Poll

I'm an author, and I've voted no. I just don't think it is appropriate. If my books are worthy of becoming group reads, then someone who has read them should nominate them with no encouragement from me.

If I nominate my book and identify myself as the author, it comes across as nothing but self-promo; and if I don't identify myself as the author, then I am being dishonest with the group. Either way, I'm not comfortable with it.

So far (early in the polling) the group seems to be leaning toward "don't mind either way" but I wouldn't consider doing it, even if allowed.

Thanks for your perspective John! This poll was inspired by a reaction by members to an author nominating his own book in the August nomination thread, followed by a separate thread on the topic.

I've come to think that it's probably not in the best interest of an author to nominate his own work. The positive impact of increased exposure is probably outweighed by the negative reaction of many readers to the self-promotion. Like I said in the new thread Everything you need to know, authors are allowed to nominate their own work in this group, but I strongly advise against it.

The last thing in the world I want is for a writer to struggle, it's a craft I don't merely respect, but revere. You'll never convince me there are enough writers in the world nor equally that there are enough avid readers and sadly I think the game is rigged such that unless you can appeal to millions of readers (who demand nothing more substantial in writing than that which wouldn't be missed if the book were mistaken for toilet tissue) and therefore it's mainly only a few at the top who can be fully or richly supported.

That said, I do not come here to have someone market or sell to me, I come here to find out on my own what is good and what others are reading (it's the best thing about the internet - when I am researching something, it is I who chooses, and it is I who is in control - it is not that way when someone is trying to sell to me). Everywhere I turn in life is yet someone else hocking their wares bombarding me with ads, suggestions, promotions, testimonials all saying the same thing, "buy this," and I don't want my beloved and adored books to become part of that ilk. Let's face it, the person with the least bias (perhaps other than the writer's mother, wonderful woman she is) is the writer him/herself, and any book suggestion that isn't unbiased isn't something about which I come here to be informed.

If the book is good, I'll find out about it. If I don't and it's still good and I miss reading something great, well then the way to solve this (horrible) societal problem isn't by having authors self-promote here. This space to me is sacred and I cringe every time I see promotion of any kind (self or otherwise). We can't control the commercial ads on this site, but we can control the others, and nominations are a form of self-promotion, which is merely a euphemism for advertising.

What Todd said...

... with the additional note that in this group (unlike many others on Goodreads), we do have a separate place where authors can self-promote (and readers can choose to go or not go, as the spirit moves them).