Every year since 2007, five debut women authors have taken part in The Debutante Ball, 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 Class of 2018 Debs are looking for female or non-binary writers who have not previously had a book published, but will have one released between September 2018 and August 2019 by a traditional commercial publisher.
Some Things to Know:
- You need a firm release date to be considered (well, as firm as it ever gets in publishing!).
- All genres of fiction and memoir both YA and Adult are welcome. A Deb class with a good mix of genres will give you exposure to an audience you might not normally reach, as well as mixing up the experience for our readers and followers.
- The Deb Class of 2018 is particularly committed to making sure that the Deb Class of 2019 represents the diversity of female and non-binary authors writing today. For this reason, our application asks for authors representing marginalized communities to let us know about their identities, if they are comfortable doing so.
- Enthusiasm is a must! The Deb Ball is not just another marketing arena; it’s a community, a fellowship, and a celebration of writing and publication. It’s also a legacy, built over the last twelve years, of amazing writers who are now household names — and many of whom have become real friends. We intend to pass the baton to authors who are every bit as magnificent as those who have come before.
- 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. Think of it as a component of your overall launch plan — which it will be! The Deb Ball will help you reach new readers all over the world — and the Class of 2018 Debs will train you for the process.
- The Deb Ball is hosted on WordPress. Experience with the WordPress blogging platform is not required, but is definitely 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.
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!
What will I have to do?
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)
- Support your fellow Debs by posting reviews on Goodreads, Amazon (post pub), Barnes & Noble, and iTunes
- Maintaining the website (one Deb will take point on this, but all Debs should be prepared to step in on occasion)
- Managing the Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts, including daily promotions of posts through both tweets and Facebook postings (again, one Deb will take point, but sharing material is everyone’s responsibility)
- Hosting a guest on Saturdays and contributing to the weekly 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 2020
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: cassrmorris@gmail.com with the subject header “Prospective Debutante”. The Debutante Ball team is accepting applications through June 30th, 2018. We will make decisions and notify our new Debs during the month of July, and we will announce the new Deb Class of 2019 around the first week of August.
If you are looking for a fun adventure, lifelong friends and incredible support during your debut year, hurry and apply!
