A Waste of Time? - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T11:58:48Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/a-waste-of-time?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A346183&feed=yes&xn_auth=noGood point, Dana!tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-20:537324:Comment:3465122012-06-20T13:26:58.382ZPatricia Gligorhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/pgligor
<p>Good point, Dana!</p>
<p>Good point, Dana!</p> Let's not get too hasty with…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-20:537324:Comment:3462842012-06-20T13:21:46.383ZDana Kinghttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
<p>Let's not get too hasty with comparing few views with wasted time. I have worked out a number of issue in my head while working on blog posts. Some received more comments than others, but none of them were a waste of time if I learned something.</p>
<p>Let's not get too hasty with comparing few views with wasted time. I have worked out a number of issue in my head while working on blog posts. Some received more comments than others, but none of them were a waste of time if I learned something.</p> Stacy,
How nice of you to tak…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-20:537324:Comment:3463782012-06-20T13:16:28.973ZPatricia Gligorhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/pgligor
<p>Stacy,</p>
<p>How nice of you to take the time to write this comment.</p>
<p>I agree. It's all about finding what works for you. And, it <strong>isn't</strong> about how many comments you get on a post but <strong>it is</strong> about how many people view your post. While I'm happy with the response to my personal blog, the blogs I post on some of the social networks, like Crimespace, aren't getting much attention. It's not that I don't like doing them; I don't want to "waste my time"…</p>
<p>Stacy,</p>
<p>How nice of you to take the time to write this comment.</p>
<p>I agree. It's all about finding what works for you. And, it <strong>isn't</strong> about how many comments you get on a post but <strong>it is</strong> about how many people view your post. While I'm happy with the response to my personal blog, the blogs I post on some of the social networks, like Crimespace, aren't getting much attention. It's not that I don't like doing them; I don't want to "waste my time" posting something no one reads. :)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p> You're welcome, Patricia. The…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-20:537324:Comment:3465082012-06-20T10:59:25.190ZCaroline Trippehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CarolineTrippe
<p>You're welcome, Patricia. The thing that's interesting to me about all of this---and it's true of the visual arts too---is that these days everyone is expected to do self-promotion to a greater or lesser degree. That wasn't always the case---writers had publishers to do that, artists had galleries. Of course you have to "sell" yourself to a publisher or a gallery, unless you have an agent, but before blogs, before Facebook and Twitter, there simply was no way to do this. Even if one…</p>
<p>You're welcome, Patricia. The thing that's interesting to me about all of this---and it's true of the visual arts too---is that these days everyone is expected to do self-promotion to a greater or lesser degree. That wasn't always the case---writers had publishers to do that, artists had galleries. Of course you have to "sell" yourself to a publisher or a gallery, unless you have an agent, but before blogs, before Facebook and Twitter, there simply was no way to do this. Even if one "frowns" on self promotion, it's the nature of the game---the rules seem to have changed, and when there are tools, you may feel obliged to use them, even if you dislike it. ( I'd rather be doing my own work than blogging about it). But you have to do what feels right for you, and see how it goes. </p> Hi Patricia,
If something is…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-20:537324:Comment:3460312012-06-20T03:13:59.795ZStacyhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/StacyDeanne
<p>Hi Patricia,</p>
<p><br></br>If something is a waste of time for you then don't do it. Pick something you enjoy and something you will stick with for the long run. That way it will be more effective for you.</p>
<p><br></br>Also a lack of comments doesn't mean no one's paying attention. What's best is to promote on blogs with a lot of members and viewership. It's not helpful to promote on just any old blog. If the person gets five viewers a week, that probably won't help you. LOL! So one thing to do…</p>
<p>Hi Patricia,</p>
<p><br/>If something is a waste of time for you then don't do it. Pick something you enjoy and something you will stick with for the long run. That way it will be more effective for you.</p>
<p><br/>Also a lack of comments doesn't mean no one's paying attention. What's best is to promote on blogs with a lot of members and viewership. It's not helpful to promote on just any old blog. If the person gets five viewers a week, that probably won't help you. LOL! So one thing to do is pick blogs that will get your material in front of your audience.</p>
<p></p>
<p>But you certainly don't have to do blog posts, etc. It's about finding what works best for you and what you like. Some authors say Facebook is the best for them. Some say Twitter. Some say Google +, some say blogging and guest posts, then of course some use a combination of things. It depends on what you like to do because if you force yourself into doing something you don't like, you won't stick with it.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I know authors who don't do much promotion at all. Some do a few tweets a week about their books and guess what, they're selling pretty good. Some have said they don't do any promotion except writing the next book because that's the best promotion. Then some authors are on every single social network, every blog and every site and say it doesn't pay off.</p>
<p><br/>Bottom line is there is no guarantee. Promotion is for the long haul so take your time and find what you like to do. You don't have to bust out doing everything at once. You're gonna have to promote your books for a long time so you have plenty of time.</p>
<p><br/>Lately I've been on Twitter a lot and a lot of people seem to read blogs on there. I have come in contact with a lot of interesting new blogs that I learned about from the site as well. So if you're not doing this already, when you write a blog at Crimespace, share it with your social networks for people to read like you would your personal blog.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Hope I helped! LOL!<br/><br/>Best Wishes!<br/><br/></p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.stacy-deanne.net" target="_blank">http://www.stacy-deanne.net</a></p> Caroline,
Thanks for your tho…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-18:537324:Comment:3461182012-06-18T13:07:35.936ZPatricia Gligorhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/pgligor
<p>Caroline,</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p>
<p>Caroline,</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p> Exactly how does social netwo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-18:537324:Comment:3462342012-06-18T11:57:00.280ZRia Russouwhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/RiaRussouw
<p>Exactly how does social networking like Facebook work? It seem to me that only people that are "friends" on Facebook will look at one's posts. Who in the whole wide world apart from my very few "firends" will know to look at my post and therefore see my book be promoted. Therefore I think that social networks is a waste of time unless you know millions of people around the world that all crazy about reading.</p>
<p>Exactly how does social networking like Facebook work? It seem to me that only people that are "friends" on Facebook will look at one's posts. Who in the whole wide world apart from my very few "firends" will know to look at my post and therefore see my book be promoted. Therefore I think that social networks is a waste of time unless you know millions of people around the world that all crazy about reading.</p> I'm not sure how this "blog"…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-18:537324:Comment:3462312012-06-18T11:56:51.407ZRia Russouwhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/RiaRussouw
<p>I'm not sure how this "blog" thing workes either. I've tried getting my own blog going but gave up after a while. Much to complicated for my limited PC/Internet knowledge. Maybe I must give it another go.</p>
<p>I'm not sure how this "blog" thing workes either. I've tried getting my own blog going but gave up after a while. Much to complicated for my limited PC/Internet knowledge. Maybe I must give it another go.</p> Well, my two cents about blog…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-16:537324:Comment:3462072012-06-16T15:16:04.483ZCaroline Trippehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CarolineTrippe
<p>Well, my two cents about blogs. It's not an intrinsically bad idea---it's just that now everyone is doing it, and people are getting bored or jaded by the overwhelming chorus of bloggers. It may be fun for the blogger, but most people don't want to spend the time reading them, unless it's something specific to their own interests. </p>
<p> Many blogs suffer from bad writing and many are ego-ridden. I have a website---I'm a painter---but hte majority of artists don't sell from their…</p>
<p>Well, my two cents about blogs. It's not an intrinsically bad idea---it's just that now everyone is doing it, and people are getting bored or jaded by the overwhelming chorus of bloggers. It may be fun for the blogger, but most people don't want to spend the time reading them, unless it's something specific to their own interests. </p>
<p> Many blogs suffer from bad writing and many are ego-ridden. I have a website---I'm a painter---but hte majority of artists don't sell from their websites. It's kind of expected that you have a website, so I finally got one. Perhaps it will bring local people to my studio---but there's no guarantee. I briefly considered having a blog, but decided not to, for the very reason that I don't want to add more redundant observations about art in general. Pretty much anything I've got to say has been said before. I've heard a number of people say they just don't read blogs. </p>
<p> The handful of blogs that do tend to be successful (getting a lot of viewer/readers) are very interactive---asking other artists (or writers, as the case may be) to share work and comments. The self promotion aspect is secondary. </p>
<p></p> I think facebook and twitter…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2012-06-15:537324:Comment:3461832012-06-15T15:49:50.985ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
<p>I think facebook and twitter are probably the best vehicles for doing a bit of low-intensity book promo, although I find twitter exhausting--so much pressure to come up with an endless stream of clever one-liners. Blogs and longer form stuff considerably less so--I don't think anyone actually reads them anymore. My editor wants me to write for Macmillan's crime fiction blog, but it sure looks like dead air over there for the most part. A lot of little blog posts by people I never heard of…</p>
<p>I think facebook and twitter are probably the best vehicles for doing a bit of low-intensity book promo, although I find twitter exhausting--so much pressure to come up with an endless stream of clever one-liners. Blogs and longer form stuff considerably less so--I don't think anyone actually reads them anymore. My editor wants me to write for Macmillan's crime fiction blog, but it sure looks like dead air over there for the most part. A lot of little blog posts by people I never heard of and not much response. And there's also a potential negative return--maybe it's just grouchy old me, but I tend to unsubscribe from facebook "friends" who flog their careers too relentlessly. After awhile it just turns into this boring, annoying, self-congratulatory "look at me" fest without any real content or personal connection going on. Phooey on that, says I.</p>