Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off – Part 2
After a tense wait during October I was absolutely amazed to be told my novel Hall of Bones had been selected as a finalist for the seventh annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO). SPFBO is a competition created by the fantasy author Mark Lawrence, which highlights the work of self-published authors writing in that genre. The profile and importance of the competition for independent authors has increased with each successive year, so to be part of the next stage is simply incredible.
I mentioned in my last SPFBO blog update in July how entering this contest takes a fair bit of courage. I’m sure there were entrants who chucked their book into the ring without giving the end result a second thought. I wasn’t in that blissfully happy group. SPFBO is a real opportunity to help authors stand out from the crowd, so the outcome really matters. As the contest progressed the tension continued to mount and you could see that coming through in the various SPFBO groups I ended up being part of on Facebook, Twitter, Slack and Discord.
The worst aspect of SPFBO for me by far was waiting for that initial review. With 300 entrants it’s a long process, which is also good because everyone gets their moment in the spotlight between June and October. Without exception, every contestant was incredibly supportive during this long wait. We were all in the same boat together and I appreciated current and previous contestants offering that virtual shoulder to cry on when it all got a bit much. There were some darker moments of worry and disappointment and other times when we laughed out loud together. Honestly, having those groups really helped. If you’re a serious contestant in this competition then you should carefully think about your support network, because you’ll need one.
SPFBO is a very public contest. That’s obviously the point but of course the risk is a reviewer will hate a book and they still have to post their review. That risk multiplies x10 for the finalists, who now face another nine in-depth reviews (with a score, for crying out loud!) in addition to the blog that put them through. During Phase 1, I really appreciated how the bloggers went out of their way to highlight the positives of almost every book, even if it wasn’t one for them. Luck and the fit between book and reviewer is a massive part in this contest. Big names are early cuts and unknown books from the darkest corners of Amazon win through. This creates a bit of controversy and perhaps that’s no bad thing. This contest thrives on the discussion and debate concerning the merits of different books. When a book is cut, that review can and does still drive sales. SPFBO is as much about helping readers find the right book as it is about who progresses through the competition.
I’m delighted I ended up in the blog group consisting of Lynn’s Books and The Critiquing Chemist (supported by her Bookish Boffin), and not just because they picked me as their winner. They approached the whole contest with a great deal of organisation and professionalism. Although that meant there were some long tense waits between announcements, their reviews were always fair, balanced and in-depth but also short enough to give a prospective purchaser a quick read. Semi-finalists received two reviews each, which was an unexpected added bonus. All the bloggers willingly give their free time to support authors in this contest and it’s no small undertaking on their part. Their efforts are what makes the contest possible and I want to offer my sincere thanks to all of them.
My main objective when I entered SPFBO was to get a solid review and raise awareness of my writing. I’ve done far better than I could possibly have imagined and whilst this is down to writing a good book it’s also down to a significant amount of pure dumb luck. Knowing a strong case could be made for many other books to be finalists in this year’s competition is a humbling thought. Getting into the finals is a real privilege and I’m not going to forget that any time soon.
As I’m fortunate enough to be in that select group of ten finalists, I’ll continue to provide the occasional SPFBO update on this blog. One thing’s for sure – Phase 2 of SPFBO7 is going to be another wild ride and right now I don’t think anyone could pick the winner. Good luck everyone.
