To be honest, I was stunned. I don't know this person, I can't even remember to have ever conversed with him, neither do I remember when or why I followed him back. It was probably back in the earlier days, when I started my Twitter account and connected with everyone basically.I didn't know better back then. You probably guessed it, I unfollowed immediately. I mean, I know that we need to get word out there and promote like there's no tomorrow, but, seriously? Just 'attacking' random people you are connected with is definitely a sure way of annoying people. There are plenty of bloggers who promote Indies, who do interviews and have regular guest blogs. I don't! If you, Indie author, would have taken the time to look at my blog, you would know that! So why, Indie author, do you feel the need to ask me? What were you on that day?
Another example: there's a guy (author) on the Amazon forum, who regularly insulted people. When I told him that you shouldn't call people names, I ended up being insulted, too. Not only by him, but by his friend as well. (Apparently, I'm stupid.) So I told him I'm not going to converse with him any longer, which he agreed to. He recently popped on one of my threads where we had a discussion about the KPD-Select programme and its results and dumped a link to his book informing us that the updated version is now available. How obnoxious can a person be, I wonder. Maybe he wanted to annoy me -- in which he succeeded -- but it felt more like an attempt to get some downloads for his book.
That kind of desperation makes me want to slap them. Hard.
I've only ever 'promoted' one event: a few people who came together for a special occasion and I knew whom I'm helping.
If I wanted to promote someone, I'd approach them myself. But, hey, guess what? I've got three of my own books to promote, you see? And I'm not even doing that anymore like I used to do. Why? Because it's all a bit for nothing. Though it's fun to do guest posts and interviews and I'm always happy to do them, it didn't do anything for my sales and my theory is that it's mostly Indie authors who set up Indie promotion sites, which then often will resolve in Indie authors being the audience. There is one person, whose mere mention of my love for 2nd person POV in a pod cast had triggered some sales: Morgen Bailey, a fearless blogger, who does daily interviews, guest blogs, pod casts and more. And she's an author, too. Take a look at her page, if you're a reader, for many suggestions, and if you're an Indie, for being a guest on her site. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against them, I'm an Indie myself, but I want readers. Those who are not in the massive gum-like Indies bubble.
So, for that, I must write a book that's going to be read by readers and therefore I don't have time to promote my, let alone, other people's books.
I saw this post and it made me laugh because I get so many messages on twitter from people asking me to buy their book, like, a minute after I've followed them.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, unfollow and block!
Oh yeah! That's another pet hate. "Thank you for the follow, please take a look at my blog and like my fb page."
DeleteNo! Fuck off!
Oh Stella! Can I count the times? Each day I get asked to buy, promote, reTweet or review books by authors on Twitter. Not only that, my book promotion blog, which is clearly a paid service, gets messages daily from this growing bunch of clowns to promote their books for free because the are new, poor and staving authors. Oh yeah!
ReplyDeleteThe newest pests on Twitter are the ones now asking me to RT their 'causes', which are usually linked to a donation service.
Luckily though, there is an unfollow button. But more importantly, there are a bunch of great people I have come to get to know and you're of course in this bunch! :)
There we have the flattery again, Derek. You're not a bad man yourself. Haha. I did donate for Japan back then and I freely admit that I asked a few people on Facebook and Twitter to help me spread the word. Donated over £200 and have the proof for it.
DeleteBut you are right, the problem with many Desperados (not the beer)is, that they have forgotten how to read with all that writing. That guy was totally random.
I cannot imagine asking anyone to promote my book no matter how well I know them. I have not and will not. The ones who will be doing it with posts to come all came to me and offered.
ReplyDeleteGives the rest of us indies a bad name. :(
Exactly. Hi, and welcome, by the way.
DeleteThere are a lot of people who spoil it for those who try to be 'civil'. I only ever ask people who do have promoting blogs. They want authors and we cater, simples.
I can add another horror here the, I'll review your boook and give it five stars if you'll review mine and do the same brigade.
ReplyDeleteYeh, of course, let's completely undermine the integrity of the Amazon rating system and make it completely bloody impossible to sell our books!
Cheers
MTM
Yep, or join author-networksites who advertise each other, often without even knowing what they're advertising. That's called back scratching and it's putting ALL of us in a bad spotlight.
DeleteActually, I don't know if we do need to promote like crazy--I question that. There's an author on my blog today who found her Kindle selections selling like mad. She shared what she did to make it happen, and I'd love you to read her post if you want to, but the short answer is...nothing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that making a book stand out is a challenge and getting harder all the time, but what you do, Stella--talking to people and sharing who you are probably does more than all the "buy my book's" in the world.
The reason why people do this has an age old tradition in advertising. Send out X number of junk circulars and most of them will get tossed, but a tiny fraction more will sell things than you spent to distribute them...and so it's worth it. These people shouting at you will get a nibble a tiny % of the time, so they keep doing it. Intermittent reinforcement.
And very hard on our ears.
Hi, Jenny.
DeleteSigh. I assume that's exactly how it works and I hate sales people who go about their business like that.
I'll take a look at your blog later (promise), sounds like she's hit the jackpot with the right novel at the right time in the right genre. Splendid.
Thanks for responding to my comment! I agree--so much of this is being in the right place at the right time, things clicking, alchemy. Shouting and trumpeting...not so much.
DeleteYeah. It often seems to me that Indies, especially those who have been rejected before, feel the need to force success now because they 'think' they have written the best book ever. When it doesn't sell, they whine and whine, instead of letting it go and write the next book. Success is not guaranteed, not with an agent, not with a publisher and certainly not with self-publishing. And there are still far too many error-riddled book that are published.
Delete