(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)
- Respond to people who comment on your blog
- Authors should thank all reviewers who review their books, even if review not positive
- Comment on several blogs per day
- Don’t use commenting as an opportunity to self-promote
- 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
