tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post937626152125892401..comments2024-03-17T02:12:53.713-05:00Comments on POD People: Thoughts on Obscurity -- c.anne.gardnerveingloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03709708573358649383noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-33227700007104398662010-06-28T15:35:16.274-05:002010-06-28T15:35:16.274-05:00I'd rather be writing, too, rather than market...I'd rather be writing, too, rather than marketing my stuff in some form, but there really isn't any other way to get people to know it exists.<br /><br />People by and large, even the more discriminating readers, do not consciously seek out indie authors. They have to have it cross their path somehow, and the vast majority of the time the only way to bridge that gap is for the writer to go and do some legwork.<br /><br />I think more than anything else this is a reaction to the way the words "branding" and "marketing" have been turned into such gruesome catchphrases by uncreative people. Under the rubble of what they've turned those words into, there are some very solid and useful pieces of advice. It's not evil to do the honest work involved to bring attention to what you've done.<br /><br />The key word is "honest", of course. I'm just as disgusted as anyone else with the idea that you have to become a marketing machine to achieve anything like success. The real answer is neither that nor toiling in obscurity for the sake of "artistic integrity". It's somewhere in between.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-39015013768190141202010-06-25T07:39:11.954-05:002010-06-25T07:39:11.954-05:00Yes Shannon, that's what we need for the Pod P...Yes Shannon, that's what we need for the Pod Peeps. Emily was looking into it. I am glad you can set it up to post the article automatically, then we wouldn't have to "monitor" it.Cheryl Anne Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12564041914501542048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-40260297943272102582010-06-24T17:11:00.517-05:002010-06-24T17:11:00.517-05:00Twitter to me is like missing the whole season of ...Twitter to me is like missing the whole season of your favorite TV show until the very last show. I feel like I've missed out on tons of crap if I don't sign in everyday (and I never sign in EVERY day). But when I do finally sign in, I'm all caught up in about 2 minutes.<br /><br />LLBR has a Twitter account and our articles automatically post to Twitter so I don't have to keep up with it. Definitely drives traffic.Shannonhttp://www.shannonyarbrough.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-75117666042809823802010-06-24T13:47:41.688-05:002010-06-24T13:47:41.688-05:00I meant: I just "can't" face it. So ...I meant: I just "can't" face it. So I understand Brent. I have put off some things and got sidetracked on some other things because I got over focused on the need for "marketing." I am just finishing up the edits for Logos and it shouldn't have taken me six months.Cheryl Anne Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12564041914501542048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-91278011444975089412010-06-24T13:43:22.067-05:002010-06-24T13:43:22.067-05:00I am not even on Twitter. I just can face it. Ever...I am not even on Twitter. I just can face it. Everytime I go there and stare at the screen while contemplating opening an account, I always manage to see the dark side and talk myself out of it. <br /><br />I wanted to do it just for tweeting our articles and reviews here at the podpeeps, but I am afraid it will get away from me. I just don't have the time. I'd rather be writing.Cheryl Anne Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12564041914501542048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-86686869140212934962010-06-24T13:42:16.909-05:002010-06-24T13:42:16.909-05:00Seems this topic is on your mind as well as mine -...Seems this topic is on your mind as well as mine -- I linked to Maureen Johnson's Manifesto on my blog earlier this month. And my latest entry continues on somewhat the same subject... what I'm finding is that my interest in doing all the social networking things, even in a friendly, non-hype way, is waning drastically... because doing my real creative work requires most of the available time and now gets higher priority. I like going in that direction.Brent Robisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06882060411376854563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-22908901890667843302010-06-24T11:26:49.621-05:002010-06-24T11:26:49.621-05:00Amen! Amen! Amen!
As an author, reader, and revie...Amen! Amen! Amen!<br /><br />As an author, reader, and reviewer, I get so tired of talking (and doing) shop sometimes. That's the price we pay as self-publishers I guess when we have to wear so many hats. We forget about the soul hat, the reason why we put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard in the first place.<br /><br />I'd much rather have a good ole chat or some coffee talk with a fellow author or reader about how my book made them feel, or vice versa. Did they connect with a certain character? What did they think of that scene on page such and such?<br /><br />Who cares how many copies have sold on Amazon? Who cares about Kindle uploads and formatting and Smashwords and Facebook Pages and Tweets and E-Blasts and such?? Sure the numbers in the end are nice to see, but it is definitely the feeling, the soul, that matters more.Shannonhttp://www.shannonyarbrough.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-28859358782949921032010-06-24T10:56:58.021-05:002010-06-24T10:56:58.021-05:00Their authors are living things with souls, at lea...Their authors are living things with souls, at least we hope so, but when marketing starts to feel too much like marketing, the readers start to wonder about the soul part.Cheryl Anne Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12564041914501542048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20796627.post-58607500714848874402010-06-24T09:10:05.595-05:002010-06-24T09:10:05.595-05:00All I can say to this is, "Amen!"
Altho...All I can say to this is, "Amen!"<br /><br />Although authors do have to engage in the business of marketing, books are not widgets. They're living things with souls, or at least they should be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com