Hello friend! First, let me tell you how much I truly appreciate that you are interested in joining Classified, the street team for the Pistils series and author Kate McNeil. In case you're wondering, a street team is a group of fans who come together to support an author and his/her work.
In a perfect world, joining a street team would be quick and easy...YOU want to support the author, why do you have to APPLY? Unfortunately, there are always the few who ruin it for the many...including those who share team-only perks (like early cover reveals, giveaways, and discount codes) with people outside of the team. And I myself experienced people taking as many as they could of a free item, simply because it was free. They'd never heard of me, had no intention of reading my books, they just heard "freebie" and went in with both hands open.
When I decided to create a street team, I didn't want that kind of environment. I wanted a group that could have fun, chat about something we all had in common, do live Q&A, and YES, have contests, giveaways, swag, watch parties, ARCs of new releases, but most importantly, allow me to really get to know my readers, and for them to get to know me.
For that reason, Classified membership is by application-only. It's also capped at a certain number of members, and once that number is reached, membership will close for the time being. It will re-open again periodically, as either spots become available, or as circumstances allow us to have more members.
What am I looking for in a team member? Readers who are engaged, proactive, excited to promote that a new book is out, regularly think outside the box, aren't afraid to make suggestions, and are ready to write honest reviews (including of backlist material) on the major platforms. If you're only halfway through the first book, add it to your Reading shelf on Goodreads and refer it to friends who enjoy the same genre. If that sounds like a lot, don't worry... all I'm asking is for your help with promotion, and that can be as quick and easy as writing an Amazon review or tucking a paperback into a Little Free Library when you've finished it.
One thing I do want to make clear - this street team is not a bribe to get you to go change a 3-star review to a 5-star review, or to get a free book. That practice (exchanging free books for good reviews) is expressly forbidden by Amazon, and is the reason why you see disclaimers at the bottom of so many reviews. Additionally, there are a couple of the founding members of Classified who haven't read my books, because it's just not a genre they enjoy. They do, however, actively and constantly promote my work to others who might, and are therefore some of my biggest, most appreciated fans.
I've humbled and grateful every time I get an email or a message from a reader, telling me what my books have meant to them. THAT is the true reason I'm creating this group...we're just going to have some fun times as well. ;-)