Calling Debut Authors! Now Accepting Applications for the 2018 Debutante Ball!

Today on Dead Darlings we’re delighted to let you know about a great opportunity for debut authors to participate in The Debutante Ball, one of our favorite literary sites. Read on to learn more about how to apply.

Every year, for the past 11 years, five debut women authors have been chosen to participate in The Debutante Ball. The Debutante Ball is a group blog for authors making their debut in the literary world. Former Debs include bestsellers in the genres of women’s fiction, mystery, literary fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and more.

The 2017 Debutante Ball class is looking for female writers who have not yet had a book published, but will have one released between September 2017 and August 2018 by a traditional commercial publisher. You need a firm release date to be considered (well, as firm as it ever gets in publishing!).

To learn more about the awesomeness of being a Debutante, check out the video!

https://youtu.be/ocr2M8yet-4

  1. The Debutante Ball is looking for female fiction or memoir writers who have not yet had a book published, but will have one released between September 2017 and August 2018 by a traditional commercial publisher.
  2.  All genres of Adult and YA are welcome; it’s important to have a Deb class with a good mix of genres to bring you an audience you might not normally get, and to mix it up a little for readers.
  3. Enthusiasm is a must! We want to know that your heart is really and truly in this, and for all the right reasons. The Deb Ball has a long tradition of fostering community and support for writers at all stages of the process. It’s more than a platform for first-time novelists; it’s a celebration of writing and publication. It’s also a legacy, built over the last eleven years, of amazing writers who are now household names. We want to preserve this special arena.
  4. You don’t need to have blogged previously, but if you have, please let us know where we can find you online so we can get to know you. The larger your reach, the better.
  5. Experience with the WordPress blogging platform is not required, but is a plus. If you have experience with WordPress, web design, or are otherwise tech savvy, please make sure to let us know that in your application.
  6. It’s important that you make time for The Ball. Being a Deb requires a 2-4-hour commitment each week—not only are you responsible for your own posts, but you will need to commit to helping to maintain the site, find guest authors, and publicize the blog through your own networking channels. Don’t worry, there is a system and there is training!

The best part of being a Deb is the camaraderie and friendship among the group. So, if you’re not only looking to launch a book, but to launch some lifelong friendships, then The Debutante Ball is the place for you!

Each Deb has a role to play on the site, but they all back each other up when needed. The main responsibilities of a Deb include, but are not limited to:

  • Blogging one day per week on an agreed-upon topic, and helping to contribute to a daily presence on the site by commenting on other Deb posts and sharing other Deb posts on your own social media
  • Providing your fellow Debs with your book in advance of your release week so they can read it (one copy can be passed around by mail or e-galleys, if your publisher offers electronic ARCs.)
  • After reading the books, support your fellow Debs by posting reviews on Goodreads, Amazon (post pub), Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.
  • Maintaining the website (it’s all set up for you, so this is easier than it might sound, but there is regular maintenance to be done)
  • Managing the Twitter and Facebook accounts, including daily promotions of posts through both tweets and Facebook postings
  • Hosting a guest on Saturdays and putting up a News Flash on Sunday
  • Choosing your topics for the year
  • Giving away a copy of your book to celebrate your launch week
  • Choosing next year’s Debutante Ball class of 2018

It sounds like a lot, but when broken up among five people, it’s much more manageable!

If this sounds like something you are interested in doing, head to this form and fill it out.

If you have any questions, please address them to: techdebutante@gmail.com. The Debutante Ball team is accepting applications through July 28th, 2017. They will announce the new Deb Class of 2017 around the first week of August, and will alert the new class before announcing it on the blog.

If you are looking for a fun adventure, lifelong friends and incredible support during your debut year, hurry and apply!

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