Many of us know that book marketing can be expensive and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

As a Women’s National Book Association member, you have access to affordable and professional-level promotional services — for less than the cost of a dinner out.

The WNBA Member Books program provides year-round visibility and support from the national community for only $30 per year. That’s less than ten cents a day.

Here’s what you’ll get when you join:

• A personalized ad with up to 3 of your book titles and an author photo to connect with readers
• Your Featured Book displayed on every major page of the WNBA national website
• A link to a website of your choice
• A full year of advertising

This program was created exclusively to help WNBA authors gain exposure without the high price tag of traditional marketing.

To participate, pay via check or PayPal on the WNBA website here, complete the enrollment form, and email the completed form, along with up to three book cover images, your website link, and your author photo, to promo@wnba-books.org.

If you’ve been looking for an easy, budget-friendly way to spread the word about your book, this is it.

Take advantage of this exclusive member opportunity and put your work in front of the readers, writers, and industry professionals who visit the national WNBA website every day!

Ready to showcase your book? Join the Member Books program here.

by B. Lynn Goodwin
lgood67334@comcast.net
www.writeradvice.com

Do you have a piece of writing that you want to share? One of the best ways to get noticed and to build your resume and reputation is to enter your work, including excerpts from a longer work, in writing contests.

Is your work ready to share?

Here’s a list of some of the things a judge might ask:

• Do you care about the main character?
• Are there conflicts?
• Could the plot go in more than one direction?
• Is a setting suggested?
• How is the description?
• How is the pace?
• Is the dialogue believable?
• Is the tone appropriate?
• Given the subject and situation, is there an appropriate balance of dialogue, action, narration, and reflection?
• Will a reader stop paying attention at any point?
• Does the story draw you in or do you feel like you’re outside watching it?
• Would you buy this book or story?
• Will you remember this story tomorrow?
• Is language used effectively?
• Does the author make exceptional use of word choice, imagery?
• Are right and wrong complex? Is there more than one way of looking at the issues?
• Are the characters likeable but flawed? Will readers identify?
• Was the writing clear and accessible, too dense to fathom, or somewhere in between?

If you’re not sure how to answer, check with a trusted writing partner or peer.

How do you find contests that are right for you?

Google, reliable referrals, and news from writer’s organizations are all great places to start. Check the requirements carefully. Then, read one or two winners to see if your writing is something they’re likely to choose.

For example, if you write flash or micro fiction or memoir, WriterAdvice.com hosts a competition here. You can also go to Writeradvice.com and click on the Latest Contest header to find contest information. I host a list of other contests and markets in a variety of genres here.

What do you need to do before you submit to a contest that’s right for your writing?

Make a list of the contest’s requirements – all of them. Even the technical ones about whether to include your name and what font to use.

Change the color, or strike through each one, after you’ve made the necessary changes so that you won’t be automatically eliminated.

I’ve had people submit 2,000 words to a Writer Advice contest where the word limit is 750. I e-mail them about their glitch and encourage them to fix the problem. Most contests just eliminate those who don’t follow directions. If your work doesn’t fit, do not submit.

What should you know about contest judges?

Tastes vary. So do opinions.

Get a feel for what each contest wants by reading their submission requests and looking at their website. There are plenty of contests out there.

(Side Note: Contest judges don’t want you to explain your work or ask why you weren’t a winner. If they respond to questions, they might tell you your purpose should have been clearer in the piece.)

Should you ask for feedback if it is available?

Maybe. It depends on who’s giving the feedback, what she’s written, and what his editing background is. Visit the judge’s website and read the opening of her latest publications on Amazon. There’s no charge to read a sample.

When you ask for feedback, keep what’s useful and disregard the rest. Better still, save it because it might make sense later as your skills grow.

I’ve given feedback to more than one author who used it and won elsewhere.

What if no feedback is available?

Submit if you think you meet the criteria. Keep a list of where you’ve submitted for future reference. Then move on. Some contests only respond to winners.

Should you pay to enter a contest?

Opinions vary. I believe that skilled judges and administrators should be compensated for their knowledge and their time.

Some contests have sponsors and don’t need to charge. Some contests are simply looking for material to publish. There’s nothing wrong with paying a professional for her time and her feedback. It’s a service – not a scam.

Be as professional as you can when you submit your work. Be aware that tastes vary. Be willing to put your work out in the world when it feels right.

I’ve been a contest judge for many years at several places, and I speak from experience when I say that, although not every piece is right for every contest, excellence rises to the top.

Author Bio
B. Lynn Goodwin wrote three award-winning books, a YA called Talent, a sequel called Disrupted, plus a memoir titled Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62. She writes author interviews, book reviews and articles for WriterAdvice, www.writeradvice.com, which she owns, and for Story Circle Network, where she teaches. She is on the boards of Story Circle Network and the Women’s National Book Association—NorCal and is a writing contest judge. She edits every genre except poetry and loves helping writers improve.

The Women’s National Book Association is now inviting members to participate as volunteer readers for the 2026 Great Group Reads (GGR) program!

As a volunteer, you’ll help the WNBA curate a list of outstanding books for book clubs, libraries, classrooms, and readers nationwide. The final list is shared with booksellers, librarians, reading groups, and literary organizations across the country. As a volunteer reader, you’ll help shape community discussions in the year to come.

Why Participate?

Serving as a Great Group Reads is a rewarding opportunity to:

• Contribute your insight and perspective to a nationally recognized WNBA program
• Help shape a list that reaches readers and book groups across the country
• Enjoy books provided free of charge and shipped directly to your home

What’s Involved?

WNBA members selected as GGR readers are expected to:

• Read approximately 20–25 books between February and July 2026
• Read some titles in e-book format, as not all titles are available in print
• Share thoughtful feedback via a private committee blog

Participants must be WNBA members in good standing, with dues paid by March 2026.

Interested?

If you’d like to participate, or want more details about the process and time commitment, please email ggr@wnba-books.org for more information.

Let’s build a strong, engaged Great Group Reads committee for 2026 and continue WNBA’s tradition of championing excellent books by women authors!

If you dream of being a published author, this is one event you don’t want to miss! The San Francisco Writers Conference (SFWC) is one of the largest and most top-rated writers’ conferences in the country, and it takes place Feb 12-15, 2026 at the beautiful Hyatt Regency by the waterfront. Better yet, you can now get $100 off when you register online – see details below!

Attendees will join 100+ esteemed presenters and hundreds of fellow writers from across the country and world at this 4-day event. The SFWC aims to help writers become published authors, master the craft of writing, and navigate the business of publishing. Plus, it’s one of the friendliest and most welcoming conferences around!

Presenters this year include best-selling authors, literary agents, acquiring editors, indie editors, and publishers from major publishing houses as well as small presses. There will also be experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, audiobooks, podcasting, and author websites. No matter where you are in the writing journey, this conference has something for everyone.

Use the promo code Tf3S4K6S to take $100 off your registration price today! Take advantage of this special offer and join hundreds of other fellow writers at this year’s San Francisco Writers Conference in February.

by Nina Amir

Not all writers start out as writers. Some begin as activists who want to make a difference or create change. They decide to write a book that inspires and motivates readers to take new action, like join a cause or movement.

Maybe, like them, you are an activist who regularly works to bring about the change you want to see in the world. Maybe you’ve marched, protested, written letters, or joined forces with others to make a difference.

The history of the modern world is replete with instances of people instigating and inspiring change. Think Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi… More recently, think No Kings protests and the #metoo, #blacklivesmatter, #FridaysForFuture, and #takeaknee movements.

After all your efforts, you may wonder how best to make a difference. Protests, letters, phone calls, marches…they help but don’t always result in change.

It’s time to change your tactics—especially since you are a writer. Put your words to use. Allow them to make a positive and meaningful difference. Author the change you want to see in the world.

That’s right. Become an Author of Change by writing a transformational or change-inspiring book.

Books Inspire and Motivate Change

Why should you “author change”? Simple. Books have incredible power to transform lives and inspire people to action. And a popular or successful book—one that speaks to the masses—gets read and shared. Such a book can inspire action.

That means your book can create change, and you can author change via your book. Those who read it begin to discuss and share about your cause. As more people read the book and engage with others about its message, more people join your movement.

That means change begins to happen.

I’m sure you know of a few books that have inspired change, like Walden: Life in the Wood by Henry David Thoreau, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, and Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. More recent ones include What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World by Prentis Hemphill, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want by Ruha Benjamin, and The Guided Imagery Cure: The Best Proven Methods for Quickly Resolving and Healing Trauma by Dr. Chris Portman—just to name a few.

Today many writers see themselves as change agents. The online statement at OccupyWriters.com provides just one example. It says: “We, the undersigned writers and all who would join us, support Occupy Wall Street and the Occupy Movement around the world.” There you’ll find the names of such well-known writers as:

• Margaret Atwood
• Noam Chomsky
• Samuel R. Delany
• Neil Gaiman
• Ursula K. Le Guin
• Ann Patchett
• Salman Rushdie
• Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)

Change Starts with You

A word of caution: If you want to change the world—or individual lives, communities or organizations, you need to change. First and foremost, you need to become the type of writer who can inspire others. You have to become a leader…and inspirational one at that.

Plus, you must become the type of author who does what it takes—everything it takes—to help your book get in the hands of the most readers possible. That means you have to change into a book marketer, speaker, leader, social media personality, movement maker, community engagement expert…and any other role that helps you book succeed.

Not only that, you must embody the change you want to see in the world. You must become a superb role model for the change you want to inspire.

Beyond that, you must understand how people change. With this knowledge, you can move people toward the change you want to create. You help them change. Without such knowledge, you’ll find it challenging to move your readers to new action or motivate them to join your cause.

Amplify Your Message

To create the change you wish to see in the world, find people willing to join your cause. You want people to join your movement or take up your cause.

Therefore, authoring change requires you to attract an engaged community around your mission or message. These are the people who personally take on the changes or take the actions you suggest.

You can gather people around you and your cause—and your book—in person. You could create an organization, go out and speak, or use MeetUp.com, for example.

Or you can use the power of the Internet. Create a blog and publish posts often and consistently. Share those posts on social media sites. Start groups on Facebook or LinkedIn. Use the power of live video by offering webinars or posting Instagram reels, Facebook Live events, or YouTube videos. You can even start a forum where your followers can gather.

Put your efforts toward creating an engaged and motivated community of change agents—those who want to be part of your movement. They also will purchase your book, give it to friends, review it, and talk about it online. They will change or take action to create change and motivate those they know to do the same.

That’s how movements start. That’s how you ensure that you can, indeed, author change.

Write for Change

That leaves the book… To become an author of change, you write a transformational or change-inspiring book. How do you do that?

Develop an inspiring and motivating message to share. Provide your readers with specific ways in which to take action. And share your message or mission in a way that makes readers want to get on board.

That means your message must connect with your readers on an emotional level or you must share it in a manner that allows them to do so. And your mission—your Big Why—must be one they share or relate to.

The prescriptive information included in your book—the steps, strategies, or tools—must feel doable to your readers. Also, they must understand how taking action will change their lives, their communities, their organizations, or the world.

Start Small

Don’t feel you have to change the world. You can start by changing individual lives. That’s what Eckart Tolle did with The Power of Now and A New Earth. Or you can change organizations, which is what John P. Kotter and Dan S. Cohen did with The Heart of Change.

If changing the world is your mission, go for it! Even if you want to write for change with a memoir or novel, you can do it. Consider Shrill by Lindy West, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, or The Red Pencil: Convictions from Experience in Education by Theodore R. Sizer. Take a look at The Overstory by Richard Powers, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

The best way to write a book that inspires change is to read other books that have accomplished this goal. You can use the structure and tone of the books to model your own. “Success leaves clues”— this quote is attributed to Brad Thor but has been repeated by Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, and many others because it’s true.

The world always needs change on a variety of levels. Of course, change starts with you and then radiates outward. But you can make a positive and meaningful difference with your words. You can author change. Why not start today?

If you’d like to know if you are prepared to author change, take this short quiz and find out. And to learn more about becoming an Author of Change, read Change the World One Book at a Time: Make a Positive and Meaningful Difference with Your Words.

What type of change do you want to inspire with your book? Tell me in a comment below, and please share this post with another writer.

Nina Amir, the Inspiration to Creation Coach, is an Amazon bestselling hybrid author. She supports writers on the journey to successful authorship as an Author Coach, nonfiction developmental editor, Transformational Coach, and Certified High Performance Coach (CHPC®)—the only one working with writers.

Nina’s most recent book, Change the World One Book at a Time: Make a Positive and Meaningful Difference with Your Words, was released on January 6, 2026, by Books that Save Lives. Previously, she wrote three traditionally published books for aspiring authors—How to Blog a Book, The Author Training Manual, and Creative Visualization for Writers. Additionally, she has self-published a host of books and ebooks, including the Write Nonfiction NOW! series of guides. She has had 19 books on the Amazon Top 100 List and as many as six books on the Authorship bestseller list at the same time.

Nina also coordinates the SFWC’s Personal Growth for Writers track and the Writing for Change Summit. She offers a conference scholarship for nonfiction writers writing for change.