tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post3179355205245629736..comments2024-03-10T10:34:02.181+02:00Comments on The Alliterative Allomorph: Let's Fix This Before We DieJessica Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-81807442529565446342013-10-13T20:20:09.573+03:002013-10-13T20:20:09.573+03:00This is exactly why I drifted away from blogging.....This is exactly why I drifted away from blogging... I wanted to reciprocate on comments and visits, but just couldn't bring myself to comment on all the promo. My personal blog has remained fairly static - and I have a review blog that has always been separate and a part of my reading obsession - so that's different anyway- but great way to fix the issue. Came to you via Talli's by the way. Laura xLaurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03604785269958873474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-66013492704649495842013-10-10T06:27:58.525+03:002013-10-10T06:27:58.525+03:00Oooh, fascinating topic! I do get a bit frustrated...Oooh, fascinating topic! I do get a bit frustrated with promo, promo, promo. I love helping other authors, but sometimes I check in with a blog to learn or connect.Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-20505762821266973532013-10-10T01:30:34.267+03:002013-10-10T01:30:34.267+03:00Fantastic post, Jess. And I agree with it for the ...Fantastic post, Jess. And I agree with it for the most part. I don't think blogs were ever intended to be an advertising space, they just kind of became that--particularly in writing circles. <br /><br />I think part of it stemmed from when traditional publishing WAS publishing. You'd see authors share the launch of each other's books, etc. as a goodwill gesture, but it never really reached the point of over-saturation because the time from writing to publication was SO much longer. And almost never controlled by the author. <br /><br />Anyway, indie authors have just mimicked what we've always seen on writing blogs, but as we all know the paradigm has changed. Now instead of having one cover a month to share, I could literally share one every day of the week--every week. <br /><br />I don't view the increased frequency of books being released to the market as a bad thing at all btw. I love it! For readers. For authors. It's awesome-sauce as far as I'm concerned. However, I do think we need to change how we share our good news with one another.<br /><br />And I'm as guilty as anyone of doing it, because I want to give my friends a shout out any way that I can. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00273059558675234923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-80239897293751187592013-10-10T00:14:40.825+03:002013-10-10T00:14:40.825+03:00It's a tough question, because I want to help ...It's a tough question, because I want to help other writers. Right now I'm pimping my latest book, so am returning the favor... a lot. One way around it, I'm trying this blog trade thing - trade blog posts with other writers so we both get unique content. I won't do a shoutout or reveal by itself... rarely. I imagine come January I will try to reclaim my blog again. But like Susan said, sometimes I just go with the flow. And this fall is very, very active.M Paxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-668439261920333502013-10-09T21:41:38.301+03:002013-10-09T21:41:38.301+03:00so I guess you're not interested in participat...so I guess you're not interested in participating in my cover reveal blogfest?? LOL... Totally kidding. Couldn't resist. I've done so many cover reveals for others that I felt entitled, but I did make it a fun theme and not all about promo. When featuring other covers, I include them with an actual article. I've found that my readers don't care about someone else's cover, they come to read my post, so I include it all in one, or else is a waste of valuable time. I blog to maintain the network of writers and writing community I already have, but it's not where my book readers are--I know that. For that, I'll focus on Twitter and FB. Even so, the more exposure you can get for your book, the better, and I don't mind helping fellow writers out. <br />Ever blogger has the option to say no, and every blogger has a responsibility to be creative and interesting in their posts, or why blog anyway??? <br /> PK HREZOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11650153097981426833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-41981237181697350302013-10-09T20:50:59.001+03:002013-10-09T20:50:59.001+03:00I tend to agree with what you're saying I tend...I tend to agree with what you're saying I tend to pass quickly by those promo posts and hope my comment is not exactly the same on all of them. I don't get overly involved in a lot of reveals and tours and such. <br /><br /> When someone is promoting their book on my site I try to get them to do a post on some sort of controversy to make things more interesting and stimulate discussion. Something different than what's been on other tour stops. I think it's worked fairly well when I've done that. <br /><br />When I do a cover reveal I try to add some other material to interest the readers who might not care that much about the book. There is a lot of redundancy on blogs and I'd prefer to avoid it. I'm redundant enough recycling my own thoughts.<br /><br />Lee<br /><a href="http://tossingitout.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Tossing It Out</a><br />Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-90921071011314432482013-10-08T20:16:30.956+03:002013-10-08T20:16:30.956+03:00I'll be trying out a new format for two blogfe...I'll be trying out a new format for two blogfest launches this week, with content at the beginning of the post which segues into the promo. I'm wondering what the promo owner will think of the change. D.G. Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06213237734772028645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-46268161985172976042013-10-06T17:09:45.517+03:002013-10-06T17:09:45.517+03:00I love this idea! (Also coming to you from Talli&#...I love this idea! (Also coming to you from Talli's blog!) I want to support fellow authors, but I know most of us tend to avoid the cover reveals and guest posts. Some friends and I actually started a blog for promo purposes, Writers of Mass Distraction. <br /><br />A good friend and fellow author, Mike Saxton, pointed out that promoting books to other writers tends to be pointless because everyone's there to sell books, not buy them. And sites like Goodreads and Shelfari have become a huge time-suck.Normahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685538277690762655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-45319734208110499992013-10-05T02:48:14.060+03:002013-10-05T02:48:14.060+03:00Yes! I very much agree. I'm not a published wr...Yes! I very much agree. I'm not a published writer (yet), just a blog (and book) reader, and I get quite bored with book promotion posts. In fact, unless they're few and far between, I don't bother reading the blog any more. The blogger love button is a great idea. (Oh, and I came over from Talli's blog, too. Which I still read because she's got interesting things to say. Case in point.)AMOffenwangerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429398915780302831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-53040681924847481432013-10-04T05:15:20.049+03:002013-10-04T05:15:20.049+03:00I just read about this post over on Talli's si...I just read about this post over on Talli's site. Sorry I missed it, originally. <br /><br />I couldn't agree with you more. I often feel stagnant blogging now. Although I love helping out fellow authors, I do miss sharing my personal journey in writing and also in life. You really are correct, here, and you've given me something to ponder for a while. I had already decided after my full blog schedule winds down in November to schedule less and write off the cuff more. I'm so glad you pointed this out!S.A. Larsenッhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241633272588383935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-21691245386002762282013-10-03T10:59:41.653+03:002013-10-03T10:59:41.653+03:00As a reader - I'm looking for content. I don&#...As a reader - I'm looking for content. I don't read a lot of blogs and other than a handful of close friends I don't follow that many blogs on a regular basis any more. What I'm after is solid content with a unique spin OR quality content that adds to my knowledge base. Consequently most of the blog posts I read come via Twitter.<br /><br />As an author I am struggling to know what the relevance and importance of blogging is to me now. I started blogging in 2007 and I feel a little fatigued in regards to blogging. The number of posts I have put up in the last year is testament of that. BUT... I feel the pressure to maintain a regular blog presence. Then get jaded when I spend half a day writing a blog post of original content no one sees. That's half a day taken out of writing fiction. Since April this year those half days haven't been around.<br /><br />The upside... reading this did spark some new ideas on how I might inject some life back into my blog but until I work out what I want my blog to achieve I have no doubts I will flounder a little longer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-87648424937657996662013-10-03T07:45:17.511+03:002013-10-03T07:45:17.511+03:00I stopped doing promo posts on my blog quite awhil...I stopped doing promo posts on my blog quite awhile ago, even for my own stuff. When I have a new release, I'll do a "Sneak Peek" post and that's it. Everything else happens on social networking sites and my newsletter. I like that you're bringing this up because the blogosphere does seem to have been saturated with pimping each other's stuff. Sometimes it seems the only way to help our fellow writers, but I do think it's even better to tell people outside of the blogosphere about books you love and want to share, and even more helpful to actually go buy a copy, and even more helpful to request it at your library so others can find it. There are so many other ways to share that last longer than a blog post, I think. <br /><br />I love blogging so much now that I've moved back to actual posts logging my journey. :)Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-35029710780501078412013-10-03T01:30:00.035+03:002013-10-03T01:30:00.035+03:00I have to agree with you. I've stopped signin...I have to agree with you. I've stopped signing up to pimp stuff, and I've tacked my already promised pimping onto the end of my posts. It's so bad on some days when everyone is pimping the same thing and there's NOTHING new to read anywhere. I think you just showed us the man behind the curtain...and I admire your bravery.<br />Tina @ <a href="http://kmdlifeisgood.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Life is Good</a>Tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08925730745204736744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-44695528312937847382013-10-02T18:20:44.598+03:002013-10-02T18:20:44.598+03:00Crumpets Jess - you've set a storm here ... bu...Crumpets Jess - you've set a storm here ... but not being a published author - I get bored reading all the pimping stuff all over the place ... <br /><br />So I agree with you ... and a blog should be a platform for you not necessarily your books et al - it's keeping your credibility up .. and giving/providing interesting information from a different angle.<br /><br />I've done very few blog hops - I do the A-Z and have used them along the same lines as my blog, but shorter posts ... I join one or two other supportive postings .. but I like to do things differently - and keep my audience ...<br /><br />Good thoughts here - cheers HilaryHilary Melton-Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596532480645510678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-9402926625227181922013-10-02T11:55:13.812+03:002013-10-02T11:55:13.812+03:00I still love blogging, partly because I love short...I still love blogging, partly because I love short-form writing, being an ex-journalist and short story writer rather than a novelist. I think all authors ought to blog because it's such a good exercise at perfecting each small piece of text. I have two blogs - one my personal writing blog (www.youngbyname.me) on which I'll publish whatever takes my fancy, and the other my professional one, Off The Shelf Book Promotions (www.otsbp.com), offering book promotion advice to indies. I'm happy to support indie authors by having guest posts on Off The Shelf (never on my personal writing site), including providing stops on a blog tour, but only if their contribution includes valuable lessons on book promotion and doesn't distract from the blog's main thrust. And the text must always be original. <br /><br />The guest posts on Off The Shelf are usually in the form of an interview, not least to make sure that I remain in the spotlight too! <br /><br />I don't want to read thinly-veiled ads for books on anyone else's blog either - if I'm following a blogger, it's usually because I want to hear from them, UNLESS they have a track record of inspiring guest posts on their main subject from great writers e.g. your blog, Jess :) or have an enticing, specific theme that requires constantly changing writers e.g. Roz Morris's Soundtrack strand. Coherence and consistency is vital. Same goes for the ALLi blog that I edit - I seek interesting content, and if the piece is good, the writer will get readers to clicking on their byline to find out more about them. If they happen to be promoting their book on that clickthrough, fine - that's their bonus, but it should never distract or detract from the quality of the actual post. <br /><br />I feel the same about Twitter: I unfollow tweeps who indiscriminately RT other writers' promo tweets in the vain hope that they'll return the favour. The odd tweet of a helpful blog or news item is fine, but if I follow a tweep, it's because I want to read about them, not just pick up a load of secondhand links. I'm constantly amazed at how few people simply do not get that!Debbie Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01041441181913334550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-65071191503808370972013-10-01T11:24:38.908+03:002013-10-01T11:24:38.908+03:00Well, you have to do what you are comfortable with...Well, you have to do what you are comfortable with, otherwise there is no fun in it! :)Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-88844078680869199732013-10-01T11:24:05.496+03:002013-10-01T11:24:05.496+03:00Thanks, DG!Thanks, DG!Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-30836983435204020232013-10-01T11:23:47.586+03:002013-10-01T11:23:47.586+03:00That's how I feel about it nowadays. I'll ...That's how I feel about it nowadays. I'll use my newsletter, as my main advertising platform, I think.Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-83211691460656159732013-10-01T11:23:09.518+03:002013-10-01T11:23:09.518+03:00Reading is still fun for me. But I've let myse...Reading is still fun for me. But I've let myself "off the hook" so to speak. I read what I can manage and don't let myself feel guilty if I can't get to a friends book as soon as I would like.<br /><br />You raise some interesting points. We are just pimping to the same people all the time. That's why I think having a newsletter is the best option, to be honest. Subscribers KNOW it's going to be advertising, and they WANT to hear about it. A blog is better as a place to read interesting articles, even if everything has already been said, there is always going to be someone who is reading about a specific topic for the first time.Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-44854718910607118332013-10-01T11:20:02.300+03:002013-10-01T11:20:02.300+03:00I think everyone just scans over them now unless t...I think everyone just scans over them now unless they are directly involved in it.Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-70274027865618904492013-10-01T11:19:33.973+03:002013-10-01T11:19:33.973+03:00Hehe, yeah, time goes by too fast!Hehe, yeah, time goes by too fast!Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-20135792048829996682013-10-01T11:19:07.509+03:002013-10-01T11:19:07.509+03:00That is so horrible what happened to your blog. I ...That is so horrible what happened to your blog. I wouldn't wish it on anyone!Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-22478379809208051092013-10-01T02:08:40.083+03:002013-10-01T02:08:40.083+03:00Thanks for hitting a big nail on the head, Jess. I...Thanks for hitting a big nail on the head, Jess. I haven't liked doing cover reveals and all that jazz but saw no alternative. I don't have the computer skills to do what you suggested, but I'm definitely handling my upcoming launch differently. You're right, we're all peddling books to each other when we should be focusing outside of ourselves. Suggestion: Why not set up a new blog and call it Launch Site? In the comment section, we could say what we're doing. I've dropped out of Goodreads because I think the site's a waste of time. Twitter's just a promo thing I've escaped. And FB just isn't for me. Bottom line: I'm not comfortable with promoting myself. It seems so, well, odd.Kittie Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07756250649095903317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-72791339666160068932013-09-30T18:30:15.260+03:002013-09-30T18:30:15.260+03:00Thank You Jessica!! Someone had to say it, and you...Thank You Jessica!! Someone had to say it, and you say these 'obvious to some' things so well. <br /><br />I also browse past many book promos, unless I've signed on for a blogfest, or I'm a regular visitor. That means blogfests may have to change their tactics, since the main item of the blogfest is to get others to promote your book. 'In Your Face' promoting is getting stale.<br /><br />I'm all for seeing more posts with content that isn't promoting and the idea of having that promo at the end with a catchy hook is superb! I like to learn about things when I read blogs. Content is important to me. Tell me about your town, or your interests, but give me something to THINK about.. The A to Z challenge seemed to bring out much more interesting posts than the daily fare.<br /><br />I like the "Blogger Love" tab idea - There can also be a reminder in one of the sidebars to look under the tabs. I'm all for your great idea, Jessica!D.G. Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06213237734772028645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3315861630765119669.post-41979620360826543092013-09-30T17:52:07.333+03:002013-09-30T17:52:07.333+03:00I agree! In fact, as I am about to launch my first...I agree! In fact, as I am about to launch my first book, something I have worked extremely hard at and am very proud of, I don't have the heart to make a big deal about it for all the reasons you've just mentioned. When I posted the cover the other day I didn't even call it 'Cover Reveal.' I'm thinking about just throwing it onto Amazon and maybe not saying anything. Or maybe just a sentence or two. Like, it's done – read it, don't read it, have a nice day, y'all.Cathy Olliffe-Websterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729578896443750402noreply@blogger.com