Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion
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Eric Muss-Barnes
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Do fellow authors freak you out?
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Jordan wrote: "Fletcher wrote: "The unbridled self-promotion of indie authors"That freaks me out just a bit, honestly. It's a necessary evil for indies and small press authors since they just don't get the ex..."
most big house authors these days have to market themselves the same as we do. It's only the Stephen Kings & JK Rowlings who get any kind of marketing budget push
Vanessa wrote: "I just think it is annoying when you are discussing a book in a thread and some jacka$$ pops up and says something like, " In my book SOME WORN OUT PLOT,..." and then tries to tie it into the conve..."I think I need to write that book... "Some Worn Out Plot." About a graveyard where they have run out of space and have to keep planting people in the same hole...
Vanessa wrote: "I just think it is annoying when you are discussing a book in a thread and some jacka$$ pops up and says something like, " In my book SOME WORN OUT PLOT,..." and then tries to tie it into the conve..."Vanessa, I totally agree, in fact in my much anticipated first novel I write about that exact thing...LOL!!!
Jordan wrote: "Vanessa wrote: "I just think it is annoying when you are discussing a book in a thread and some jacka$$ pops up and says something like, " In my book SOME WORN OUT PLOT,..." and then tries to tie i..." I think I need to write that book... "Some Worn Out Plot." About a graveyard where they have run out of space and have to keep planting people in the same hole...
Your research is already done. Just Google "reuse graves."
Raymond wrote: "John that was you??!! I ran that guy over while I was tweeting my latest book blast. Took hours to clean the blood off my Benz."I was going to reply to John Rachel's post, but for some reason it's now missing...
I wanted to tell him that someday, all his writings will be considered sheer genius. A man before his time. People will be paying big money to read the things we're getting for free here on the GR threads.
And we'll probably find out that every story he's told was absolutely true...
If you want to meet fellow authors, and you are in the genres, you are in luck. There are groups: the Romance Writers of America, the Science-Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers of America, the Mystery Writers of America. Join up and attend meetings and conventions -- it's great fun.SF particularly has a lively convention culture -- there is a convention every weekend in the year including Thanksgiving and Xmas. Since the field is relatively small you can easily meet everyone in the field in your region.
RWA is famously friendly to new writers -- they have workshops and everything.
I have spent many years using internet forums on various topics. Skateboarding. Photography. Motorcycling.As a result, I am accustomed to being in online communities where an endless array of threads go on for pages and pages.
When I discovered Goodreads and saw the "groups" feature, I was really disappointed that Goodreads forums are barely used. People post topics that get one or two replies. Never do you see a group with 500 topics that each have 30 replies and more, like there are on all the other forums I've used. I thought on a website with 14 million members and designed to discuss writing, that was an odd thing. I figured Goodreads members would be flinging a lot more opinions around.
Thus, I'm just popping back in to say "Thanks!" to everyone for actually speaking up and participating in this thread. You have restored my faith in the fact that people like to blather, so long as you start a topic they want to blather about.
Nope, fellow authors really don't freak me out. (But then, I'm exceedingly odd, in that I'm sort of... well, I call it an "outgoing introvert.") I definitely need my alone time, and I'm very shy, but I really love being around people (particularly people I know and love) and I'm willing to push myself outside of my comfort zone in an attempt to make new friends.Most of my best friends are fellow authors of some sort. Yes, we're a reclusive, introverted, shy bunch... but when we all get together we can be downright sociable!
I've also met a few very nice authors here on goodreads and through various blogging challenges, and the experience has been thoroughly pleasant. (I'm referring to authors I've met and had actual conversations with, not the ones who just post "buy my book... it will change your life" - I don't really count that as "meeting.")
Should authors communicate with members who mark that author's book to-read? So for example, person x marks a book to read, the author wants to give the reader a free copy - is it inappropriate to send an message saying, "I'd like to give you a free copy of my novel."
Raymond wrote: "Should authors communicate with members who mark that author's book to-read? So for example, person x marks a book to read, the author wants to give the reader a free copy - is it inappropriate to send an message saying, 'I'd like to give you a free copy of my novel.'"I've done giveaways and informed people listing that book as a to-read, "Hey, I'm running a giveaway right now in case you're still interested." I've gotten nothing but "thank you" replies.
That's not to say all readers would be appreciative of such a gesture, but apparently the kind of people who are interested in my books are grateful when I do that.
Raymond wrote: "Should authors communicate with members who mark that author's book to-read? So for example, person x marks a book to read, the author wants to give the reader a free copy - is it inappropriate to ..."I don't know. My go-to rule is to never contact anyone about anything regarding my books. Maybe that's not a good rule, but it at least keeps people from yelling at me. (We shy, introverted, socially awkward types tend to go find caves or holes to cry in when people yell at us). (And then we get to work on a book in which the person who yelled at us is turned into a villain who ends up dying some terrible death).
Maybe we need a folder for readers titled "books I'd like to get for free" lol - at least authors who don't engage in drive by book plugging could feel confident in the potential readers wish list.
That freaks me out just a bit, honestly. It's a necessary evil for indies and small press authors since they just don't get the exposure of the big house authors.