Self Promotion THreads - A Do or Don't?

[FlyontheWall99]

Hey fellow authors, because I do not post as often as I should, preferring to spend my time writing all I can, I was wondering whether the idea of a self promotion thread is something to be embraced or frowned upon.

From the reading I have done of the different threads I would seem that some people are very cynical about posters who like to flog their work outwardly. I haven't read any self promo threads other than the usual "I want Feedback threads" in the Story Feedback forum. So is it a done practice or should it be a done practice?

I mean we all spend a heck of a lot of time writing our various stories, why not promote the thing in the community and try to make a name for yourself. Obviously there are a lot of senior writers here who have created a hard earned reputation for their work, but I am wondering if there is an easier way, or if self promotion is something that everyone does to get to that mysterious next level, from also-ran to noted-author ....

What do you guys and gals think?

Back to writing ....

Fly ....

 

[MathGirl]

Originally posted by FlyontheWall99 ,What do you guys and gals think? Back to writing ....

Dear FotW,
I obviously can't speak for the guys, but as a gal (and thanks ever so much for that), I'm of the opinion that self promotion at the AH is immediately seen for what it is and is mostly ignored. What the hell good does it do, anyway?
Moodily,
MG
Ps. Why "back to writing?" I see that often here and don't really understand it. It's like anything other than writing is something to feel guilty about. Are people writing encylopedias? Doctoral dissertations? Great American novels? There are other things, I think.
Pps. Back to breathing.

 

[Guest]

Hi Fly. I voted yes cos it's how I've managed to read some very good work. Otherwise I can easily ignore self-promo when the poster's post is ill written (too often for me).

I'm with Maths; I don't do guilt, and certainly not about how I distribute my time.

regards, Perdita

 

[Quasimodem]

FothW,

Speaking as a promoter (but not of my stories - shudder!) one must be more Machiavellian than the audience, since self-promotion (and indeed most promotion) succeeds, only with the gullible.

Most of the writers who try self-promotion aren't up to the challenge.

Back to two-handed masturbation, thank God!

 

[MathGirl]

Dear Fly,
I did not vote in your poll. Neither option represents my point of view. Shouldn't a poll have something for everyone, even if it's a "none of the above?"
MG
Ps. Quaz, And people on here are not very gullibleible.
Pps. I know how to spell the word. I just don't know how to quit spelling it.

 

[destinie21]

If you're into self promo. There's a thred in SF called I'll read yours... We seem to have consistent feedback and good responses. All that we ask is that you read someone else story and respond. The link is in my sig line. If you start a self promo thread here what you'll get is directions to story feedback.

Regards the Mrs.


edited for spelling post coffee

 

[Icingsugar]

I don't think self promoting in those forums is that very effective. I posted a story a few days back - my first here - and pepole started reading immediately. Had some tousand views and a bunck of feedbackmails before the forums got to know about it. And here I only posted it since some pepole had asked me to. I don't think this is the place for that.

On the onther hand, I've read stuff from most pepole I've come in contact with, mostly here in the AH. A little plug link in a sig (like mine) is all it takes to spike my curiosity, if the poster seems like an interresting fella.

One must ask this: Promotion for what purpose? To just get clicks? Fame & fortune? Street cred? Feedback to improve as a writer?

IMO it's not what you do. It's how and why you do it.

 

[Quasimodem]

... Quaz, And people on here are not very gullibleible...

At least not about being gulled into reading somebody's story because the author enthused over it in one, or several threads.

A sigline link as an assist to those who do wish to read a poster’s work, is about as much useful promotion as I will grant you.

 

[MathGirl]

Originally posted by destinie21 We seem toi have consistent feedback and goo responses.

I believe we have entirely too much of that around here already.
MG
Ps. Mwwwaah

 

[DarlingNikki]

I didn't vote either. I don't like the blatant stuff, but I do like the links in the sig lines because they make it easy to check out someone's work should you want to, but don't beat you over the head.

 

[pop_54]

Hmmmmmmm

Self promo isn't very effective and it get's on a lot of peoples nerves, so I'm all for it on the last grounds anyway.

Fuck it if peeps want to say hello look at me. look at my stories on here, why not.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I think that we have a STORY FEEDBACK FORUM that fits self promotion threads very nicely and is a really great place for authors to let everyone know what's going on with their erotic compendiums. Here, though? I'm totally against it. After all, who wants to hang out where there are nothing but ads?

I'll tell you true. Spam has a way of multiplying itself exponentially. If authors think they can get reads and feedback by posting such requests here, then this place will be the Story Feedback Forum Mark 2 within six months.

And then what?

Let the baby birds flock to the feedback forum and promote themselves. Keep the promotion threads out of the AH.

 

[Quasimodem]

... Spam has a way of multiplying itself exponentially. If authors think they can get reads and feedback by posting such requests here, then this place will be the Story Feedback Forum Mark 2 within six months....

A hah, finally!

A cogent excuse for pinning the little bugger’s ears back, without remorse!

 

[SlaveMasterUK]

As others have said, for directly advertising a story there's a Story Feedback forum just for that purpose. I've yet to use it, because I've never had the time to be a reliable part of that group and actively read other people's work and comment on it.

I don't see anything wrong with a few lines in the sig, provided it's an active link - a well-written tag might make me click. Others have said before they've checked out my stories because of the posts I've made on this forum - your web persona is perhaps your biggest advert.

Having said that, if I'm replying to a thread here I tend to drop my story title in from time to time as an example of what I'm talking about. Some people might get pissed off with that and see it as blatant self-promotion. but being such a miserable bastard (and a forum administrator well-used to dealing with pissed off users) I really don't care.

ax

 

[gauchecritic]

Just to repeat and re-inforce what I've already read and agree with from others.

A sig-link is the most that I'll attend to if I feel in that mood.

"Read this and tell me what you think" belongs in the feedback forum.

Answering someones question about plot development, sex scenes etc with a referal to their own work will sometimes get me to look. I've done this but not as self promotion merely as idleness, not having to cut and paste from my own work.

I was very recently asked where to find my writing on the site by someone who was (impressed smacks of self promotion) who was intrigued shall we say? by my posts to the forums. I sent them the link and haven't heard anything since. Indicating that I put more work into posts than stories (tastewise).

Self promotion? 'Self' promotion rather than promotion of work. Guilty as charged.

Gauche

 

[MathGirl]

Oh, dear.........

A hah, finally! A cogent excuse for pinning the little bugger’s ears back, without remorse!

Dear Quaz,
Gosh, I didn't realize an excuse was needed. I guess I owe several apologies for things said before we had that excuse.
MG
Ps. If someone wants to promote, I'd think the sig line would be the appropriate place. If someone else doesn't want to read them, they're easily disabled.
Pps. I know I may miss something really good by not reading sig lines, but I'll take the chance. Living on the edge, that's me.

 

[Quasimodem]

Dear Quaz,
Gosh, I didn't realize an excuse was needed....

MG,

One isn't, it's just that now I have an excuse.

When insomnia is keeping me awake, the possibility that perhaps that green slimly thing on which I stepped deserved a life, will no longer haunt me.

 

[MathGirl]

When insomnia is keeping me awake,

Dear Quaz,
That is one of the best sentence-openers I've ever read. After that, nothing could keep me from reading it until the full stop.
Congratulatorially,
MG

 

[oggbashan]

I can't vote because the options are not mutually exclusive.

I think self-promotion in the AH is counter-productive. I tried reverse psychology promoting my stories as bad and long. That didn't work either because potential readers agreed with my assessment.

I like to see links in the sig line. Then I can easily look at the work of people I enjoy reading in the AH.

Og

 

[deliciously_naughty]

I like to see links in the sig line. Then I can easily look at the work of people I enjoy reading in the AH.

I'm with ogg

 

[MathGirl]

Originally posted by oggbashan I can't vote because the options are not mutually exclusive.

Dear Og,
Percisely.
MG
Ps. I was going to say that, but I'm not good with large words.

 

[Quasimodem]

... I'm not good with large words.

Nor large with good words either, you might add.

 

[MathGirl]

Nor large with good words either, you might add.

Dear Quaz,
Yes, and you might have had the decency not to mention it either.
MG

 

[Quasimodem]

To paraphrase Mae West: "Decency had nuthin' to do with it!"

 

[Pure]

Well, all 'registered' postings are a form of self promotion.

Just like the actors that appear on Leno around the time of their new film (which needn't be discussed for the promo to work).

What's been objected to, above, is blatant, crass stuff. Yes banish it, and bring on the subtle, the devious; the pictures of runners showing their socks, and the clearly visible MG monogram.

J.