Madi's Musings

Writing trends come and go, and one particular trend on the rise is something called MAP or MAS. No doubt you’ve seen at least a handful of covers for books in a MAP, although you may not realize it.

After participating in a MAP myself, along with watching what could be described as a near-horror story for another in a MAP, I thought it prudent to write a post on just what these are, the positives and negatives, etiquette, and more.

At the publishing of this post, I have one published book in a MAP and will have been published in three more by mid 2025. One of those MAPs is one I have organized myself.

What Are They?

Multi-Author Projects, also called multi-author collaborations or multi-author series, are series of books with a central theme written by different authors. The amount of books usually ranges from five onward, with some MAPs having as many as fourty plus books. The most popular genres for MAPs are historical and fantasy, although there are a few contemporary ones as well.

Example of a historical MAP: Hearts of the West

Example of a fantasy MAP: The Cornerstone Series

The Purpose

MAPs can have a variety of purposes. One is to proponent a specific cause, like Hope Ever After as a charity collection giving all proceeds to help stop human trafficking. Other purposes include helping expand your readership, getting name exposure, and just being part of a series.

Positives and Negatives

Positives:

• MAPs are supposed to be comprised of authors who encourage each other and help cross-promote.
• They are a good way to broaden your readership, meaning those who read the other authors will give your MAP book a shot. The goal is for them to like your writing and you gain another reader.
• Excellent promotion. Usually, it is mandatory that you share about everyone else’s book.
• You can make new writer friends.
• You have a book published.
• Overall, good support from readers, which means increased preorders and sales.

Negatives:

Please note that these are potential negatives. There is a strong chance you will not encounter them, but there is always a possibility.

So, when you consider entering a MAP, just keep these in mind.

• Jerks abound, even amongst writers. This may seem harsh, but I’ve seen these lovely souls in action, and trust me. They exist.
• There is a chance of receiving a horrible cover.
• You may not have a say in your cover (which you may not see as a negative depending on your personality and/or the designer).
• A lot of people in a group means a lot of ideas…and potential conflicting personalities. If someone does not know how to be mature, this can cause a problem.
• Sometimes you do not have control of how you price your books, which again, can be both good and bad depending.
• A wimpy coordinator who allows the lovely souls from point one to make everyone else’s life miserable.
• Aggravating and snotty know-it-alls who will make your life miserable if you don’t worship the ground they walk on.

As I said, there is a good chance you would not encounter these issues. I haven’t in the four I’m in, but I’ve heard about all of these issues from another author in a MAP. So, while these negatives do exist, they’re uncommon. Just keep them in mind.

How Do I get into a Map?

That depends. Sometimes you’re invited, sometimes the coordinator(s) do submission call-outs on social media, and sometimes you yourself are the founder.

Etiquette for Participating Authors

As with anything, etiquette is an important part of being in a MAP.

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions…politely. Request clarification in a polite tone.
• Remember, there are several of you. Be willing to have mature discourse over whatever the disagreement is, if you need to say anything at all. If it doesn’t involve you, don’t involve yourself.
• Know what you’re getting into before you get into it. Ask questions. Who is the cover designer? What is the cost? Who is responsible for what? Who else is participating?
• Uphold your end of the bargain. When you enter a MAP, you agree to share about everyone else’s book, usually on release day, although more posts are optional and certainly welcomed. If something transpires that waylays you, simply explain it to the founder. They’ll be understanding.
• Don’t be a know-it-all. If you have experience and are eager to impart that experience in order to help others (as opposed to simply being a clanging cymbal), do so respectfully.
• If you simply cannot stand being in the group any more, privately tell the founder and dismiss yourself. Do not make a spectacle.
• Do not be passive-aggressive.
• Do not insinuate a fellow author is the one giving all the books a low rating on Amazon (I heard of this happening in a recent MAP).
• Don’t be a loud-mouthed ninny. A.k.a, don’t lambast others when you perceive them doing wrong. Chances are, they just do things a bit differently from you. If you’re so bothered you can’t sleep, gently–and privately–bring it up with the person in question.
• If the organizer asks you to put your book up by a specific date, do it by that date. Likewise, if you need to share a cover reveal or release form, do it. Don’t assume everyone else will and you can slack off.

How do I Organize a MAP?

You can organize a MAP by doing social media call-outs, inviting specific authors, and posting in any relatable author groups. Remember to include the general word count, theme, who the cover designer is or an example of the cover if you have one, the genre, what is and is not acceptable (e.g., clean only, so no fade-to-black or erotica allowed; no profanity or excessive violence, etc.), the first publishing date, any costs participating authors will be expected to pay, and if they have been published (if they haven’t, ask for a writing snippet). I’ve found a Google Form works to have any interested author fill out, and then after a specific date, email the accepted authors.

Have you ever been, or are you currently, part of a MAP? If you haven’t been, does participating in one intrigue you? If you have been, do you have any more advice to impart? Readers, what upcoming MAPs are you excited about?