My horror story, “Chimes,” has just been released from Damnation Books. It’s an ebook, and right now it’s cheap. Damnation Books actually releases works at lower than the cover price and lets that price rise gradually until it reaches the full amount. It’s good to get in early then. If you’re interested, the link is at Chimes. I’d appreciate it if you’d check it out, at least.
I also have a question concerning the story. I’d like to get some reviews of it. What if I ran a kind of contest? Say I entered everyone who reviewed the story and informed me of that review into a drawing. The winner would get their choice of a copy of any one of my books they might want. Does this sound too much like a bribe? Or is it a creative way of encouraging and rewarding reviews?
There often seems to be a fine line between self-promotion and prostituting oneself. Every artist needs to self-promote, but I always feel uncomfortable when self-promotion crosses the line. The problem is, where exactly is that line? I’m never very sure.
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40 comments:
Cool cover art. I'll check it out.
In these times, you have to do whatever you can to get some attention. I'll check it out, too.
I'm interested. It is a fine line but ya gotta do what ya gotta do to get the word out.
Sidney, yeah, I like that cover and it fits pretty well.
Pattinase, thanks. You're right.
David J. West, I know. Man I really hate the promoting part of it.
The publishers and agents have done away with the line. The marketing demands on the author have been increasing exponentially in the last couple years. An author's imagination and yuck factor are the only parameters limiting self promotion. :)
Bernardl, I believe you're right. I fear my yuck factor is pretty easily aroused, and I don't know if this plan for promotion crosses that or not.
Not to worry, Charles. It's a whole new world for authors these days. You do what you have to to get the word out.
Drop by the blog when you get time. I've got my review up. Since I have all your books, I'll opt out of the drawing so there won't be a chance I'll win. Let someone new get your books. It likely will encourage sales of all of them. Always a good thing.
I got it for $1.25 in epub format for Stanza. Was glad to see they had multiple format options. I think this is definitely the cusp of monetizing publishing in the new era. I wonder if we'll see some interesting way for e-books to be e-signed or customized in some way by authors in the long run.
Woo.
Like the old rock song,"Shivers down my backbone".
(At least from the outline).
I though I'd turned out a gothic or two in my time,even if published in my own underground newspaper with a cult following--but this is mastery, Doctor.
Holy icicles, Batman!
Randy Johnson, wow. Great review. Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time and making the effort.
Sidney, yes, I knew they were going to do several different versions. I think there's a PDF version as well. That's a good question. That would be cool about the customization. I could see doing that on Kindle in the sense of the author could sign a file as sent to them by the reader, then have it kindlized. It needs some thinking for sure.
ivan, thankee. It's one of my favorites among my own stories. I liked being able to spend the first half of the story creating atomsphere and then going for full out action toward the end.
I think you have a great base of people here to share it with. The truth is, we value your opinion and what you have to say, else we wouldn't bother coming to your blog right? Therefore, if you write something and publish it, I'm thinking we all want to know, so we have a chance to check it out. I'm definitely interested.
Charles, self promoting is nothing more than sharing something you feel strongly about. If I had a book to 'pimp', I would do it unabashadly! Don't know if I am qualified to review, but would like to try if you think so. Let me know, and congrats on a cool cover!
Hey, Charles! If you don't mind, I'll read it and review it on my blog. And don't worry about the promotion- we'll get the word out for you. You just keep working on that line of t-shirts and I think there's nothing wrong with a Gramlich Beer line as well.
looks good, but i have no ereader...
excerpt is enticing, as i knew it would be...
If you don't tell us about the story and where to find it, how can we check it out and let you know what we think?
A fine line indeed.
congratulations--I think you're okay to encourage reviews by offering a chance for a free book.
Ok, finally after much ado I was able to get the PDF version. :)(Couldn't download the mobipocket for some reason - sent them an email about it.)
I totally understand the yuck factor. I feel like an annoying, grubby, graspy, PITA everytime I have to put the word out there.
Although...I do like the idea of a Gramlich Beer... lol
Voidwalker, thanks. I appreciate that!
jodi, the main reviewers I'd like to get are readers. Their opinions matter most to me. Self-promotion is a pretty hard thing to do, especially, I think, for those of us who are largely introverted.
Rick, I'd be happy for any review, of course. I appreciate the support you've given me. A Gramlich Beer has a nice ring. Of course, it would have to be personally approved if it's going to bear my name. I'll get started on that.
laughingwolf, that will be a problem for some, I'm sure. Ereaders are coming out all over the place now, even on phones, I hear. I know a friend who downloaded an ebook reader on her iphone. It's expanding rapidly.
Travis, that is of course, true. I believe it is linked in the post but the direct link is: http://www.damnationbooks.com/book.php?isbn=9781615720682
sage, I haven't heard anyone really say they'd hate the idea so I think I'm going to do that as a promotion. See if it works.
Kate S, I just never want to come off as sleazy. Well, not in my writing anyway. :) I do like that idea of a Gramlich Beer. I may pursue that seriously. Or semi-seriously.
As long as the self-prootion doesn't take too much time away from the art part, it's all good.
You come across so easy going - never egotistical. Sometimes that line is with a person's character. The fact that you are concerned with the line to start with means you aren't going to cross it.
Does that make any sense? I know what I mean :)
Awesome, man. I should be able to get to the full story by tomorrow or the day after. Congrats! Self-promotion is a good thing, especially in publishing.
That's a great idea! I've actually had it open all day, I just need to get my credit card in the vicinity of my computer. I think it's a fun idea for a contest!
Self-promotion that crosses the line: Asking me to be "friends" on Facebook with a personal message, then as soon as I accept, littering MY WALL with a request that I buy his book. THAT'S freakin' annoying.
But I hear you. Pseudonym doesn't do it. At all. She did for awhile. Her heart just isn't in it.
"with NO personal message," I mean. Sheesh. THIS is how my writing has gone all day!
Charles, I don't feel that you've crossed the line. You need to do some self promotion. As a reader I find it helpful for the author to put out the word. Did I make there, or what?
Take heart. The incomparable fabulist genius Jorge Luis Borges, when young, would go to a play not for the show, but to check out where the important literary people checked their coats....He would then put one of his books in each overcoat on the rack.
...I've done worse.
No kindle yet for me. I say promote away until you find the line that compromises your principles. that is where it becomes over the top.
ArtSparker, that's a lot of the problem. It's all well and good to do the artistic side, but eventually you kind of want to get some stuff out there and have it noticed. And for that you hsve to promote. I don't like it but it's necessary.
jennifer, yes, it makes sense, and thank you for the kind words.
Erik, the only bad press is no press, they say. I think they're probably right.
Natasha Fondren, I know what you speak of on Facebook. Yeah, that can be very annoying. Presumptive.
Jack, Thanks for the input. I know I do need to do that kind of thing. You understand that as well.
ivan, wow, now that's something I hadn't thought of. But I will now. Thanks for the tip!
Mark, I think the key is erosion. I wonder whether the line shifts, and if one's behaviors help to shift that line so that one day you do what you would never have done five years before.
don't want anything on my phone not phone related... and cell phones are actually 2-way radios!
will see if i get an ipad at some point, IF it can show videos [i know, it's also an ereader]
ok, it does show video... so i may get one a ways down the road
"Damnation Books" ? That's awesome, dude.
I cannot figure out how to buy it. I don't have an account with them. HELP!
Laughingwolf, I'm the same way about my phone, although eventually I'll probably have to get an iphone and then will get the ereader app.
Heff, yeah, I like their name.
Pattinase, I emailed them. I'll let you know what I find out. I have an account of course so I don't get any problems.
In the creative fields, you gotta do what you gotta do to get the word out...but if I catch you on a street corner waving your books at passing cars we're going to have to have a talk.
Lana, just a talk? That wouldn't be as persuasive as a kiss.
Oh Lord,my blood pressure shot up just from the excerpt. I don't think I could bear to read it.
But I'll flog on my blog.
Bernita, it's not terribly gory, but I hope it's fairly suspensful. Thanks.
I love the cover, Charles. I'm off to check it out.
and P.S. I'm so sorry this is such a hard time for you. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
L. A., thank you.
Hi Charles, I like the sound of this and want to buy it. Does the ebook come as a pdf or do I need a reader? If the latter, I'll have to miss out, though maybe the free PC-reader from Amazon/kindle might work?
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