and feel free to share this post with creative folks who will have things to sell this holiday season.
Reminder:
DON’T START WITH THE PROMOTING YET. This is just a thread to answer questions about the week. Comments promoting work will be snipped out (although that person will still be able to promote on the appropriate day).
What would be the appropriate day for Amazing Stories’ ancillary products – small press book offerings and various incarnations of pulp artwork? I presume the books fit Tuesday, but sure about the other items…
And thanks again for doing this!
Wednesday for other items.
Reblogged this on William Reichard and commented:
Five gold webrings…
Really, this is nice.
Okay, may I ask my dumb question here? By promoting you mean, plugging in your stuff in comments? Yes? Did I win DUMB QUESTION OF THE DAY Award?
Ksenia Anske:
Yes (putting stuff into comment threads), and no (dumb question). More details on how to promote your stuff will be forthcoming on the actual days.
“excellent books and crafts and charities and what have you”
Shouldn’t the bit after the third “and” read “whatever”?
Request to authors from likely customer….
please post some details about your book. if you have a more detailed write up in a blog somewhere please post a link. There are often lots of books suggested and if I don’t know who you are, I can’t tell alot about your book. Also can you put sub-genre too please. such as Young Adult Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, etc… same with SF.
I think there are quite a few genre fans here… who like to find books by authors we don’t know about. In the past I have seen a lot of authors just post book name, series, etc… you are likely to get more sales if you post some more info and a link to your blog or somewhere you write about the book.
Thanks.
If you’re an author who promotes on Monday and/or Tuesday, can you also participate on Thursday about work you’re a fan of?
Thanks for doing this.
F.I. Goldhaber:
Yup!
Specifically for the arts and crafts day;
Should we only post one comment with a few links or post a few comments with only one link per comment?
Thank you
Thank you, thank you, for this annual opportunity. My little online shop got lots of love from your site last year. I’ll be back bright and early on Wednesday to make my best pitch. :-)
I, too, want to thank you for doing this. I’ve found cool stuff in past incarnations, and I’m especially excited because this year I have something to promote! See you on Tuesday! (Well, the other days too, but REALLY on Tuesday!)
I have a publisher that has some books in bookstores on a returnable basis, just not my books yet. Would I post on Monday or Tuesday?
What time do you put these posts up? (pulls out alarm clock)
What I’m seeing here is “stay home from work on Tuesday and reload Scalzi’s site over and over again with the post pre-written.” I may be looking between the lines a bit.
Reblogged this on FeetForBrains and commented:
Oh my favorite time of year. Incidentally, Lock In was excellent in both Wil and Amber narrated renditions.
I want to push a game I actually wrote as well as a couple of games I didn’t write but that my employers publishes. Is that one on Wednesday and two on Thursday, or is the connection close enough that I could post all three on Wednesday? Thanks!
Hi! I’m a self published author from Spain, can I participate in spite of not living in the USA?
Thanks!
Natsum1:
Sure, although most of the people visiting are likely to be from the US.
Andrew Hackard:
I would separate them out.
mmjustus:
Usually by 10am Eastern.
Glorificus:
Directions will be available day of!
Thanks, John. Figured that was the answer but now I’m certain.
“Like”
This is really neat! Thanks, John!
Thanks for doing this! Children’s books are fine to promote also I assume? Stupid question, but wanted to check.
Thanks for doing this each year, it’s really cool. ^_^
Hi!
I have a small press book I’d love to promote on Tuesday, but I work in a prison and won’t have internet access until 10:30 a.m. at the earliest. Will I miss my shot?
I strongly second Guess’s request above for authors to include short blurb and genre/sub-genre. Sure I can Google for myself, but that takes effort. At least three clicks! (I’m getting fatigued just thinking about it…)
Joseph F. Berenato:
No, you should be fine.
Timhamiltonagain:
Books of any genre are good.
Thanks for this opportunity. A signal boost is always nice, but Whatever has some serious boosting power! You are a gentleman and a scholar.
Self-published geek career books? Day 2 I assume?
And thanks for the opportunity!
If you like comics to please visit our store at http://www.tribecomics.com/shop
Really dumb question, but where should I put my links/blurbs?
Setting my alarm for 8:45. *cracks knuckles*
8:45? I have to comment around 2am!!! OMG.
I’m interested! I’d be on Tuesday. What do you need from me? Jacci@jacciturner.com
Should tabletop RPGs be included in “authors” or “other?”
Thank you for this opportunity.
I think i qualify for Tue because while my book was published by a small publisher it’s not in any stores, what do i need to send you?
I believe i qualify for Tue as my book was published by an actual publisher, but its a small outfit that can not get it into stores. Its avalable on Amazon in both electronic and hardcopy. what do you need from me?
Tuesday would be the right day, yes. I don’t need anything from you. Go ahead and promote it on Tuesday!
Thanks so much!
https://grandchildrenofliberty.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/grandchildren-of-liberty-has-been-given-rousing-reviews-on-amazon/
and again Thanks for the use of the forum John.
I do a blog finding odd and interesting public domain books (all legally free & downloadable). Would that be ok to post on fan favorites day? Not shopping really but you can get stuff for a tablet or ereader.
Mage, Inc.
Through a combination of mishaps, paperwork, and near-death magical experiences intern Keira Zeleznovova finds there’s more to becoming a mage than one might expect. Read the first chapter of this six-part digital comic bookl today!
http://www.amazon.com/Mage-Inc-Shon-C-Bury-ebook/dp/B00N3AMS0O
Hi
I run an online marketplace that sells science fiction. I am a publisher and not an editor or author. I have an author with an e-book only title. Can I plug it on Non-Traditionally Published Authors day? Or would I need to give the authors a heads up to post the item themselves?
Thanks!
Hi, I am Amy Lacombe, ceramic artist since 1986. I’m probably best known as the designer of WhimsiClay, a line of colorful ceramic cats with decorated whiskers. I also spent a wonderful decade and half supplying ceramic jewelry to Nordstrom and many other department stores. I’m not really sure how this blog works but my friend recommended it so here is my post. http://www.amylacombewhimsiclay.com, http://www.whimsiclay.com, http://www.amazon.com/shops/iheartcatsndogs. Thanks!!