Steven Carr has been a guest on the Writer's Journey Blog. (You can read his Writer's Journey on December 23rd of last year). After watching and participating in the efforts of Sweetycat Press to further the writing careers and works of many Authors. I asked him to return to the Writer's Journey Blog to offer some insight into the mission and goals of Sweetycat Press. Please welcome Mr. Steven Lester Carr!
Sweetycat Press is more commonly referred to as Sweetycat, but unlike its namesake, my beloved pet cat that died at age 18 after spending his entire life proving how aloof he could be, Sweetycat is anything but aloof. Sweetycat is about engagement, between its Facebook group members and with the world of writers and readers worldwide.
Founded by me, author Steve Carr (Steven Lester Carr), more commonly known as The Grump, Sweetycat was established to do what no other Facebook writers group was doing, provide writers with the tools to market and promote their brands and publications instead of just offering advice on how to do that, or simply just providing space to promote a single book.
Frustrated with getting very little help with the actual marketing and promotion of my own books by my publishers. I knew if I tapped into my background as author, journalist and not-for-profit management and development director, I could address the frustration that most writers/authors feel in not getting the recognition and support they deserve to thrive and succeed.
The sole mission of Sweetycat is to elevate among their peers, readers worldwide, and in the world of publishing, the status of the best emerging writers and authors on the writing scene today.
An emerging writer is defined as someone who has produced some high-quality work but isn't yet well-known. Established in January of 2020, Sweetycat has already published The Who's Who of Emerging Writers 2020 that includes 116 authors almost all of whom are Sweetycat members, The Book of Books which includes 119 books available on Amazon written by more than 80 authors, all of whom are Sweetycat members, or anthologies compiled by publishers who's owner is a Sweetycat member.
Sweetycat has produced several Youtube promotional trailers highlighting the work of Sweetycat authors, and launched one Youtube narrated reading series, In A Flash, with a second one, the Poetics set to launch in September. In A Flash features flash fiction stories written by Sweetycat members, read by the extraordinary author Dave Gregory, who is so filled with charm and natural talent he should have his own syndicated television show (in case there are any Hollywood producers reading this). The Poetics, is poetry written by Sweetycat poets and read by another incredible author, Wendy Vogel. Grants totaling hundreds of dollars have been given out to individual Sweetycat members who have submitted articles or essays that were published for educational purposes in the Sweetycat publications.
Underwritten initially from money out of my own pocket, the goal of Sweetycat is for it to become self-sustaining, meaning able to afford to publish books, produce the Youtube videos, and pay voice/reading talents as well as other expenses, from income earned by the sale of the books and supported by volunteer contributors among the Sweetycat membership. Contributions already exceed $500 dollars, with most of that going to the two reading series. Contributors are listed as co-sponsors of those programs. Not a single cent goes into my own pocket. Expense and earning statements are posted regularly in Sweetycat as are screenshots of sales of the published Sweetycat Press books. Sweetycat now has one paid staff member, Priti J, whose title is Marketing Manager. She brings to Sweetycat a wealth of intelligence and talent along with incredible support for the mission of Sweetycat.
I'm glad to say that Sweetycat operates like a well-oiled machine, thanks largely to the Facebook group moderators who have been with Sweetycat from the beginning. They are Sue Marie St. Lee, Lucy Britt, Edentu Oroso, Patt O'Neil, Adam Stump and Peter Astle, all authors, and everyone of them filled with the intellect, patience and understanding it takes to work closely with me. When trouble arises it's always me who causes it.
Not every writer can join the Sweetycat Press Facebook Group. As I mentioned, you have to meet the definition of an emerging writer, with proof of having been previously published as a short story writer, poet, playwright or songwriter, or as a published novelist, either independently published or published in the traditional sense. Sweetycat isn't looking for large numbers of members, It's about the quality of the members, what they bring to the group, their level of engagement, not the quantity of members. Stir up any trouble in the group and you get tossed out on your ear. Likewise, if you haven't engaged with the group in any 90 day time period, you are quietly and unceremoniously removed by me. I'm like a vulture sitting on a tree branch watching who is engaged with the goings-on in Sweetycat.
Ways that members can be engaged include posting a link to a publication that has published the Sweetycat author's short story, poem or article, commenting on those kinds of postings, posting the publication details of a book and the link to where to buy it, promotion of Sweetycat authors/writers in blogs or articles, promotion through commenting and support of publications, Youtube presentations and articles produced by Sweetycat, and providing first-hand accounts of how they have succeeded at promoting their own works. I like chatter and lots of it, but it has to be purposeful and meet the posting rules of the group. Post anything outside the rules and it will be promptly removed.
In the short term, as I mentioned, The Poetics is set to launch in September. I'll also be announcing on September 1, the submission guidelines for I, The Writer, which will be unlike any other book about and by writers out there with hopes of getting at least 80 usable submissions for it from the Sweetycat membership which currently stand at a little under 400. That is scheduled for publication around the first of November. If we survive as a group financially into the beginning of next year my plan is to publish the first Sweetycat Press fiction anthology that will pay its contributors. I have no intention of publishing anthologies that aren't aligned with the Sweetycat mission, and with what I have in mind, what I hope to publish under the Sweetycat Press imprint will keep its focus on writers while entering the world of fiction.
Sweetycat Press now has its own Twitter @SweetycatPress, it's own Instagram and two publications, The Who's Who of Emerging Writers 2020 and The Book of Books can be found on Amazon.
Sweetycat is found on Facebook (of course) under Sweetycat Press. I have to ask, in all seriousness, where else would you expect to find it? As I mentioned, I can be a grump.
Mr. Carr and his substantial collection of published works can be found on FaceBook at
And on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Carr/e/B07CRL1PHF