“Nen Dreier, det Schäfchen” by Theodor Hosemann |
So, in case you missed the to-do on Friday, I posted a “pledge drive” that was intended to be jocular but also nudge-nudge in its approach, and I received some negative feedback about its thrust and style (along with lots of positive feedback from people who didn’t think anything of it).
And if it seemed like I was a bit twitchy about it on Friday, I have to be honest that I’m particularly sensitive to criticism when it comes to self-promotional activities.
Because here’s the thing about self-promotion: It sucks. It really sucks.
If self-promotion were an insect, I would squash it with the world’s biggest fly swatter. If self-promotion were a field I would burn it and salt the earth so it could never live again.
It doesn’t feel right to stand in front of a crowd and shout, “Me!” and no matter how much you try and cloak the self-promotion in elaborate disguises, it can still feel kind of icky. And if you don’t enjoy the spotlight, self-promotion in all its forms can be downright terrifying.
This is one of the hugest drawbacks about an era of publishing where publishers expect authors to shoulder the lion’s share of the promotional activities. No one I know enjoys self-promotion, and no one out there particularly likes being promoted to either. People usually want to hear about new things from enthusiastic and neutral third parties, not the hugely biased person who created the thing.
And when it comes to social media, the Internet dislikes it when something they are accustomed to getting for free suddenly comes with strings attached, even if those strings are only of the heartstring nature. It’s such a fine line between reminding people about your book and hoping they buy it while not alienating your audience and turning into a shill.
So basically: Self-promotion = not fun!
And yet I know what I would tell someone else who has a new book out: You have to do it. No matter how much you might dislike it, no matter how much negative feedback you get about it, no matter how much it makes you cringe, you gotta do it. You have to give your book a boost, you have to make your network aware of it, you have to do everything you can to help it sell. The era of being just an author, if it ever existed, is over.
Do it as non-annoyingly as possible, but do it.
Sure, it would be fantastic if you had an army of rabid fans or a fabulously wealthy and dedicated publisher to do all the promotion for you. But unless you win the publishing lottery, that first boost has to come from you. You have to build your own army and hope they start evangelizing and creating new converts. You have to get that first bit of momentum going. Otherwise your book will quietly disappear into the great unknown.
So… yeah. It ain’t fun. But there’s a lot of noise out there, and sometimes you have to shout to make yourself heard. Even if you cringe the entire time you’re doing it.
And to show I practice what I preach, here are some links to buy JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW. Kirkus said of the series, “There’s plenty of set-up for future volumes; fans will hope they won’t have to wait long. ” (And you won’t: JACOB WONDERBAR FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSE is coming in April).
Amazon (hardcover)!
Amazon (Kindle)!
Barnes & Noble (hardcover)!
Barnes & Noble (Nook)!
Books-a-Million!
Borders!
Indiebound!
Powell’s!
Joanne Huspek says
Here's the deal, with writing and with anything else you might do that is creative: There is someone out there somewhere who is not going to like your work, not going to like the way you work, not going to like your opinions, and not going to like YOU. So this is what I figure…I will do the best I can to my ability. If you like what you're doing, if you're comfortable, that's cool.
As for self-promotion, it is rather sucky. But you have to believe in yourself in order to create. Don't let the naysayers get you down.
Darian says
Nathan, as always sir, you hit the nail on the proverbial head.
My entire life I've hated the "used car salesman" vibe I would get off of some people.
Yet now, even without a published piece of work, I find myself putting myself in a position where I am trying to attract attention "under the radar" to lessen the slimy feel once my novels are for sale.
I figure if I can build relationships now, without promoting anything other than me, as a person, it may lessen the impact when I ask people to take a chance on one of my books.
Great blog!
Ted Fox says
I got my first taste of this when I ran a contest on my blog several weeks ago to build my Twitter following and one commenter mocked me for doing so. Who knew giving away a $50 Amazon gift card could be so controversial?
A.S. Washington says
Awesome post, think you hit that right on the head. Regardless of anyone's sentiments or what side of the fence they stand on. The world of publishing is changing dramatically.
A.S. Washington
Writer Jodi Moore says
It's a necessary evil, emphasis on necessary. I think your blog is spot-on. Those of us who were raised to be humble find it to be very uncomfortable. That being said, I think of my book as my "kid" (and I NEVER have a problem bragging about my kids!) I openly admit to potential buyers that I'm biased and hope that they will love my "baby" as much as I do. That usually brings a smile or two…and takes away the awkward "sting" that you talk about.
By the way, your "new baby" looks wonderful…can't wait to read it!
As always, thanks for the gems of wisdom! Hugs, Jodi 🙂
fortheloveofbookshops says
It's funny to me how we try to mask our self-promotion, especially on blogging and Twitter. The mere act of Twittering, even if it's not obviously self-promoting, is meant to draw attention to one self. I say we all just embrace the ugly business and try to enjoy it as best we can.
Creative says
yes, I agree. Self-promotion is hard. And has to be done. I find it far easier to promote others. Is there an answer there? Perhaps we should get into promotion huddles.
BP says
Mhhmmhh…uhuh….something about self promotion WOAH hey look, guys! Book #2 is coming out in APRIL! Ok, seriously, I think that is all I just read, and I am very, very happy inside. Nothing wrong with promoting when you've got a heck of product to promote!
RobynBradley says
Here's another way to look at it: instead of thinking of it as self-promotion, consider it "engaging with current and future readers."
You're right — no one likes self-promotion: certainly not the people on the receiving end of it and certainly not the people who have to do it, like you mentioned. So don't do it. Instead, just keep doing what you've been doing for years: providing value to your readers through insightful blog posts, status updates, and tweets.
The one thing I would say (I'm putting my day job marketing hat on) is to make sure you expand the conversation to other places. I imagine most of the people who read and lurk here are writers. And yes, writers read, of course. But it's important to expand the conversation to places where readers hang out as well.
I find thinking of it like that — having conversations with readers — is a lot easier to do than thinking of it as "self-promotion."
Anonymous says
I'm just not sure why everyone keeps insisting that self-promotion is "necessary". Self-promotion is crap. Everyone knows it. Everyone hates it. So why is everyone doing it?
It's so uncomfortable because the intention is wrong. The publishing industry lost its integrity somewhere in the last 5 years when it got focused only on "selling" instead of "finding great literature".
And they've now got authors doing the same thing.
A good product sells on word of mouth. Period. Yes, the initial "here's my book, blog, film, etc" is necessary, but after that the work has to speak for itself.
Every work of art has its own destiny. A bad book, heck even a good book may not sell no matter how much you promote.
The bottom line is, if it doesn't feel good, it's because you know it's wrong. It goes against the integrity of your own spirit.
Do good work. Be true to yourself. Do not compromise your integrity. Let the universe handle the rest.
Susan Kaye Quinn says
I wrote a post today, partly inspired by last week, as well! Although much different.
Does self-promotion suck? Yes, absolutely, it can. Which is why I think you have to find the way to do it that doesn't suck for you. This actually dovetails into a fantastic post by Angela Ackerman today about Being Yourself – I would say not only in blogging, but in book promotion too. Because if you are hating it, no one else is going to enjoy it either.
Same with writing, yes?
The Sasquatch says
The right kind of people will know and understand what you're doing when you self-promote. The rest can sit in their parent's basement, wearing only their underwear, playing video games all day, wondering why their lives suck
Don says
I criticized the post because I thought the particular method of self-promo was inappropriate given that it was for the blog rather than for the book. As I said in my apology later that day, the language I used was inappropriate and too strong for the message I intended to convey. I reiterate my apology for readers here and think this post is spot on.
Bane of Anubis says
Heaven forbid that you use your blog to promote yourself.
As the Ice-T said, don't hate the playa, hate the game.
JWatCPK was a fun read w/ fun characters.
Anonymous says
Okay. This may or may not help. And yes, there are aspects of self-promotion that are awful.
But I will tell you that you have to learn how to have fun with self-promoting, too. And when you start having fun with it, you don't hate it so much.
How to you have fun with it? It depends on the author. In your case, you seem comfortable with people and you seem to enjoy online interaction. If you love interacting on social media, do it that way. If you love events and conferences, do it that way. You have to get a groove going.
Personally, I despise author readings in public. I also think they are a waste of time for most authors in the digital age. I'd rather eat Hilly's Pie from the novel "The Help" than do a reading. But I've found that there are ways to promote that I do enjoy.
And you have to learn to have fun.
Matt Heppe says
I'm in the self-promotion phase right now. My book has been out for two months and I'm doing everything I can to draw attention to it. Sometimes it is a lot of fun: newspaper interviews and book signings. Other times I feel kind of slimy: purposefully working a mention into every conversation I have. You have to take the good with the bad and do both.
Bret Wellman says
ugh, tell me about it. Who wants to stand up in a crown and yell me me me?
I wish a book had the power to promote itself!
MichelleKCanada says
"No one I know enjoys self-promotion, and no one out there particularly likes being promoted to either."
That statement is perfect and wraps it up well.
There is a good way and a bad way. I personally hate when an author only Tweets book promo stuff and also every hour on the hour announcing your book. (a usual unfollow for me)
I feel bad about authors that are just starting out because it is tough to build a fan base. I am not a writer and don't aspire to be.
I am a book review blogger however so I follow a ton of authors and receive numerous book review requests per day. Yep self promo is a hard thing to do.
MichelleKCanada
https://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Donna K. Weaver says
Too true. Uncomfortably too true.
Michael Offutt says
I used to work in sales. If you didn't ask for it, 9 times out of 10, you wouldn't get it. At least with self-promotion you are not disguising the sale. It's a "hey…buy my book…" type of thing. And this, I can respect instead of some insidious advert that tries to direct my attention to a website where the book is for sale.
Anne Lyle says
I agree – I only do the stuff I enjoy.
* Talking to other writers online about writing? No problem (writers are readers too, after all) – it's already earned me some pre-orders.
* Meeting people at conventions and talking about my forthcoming book? Love it – especially if it involves hanging out in the bar 🙂
* Coming up with fun ways to engage prospective readers (like tweeting, in character, in real time, my protagonist's life in the run-up to the book's release)? You bet!
On the other hand I've practically given up on Facebook because it bores me rigid for some reason. Probably because I don't give a rat's arse about other people's photos or Farmville progress…
Himbokal says
I'm a little surprised you spent more time justifying what was a pretty benign bit of self-promotion. I think anybody that would begrudge you doing a little advertising for yourself should sit back and count up the number of free articles on your blog they've read over the years.
Self-promotion does suck (I think especially for writerly types: it requires us to come out of our caves) but it is the way now. I started a blog based on some very good advice I received a few months ago from a tech saavy friend who works in social media: he said he'd be surprised if there was any new authors two years from now that didn't have at least a blog presence. They want to know you can develop some following on your own.
I look at it as a very fair trade. I post free blogs for your entertainment (or derision as the case may be) and down the road you'll have to listen to me shill a couple of times. How is that unfair?
Roni Loren says
Self promotion does blow, but I read your pledge post and didn't find it annoying or offensive at all.
No one wants to be hit over the head with non-stop promotion (like those annoying people on Twitter who DM you minute you follow with a "buy my book" message.)
However, I also think people need to get less combative when a writer who has given them a lot by way of blogging helpful info or whatever the case may be politely mentions their book.
If some actor was blogging/tweeting and said–hey, btw, my movie comes out this week, would love if you saw it, no one would get offended.
It seems writers have this label on them that we're not supposed to really want money. I just read author Bob Mayer's post on a related topic about writers not asking to get paid when they give a workshop or presentation (Pay the Writer – https://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/pay-the-writer/). It's like we're supposed to immune to wanting to be paid for our skills.
Blogging is hard work. I've done it for two years and it takes a lot of time. Like you, it's something I enjoy doing, but I also feel like it's not out of left field to ask those same people who have been enjoying the posts to consider buying my book when it comes out. I know I buy books all the time simply because I've gotten to know the person online and want to support them. It's just a nice thing to do. Plus, if you love someone's posts, chances are, you're going to enjoy their book as well.
Kelley @ Between the Bookends says
First, it is an attribute to your integrity and your character that self-promotion bothers you. If your whole intention for this blog was to self-promote, you wouldn't have any followers.
There is nothing wrong with reminding everyone about who you are: a great author with a wonderful story to tell, who is using his knowledge to help his fellow authors.
I disagree with "anonymous" on most of his comment, but I do agree with one part, "a product sells by word of mouth." Yes, especially in this day and age, you have to rely on word of mouth. But who's words are better to rely on than the author's? If the author isn't passionate enough about their work to go through the nasty feeling of self-promotion, that says something about the work.
'Anonymous' also said, "if it doesn't feel good, you know its wrong'. I just ran a half marathon, and let me tell you , that didn't feel good, but it was good for me. We have to push past our comfort zones in this business in order to make it work.
Thanks for the wonderful post.
Anonymous says
Anon @ 7:33 said, "Do good work. Be true to yourself. Do not compromise your integrity. Let the universe handle the rest."
If it were only that simple authors would never have to work at promotion again.
But it's not. And the best self-promotion is the kind that doesn't even look like self-promotion.
Here's one example. There's a self-published author right now who is scouring the web with information about how her/his book is top quality, as far as self-published books go…the quality theme is the perfect promotional angle, especially when so many self-published books are lacking quality. The author isn't actually promoting the book, but rather discussing the quality of all self-published e-books. And it's working. People are buying it and the book is bestseller. On this one issue of quality alone, the author has become a hero of sorts in some circles.
And it looks completely accidental. But trust me, it's promotion and the author knows exactly what he/she is doing. The hidden angles of self-promotion are numerous, and promoting well has nothing to do with shouting "Me."
Istvan Szabo, Ifj. says
I don't know. I don't have any problem with self promotion at all. I love to speak with my future readers (As my novel is not yet released, yet the fans are slowly gathering.). I also love to give them some gifts, arts what they really appreciate (i.e.: The "Facebook Fan Achivement" pictures what I give them after we reach every X number.). I also love to make the NASA week what we have now as we sent an art about the main character up to space aboard Atlantis (Tbis is the winged lady's second trip to space. 🙂 ). I also love to share some trivias with the readers, elements what about they can't read. And they also loved to comment how they feel about the work, even prior the release. It's giving a great boost in the final leg of development and final polishing.
In my opinion self promotion sucks only if you don't have anything to promote and if you force it. Otherwise it's fun. The key is; don't try to sell your work, don't tweet the usual, BUY, BUY, BUY NOW! stuff or tweet every second IT'S RELEASED, IT'S NUMBER #1! BUY NOW! or the ANOTHER FIVE STAR REVIEW!. Just speak about your work naturally. I'm also just speaking about it and with this, I already have a quite greater fan support than some writers who released few books and making forced advertisements (And my work is not even released.).
David Klein says
Yes, we have to self-promote. I made the mistake of not doing enough for my first novel, STASH, not even realizing I wasn't doing enough, so I've got until next June when CLEAN BREAK comes out to come to terms with the fact I must do more. It hurts, it really does, but that's no excuse not to self-promote.
Anonymous says
This is nothing new. Authors have been self-promoting since the beginning of time. Some are just more aggressive than others.
Truman Capote consciously became the ultimate fag hag and court jester by courting wealthy socialites like Babe Paley in order to get his books sold.
Richard Gibson says
Like a few others, I actually enjoy the promotion aspects of the process — as long as it is in a situation where that's the purpose: a presentation, a signing, etc. where people come for information, where they expect promotion in some form. I have plenty of confidence in the book's content (non-fiction) and my own knowledge and delivery to know it can work.
But like many others, I hate the promotion in other situations, including social media, where it is uncomfortable. One post to my Facebook friends and I'm done. (But I do have a Facebook page FOR the book, too; the same rules don't apply as those I use on my personal page.)
My blog is about the book (or rather, about the kinds of things in the book) so I don't even remotely see that as difficult or obtrusive to the viewers – they should understand that that is what it is for: promotion. My web site is about a lot of other things, so there are some links that amount to promotion, but (I hope) not too obnoxious.
Hillsy says
Ahhh – a positive tide of irony flooding down the comment board…..=0)
As much as I wish it weren't so, I agree whole-heartedly. I'm just glad I have a lack of talent to go with my lack of self-confidence.
Anonymous says
Anonymous @8:03, that's not actually what "fag hag" means…
But back to the subject! The way I see it is: if a writer is a) HONEST and b) creative with their self-promotion, I don't have a problem with it. I don't like feeling as if someone's trying to trick me into buying their product– if it's worth hearing about, you would just come right out and tell me you had this boss book and I should check it out, you know?
-Salom
Renee Collins says
*plugs ears*
lalalaCAN'THEARYOUlalala
sigh. I try to escape this fact, but it seems unavoidable. I guess should just enjoy not having to promote myself while it lasts.
The English Teacher says
Nathan,
This suggestion may seem sarcastic, but it's serious. Have you ever thought of taking an acting class? No joke. If you hang around theatre people for awhile, you soon lose all hang ups about self-promotion. No, I don't mean Hollywood divas who nauseate the rest of us with their narcissism (although they obviously are okay with self-promotion). I mean stage actors. They MUST self-promote in order to get job after job and live.
Also, you might talk to a successful small business owner. Surely you can find someone like that? Being an author now is a lot like running a small business. Talk to someone who does it.
I read yesterday's post and thought it was spot-on for funny self-promotion. You obviously know how to do it, so you just need to get over your shyness and do it.
Good luck. But please consider my suggestions; they are genuine.
Livia says
Funny timing, cuz I just wrote an entry today about how blogging is at best an inefficient way to sell novels, and at worst, a waste of time
Robena Grant says
You know what? This makes me really angry.
THIS IS YOUR BLOG! YOURS!
It's for your use to address anything you wish. That you give back to this community from your expertise and knowledge of the publishing world is a by-product. And one so many of us are thankful for.
THE BLOG IS YOURS! It is meant for you to use, to reach out to a community of fans and followers and talk about what it is that makes up the world of Nathan. You are a writer. You write books. Books get published. You must promote the books.
It isn't overkill to put at the end of every post a short bio and whatever books you have published. It's information new readers would like, it reminds older readers of who you are and what you've achieved. DON'T BE SHY! I swear, every time I go to Chuck Wendig's site: https://terribleminds I read his bio and love it.
I say promote the hell out of that good book! If the naysayers don't like it they don't have to visit.
Caryn Rose says
"Don't promote your book! Let the universe take care of it!"
The universe doesn't pay my rent.
Let me translate that post: "I don't want to promote my book and I'm terrified that if other writers learn how to self-promote, people will buy THEIR book and not MY book. I need to believe that I'm right and they're wrong, so let me anonymously try to scare new writers into thinking that self-promotion is bad and evil!!!"
I stopped accusing any artist of selling out once I started taking myself seriously as an artist.
Cheryl St.John says
I can't imagine anyone getting snippy about that post. The blog is free to read — or not. And the point of having one is promotion. Glad you put it back up.
Jenna says
Your blog has kept followers current with the state of publishing (thank you) so it should be no surprise to anyone that self-promotion is a needful aspect of the business. However, too many authors confuse what really snags a reader into buying their book and what repels them no matter how much they ‘know’ self-promotion is necessary
What makes me want to buy a book is not how many times the title can be squeezed into each post, how available the links are to purchase it or flagrant "buy me" posts. There are subtler ways to enhancing readers that also build author loyalty which is really the goal of self-promotion (or should be). Many of these ways don’t even involve pushing the book itself. The books I’ve bought from reading author blogs are all because I felt I was friends with the author and wanted to support him/her, photos of their publicity tour showed off the worth of buying and reading reviews on OTHER blogs saying how good the book was. Many of these sources were in posts but not the main topic and links to buy the book or find reviews are on the side bars not the center.
People read author blogs to find out more about an author, to gain advice and to see what the book is about before buying it. If we like it, we’ll find reviews, other work you’ve published, and the cheapest site to buy your book on our own. The trick is to make us want to find it by engaging our loyalty, our interest in your writing style or there is so much hype from other sources about your book we have to buy it.
Many aspiring authors want to help fellow writers out but no one likes feeling pressure to do so. If you write well, have a good following of people who are rooting for YOU, and make them feel a part of what you’re doing then you don’t ever have to feel bad for self-promotion, it will happen on it’s own.
Charlie says
Hi Nathan,
Your post is right on. As a budding author with my first book coming out in September, I'm definitely feeling this pressure. But I've adopted a forsight another speaker gave me….that social media is all about promoting others 80 percent of the time and 20 percenter yourself. I'm hoping that will appease the masses, plus I'm really having fun promoting others and gaining new friends. But for those naysayers (and I know they will come) I hope to solace my muse by offering her a new quote by George Carlin I learned at a workshop this weekend…"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." 🙂
Thanks!
C.K. Volnek
D.G. Hudson says
Self-promotion does suck. It's hard to blow our own horn. When I have something to do that's out of my comfort zone, I try to focus on what I want as a result.
Some writers are good at self-promotion, some struggle.
Marketing is business, which seems to clash with a creative endeavor, but in this new publishing era, where we are expected to 'hit the floor running' in expertise and savvy, you better be prepared to dive in or at least get your toes wet.
If a writer has a blog and wants to promote his book on that blog, IMO it's that blogger's prerogative. Just tell me how and where. A blog dispenses content and encourages discussion, but is not that much different from a web page in highlighting that author's writing ability. If tact or humor is present, so much the better. I can ignore it or not.
Have you redefined the purpose of this blog, Nathan, since it's no longer an agent's blog, it's now an author's blog?
An author is allowed more freedom on his blog, where a lit agent could be seen as having a conflict of interest situation if he promoted his book on his own blog.
BTW – halfway through Jacob Wonderbar … and enjoying Sarah Daisy very much.
MAFW says
I bought your book because I wanted to read it. It sounded interesting and as a first time author I can only imagine the excitement you felt when you held it in your hands for the first time.
Do what you have to do to get it out to the masses. Promote! Promote! Promote! And if Jacob Wonderbar was around to give his thoughts I'm sure he would agree.
Tina Burke says
I agree wholeheartedly.
Just after reading this, I read this interesting and relevant blog post about John Mayer's thoughts on tweeting/blogging/self-promotion, and the negative effect it had on his (song)writing: https://bit.ly/nddtJy
Worth reading and considering…
Josin L. McQuein says
It's always weird having to stand up and say "Look at me! Isn't this thing I've done awesome?" Most of us have been told/taught to do just the opposite — take praise with a grain of salt, smile, say thank you, then sit down. It's hard to break out of that without feeling like a complete creep. And there's always going to be someone who takes what you say the wrong way, and assume that self-promotion is your personality.
I can't imagine someone flipping out over your "pledge" post.
First, this is your blog. Yes, the usual subject of this blog is broader in scope, but IT'S YOUR BLOG. And it's not as if you haven't paid forward enough posts by filling them with information that helped the rest of us. A few made in your own interest isn't a lot to ask.
Some people just like to complain. Ignore them — or better, sic a space monkey on them 😉
Barbara Kloss says
You are absolutely right! It's tough and "icky" and no one likes doing it (well, some might), but it's gotta start somewhere. It's like having a child and then never telling anyone about her, and if you do, people get conniptions. Sure, if you talked about her all the time, it'd get annoying but I'd probably just stop listening (ie reading your blog).
…oh, and please don't salt the earth 😀
Anonymous says
Nathan, your melancholy view of self-promotion is a complete disservice to yourself and the people who follow your blog.
Self-promotion is NOT an insect to be squashed. It is a VERY necessary *skill* and *art form*. It is also a natural outgrowth of CONFIDENCE.
The only reason it's so distasteful to you (and a great many people) is because it's misunderstood in it's nature and purpose.
It takes courage and humility (yes, I said humility) to self-promote. It takes understanding that neither you nor your work are so sublime that you don't need to politely ask folks if they wouldn't mind giving you a chance.
I don't go up to a woman I find attractive and try to strike up conversation because I'm a sleazy douche. I do it becuause I have the confidence to believe that even though I might not be the cutest, richest, or toughest guy, I have other qualities to offer. And I'm humble enough to understand that I'm not above asking her to take a look at those qualities.
You should seriously rethink your views on the subject, Nathan.
Bill
Anonymous says
Self-promote or don't.
Doesn't matter.
Because you get one of three outcomes. One, you'll do it just right and sell a lot of books. Two, you'll do it with mediocre success, retaining some fans, loosing some, and not selling much for your efforts. Three, you'll crash and burn.
But while we're on the topic of personal gain, you're still under the impression that readers owe you a debt because you write a blog. (Laughs. Set up a subscription and you'll find out real quick how much people value what you have say.) (Also, since we're on the topic of things that were once free but are no longer free, how are you gonna react when blogger isn't free anymore?)
But I do this blog thing for free, you. (Laughs again. So do millions of other people, most of which feel lucky just to get comments. By the way I'd of been happy with a few comments on my blog, but I read you and commented anyway. As far as I'm concerned, this has been a one way street and it's all flowing toward you. )
Again, I have nothing wrong with self promotion. Lots of writers do it but I hate it when some one comes along as says, well, here's the bill for my friendship. And you're not even a freaking friend. You're just a blogger.
Here's an idea. Hold your updates hostage. Don't blog until you've sold twenty or fifty- you set the number- copies of your book. I mean if your gonna attach strings, then attach them, otherwise just say, you'd really like us to buy your book and leave the discussion of strings and things that were once free not being free to someone better equipped.
I'm not opposed to self-promotion, but it like overnight you jumped form an all around likable guy to a diva.
Pay me.
Pay me.
Pay me.
For blogging.
If you feel like it's a waste of your time unless you get paid, then charge for it or quit.
If your terribly insulted by what I've had say, put your money where your mouth is and buy his stupid book before he has a coronary. Otherwise, your support is just lip service and you can stuff a sock in it.
Kate says
You have provided priceless advice and support to aspiring writers at no charge, in an ad-free environment. Personally, I don't think you should flinch at requesting some reciprocity. But self-promotion definitely sucks, and I suck at it, so I know how you feel.
I think this fellow blogger did a great job of promoting her book here:
https://mwfseekingbff.com/2011/07/06/i-have-a-book-cover/
Nathan Bransford says
bill-
Definitely take the point that it can and should be done with more confidence. Though I don't know that our views diverge so much. I still self-promote too because I think my book has something to offer, just as you hit on the ladies for the same reason.
anon@9:29-
Huh?
Nancy Kelley says
Self-promotion does suck, even if you learn to do it in new and creative ways. My friend and I started a new website for our genre last week. It's aimed at fostering community between the writers and readers… which means hey! It's a thinly veiled attempt at self-promotion! We're opening it up for other authors to get involved, but obviously our ultimate goal is for people to buy our books.
I wonder if those who are most vocal against self-promotion from others are the ones who are terrified to do it themselves. Those of us who accept it must be done will accept it from others as well. To those who deny the necessity of self-promotion in an author's life, each bit from others is one more reminder that they're wrong.
Fanfreakingtastic Flower says
Glad you put it back up.
"People. They're the worst." (Ah Seinfeld, how I miss you.)