What is a Street Team?
An author’s worst fear (other than being inadequate, finding a typo months after they publish a book, or having writer’s block) is that they’ll spend years of their lives creating, writing, editing, and reediting a book, only to release it and have no one to read it.
While most books have a lifespan that outlasts release week, having a jumpstart on hype increases the likelihood that the book will be successful. For an author, it can be a lonely road to trek by yourself, holding your book aloft as you march uphill through the deluge of social media, hoping that someone will see you.
A street team means that the author doesn't have to walk alone.
An author’s street team is a group of readers and fans of the author’s work who help to promote books and new releases. And it’s a symbiotic relationship! Members of the street team have one on one interaction with the author and receive updates and exclusive material first. This team of readers are often beta readers, ARC readers, and help with marketing during release week.
Now you may be saying, “How is this any different than a newsletter?” After all, my Inklings newsletter already gets the call for beta readers, advanced reader copies, and gets the exclusive first look at cover reveals and other news.
The first difference is that the street team is an active force. This means that members will help with the promotion of the books, whether that be through reviews during launch week or sharing provided graphics on social media.
The second difference is that the street team will be available through a Facebook group and Discord server (depending on your preference). This means that members of the team can have direct access to asking me questions about just about anything from plot twists to writing advice. Instead of waiting for me to send out a newsletter, you can engage with me and other readers any time you want! Aside from that, the street team will be the first place I go (after my mother of course) to announce anything such as signing new contracts or starting new projects.
With this distinction, the distribution of my news and updates would look something like this:
1. My close friends and family
2. The Street Team
3. The Newsletter
4. The General Public
So, if you love my books and are interested in helping to promote them for the reasons outlined above, go ahead and click the link below! This will bring you to a form that will help me to gauge what you want to help out with.