Isn't this Author Self-Promotions forum a total waste of time?

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

an adventure novel with hippie protagonists,

Can they be really violent hippies that go around on motorcycles beating people up with chains and stuff? I could do that.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Can they be really violent hippies that go around on motorcycles beating people up with chains and stuff? I could do that.

Ah, I see you've heard of the Earth First movement. (They'd need to be bio-fuel motorcycles, of course. Or maybe solar-powered ones.)

[JanHicks]

Our thought is, even if we do just get one reader (and by the look at the views of our threads, hopefully there are more!), that one reader often/usually looks for the other books by Mike, since they like his writing so much, so that raises the other books as well. But more importantly, that one reader tells two friends (or tweets about it!) and then they tell two friends and so on, and so on, and so on....(who else here remembers that commercial? )

Jan

[Joonbug1]

Is it a waste of time? Probably. But as long as you're having fun, it's all good.

[Elfwreck]

I like it; I occasionally find things I'd like to read, and I can browse over the past posts anytime. And before we had it, authors posted in Freebies/Bargains if they were having a discount, or sometimes in News or General.

An author saying, "Hey I wrote this come read it!" isn't the same as a recommendation from a more objective person, but it does give people a chance to decide if they want to investigate further. It also gives us a nice spot to remind authors that, if they're only selling on Amazon, they're missing out on many potential customer; the exchange-of-info can go both ways.

Some authors create an account for the sole purpose of dropping a book link. That's fine; if it's here, it's not disrupting anything else, and maybe someone at MR will be interested. If the ad is well-written, it might get commentary and turn up on Google searches. Other authors are regular forum participants, and this gives them a place to announce their new releases without interrupting other conversations.

[shadaik]

I'd like to second Elfwreck and add a little something:

The blurb you put in your book promo and your postings in these boards in general give people an impression of the way you think, talk/write and argue. How you describe and express yourself. The qualities that make a good author.
Be notable in writing on here (and elsewhere) and people will start to take an interest in your book writing as well.

Not only are the people on here often avid readers, more likely to buy or at least check out a book promoted by you. There also outspoken, as evidenced by them writing posts on these boards. Meaning if they like the book, there is some chance they will tell others. And being known as avid readers, their recommendations often count double.

You don't just get a few readers here. You get the best quality brand of readers: Actively interested ones who are more likely than average to spread the word about your book further, if they like it.
There is absolutely nothing in marketing that beats successfully establishing promotion by honest word of mouth.

[Frida Fantastic]

From my point of view, the Author's Self-Promotions board is like an outdoor market. When you have a thread, you have a little stall, and you're just one vendor out of the many. Should you have a stall? Yes. Should you be spending too much time there? No, just check up on it very once in a while and add new information like reviews you've received and stuff. But you should also promote your book in other ways.

[jaxx6166]

Yea...I'm still here. Lurking daily, posting rarely. But I'm still here

I was one of the complainers about the self promotion thing, it actually pushed me away from MR for several months until things got sorted down and the flames were finally reduced to embers.

Is it a worthless forum? If you think it's worthless, then it's worthless.

I think its invaluable to the community and to your audience. It keeps everything where it belongs, it lets people browse the board like an old Scholastic Books catalog.

Honestly, I use it almost exclusively when I want to weed through the endless crap that exists on Smashwords and Kindle.

From the threads alone I think I've purchased close to 20 titles. And I've learned which ones to stay far, far away from. I will withhold names, but I'm sure some of the other old timers know who the bad ones were

Some of the most prolific reviewers of self published works browse the forum extensively (Grace, I'm looking at you) and I think this community as a whole is one where you'll be likely to find reviews from customers.

But, if you consider us worthless...well then, imagine what we'd think of you

[HighRoadToTibet]

Haven't been by in a while so was surprised to see my post had attracted such interest. Just to clarify, I'm not saying that the Mobileread forum is a waste of time, far from it. What I was trying to say is that it's probably better to be active in a forum, be a helpful and regular contributor and, over time, you and your books will get noticed. I do see the worth of a place where we can advertise our wares.
Best of luck to each and all of you, may you all be blessed with John Locke sales!
John

[GMcG]

".... it's probably better to be active in a forum, be a helpful and regular contributor and, over time, you and your books will get noticed."

I got the impression too, that the forums are used for self-promotion in general.
Many members use the cover of the last book as an avatar like an ad. Often you find the link to his/her books as a footer (like: new novel now available at smashwords/amazon for 4.99 $), sometimes even with a gallery of covers. Often I wonder, why he/she has posted a comment (like: Ditto!) and then I think it's only because of self-promotion and the author could drop the link again.
Apparently it's helpful: "From the threads alone I think I've purchased close to 20 titles."

George

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by HighRoadToTibet

Haven't been by in a while so was surprised to see my post had attracted such interest. Just to clarify, I'm not saying that the Mobileread forum is a waste of time, far from it. What I was trying to say is that it's probably better to be active in a forum, be a helpful and regular contributor and, over time, you and your books will get noticed. I do see the worth of a place where we can advertise our wares.
Best of luck to each and all of you, may you all be blessed with John Locke sales!
John

I agree with you.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of authors right here on MobileRead who do the "Post and Run" routine, and could care less about humanizing themselves. You can find their posts easily enough: They are the ones who only self-promote. Members choose not to interact with these authors, and the majority of posts are only from these authors, whose sole voice echoes on and on in a never-ending, narcissistic, masturbatory loop of self-gratification.

It is unfortunate that these few authors (as alluded to above) choose not to interact in any forums.

The flip side is that I and other Moderators - but especially other members, yes especially our Members - make certain that the self-promotions stay only in the self-promotion forum. Our members are very intolerant when Promotions spill over into other forums, due either to over-earger perceptions or an "I could care less" mentality. (The latter are soon "encouraged" to leave, however, when this happens with any frequency. )

Successful self-promotional threads are those threads created by authors who invite interaction and involvement in the book they are promoting and offer a bit of themselves (and not only "The Promotion") as an added inducement to read the book they wish to offer. Only a few authors, in my opinion, realize the importance of this aspect of hawking their wares. Look at the successful self-promotional threads with a lot of hits and with a lot of comments from our Members. You wil find there an intellectual discussion about Ideas, along with an enthusiastic series of postings and comments from Members about the book.

...and that, in my opinion, is the secret of Self-Promotion here on MobileRead, based upon my experiences as a Moderator.




Don

[HighRoadToTibet]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Successful self-promotional threads are those created by authors who invite interaction and involvement in the book they are promoting and offer a bit of themselves (and not the promotion) as an added inducement to read the book they wish to offer.

That is the secret, in my opinion.

Don

Interesting...what do you mean exactly by "offer a bit of themselves"? You mean by forum participation and helping others that need advice, that kind of thing?
John

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by HighRoadToTibet

Interesting...what do you mean exactly by "offer a bit of themselves"? You mean by forum participation and helping others that need advice, that kind of thing?
John

[You caught me editing a bit of my own post, when I saw your comment.]

I mean humanizing themselves first as an individual and second as an author with an exciting book to read - and not someone simply selling something and then disappearing until the next 7 days (to again post).

Participation and helping others is, as you point out, also an important aspect of getting recognition here and with getting interesting comments on one's self-promotional posts.

Authors [here on MobileRead] sometimes get so caught up in The Promotion that they fail to get out of that mode. What this means, in my opinion, is that they become a non-participant in our Community and, in the long run, fail to become a part of our Community.


Don

[Just4kix]

As an author I'd like to 'offer a bit of myself' by directing you to [links and self-promotional material deleted - MODERATOR]

If you're a writer you might identify with it. If you're a reader you might enjoy an insight into a writer's life.

[OneandonlyDoc]

Originally Posted by Just4kix

As an author I'd like to 'offer a bit of myself' by directing you to my [links and promotional material deleted. - Moderator]If you're a writer you might identify with it. If you're a reader you might enjoy an insight into a writer's life.

I got a chuckle out of that (starting at about 8:15).