Whatever Holiday Shopping Guide 2019 Starts Monday!
Posted on November 29, 2019 Posted by John Scalzi 16 Comments
Every year as the holiday season begins 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 2, 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 tens of thousands of viewers 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 2: 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 and audiobooks.
Tuesday, December 3: Non-Traditionally Published Authors — Self-published? Electronically published? Or other? This is your day. This also includes comics/graphic novels and audiobooks.
Wednesday, December 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 today — 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.
Again, don’t leave links to your work in this comment thread — this is the informational thread. Posting about work starts next week!
I’m a fused glass artist who is finally ready to offer items for sale. I don’t have a website, so how would this work? Would we link directly to photos; will we be able to actually post photos?
Thanks!
CaseyL:
If you have examples online, link to them (photo links may be in moderation until I can clear them), and otherwise provide a way for people to contact your business (phone, email, etc).
I make things and sell them on Etsy based on a traditionally published author’s books (with her permission, involvement, and a royalty structure). Patches, pins, stickers, and t-shirts, mostly. Does that go on Wednesday, or on Monday with a link to her books? (I’m betting Wednesday, but double-checking never hurt, right?)
Liz:
Wednesday would be correct day, yes! The author herself can post about the books on Monday, if she likes.
That works! – Thanks, John!
Thank you! For both the answer, and the opportunity!
I have a friend who creates amazing jewelry. Should I get her to post on Wednesday, or post about her on Thursday?
Jess Montgomery:
Either/or!
So, how does it work? Do we just post comments on your site in the specified day?
Yup! More instructions come on the day.
Thanks!
Bless you for doing this! :)
I’m a self published author, so I know that is Tuesday but I also run an online library, we don’t have charitable status but we do offer free accounts to people who want to read books but don’t have the money to do so. Would it be possible to promote that here and would Wednesday or Friday be best for that? Thank you for the opportunity!
David:
Actually that would be more of a Thursday thing.
Awesome, thanks for letting me know!