Expanding the Blog: A Lesson in Self Promotion!

In the past few weeks, I've noticed a new found interest in my blog and the various things that I talk about.  I've been contacted for advertisement pleas, project reviews, and content questions.  Although my teaching (but not final exams) is officially over for the semester as of Friday (yesterday), I am far enough behind in things that I want to post about that I haven't done any of the requested posts or reviews up until now.

You see, one of my goals is to make my blog a dynamic, interesting place.  I don't have any false dreams about being able to support myself via blogging (I'd have to have actual writing talent first), but I do have dreams about making my blog just a bit bigger than it currently is.  One such person who has mastered the art of growing an internet presence is Monica Leonelle who wrote the book Socialpunk.

Monica contacted me (and a host of other bloggers across the internet) with the offer/request for a review of her new book Socialpunk.  Along with the book (which Amazon Prime members can get for free by following the link in the post), Monica is also writing two more to complete the trilogy (Socialmob and Socialhood).

I read the preview of the book, plus a few chapters and while I can honestly say that the book isn't my style (post-apocalyptic worlds don't interest me), however, I can see anyone who loved books like The Hunger Games giving it a try.  In fact, that's probably high praise because I felt the same way about Socialpunk as I did reading The Hunger Games!  Unfortunately for me, all the book reviews are supposed to be completed before the end of the month - but I have finals to give, and then grade, all next week so there's no way I'll have time to read any books in April!

For those who are interested in the book, here's a description provided by the author:

Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

In my opinion, while the book might have been the impetus for Monica's reaching out to various blogs on the internet, I found her self-promotion to be the actual interesting aspect of the entire experience!  Besides a whole host of bloggers that she's managed to get to write her reviews (see the page on her website), she also has pulled in a few Amazon.com reviews (a true prize for any book author I'm sure)!

Furthermore, she's added in a contest component to the book review - and if I've learned anything from baseball card blogs, it's that contests are almost a sure way to drive interest!  Heck, I'm not above entering her contest - even though I highly doubt I'll win anything!

Finally, and this is the real lesson I think, driving new readers to our blogs should be our goal - because for every new reader that stumbles upon little 'ol Nachos Grande, that same reader will probably see my blog roll and click over to Night Owl's site, or Play at the Plate's, or The Dimwits, or you get the idea.  I've noticed my Barry Larkin card posts bring in a different group of people than my typical posts - but a few of those readers have since contacted me and we've completed trades - trades that wouldn't have happened with me attempting to expand the proverbial net of what I cover on the blog.

I do plan to go back and read Socialpunk when I have time (because it has potential) - and I also plan to take some of the lessons that I learned from Monica's book selling strategy to help grow my readership (and, by extension everyone's readership)!
a Rafflecopter giveaway