Us authors talk a lot about promotion and what works and what doesn’t. In fact, we are sometimes a little obsessed. I’ve had the “How much it too much?” conversation with writer friends of mine every now and then, and it can get pretty heated. LOL It’s become an ongoing debate so I thought I’d ask you readers here what you think.
The question of the debate is…how much exposure for us, as authors, is too much? When does ‘putting yourself out there’ become harmful to a career by over sharing, blogging too much, or making ourselves too available to readers?
Let’s face it, sure blogging and group chats can be fun, but it’s really all about promotion. We figure if we show you us, the person behind the book, you’ll like us enough to run out and buy our book on it’s release day. But really, are we hurting ourselves? Do you, as readers, start to think of us too much as friends, and then fall into the mentality of “Friends don’t make friends buy their books”.
Then there are the giveaways. We do so many, on blogs, on guest blogs, in chats, monthly or seasonal contests. The idea is two-fold. Draw the reader to your site/chat with a giveaway, and hopefully they’ll surf the site and read the excerpts and run right out and buy one (or all) of your books. Give them a free book and they’ll love it so much they’ll run right out and buy your others. But do they work?
I know myself I’ve given out many books, and sometimes I even recognize the address of the winner and know I’ve sent them a book before. Should I take this to mean they won a book, read it, and didn’t like it enough to go buy my others? Or is it just a “Hey, it’s another free book so I’ll try to win it” thing? Or maybe they just want a signed copy, maybe they’ll give the other copy to a friend, or library and spread the word?
You’ll occasionally see big name authors like Nora Roberts or Sandra Brown put together things for charity auctions and such, but they don’t seem to do giveaways weekly, monthly or with any amount of regularly. Yet each new release of theirs sells more and more.
So the question is, are those of us who are trying to build a name, a readership, and a career, hurting ourselves by being so available, or giving away too much? Have you ever received a free book, and then continued to buy that authors books because you enjoyed the first one? Have you ever bought a book because you read an authors blog and thought they were cool, or interesting, or funny? What about at a chat?
Or do you prefer your favorite authors remain mysterious and almost iconic, only available at the occasional book signing?
Or does it matter either way? Is a good book a good book no matter how you found it, or how much you know about the author?
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Personally, I like the availability of authors through blogs and the whole interaction thing - I would have loved to have this opportunity available to me when I was a young girl reading. Readers today don’t know how lucky they are to have this at their fingertips - literally. I think it’s fascinating to go beyond the books with the author and find out what inspired them to write, how they created certain characters and worlds. And I think this provides great inspiration for all of the aspiring authors out there.
And yes, I have bought books after reading about them online and thinking that author is funny/interesting/whatever and/or that book sounds like something I’ve just got to read. This is also how I follow authors these days, too. One thing about me, when I find a good author, I am very loyal to them, especially if, every time I read a new book by them I think “This one was better than the last one” or if I can’t choose a favorite from them because they’re all so good. Do this and I’ll keep coming back for more!
by Margay
on July 30th, 2008 at 6:33 am
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I think there has to be a balance. A writer should definitely put themselves out there, but limit how much they share, for example. Drive-by blogging to promote themselves is not really a good thing to do because readers feel a bit manipulated by that kinda thing. On the flipside, I see you over at Laurie’s blog quite often, and readers appreciate that kind of commitment from an author, and are more likely to pick up one of your books.
As for Nora and Sandra, they started writing way before the internet really exploded and blogging became so popular, so they were already established in the romance community. Though I do see Nora around blogland from time to time which is pretty cool.
Ultimately it comes down to the book. All the promo in the world won’t save a bad book.
by Stacy ~
on July 30th, 2008 at 6:39 am
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I agreed with everything that both Stacy and Margays said in regards to getting to know an author through blogs. However, I have purposefully not commented on blogs because they were giving away a book, that I either already had or I just didn’t want to win. I am not a fan of paranormals (I know I’m in the minority) so I never ask to be included in a drawing when that is the prize.
Honestly, I don’t need to win a book from an author to want to go out and buy another one of there releases, but I have won a book from an unknown author and liked it enough to go out and get more of their titles. What drives me crazy is when authors blog and never check the responses. I don’t think you should respond to every comment, but a simple “Hey, great comments” would let readers know that the author is still out there and they care what is being said. LOL
by Patty L.
on July 30th, 2008 at 8:10 am
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A good book is a good book - whether I bought it or won it. I have several fav authors and always check out the blogs and excerpts. When I am in a bookstore, certain covers draw me and I always read the back blurb to see if the book will interest me.
by Pat L
on July 30th, 2008 at 8:43 am
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I agree with the previous commenters–I’ve definitely bought books without having won any, but if I do win one and love it, I’m usually pretty motivated to acquire everything else they’ve written–t’s a sort of compulsion  And I do enjoy getting to know authors a bit through blogs and such, but I don’t think authors should feel they have to spend time making themselves available when they should/could be writing either. It’s a hard balance between self-promotion and focusing on creating a product to promote 
by Fedora
on July 30th, 2008 at 8:45 am
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Well, I have to say I’m glad to hear that the majority is “for” blogging and getting out there, because I really enjoy it (IF you read my blog, you’ll find plenty of personal stuff, amongst the writerly stuff) Thanks for my very first web designer in 2004 I’ve been blogging since before it ever became popular. I admit there at times when I think about getting rid of my blog, but it hasn’t happened so far.
I also LOVE giving away books. I think part of that is because I live in Canada and don’t get to do many booksignings and things in person. I also think it’s a great way to get new readers, and reward loyal ones. Plus, sometimes it’s just nice to win something. But I do think sometimes they can get to be too much. I don’t do a monthly giveaway, but I often do random ones on my blog. I guess thats the “reward” part. And then I do group giveaways or charity things to try and hook new readers. *grin*
And I also agree with Stacy on the drive by blogging thing. I think the whole point of blogging and such is to interact with those that want to connect with you, not just to write a post and walk away. I Love that I see Nora around the blogs occasionally. I keep wondering if she’s ever stumbled upon mine. 
Thanks ladies, you’ve made my arguement for me.
by Sasha White
on July 30th, 2008 at 11:37 am
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I have discovered so many new authors through reading blogs. I love the interaction, and it is extra special to read a book authored by someone I have “talked to” on a blog. When I win a book, it gives me the chance to sample a new author. Most of the time, I like what I read and start buying other books by the author.
by cheryl c.
on July 30th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
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I enjoy reading blogs and online chats with authors about their books. Have won books and discovered author’s writing style really appealing to me, purchases then ensue. That said I am also one of the people who love signed copies, some of these have a companion unsigned copyjust so I can re-read the story without damaging the signed one.
by Little Lamb Lost
on July 30th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
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Wow - those are a lot of insightful comments, and I agree. Sasha, while reading this post, I was thinking something completely different. I’ve stumbled across some author blogs [and also there was a big stink about it] - where authors were sharing possibly TMI - intimate details, their sex lives, etc.
I mean if authors and their readers like that, and it works for them, more power to ‘em. I however, had something of an “ahh my eyes!” moment. It just wasn’t what I was expecting from someone promoting themselves as a professional writer. [And that would probably be “too much out there” for me.]
As for books… I checked sites etc for - oh about 6 or more years and won nothing. I continued to buy books in the way I had. Then, I hit something of a lucky streak. (I’m pretty sure Nora Roberts has a monthly contest? I don’t know about Sandra Brown - but yes, they are super established. I mean, think commercials on network tv! Those babies are expensive!)
LLL just gave me a wonderful/horrible idea. I’m playing with the idea of going out and buying a duplicate of my signed copies… but for now I can’t afford it. 
What usually gets me is excerpts. I’ve bought books solely based on excerpts a number of times. This is a good and bad thing - sometimes I get a FABULOUS book. Sometimes, I get a “wish I could get my money back” book.
I’ve been lucky with contests. There was one author, where I won the… fourth? book in her series. As a result, I wanted to read her backlist so I knew what was going on. Got them from the library, loved them, and now own the entire series. Same with another author. And I’ve blogged about those books, written reviews, squee-ed about them, and generally tried to spread the love/force the books on everyone  Personally, I think contests do work. Or, I’m just an easy mark.
I don’t know/ming about blogging… but I have come to expect professional, and well kept [updated] websites from authors.
by limecello
on July 30th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
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LLL. I have duplicates of a few too. LOL
Limecello… and everyone else….. so if an author’s blog was say..75% excerpts…would that keep you going back?
I knwo myself, on my own blog, I worry when all I do is talk about my writing or books, or reviews..I think… God, I’m boring. LOL But admittedly, sometimes the only things going on in my life is writing things.
by Sasha White
on July 31st, 2008 at 1:35 am
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Sasha - Hm, I wasn’t thinking excerpts in a blog - although I guess that might do it. I meant more excerpts on the *website* - I’m lazy so I don’t want to go scrambling and hunting for some blog post that may or may not exist with an excerpt. Of course, if you have a “read an excerpt here” on the book page that links to a blog post, that’s fine.
But for buying a book itself, if I’ve never read the author [or heck, even if I have] - that excerpt usually is the deal maker. If the author doesn’t have a webpage [gasp!] and/or no book page or excerpt, and I’m unsure about the book (even/especially after checking reviews etc)… chances are I won’t buy it.
But that’s just me. I need/love the excerpts.
by limecello
on July 31st, 2008 at 2:08 pm
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I love the availability of authors on blogs and chats. I have won books and dicovered authors that are auto buys for me now.
by Estella
on July 31st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
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I feel like I’m coming late to the party because there’s not much left for me to say except to agree with the previous responders. I love the availability of authors on their websites and their blogs. I’ve had some lovely interactions with some great authors, especially the encouragement some gave me when I was preparing for my Master’s exam this past April.
Of course, it’s not really the interaction that got me to buy their books, it was the books themselves and the information about the books available on their sites. Like limecello said, it’s the excerpts that really grab my attention and help me to decide which books to buy. Some of those books have come through hearing about them in a blog and reading an excerpt there and investigating them and others have come because I saw them mentioned in contests, most I didn’t win, and decided to check into the books more. I’ve definitely discovered a whole bunch of new authors that way, as well as in the contests I have won.
by Karin
on July 31st, 2008 at 5:27 pm
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Thanks for all the honest responses. I really appreciate them.
I love interacting with readers and other writers on the internet. I live in northern Alberta, and there’s no local writer or reader groups, and there are times that I feel severely isolated from what I do. My family and friends know what I do, and support me, but none of them read romance or want to talk about books the way I do. The internet and blogs have helped me stay sane.
by Sasha White
on July 31st, 2008 at 5:33 pm
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i lkie most things about the aurhtors
by kim h
on August 1st, 2008 at 3:08 pm
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A day (or three…) late, and probably more than a dollar short, but here goes.
I agree with most what everyone said, particularly limecello, I think, hit all the high points for me.
As some of the authors here know, I have strong opinions about contests and giveaways and other types of promotion for starting/mid list authors (I’m still hoping to put something together about that…).
I have a limited book budget, which usually gets gobbled up by the autobuys (long list, and growing and growing), so getting a book from a new-to-me author is a way to try their writing. A good chunk of the time, they’ll become autobuys or, at the very least, authors I keep my eye on–I may not buy every single thing they put out, but at least some of them.
When I do like the books, I’ll nag people to read them. Sometimes I don’t feel wowed by it, but know someone who would, so I’ll pass the book on and make a convert for the author that way. Sometimes I just plain don’t enjoy the book–which can make me feel like a heel when I like the author herself.
Either way, I’ll review the book (though I suck and it may take a while I post the review–heartfelt apologies).
by azteclady
on August 3rd, 2008 at 9:58 am
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