Cross promotions and social media

[DeepRoot25]

I've searched through these forums for something like this and am surprised I haven't found it... But author profiles don't make it really easy to cross promote or build other social media networks of authors/fans.

Would it be worth maintaining a thread just for that kind of thing? "I just published a new piece. here's the link on Lit, here's the announcement of Substack, X, Reddit". That would make it really easy for each of us to support others work.

OR, it could be "I just posted on LinkedIn (Hah!)... here's the link. Would appreciate any reactions or comments"

Has that kind of thing been tried? Am I missing a risk?

 

[NotWise]

I've searched through these forums for something like this and am surprised I haven't found it... But author profiles don't make it really easy to cross promote or build other social media networks of authors/fans.

Would it be worth maintaining a thread just for that kind of thing? "I just published a new piece. here's the link on Lit, here's the announcement of Substack, X, Reddit". That would make it really easy for each of us to support others work.

OR, it could be "I just posted on LinkedIn (Hah!)... here's the link. Would appreciate any reactions or comments"

Has that kind of thing been tried? Am I missing a risk?

There are groups on BlueSky set up with the intent of promoting stories. I suspect there are on X as well.

On BlueSky, the group mostly attracts other authors and not many readers. If you want other authors to know about your work, then it's great. If you want readers... Not so much.

 

[Nynah]

In my experience, both these forums and social media (as NotWise said above) tend to be for authors. Yeah you'll get a few enterprising readers who will frequent this board or BlueSky but by and large readership tends to just engage with the story side of Lit directly and little else. There are threads such as this one where authors will promote new stories but again, most of the people who will see that will be other authors.

The community on BlueSky is lovely and will gas each other up by reposting things to promote your work, so that's an option if you want more social media presence. Just be careful about how you promote your work; BlueSky is a much more open forum than this place so NSFW stuff will need to be tagged appropriately and you'll probably catch a few blocks from folks who don't want to see that on their timelines.

 

[StillStunned]

On BlueSky, the group mostly attracts other authors and not many readers. If you want other authors to know about your work, then it's great. If you want readers... Not so much.

A few weeks ago I posted a short background to one of my stories on Bluesky, and got hundreds of new views, a handful of new votes and even a follower or two. But yes, generally advertising your stories there will get maybe a few dozen extra views.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

The quest for anonymity has always been an obstacle to promoting erotica on many social media platforms. Well, that and censorship (watch your words).

If you publish through Amazon KDP, you can have better success with Amazon ads, if you learn how to set up campaigns properly. For example, if you target your ads to top stories in erotica, viewers would get exposed to your ad when they go to those top sellers. The cost-per-click (your bid) will need to be high enough to beat others, but the potential return on the investment is also higher.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There are groups on BlueSky set up with the intent of promoting stories. I suspect there are on X as well.

On BlueSky, the group mostly attracts other authors and not many readers. If you want other authors to know about your work, then it's great. If you want readers... Not so much.

I've gotten a decent bump when I've linked to stories on Bluesky, less so on Xitter. The thing to remember is that most writers are also readers. I have more followers on Bluesky than I have here.

 

[NotWise]

I stand corrected. I should put more effort into my presence on BlueSky.

 

[Erozetta]

I'm very bad at self promotion. My Bluesky feed is more likely to feature pictures of my cat and my baking/cooking skills than my writing skills. (I do the writers' lifts sometimes, but mostly... I'm just bad at self promotion.)

 

[MelissaBaby]

I stand corrected. I should put more effort into my presence on BlueSky.

I would not presume to correct what you have found in your experience, just to say that mine has been different. I do think it’s mainly an issue of getting more out by putting more in.

 

[lovecraft68]

Little PSA.

If you are someone who is sure they are never going to get into selling erotica, then use whatever social media you want to push your work.

However, if you are either selling, or feel you may want to some day?

Its not exactly smart to post a link to your FREE stories on a FREE site that features tens of thousands of FREE stories in every kink imaginable. Not helping your cause if you want someone to pay for something.

Just something I thought was worth mentioning.

 

[Erozetta]

Little PSA.

If you are someone who is sure they are never going to get into selling erotica, then use whatever social media you want to push your work.

However, if you are either selling, or feel you may want to some day?

Its not exactly smart to post a link to your FREE stories on a FREE site that features tens of thousands of FREE stories in every kink imaginable. Not helping your cause if you want someone to pay for something.

Just something I thought was worth mentioning.

Not necessarily. I've had a few people buy stuff after reading the work I have here.

In general, yeah, you're fucking yourself over, but there are a few who appreciate being able to get a feel of your style before committing to a purchase.

And while I have my stuff up for sale, I don't expect to actually sell anything. It's just there as an option. Cool if it happens, cool if it doesn't.

 

[GraiceeGirl]

I have posted on X. I'm not sure if anyone has come here to read my stories from X. I also let cam boys read my stories if they are so inclined. If they like the story, they read it in their rooms.
Signed up on BlueSkye, since it was mentioned here.

 

[iwatchus]

Do many authors here actually do much self-promotion? The idea of self-promotion is one of the reasons I would shy away from trying to sell anything.

 

[NotWise]

Do many authors here actually do much self-promotion? The idea of self-promotion is one of the reasons I would shy away from trying to sell anything.

Some of us on this thread promote themselves or--probably more accurately--their stories on Bluesky. I usually find myself looking at other writers self-promotions.

I decided early on that I wouldn't promote I/T stories on Bluesky, and that's what I've been working on lately. I only have one newish story to promote. If all my Bluesky followers piled onto that story at the same I wouldn't have noticed, because the New List itself produced so many views.

 

[Erozetta]

Do many authors here actually do much self-promotion? The idea of self-promotion is one of the reasons I would shy away from trying to sell anything.

I probably promote other authors more than myself by a 2:1 ratio.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I probably promote other authors more than myself by a 2:1 ratio.

And we love you for it.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Do many authors here actually do much self-promotion?

That gave me a nice chuckle. There is barely anything but self-promotion in most of these threads.
Some authors are subtle about it, but many aren't. It gets tedious as fuck but it's also understandable, since most authors want to be noticed and read. The recent 17-page-long thread should have given you a clue as to how important it is for an author to be recognized, even in this environment with inherently poor feedback.

 

[DeepRoot25]

Little PSA.

If you are someone who is sure they are never going to get into selling erotica, then use whatever social media you want to push your work.

However, if you are either selling, or feel you may want to some day?

Its not exactly smart to post a link to your FREE stories on a FREE site that features tens of thousands of FREE stories in every kink imaginable. Not helping your cause if you want someone to pay for something.

Just something I thought was worth mentioning.

Chicken and egg, no? I’ve been surprised at how tough starting out has been… just getting eyeballs

 

[StillStunned]

That gave me a nice chuckle. There is barely anything but self-promotion in most of these threads.
Some authors are subtle about it, but many aren't. It gets tedious as fuck but it's also understandable, since most authors want to be noticed and read. The recent 17-page-long thread should have given you a clue as to how important it is for an author to be recognized, even in this environment with inherently poor feedback.

The whole reason for publishing our stories is so people will read them. The reason for publishing on Lit, with all its quirks and issues and imperfections, is because it has the largest readership.

For most of us, if you're not promoting your stories, what's even the point? Just submit a story and hope for the best?

 

[DeepRoot25]

just want to say how grateful I am for the response and feedback here…

Honestly, I’ve been a little deflated after putting a ridiculous amount of time into this world I’m building ( it’s become a little compulsive actually) and getting next to no response.
Your thoughts here help, even though these aren’t the answers I was hoping for.

maybe some paid advertising on kdp or publishing through smashwords makes more sense… the stuff I’m writing is definitely not the 1st person “I smashed my stepmom on the washing machine while my dad watched football [f42m18]” stuff… and maybe that’s what those other platforms are really for…

 

[Erozetta]

Just submit a story and hope for the best?

Or submit a story just to see what happens with it.

 

[iwatchus]

For most of us, if you're not promoting your stories, what's even the point? Just submit a story and hope for the best?

I guess so, yeah. I want to write and I like people reading it. @SimonDoom suggested in a thread last month to put links to stories in your posts occasionally, and I do do that. Have not noticed any increase in readership for the stories I have "promoted" that way.

I kind of hope that people will slowly discover my stories and, if they like them, will continue to read them. I had to promote myself and my companies at times in the "real" world. I always hated that. I am thrilled that my follower count has slowly grown over the three months I have been writing. I admit I do like seeing the H next to my stories. But I write for the release. Probably my favorite feedback is seeing favorites for my stories. I am least giving someone something they liked enough to click on the heart and that feels good.

 

[SimonDoom]

That gave me a nice chuckle. There is barely anything but self-promotion in most of these threads.
Some authors are subtle about it, but many aren't. It gets tedious as fuck but it's also understandable, since most authors want to be noticed and read. The recent 17-page-long thread should have given you a clue as to how important it is for an author to be recognized, even in this environment with inherently poor feedback.

I think as long as authors aren't overbearing about it, they should feel free to use this forum to promote themselves, and if they do it in a positive way I encourage it.

I've picked up new readers from my contributions here, including some very positive and well-appreciated ones. There's the attitude that if you scratch someone else's back they'll scratch yours. Every little bit helps.

 

[NotWise]

Or submit a story just to see what happens with it.

Or any number of other reasons.

I'll probably submit the one I'm working on now to get it out of my head. It's been there for two years--seems like longer--and I need it to stop. That doesn't mean that I don't want people to read it. I do. I just don't expect a very favorable response.

 

[DeepRoot25]

R/eroticliterature and r/sexstories are clearly garbage, but this is funny:
I’m new, right? So, I’ve been posted some well developed fragments on Reddit and got 2-3 upvotes. Momentarily deflating.

I decide, for giggles, to “follow the formula” and throw up a BS post. 60 minutes. One revision.

33 upvotes in 5 hours.

I know… worthless. But for a new kid kind of funny.