tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post6122220586399186841..comments2024-03-27T05:29:26.481-07:00Comments on Shrinking Violet Promotions: How Writing Careers Are Like SnowflakesR.L. LaFevershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14646274781361864901noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-75808255216325792422011-02-10T14:27:16.111-08:002011-02-10T14:27:16.111-08:00I just discovered this site and a wonderful site i...I just discovered this site and a wonderful site it is! Thank you for the great analogy and encouraging words.Loretta Ellsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00092127488442980227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-20734848257651781912011-02-07T14:16:35.674-08:002011-02-07T14:16:35.674-08:00This is a good reminder, thank you. It does seem, ...This is a good reminder, thank you. It does seem, some days, as if all the successes had been taken.Yat-Yeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04028075516122778317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-91617076371070922872011-02-02T10:33:00.490-08:002011-02-02T10:33:00.490-08:00Fabulous, wonderful, right-on post as always, Robi...Fabulous, wonderful, right-on post as always, Robin. <br /><br />Since I couldn't keep up with blogging, website, Facebook and Twitter, I dropped the Twitter because my MG readers are not on there. They're not really on FB either, but my family and friends and online writer buddies are, although I'm scarce there sometimes, too. ;-)<br /><br />Like you, I may change my mind when my YA comes out next year, too, but I've found that connecting with parents and teachers and kid-librarians has produced more results and sales and speaking engagements than anything online. <br /><br />I also decided a long time ago that starred reviews and awards and lists are the way to get name recognition and higher sales, but it's something WE CAN'T CONTROL AT ALL. It's all fairy dust. But it has been satisfying in the 7 months since book release that even though my professional reviews were mixed, the blogger world and on Goodreads the reviews have been downright stunningly wonderful. And I'm in the Book Fairs now - SO EXCITED about that so there's still hope my publisher won't drop me! LOL! But once again, that's a venue that isn't online. <br /><br />I love the snowflake analogy! Great comments, everyone, too. I love reading them.Kimberley Griffiths Littlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03269829969442171522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-11118485164743818592011-02-01T06:51:26.840-08:002011-02-01T06:51:26.840-08:00P.S. I guess I should acknowledge that I've n...P.S. I guess I should acknowledge that I've never done Twitter and can't imagine why I would ever want to! So I clearly wasn't going to go the whole extrovert on-line presence in any case! lolAnne E.G. Nydamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02406524149458743460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-46906268630114547772011-02-01T06:48:55.418-08:002011-02-01T06:48:55.418-08:00I find this post a little bittersweet. On the one...I find this post a little bittersweet. On the one hand, it's a good reminder that there are multiple routes to success and I may find one that works for me and my books and my readers. On the other hand, online presence is one of the few things I, a self-published author, can actually do for myself. If that doesn't work... Sigh.Anne E.G. Nydamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02406524149458743460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-87774502898296738452011-01-31T22:52:12.935-08:002011-01-31T22:52:12.935-08:00So glad the post resonated with so many of you! An...So glad the post resonated with so many of you! And welcome to all you new visitors. Lovely to have you!<br /><br />Thank you, Kelly, for both the compliment and the clarification. (Because special really can go either way. ) And I absolutely agree that having OTHERS raving about books enthusiastically is a huge source of book recommendations! <br /><br />(And once again I find myself wishing blogger had a individual comment reply button. It would make life SO much easier!)<br /><br />And Jen, thanks for the ear worm. I've had "I gotta be me" stuck in my head all evening! Ack.R.L. LaFevershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14646274781361864901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-87918568331820521702011-01-31T19:43:11.636-08:002011-01-31T19:43:11.636-08:00Thanks for the perspective! It's easy to lose ...Thanks for the perspective! It's easy to lose sight of the facts when it seems everyone else is doing better than you are. Success is a tricky thing to understand, and you really did a great job of explaining some of the finer points of that realm when it comes to the publishing world. Thanks again!Constant Writerhttp://stillinsists.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-77592321237779468872011-01-31T15:44:21.048-08:002011-01-31T15:44:21.048-08:00*sings* "I gotta be me ..."*sings* "I gotta be me ..."Jennifer R. Hubbardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03408588432492354248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-43880741151717625162011-01-31T13:30:08.787-08:002011-01-31T13:30:08.787-08:00What a great post! I think for MG books, an online...What a great post! I think for MG books, an online presence reaches a few of the gatekeepers, but not the kids. Social media can be fun and help us connect with great people, but it seems to me that old fashioned marketing and hand-selling (from friends or booksellers) does the most to promote any book.Sherrie Petersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11670339498152684137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-79026966540013194912011-01-31T12:07:35.429-08:002011-01-31T12:07:35.429-08:00Yay for snowflakes!!!
Very well said, and I agree...Yay for snowflakes!!!<br /><br />Very well said, and I agree.<br /><br />I also agree wholeheartedly with what my wise friend Kelly says.Lisa Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10677227681455190084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-64362944639325574182011-01-31T11:42:46.926-08:002011-01-31T11:42:46.926-08:00Thank you for confirming what I have always believ...Thank you for confirming what I have always believed -- that I am a unique and beautiful flower (or snowflake).<br /><br />;)<br /><br />While I do blog regularly, I don't have a twitter account (gasp!) and my facebook page is mostly for personal stuff, not marketing my writing. While I often feel pressure to get with the times, twitter-wise, it's nice to see a reminder like this that there are indeed many paths.Laura Maylenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18058744860709615256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-7116497163078939942011-01-31T11:15:44.483-08:002011-01-31T11:15:44.483-08:00Chiming in with thanks. This whole post fell into ...Chiming in with thanks. This whole post fell into the I-think-I-knew-that-but-somehow-I-still-really-needed-to-hear-it school of learning.<br /><br />I especially liked reading that your books found some good news beyond the one-year-out mark. <br /><br />Thanks again--Audreyhttp://www.audreyvernick.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-82001201604896112252011-01-31T10:50:54.654-08:002011-01-31T10:50:54.654-08:00You, Robin, are a very special snowflake. (I mean ...You, Robin, are a very special snowflake. (I mean that as a compliment, incidentally.) Thanks for this thoughtful post. I know for a fact that I <i>have</i> plunked down good money for books I've read about on blogs and on Twitter. I'm more likely to do so for a book that someone who is NOT the author is recommending/pimping/cheering about, however. So it's other people's blogs that influence me most, not the author's.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-55316611668289083422011-01-31T10:13:41.163-08:002011-01-31T10:13:41.163-08:00Thank you for these thoughtful words amid the roil...Thank you for these thoughtful words amid the roil of internet self-promo advice. It really is a challenge figuring out how to fit promotion into one's own life, and tempting to try to second-guess the market. As the ever-quotable Mr. Gumby would say, "My brain hurts!" I am delighted to have found this site. What a resource!Carin Bramsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17424947236260787143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-76794429483961897772011-01-31T09:45:34.899-08:002011-01-31T09:45:34.899-08:00A very useful, insightful and relevant post, as pe...A very useful, insightful and relevant post, as per usual. Thanks Robin!Mike Junghttp://captainstupendous.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-3189571340729352792011-01-31T08:25:07.843-08:002011-01-31T08:25:07.843-08:00I needed to hear...erm, read...this today. thanks,...I needed to hear...erm, read...this today. thanks, I think you are right.Tesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-63867224411271951372011-01-31T08:15:00.510-08:002011-01-31T08:15:00.510-08:00That makes me feel a little better about my terror...That makes me feel a little better about my terror of socializing in any way, shape, or form. :) Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-1708583986057470392011-01-31T07:12:59.858-08:002011-01-31T07:12:59.858-08:00Robin,
Thank you for this. It is so reassuring t...Robin,<br /><br />Thank you for this. It is so reassuring to hear someone else voice the thoughts that have been buzzing round my head lately. Just because someone says something worked for them doesn't necessarily mean it will work for me!liz michalskihttp://lizmichalski.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-10476840687613066832011-01-31T06:55:43.837-08:002011-01-31T06:55:43.837-08:00Great post! It's interesting to see how publis...Great post! It's interesting to see how publishing companies go about advertising their books.Heather Hellmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09181976810034907941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-27805957665680429282011-01-31T06:07:31.678-08:002011-01-31T06:07:31.678-08:00This is wonderfully timely, thank you! I've b...This is wonderfully timely, thank you! I've been doing some thinking this morning about what I want to do with my writing life now, and massive amounts of social media is not part of it.<br /><br />I quite enjoy Twitter, but blogging really not so much, so I think I will take a leaf out of your book and post once weekly, hang out with friends and chat on Twitter, and claw back the rest of the time for writing and/or life.<br /><br />Thank you again!Alex Beecrofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08846917051472819570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-89631985154788330242011-01-31T06:03:50.874-08:002011-01-31T06:03:50.874-08:00What a thoughtful post, we're all like snowfla...What a thoughtful post, we're all like snowflakes. Thanks for the informative information about media marketing.Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12399082789777816445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-42782718901901894152011-01-31T04:41:48.392-08:002011-01-31T04:41:48.392-08:00Robin, thank you for this reminder post. I think i...Robin, thank you for this reminder post. I think it's important as authors to figure out what we're after. Not every snowflake's number one measure of success is book sales. Of course that is ONE measure. But far more important to me is CONNECTING with those readers who do plunk down the money. I don't need to be famous on twitter or in any other way. But those people with whom I'm having this conversation through my book? I want to be available to them. I want to make it easy for them to keep in touch with me. The snowflake analogy is so apt because it's really up to us as individuals to create the picture of a career that we most desire. So much is beyond our control. But so much is also within our control. Here's to everyone making the best choices for themselves regarding degree of online involvement!Irene Lathamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04905936104127707762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2411759600837193508.post-85027569944359484642011-01-31T04:35:25.529-08:002011-01-31T04:35:25.529-08:00Thanks so much for this wonderful post, Robin!Thanks so much for this wonderful post, Robin!jamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07859083373087448194noreply@blogger.com