I’ve just got a quick post for you all this month as I’m neck-deep in the exhilarating rapids of a blog tour for my recent release, Wolf in League. If this is the first you’re hearing of it, please check out all the details HERE and, if you’re so inclined, jump in and see about hooking yourself a prize.
But back to the post…
There is a lot of advice available to writers out there. So much, in fact, that you can probably give up writing altogether for the amount of reading up that could be done. Do this, don’t do that, all for the promise of the magical and elusive “perfect branding” of you and your novels. It’s never consistent—one morning you will open your computer (tablet, phone) to see a blog post telling you that your best bet is to stand on your head and chant to Seshat, and before you have a chance to get through reading, you’ll see another pop up saying that standing on your head causes sluggishness in the creative portion of your cortex and in order to succeed you must instead transcribe an epic poem to Thoth.
What’s right? What’s wrong? Or, in other words – Internet… what’s GOOD?
At the end of the day the only thing that works for you is what works for you. Vague, yes, but that’s the truth of it. So I’m not going to revisit the advice train, at least not today. What I’d like to share with you instead is the advice I’ve been given along the way that I’ve chosen to completely ignore.
I’m not even going to suggest these are “bad” bits of advice. I just can’t force myself to follow them:
- Don’t Post About/Retweet/Share Every 4 or 5-star Review You Get
No one cares, they tell me. But they’re wrong, because *I* care.
If someone has gone to the trouble to not only write a review but to celebrate what I’ve done by rating it with four or even five stars, and they’ve posted about that on social media (especially the instances where they bring it to my attention), I’m going to share it.
I’m probably even going to search out the original post and “like” it, “thumbs up” it, or do whatever other option their site might provide to me in order to acknowledge to the host that I’ve seen it, and I’m thrilled about it. I’m grateful and appreciative and I want to recognize what that reviewer has done for me.
There have only been a couple of instances where I was acknowledged by someone that I followed and I can tell you without doubt that it made my day. While I’m no celebrity by any means, I still like the idea of being able to do that for someone else.
- Don’t Comment on Every Thing You Get Tagged in or Reply to Every Comment You Get on a Post
Why would anyone follow this advice? Isn’t the whole point of having a social media presence to stay in touch with your readers? Most people want to know that there’s a person behind the computer screen and it doesn’t take much time out of my day to send someone a reply, even if it’s just a smiley face or a “LOL.”
There is only one exception to this: Goodreads. I don’t reply to everything on Goodreads because if the admins don’t get me banned for it, the groups will. Goodreads doesn’t allow authors to “spam” their readers with comments or replies, and that includes a simple thank you. It’s right in their terms and conditions, and is one of the reasons that I have very little presence on Goodreads. As I assume that is the plan. It is a site for readers, not for authors. I will however, click the [LIKE] button because that, apparently, is okay. (So, ha!, Goodreads! Just try and stop me! Actually, please don’t. I’m totally kidding.)
- Stop Blogging and Focus on Writing
Writing is writing, be it for publication pursuit or just to flex your creative muscle. And yes, blogging is still an act of creation. I still get to flex my grammar, punctuation, and structure muscles. And I still get to chat with my friends, followers, and readers. So, that’s a win-win right there and if it costs me a couple of hours a month, I’m okay with that.
- Don’t Engage With the Negative Nellys and Nasty Nates
99.9% of the time I do follow this advice to the Tee. That other .1% of the time, I honestly believe it would destroy my soul, crush my spirit, and deprive me of all my humanity if I didn’t engage with the Neganons and the Nastatrolls. Let’s face it, if it was possible for me to keep my tongue to myself (or, fingers in the case of the Internet) my report cards would have looked very different growing up.
Besides, it’s 2016. If we want to tell some to pound off, we should be able to.
Eat your Brussel Sprouts, They’re Good for You
Hell. No! And get thee behind me Satan.
So, that’s me. How about yourself?
Before I leave please let me offer up my wishes of good luck to anyone getting ready to tackle NaNoWriMo, and also to everyone attending GRL. For both: I hope you all have a blast and everything goes great.
Until next time!
AF Henley
Henley was born with a full-blown passion for run-on sentences, a zealous indulgence in all words descriptive, and the endearing tendency to overuse punctuation. Since the early years Henley has been an enthusiastic writer, from the first few I-love-my-dog stories to the current leap into erotica.
A self-professed Google genius, Henley lives for the hours spent digging through the Internet for ‘research purposes’ which, more often than not, lead seven thousand miles away from first intentions but bring Henley to new discoveries and ideas that, once seeded, tend to flourish.
Henley has been proudly publishing with Less Than Three Press since 2012.
Brussel sprouts are completely good for you, and I love them (and the cabbage family…). Here, I’ll trade your brussel sprouts for something else, how about? The only thing I won’t trade in for is my cauliflower. Everything else is up for grabs. 😀
I’m actually glad that you let us know about all those 4 and 5-star rating reviews. I get some level of comfort knowing that someone enjoys your work like I do (and haven’t missed the point of the whole story. Not that I haven’t posted rants enough about this issue… and probably the reason why I have a sincere dislike for Goodreads. Some people just don’t know when not to share something…), and if I started meandering off a beaten path (yes, can completely be read the wrong way, that part), hopefully one or two people won’t think I’m insane. At least you don’t, right? XD
I have an admission… the reason I tag along just about everything you post/share/point at isn’t for that draw prize at the end. It’s for the interaction. I have a handful of things I live for. Commenting and getting replies gives that warm, fuzzy feeling (especially since half of those times is also of the interactions of Raphael over there sipping on his coffee and refusing to obey bedtime rules, but hey… pot and kettle right? I don’t follow bedtime rules either. Might be a water sign thing.) 😛
Although for that blogging advice… I don’t think that’s so much as advice as cause-and-effect. I can actually mark my disappearance from social media this year exactly by your last blog tour and this one. Life has been busy and whatever spare time left can either be used for social media or writing (for me). I chose to write, so blogging took a back seat. That’s more cause-and-effect than advice because other people can do both just fine. I’m not that talented. 🙂
Forgive my ignorance, but what’s the “GDL”? I’m missing something. :O
Thank you for sharing! Now, back to the regularly scheduled blog tour. <3
Well thank you very much for that! It was great to read. And I love interacting so the fact that you get any warm fuzzies from my, or Raphael’s, replies is absolutely fantastic. 😀
The GRL is the GayRomLit retreat. It’s usually quite well attended and is pretty huge. I, being the introvert (read as: terrified of actual social interaction) that I am have never been, but I do get a ping of interest whenever I see posts and pics following the event.
And you don’t ever have to worry about trading me for Brussel sprouts. Now that I am grown-ass adult you won’t find them within ten feet of me. I even steer clear of them in the frozen foods section. XD
Have a good night and thank you very much for reading and commenting. <3
Just wanted to comment about Goodreads. I’m not big on writing reviews there and I don’t “skim” nor read 500 pages a day, then ask others in a discussion group what happened in the book, like many Goodreads readers do. Goodreads DOES allow authors to post their comments (some groups are actually moderated by the authors themselves) and they allow readers to follow author’s Goodreads blog posts, where the author can promote their work freely. What Goodreads doesn’t want are authors who ONLY post “buy my book” comments in the group discussions.
Personally, I wouldn’t want 75% of Goodreads readers attempting to read or review anything I’d written. My experience with Goodreads has been limited to the romance genre and very few discussion groups, and the immaturity displayed in some groups is appalling to me. I don’t comment often there and basically use it to get information about books outside of Amazon. As an author, I can understand why you wouldn’t want to participate on Goodreads. Just wanted to say that authors ARE allowed to post and interact with their fans on Goodreads. Depends on your audience how things go there.
Ah, good to know! And yes, the groups can get a little irate at times. The couple of times I’ve asked questions of certain group moderators their replies were not only snarky, but bordered on rude. (And I’m Canadian! I tend to assume someone is joking before I’d ever consider they might be actively trying to be rude.)
Thank you very much for sharing that. I appreciate the input. <3
Yeah I really don’t get the first one. Even if you have separate blogs for personal and professional. Your friends and family care (or at least give the effort to fake it) when you get something good going in your life. Your readers, may hem and haw about the book and a good review might make them say “I’ll give it a chance.” Okay maybe not “every” review, but that depends on how many you get. If you’re getting 700 good reviews in a week, it could be pushing it to reblog every one and it would annoy followers of the professional blog. Family will just shake their heads or take you out for cake.
On the second one, again, volume might be a factor. But only might. Otherwise, yeah it doesn’t take much.
Third one I agree with you whole heartedly. The only way I wouldn’t agree is if your blogging took so much time you never wrote another book. Then I’d be sad. But again, extremes.
See, trolls are my favorite people to engage with as I get a kick out of them.
And I’ve never eaten a brussell sprout. I just lump them in with all the veggies. Sadly vegetables all taste horrid to me. So what’s the use in trying?
Good advice I’ve received but never seem to follow? Get 8 hours of sleep a night.
I sooooo know someone who will be able to highfive you over that ignored advice of yours, Frosty! XD
Thank you for sharing (and mostly for agreeing 😉 ). I’m surprised there are no veggies that you like, though. Like… not even one? I’m so intrigued by this. Are you a big fruit eater to compensate? Juice? Smoothies? Dude… your antioxidants! LOL
Always a pleasure to read you comments — they never fail to make me chuckle. <3