Join the St. Louis Writers Guild from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CDT on Saturday, August 1, 2026, for two ONLINE ONLY workshops on beta readers and online book promotion: “Working with Beta Readers and Promoting Your Books Online."

Author/book promotion strategist LaShaunda Hoffman and author/life coach Cherie Postill will join us via ZOOM for these free presentations. To attend the meeting online, follow the event link from the St. Louis Writers Guild website. Due to renovations, The Lodge Des Peres is closed for meetings in August.

Workshop 1: Improve Your Writing and Sell More Books with Beta Readers - What Every Writer Needs to Know Before Publishing
 
Cherie Postill will show you how to identify, qualify, locate, and use an incredible writer’s tool called beta readers. They are often overlooked and frequently misunderstood. You will learn what beta testing is, how to identify your beta readers, and why every writer needs them. Cherie will introduce a process that delivers a comprehensive manuscript critique with actionable feedback. We will discuss techniques and tools for beta-testing your manuscript to achieve optimal results.  Following this process, you will not only be assured that your story is perfect for your target readers but also know precisely who your ideal readers are. You will learn where to find your target readers and how to leverage their talents to help you sell more books and attract a loyal fan base. 

     About Cherie: she is a writer, life coach, sales professional, speaker, and author of the best-selling book, How to Train a Beta Reader and Sell More Books, a nonfiction guide for writers. Cherie presents workshops to writers across the country, teaching her unique strategy and step-by-step process. Her debut novel is, StarTracer, No Way Home, and her humor and adventure novel, Mediocre – Mayhem at the Middle School, is set for release in the spring of 2027.
     You can learn more about her writing and download a free Beta Reader Questionnaire at www.clpostill.com.  Cherie loves to connect with readers and fellow writers and welcomes your emails at cherie@clpostill.com. How to Train a Beta Reader and Sell More Books is now available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.   
 
Workshop 2: What Should I Talk About Online? Content Strategy for Authors

Many authors struggle with what to say online—especially when they don’t want to sound pushy or repetitive. LaShaunda Hoffman’s session is designed to help both new and seasoned writers create a content strategy that feels authentic, manageable, and aligned with their author goals.
In this interactive session, attendees will:
• Discover their core content pillars so they never run out of ideas.
• Learn the “1 Idea, 4 Ways” method to create engaging posts across platforms.
• Explore the 3 E’s of engagement—Entertain, Educate, Empathize—for strong reader connections.
This workshop is ideal for fiction and nonfiction authors who want sustainable strategies to confidently share online, grow their audience, and promote their books—without burning out or second-guessing every post. 

     About LaShaunda: she turned her love for books into an award-winning online magazine for readers and writers of multi-cultural literature, Shades Of Romance – SORMAG Digital.
     She is the author of Building Online Relationships – One Reader At A Time about how she created and promoted Shades Of Romance Magazine, a digital magazine for readers and writers of multicultural literature, for twenty years online. 
     As a Book Promotion Strategist, she offers book promotion services and coaches/trains indie authors on how to set up their book promotion infrastructure so they can increase their visibility, readership, and book sales.
     She’s also the host of SORMAG’s Writer’s Cafe Podcast and she has published two books: Building Your Readership and Love In Space. Her mission in life is to help promote writers by introducing them to readers.