Billboards

[RobertDDL]

What scares me a bit is the way your smile accompanies your threat of "total isolated, tormented separation forever." On the other hand, I don't see this as a business website - I suppose the books promote the same agenda as the "About Me" page, so, even if I disagree with it, I think it makes sense.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

OMG, you totally just described my one and only brush with real fame! The worst part was the people that fanboyed on me. Wow. I never realized how creepy it is when someone does it to you. It certainly made me stop doing it to others, that's for sure. Cured me of that right on the spot! I'm glad that little blip didn't last long and I could then go back to just enjoying writing like I always do. ^_^

I grew up at a television station. Be polite, say hi, then walk off. Inevitably, the celebrity would soon be found talking to the two little girls. We were the only ones not fanning.

When I went to college (later in life), I rarely mentioned what my husband does for a living. Someone asked me once are you ashamed of what he does. I said no. Told him what he did. The next words out of the guy's mouth were "Does he have "something" in the shop?"
I said I have no idea and your question is exactly why I don't mention it. I don't work there.
Other popular question was "how much would he give me for my TV?"

I don't mention his job on the internet for that reason and that some people will start in on the how that line of work rips the poor people off.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by RobertDDL

What scares me a bit is the way your smile accompanies your threat of "total isolated, tormented separation forever." On the other hand, I don't see this as a business website - I suppose the books promote the same agenda as the "About Me" page, so, even if I disagree with it, I think it makes sense.

If it isn't a business then what exactly is it?
I would have assumed your website brought in money somehow.

[Steven Lake]

HarryT, my site isn't just about my books. It's about me too. It's sort of a multi-purpose site that fills numerous rolls, one of which is my writing. I did at one time have a LOT more features on my site than just my books and my blog, but I didn't have time to maintain them, so I turned them off. But when the upcoming redesign of my site launches, it'll have a lot of the same modules it originally had before I streamlined. So my books are just one part of what that site is used for, even if they are the majority item for the moment. So it's not a "business" site as you see it. It's my personal site that happens to have a little bit of business stuff on it. Some may not like that and think it's either immature or unprofessional or whatever. Myself, I'm totally fine with it. For me it's not "Steven Lake: Author Extraordinaire! Come see the awesome and experience the wow!" It's "Hey, this is me, come check it out. Oh yeah, and I like to post cat pictures and silly quotes." If that's too personal for some people in regards to books and writing, then oh well. I prefer to be me, warts and all, and not some paper cutout that others want me to be.

[gmw]

That is all well and good, but this thread started about billboards - the implication being that you want more people to at least try your books. The observation made my Harry and others is that your website will be turning many people away. The message is not to try and change who you are, but to suggest that turning away a high percentage of the people that make it as far as your website makes the billboard idea seem ... out of place. Either you are trying to market your work, or you are not.

And take careful note what RobertDDL said: "I suppose the books promote the same agenda as the "About Me" page."

People will presume that - particularly when the subject is sex, religion or politics and the author shows such fervour on the subject. If this is what you want then your site is doing a great job. But if you intend that some of your books may be enjoyed by people that do not share your beliefs, then your site is doing you a disservice.

You can probably get away with cat pictures. (You might turn away a few dog lovers, or people with allergies ... but in such cases even those people may find cat pictures cute, just as long as they don't have to live with the real thing.) People are not going to assume your books are all about cats (except maybe the "Lion in the Wind" ).

[meeera]

Originally Posted by gmw

You can probably get away with cat pictures. (You might turn away a few dog lovers, or people with allergies ... but in such cases even those people may find cat pictures cute, just as long as they don't have to live with the real thing.) People are not going to assume your books are all about cats (except maybe the "Lion in the Wind" ).

I'm assuming that the Lion books are a heavy-handed preachy Christian allegory, because that's what the marketing is telling me.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by meeera

I'm assuming that the Lion books are a heavy-handed preachy Christian allegory, because that's what the marketing is telling me.

I would agree with you completely and avoid it.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

HarryT, my site isn't just about my books. It's about me too.

But it's not, Steve; that's the problem. I enjoy reading about authors on their websites, but your website specifically says that it's NOT about you, and then starts preaching at me .

Your religious beliefs are obviously important to you - fine, I respect that. But I'd strongly suggest that you put them in a separate section of the site, not make someone think that they're going to read about you by putting them on a page called "About Me". That's not the way to increase your readership.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

But it's not, Steve; that's the problem. I enjoy reading about authors on their websites, but your website specifically says that it's NOT about you, and then starts preaching at me .

Thanks HarryT. For once we agree on something.

[Steven Lake]

Originally Posted by meeera

I'm assuming that the Lion books are a heavy-handed preachy Christian allegory, because that's what the marketing is telling me.

Yes, it's allegorical, but not anymore than Lord of the Rings was. I mean, have you looked at all of the allegory packed into those books? Heck, Harry Potter is more religious than Earthfleet or the Lions books are. The only books that I actually have that are "religious", aside from my pocket guides, is Offworld Chronicles. The rest are general scifi and/or fantasy. You may see Christian allegory in them, but in all honestly none was attempted nor intended. So you're probably just reading my statement of faith and then applying it to everything else I've written. Earthfleet and Land of the Lions were never intended to be Christian allegory. They're just good old fashioned scifi with the latter being presented with a bit of a fantasy twist. OWC is actually my first attempt at doing a novel series that's intentionally and overtly Christian in nature. The rest are not.

[gmw]

If that's the case, Steven, then I suggest you take a really good look at the reactions you're getting here - because you are seeing how a large portion of the population will react. Your "About Me" page is giving all the wrong impressions.

It would be the same if you spent your "About Me" page talking with great passion about politics or sexual preferences (I shudder to think what Heinlein's "about me" page might have looked like, had he been unwise enough to discourse on the subject outside his fiction ).

As I noted above, you can be openly passionate about many subjects, but steer clear of the big three if you don't want people to assume these will show in your work.


Allegories often appear in the eye of the reader that were not intended by the author. Tolkien strongly rejected many of the allegories that others found in his books.

While Orson Scott Card managed to keep his mouth shut outside his books, few had any complaints, but now many boycott his books; not for any content issues, but because they find him personally offensive.

Your public image matters if you don't want to turn people away before they've even managed to read the blurb on your books.

[RobertDDL]

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

(...) The rest are general scifi and/or fantasy. You may see Christian allegory in them, but in all honestly none was attempted nor intended. So you're probably just reading my statement of faith and then applying it to everything else I've written. Earthfleet and Land of the Lions were never intended to be Christian allegory. They're just good old fashioned scifi with the latter being presented with a bit of a fantasy twist. OWC is actually my first attempt at doing a novel series that's intentionally and overtly Christian in nature. The rest are not.

In that case, I add my voice to that of the majority of the commenters here: you are doing yourself as a writer, and also your potential readers, a serious disservice with your "About Me" page. As an atheist, I am, for instance, still a fan of Cordwainer Smith ... Maybe you could relegate the proselytizing to a separate page, to which you could link from "About Me", while on the "About Me" page you state that while you have religious believes, sharing them (or being ready to share them) is not a prerequisite for enjoying your books (I take your word for it here), with the one specified exception?

[Alyssa Miranda]

Browsing this thread reminded me of a controversy a post of mine ignited when I first joined the site. I praised the Bible (which I believe is the largest source of quotes in the English language, exceeding even Shakespeare) for its literary value, citing as one example the twenty-third psalm (I still get goosebumps from reading it, so perfect is its structure). In retrospect I think I was commenting more on the majesty of the King James English than the Bible as such. In any event, my post prompted a storm of criticism over religion, and I strongly agree with the other commentors on this thread that you should keep any mention of religion out of the website containing your sci fi works and suggest that you create a separate website for your religious views and works related to them.

Alyssa

[Cinisajoy]

Steven,
It gets even worse, as a former southern Baptist I most definitely took your statement of faith as being in all your books. It is just too strong and in one's face for the population to believe otherwise.
So even believers don't always want that.
Also it could work the opposite, your readers could be expecting a sermon or three in your books.

Oh by the way, what else are we supposed to think?

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

The only books that I actually have that are "religious", aside from my pocket guides, is Offworld Chronicles. The rest are general scifi and/or fantasy. You may see Christian allegory in them, but in all honestly none was attempted nor intended. So you're probably just reading my statement of faith and then applying it to everything else I've written.

Your statement of faith is your About Me author page. I think you've missed the point of my comment: "I'm assuming that the Lion books are a heavy-handed preachy Christian allegory, because that's what the marketing is telling me." YOU are telling people, by your About Me page, that your work is religious and preachy. You have said that you're not good at marketing, and this thread is you looking for marketing advice. But you seem hellbent on not actually listening to that advice.

*shrug* Ball's in your court. I'm off.