On Author Etiquette

(cross-posting from my personal blog…am out of town on vacation so I’m being lazy…)
I’m on vacation…so while you’re reading this, maybe I’m relaxing. Will read comments when I get back.

Sleep|See More LOLcats

So I saw a tweet to this blog post:

Author Etiquette: Should They Respond to All Reviews?

I started to respond there, but figured hey… I always need blog fodder. So I’ll do it here.

The post stemmed from Malle Vallik’s post @ RTB.

Malle’s tips were: (as copied from Sarah’s blog)

1. Respond to people who comment on your blog
2. Authors should thank all reviewers who review their books, even if review not positive
3. Comment on several blogs per day
4. Don’t use commenting as an opportunity to self-promote
5. Think before publishing comment

These tips can definitely help get your name out. I do get hits on my blog from comments made elsewhere, and I know from experience how screwing up with tips 4 & 5 can cause all sorts of hell.

But each author is going to have to decide what works for them.

So here’s my rundown/variation of the tips.

Respond to people who comment on your blog

• I respond to the questions. I can’t always respond to all comments and many times, if I did, I’d just be repeating myself which is as annoying for readers sometimes as it is for me to do it.
  
• Due to my issues with repetitive stress injuries, I don’t spend as much time on my blog, or other blogs. Decided I had to either do what I can, or stop blogging. Figured the do-what-I-can route was the better one.
  

Authors should thank all reviewers who review their books, even if review not positive

• If I’m made aware of a review, I will thank the reviewer. But ALL reviewers? That would require setting up google alerts just to keep on top of them and would become very time consuming.
  
• When the reviewer/review site shares the link, I do say thanks, whether the review is good or bad.
• I can a) get lost in the business of writing b) I can write… c) find the middle ground. I choose C. I think I’ve found the right mix for me.

Comment on several blogs per day

• As I said above, I can either get lost in the business of writing, I can write, or I can find the middle ground. I think I’ve found it-I do the social thing, but I don’t get lost in it. That is never good for an author. It’s amazing how much time can be spent on blogs, and how much more productive that time can be – writing-wise, if you focus on writing.
  

Don’t use commenting as an opportunity to self-promote

• Absolutely agree. It’s damned annoying to be involved in a fun discussion, or even just be reading a fun discussion and out pops author Ziora Zobrite from XYUZ Eroticus Publishing to tell you about her wicked, wild and wonderful M/F/M/M romance centered around a centaur, a shapeshifting unicorn, a lost prince and his intended bride. (And if there is a Ziora, and XYUZ Eroticus publishing with that storyline…my apologies. And now I’m gonna go buy a lotto ticket because damn, I must be psychic).
  
• If somebody mentions your stuff, or asks about something and you can discuss it without making it a memememME post, I wouldn’t much care, but that’s not as easy as one might think…as evidenced by how many authors do it the complete and utter WRONG way.

Think before publishing comment

• Absolutely agree.
• I’ve got no problem being honest and expressing my thoughts, but the method of delivery makes all the difference.
  
• If your delivery comes off like a bull in a china shop? You might want to ask yourself what you’re hoping to accomplish.

Shiloh

http://shilohwalker.com