What's so bad about BSP (blatant self-promotion)

[Julie Lomoe]

Right at the top of the Crimespace main page, it says this site is for "discussion only," not blatant self-promotion. Yet what's so bad about BSP? After all, isn't that one of the main reasons we're here? Yes, we have to be subtle about it, but isn't that a hold-over from good manners that were instilled in most of us as kids? Especially in the case of women like me, who are AARP eligible?

This topic is the focus of my post at my WordPress blog today. I hope you'll stop by and leave a comment. And I'll start this discussion in the Schmooze Lounge here, lest I anger anyone who believes modesty is still the best policy.

Julie Lomoe
Julie Lomoe's Musings Mysterioso

[Jack Getze]

I am experiencing a strong backlash when it comes to all this BSP. I like the way it's separated here, but on Facebook, for instance, I find myself deleting more and more people. Every day they send me a new announcement, a new appearance, a new blog, a new review -- its always about their book. It's boring, and eight or nine impressions do not make a sale. I'm now running away from these people.

[Jon Loomis]

It's the repetition that's annoying. I'm happy to see a FB announcement of a new book, new baby, new guitar, new spouse, new whatever. But don't keep beating me about the head and shoulders with it--I got it the first time, fer chrissakes.

[Jon Loomis]

I dislike seeing BSP in the forums here, though I try to respond with congratulations to good publishing news posted in the blogs, where it belongs. What's wrong with BSP in the forums? If it was allowed, it would quickly crowd out any/all discussion of other topics.

[Kris Neri]

There are other areas on this site for BSP. I'd prefer not to see it here. The problem is, I guess, that nobody reads those sections. Those of us who are published are all trying to sell books, but we can't force people to want to buy our books. If anything, BSP that's too in-your-face turns people off. There's a guy on Redroom who emails everyone and writes, "Dear Mr./Ms X, Please read my blog if you want to." Guess what? I don't want to. Not only won't I buy his books, I'll never even read his freakin' blog. His messages just annoy me. I'd like people to read my blogs, too, and I think some of mine have been pretty interesting, but I stop well short of begging them.

[I. J. Parker]

Absolutely agree. I can't even do book signings for that reason. We are bombarded by ads on TV, radio, on signboards, in our mailboxes, in our magazines, on our phones until we cannot stand it any longer. Chances are good that in all of that stuff there might be an occasional item of interest I might buy, but I prerecord shows so I can fast-forward through ads, I remove the ads from my newspaper before reading, I drop the junk mail in the trash before returning with the rest of my mail to my house, I will not buy anything advertised on sign boards because they are a blot on the landscape, and I bitterly resent phonecalls from computers.
Yes, publishers want you to promote. It costs them neither time nor money, so they don't care if the results justify the effort and expense. It is, in my opinion, advisable to negotiate contracts not on the basis of the advance, but rather to find out what a publisher will do to promote your book. Unfortunately, agents like to see the money up front.

[Dana King]

I decided some time ago that the arketing support will be an important clause for me, should anyone decide they want to make me an offer. I don't mind doing some (read: a lot) of it, but I'd at least like the publisher to have some empirical evidence as to what works and what doesn't, so I waste as little of my time and money as possible. I also don't think it's outrageous to expect them to have some data the authro can use for marketing, such as who might be the people to contact for an interview, or which blogs are amenable to virtually touring authors. This should be easy for them to track based on feedback from their other authors.

[I. J. Parker]

Quite right. They pay publicists. Those publicists need to do more than organize book tours and send out ARCs. I'm pretty lucky in that my publicist knows how much reviews mean to me, and so far they've been generous about ARCs.

[Christine Duncan]

I think if you promote in the right place (I have to say that, since I have something up on the events page--and don't want to look like a complete idiot.) but honestly where else but here can you go to hear shop talk/gripes about the industry, along with a bit of humor?
I LIKE hearing how everyone else's book is selling, how to get an agent and who is trying something new. So sometimes the BSP is helpful too-even if I do get envious sometimes.

[Josephine Damian]

BSP is a big-turn off, esp. when it's like a broken record. How many times to I need to be reminded someone has a book out?

Either a writer grabs me on the first page or they don't and the posted blurbs and rave reviews (from friends and family and suck-up writers) won't make me want to read a book.

The smart writer sits back and lets others spread the word about their book.

[Toni L.P. Kelner]

Today I got a comment on my profile here at at CrimeSpace that was pure BSP.

I don't believe I've had any contact with the sender in the past so he has no reason to think I'm interested in his work. And I went to his profile and saw that he'd posted on a number of people's profiles.

This is NOT a good marketing approach, in my opinion. Certainly it won't work for me. I will probably never buy the book because I don't like being spammed.

[I. J. Parker]

I think we must remember the desperation of new writers, and perhaps also their innocent belief that what their publisher and agent have told them about getting out there and doing publicity is actually something that will work.

[Toni L.P. Kelner]

I do remember that desperation, and I know it's hard to know where to draw the line. But if we don't discuss this kind of issue publicly, how will he find out that it's offending people? How will other new writers find out?

I don't want to hound this particular author, which is why I don't give his name. I just wanted to make the point.