loveahappyending.com Author Membership Rules January 2012
1. We will load information as quickly as we can – no one is paid, everyone is a volunteer and everyone takes part because they want to. We ask you to kindly check your page and test your links from time to time. If you want to update your page, add new books etc please Email:- loveahappyending.com@gmail.com this is the official Inbox for our website. As the site grows we may need to change the layout or structure of the pages, but any changes will be in the interest of making this site more exciting for your readers and fans.
2. New Authors will join us by invitation only. As we are encouraging mutual support we all need to feel that we are maintaining a standard and can talk in confidence about our work etc. The aim of the group is to become a ‘writing family’ where trust is key. Criteria for being an on-going member:
i) We accept new (or reasonably new) authors who are published/self published and writers who hope to be published and are looking for some exposure. When authors leave we will seek suitable replacements to ensure as wide a spread as possible of genre and geographical location.
ii) This website is for authors who do not run their own multi-author websites; its intended for those who are seeking to promote their work and support their team members as a ‘writing family’. This means’ they are prepared to be active in the group and consider it to be of benefit to them to be a member. If you set up, or are involved with the running of a multi-author website, after joining, please come forward and vacate your place, simply because we focus on helping new authors who need HELP in raising their profiles. That means our members will all have a common goal and membership of this project will be high up on their list of priorities. Membership of various websites is not a problem and all our authors will network, but the focus when wearing your LAHE hat is our own featured authors.
3. The theme of our website is ‘happy endings’ but we do cover everything from children’s books through to harrowing, real life stories and a few scary tales! In the main, we are looking for books with a positive message, even if the subject matter is sad or distressing (death, divorce etc), as long as the outcome is uplifting and a few that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. We reserve the right not to feature books we consider might not sit well with this project – excessive gore, zombies, overtly sexual etc.
4. Please encourage any of your existing fans to become Associate Readers, the criteria for which is a reader who actively supports their favourite author/s (separate Associate Readers rules have been issued). As an Author, if an Associate Reader supports you we ask that you encourage their interest – appear on their blog if asked, answer any questions they have, thank them personally by Email if they support you via social media. We see this as a wonderful opportunity for both the Associate Reader and the Author to raise their profiles publicly. Many serious ‘readers’ out there have a large following and a real presence; enlist their help in growing your career. You can approach them to post reviews for you and get involved with feedback on new manuscripts etc.
5. Please give us as much notice as you can of any new books you are launching or re-launches of existing books/events you want us to promote on the site blog. 8 weeks notice is usually required as the blog programme is determined in advance. We will try our best to accommodate short notice requests, however we cannot guarantee dates unless notified well in advance. Max 5 launches/re-launches per month and min. 4 working days between each launch.
6. Authors helping each other – ask for help and get help in return via our closed LAHE FB group page – all authors MUST be a member of this page as it is our central point of communication. This project is about mutual support and establishing our website as a brand. Advertise that you are one of a select, hand-picked group of 30 authors and writers, use it to give you an ‘edge’ when approaching local media etc. It’s a selling point for YOU. Group activity via social media will make a difference to what you are doing (eg launching a new book) and it is nice to know you have a group of people behind you. In return you need to be there when your peers need your support. If at any time you decide this is not for you, then please see rule 8. Everyone is busy, but it only takes a few minutes to Tweet/re-Tweet etc and this does need to be done on a regular basis. All members are expected to be active when we have a book launch/re-launch on our blog. How personally involved you get with your peers is up to you and all arrangements made for appearances outside of the LAHE website are by mutual agreement by the parties involved.
7. Because of the huge administrative workload of maintaining and updating the website, the majority of Twitter activity is via THE MEMBERS so @loveahappyend concentrates on Tweeting blog pages. Use the #LAHE whenever possible. Your Tweets really do count!
8. You can have your author page deleted at any time, Email:-
loveahappyending.com@gmail.com please put ‘urgent deletion’ in the subject line and we will action your request as quickly as we can. We cannot delete previous blog posts in which you have featured, but will endeavour to ensure that no future new material mentioning you goes out on the website. However, where printed material has already been commissioned we reserve the right to use such materials to avoid abortive costs. Please be aware that it might take a while to remove you from all the links (closed FB page, Yahoo a/c etc) and your patience is appreciated.
8. Website blog – we have a team of Editors and we try to ensure a good spread of coverage for everyone on the various features. Either an Editor will approach you direct, or put out a call for contributions via the FB closed page, or you can approach any one of the Editors (listed under ‘Our Editors’ on the righthand side of the website) if you would like some exposure on the blog. Editors have total control over content and may amend/edit what you provide to suit the style of their feature.
10. We do reserve the right not to publish reviews of a negative nature if the tone is not constructive.
11. We hope this website runs forever and furthers the careers of many new authors, however we reserve the right to withdraw the site at any time. We have a general policy that authors who leave will not usually be invited back as the aim is to give as many new authors a chance of being a part of this experience as possible.
