Leaving a comment on your own story for promotional purposes

[Delilah_Night]

I first posted erotica on Lit over a dozen years ago under a different screen name. However, once I made the move to paid publishing, I removed all of my stories from Lit. This year, I decided to rejoin by posting stories from charity anthologies and flash fiction from my blog under the pseudonym I use professionally.

Initially I included a line at the end of each story noting in which anthology the story was originally published and what charity that anthology benefitted. They were rejected until I removed that information.

I contractually own the stories, and I'm under no obligation to promote the anthology. That said, I feel a bit uncomfortable not doing so --I donated to them for a reason.

Do you think it's ethical for me to leave a public comment on the charity pieces to the effect of...

"A Reindeer by Any Other Name was first published in Coming Together:Strange Shifters, edited by Lynn Townsend. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit Bat World Sanctuary. If you enjoyed my story, please consider purchasing the anthology."

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm not sure, I suppose as long as you're not posting a link its okay.

If nothing else you can put all that information-including a link-on your lit home/bio page.

I'm sure a few people on lit buy an e-book or two here and there, but from some experimenting I did over time the vast majority don't. This is a free site with over half a million stories (at least) in every imaginable kink, they have no reason or desire to spend money.

Networking here to meet other authors who may be able to help find you editors, cover designers ad help pimp your book on their blogs is something lit is very good for, but outright sales? I don't think so and building a paying fan base? Not so much.

Any sale is a sale, but I wouldn't invest a lot of energy promoting here beyond a sig link and using the authors and their books thread which IMO (with some experience to back it up) is simply a look at me I posted a book vanity thread.

 

[colddiesel]

I first posted erotica on Lit over a dozen years ago under a different screen name. However, once I made the move to paid publishing, I removed all of my stories from Lit. This year, I decided to rejoin by posting stories from charity anthologies and flash fiction from my blog under the pseudonym I use professionally.

Initially I included a line at the end of each story noting in which anthology the story was originally published and what charity that anthology benefitted. They were rejected until I removed that information.

I contractually own the stories, and I'm under no obligation to promote the anthology. That said, I feel a bit uncomfortable not doing so --I donated to them for a reason.

Do you think it's ethical for me to leave a public comment on the charity pieces to the effect of...

"A Reindeer by Any Other Name was first published in Coming Together:Strange Shifters, edited by Lynn Townsend. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit Bat World Sanctuary. If you enjoyed my story, please consider purchasing the anthology."

Ethics has nothing to do with it. The site belongs to Laurel and Manu - their site, their rules. If that makes you feel uncomfortable don't publish here.

Your choice - their rules.

 

[Delilah_Night]

Ethics has nothing to do with it. The site belongs to Laurel and Manu - their site, their rules. If that makes you feel uncomfortable don't publish here.

Your choice - their rules.

Is there a rule that you can't make a comment on your own story naming the anthology in which it was published?

If not, it is a question of personal ethics.

 

[Delilah_Night]

I'm not sure, I suppose as long as you're not posting a link its okay.

If nothing else you can put all that information-including a link-on your lit home/bio page.

I'm sure a few people on lit buy an e-book or two here and there, but from some experimenting I did over time the vast majority don't. This is a free site with over half a million stories (at least) in every imaginable kink, they have no reason or desire to spend money.

Networking here to meet other authors who may be able to help find you editors, cover designers ad help pimp your book on their blogs is something lit is very good for, but outright sales? I don't think so and building a paying fan base? Not so much.

Any sale is a sale, but I wouldn't invest a lot of energy promoting here beyond a sig link and using the authors and their books thread which IMO (with some experience to back it up) is simply a look at me I posted a book vanity thread.

Thanks for your perspective.

 

[sr71plt]

I think if you put such a comment on your story, the Web site will delete it, unless it escapes their attention. I don't see where you have an obligation to identify where it originally appeared if it's your work and is owned by you. If you wrote it on a work-for-hire basis (the copyright going to someone else), you shouldn't be reposting it at all.

 

[TxRad]

I think if you put such a comment on your story, the Web site will delete it, unless it escapes their attention. I don't see where you have an obligation to identify where it originally appeared if it's your work and is owned by you. If you wrote it on a work-for-hire basis (the copyright going to someone else), you shouldn't be reposting it at all.

The Coming Together series of compilations started right here in the AH. All proceeds going to charity. I have several stories in them over the years. And yes, i still hold the copyright.

In any case she was asking about posting in the comments for the story as she had already found out the story would be rejected if she put the announcement there.

The comment section is for the author to maintain as they see fit. I wouldn't put a link there but advertising something for charity, I'd have no problem with. If someone reports it, then it would be up to you to argue your case with laurel.

And by the way, Coming together is still an ongoing thing.

 

[sr71plt]

The Coming Together series of compilations started right here in the AH. All proceeds going to charity. I have several stories in them over the years. And yes, i still hold the copyright.

In any case she was asking about posting in the comments for the story as she had already found out the story would be rejected if she put the announcement there.

The comment section is for the author to maintain as they see fit. I wouldn't put a link there but advertising something for charity, I'd have no problem with. If someone reports it, then it would be up to you to argue your case with laurel.

And by the way, Coming together is still an ongoing thing.

I realize what she was asking. I've seen such comments pulled off stories by admin, so I believe they will be if admin sees them (and apparently has a way of doing so).

 

[Carnevil9]

If the stories got rejected for including that information, the slipping them into a comment seems like trying to exploit a loophole. If I had any personal ethics, that would strike me as wrong.

 

[lovecraft68]

I realize what she was asking. I've seen such comments pulled off stories by admin, so I believe they will be if admin sees them (and apparently has a way of doing so).

But if you think about the author that was being discussed in another thread that you edited for had a comment in their story about where to find the rest of their story and that stayed there for quite some time, in fact it may still be there, I can't recall the name well enough to look it up.

I think TX Rad is right, the author can handle their comment section as they wish providing they are not spamming with links or breaking one of lits other seemingly fluid rules.

It would help if during all these coming soon upgrades a new FAQ was created that was more detailed and easily navigated so people could find these rules out on their own rather than coming here and us doing the sites job.

 

[Delilah_Night]

Thanks for the various perspectives.

 

[Handley_Page]

I guess you could put the information in your profile and point to That sometime.