An Open Message to Authors (was, How Can I Get Your Attention?)

[Edward C. Patterson]

Carolyn:

That comment was made on April 15th before Kindleboards addressed imember issues by creating the Book Bazaar. A subset of the members here were near livid that Indies over advertised their books. However, the moderators have addressed such concerns and your posts are neither over promoted or over advertising. Unless the moderators have chastised you, or you truly believe that your conduct is unacceptable (look to those who have supported you by becoming a new reader), don't you touch that dial. Kindleboards is not an Indie persecutor, and any member can hold any opinion that they want. Moderators shall prevail.

Edward C. Patterson

[Carolyn Kephart]

Carolyn:

That comment was made on April 15th before Kindleboards addressed imember issues by creating the Book Bazaar. A subset of the members here were near livid that Indies over advertised their books. However, the moderators have addressed such concerns and your posts are neither over promoted or over advertising. Unless the moderators have chastised you, or you truly believe that your conduct is unacceptable (look to those who have supported you by becoming a new reader), don't you touch that dial. Kindleboards is not an Indie persecutor, and any member can hold any opinion that they want. Moderators shall prevail.

Edward C. Patterson

I agree that the Book Bazaar is a great thing, Ed. It keeps the peace, and gives the indie-curious just the right place to hunt for treasure...and for all we know, it may lead to dedicated discussion threads about our works, given enough fans.

Since joining these boards, I've noticed that my Amazon blog is getting tons more hits, which seems a good sign.

[Edward C. Patterson]

Since joining Kindleboards, I have attracted over 400 new readers - so the membership has spoken. Things have slowed down in these Book Bazaar days. I get a few new readers a week now, but I remember the days when I would get a new read a month. So, when a few vocal members speak up, as it their right, you must remember that as members we owe it to ourselves to be model citizens, to post on many threads, to respect those threads and not hijack them and remember that half the visitors to this site are "guests" dropping in for a one time peek, or perhaps more. There are the members who fail to set their login to infinite, but a perfect stranger dropping in to the Book Bazaar are doing so for the first time. We also must remember to hit that donation button as all good, and especially the vocal ones should.

Edward C. Patterson
Putting the soap box away

[Ann in Arlington]

Carolyn, you're cool. . . .The only reason I might suggest reducing the size of your signature pictures (or make them text links) is for folks with smaller screens.  They end up with only a few lines viewable when sig sections are too big.  But really, yours are fine.

Ed is correct that this thread started, and many of the comments were made, before the reorganization.  But I think there were a lot of good observations made . . . .

[Betsy the Quilter]

Carolyn--

As a reader and KindleBoards member, I appreciate your willingness to work with us to find the right balance for members and member-authors!

You're doing fine with your approach so far; we welcome you here and congratulate you on reaching 50 posts!!!  Woohoo!

Betsy

[Carolyn Kephart]

Carolyn, you're cool. . . .The only reason I might suggest reducing the size of your signature pictures (or make them text links) is for folks with smaller screens.  They end up with only a few lines viewable when sig sections are too big.  But really, yours are fine.

Ed is correct that this thread started, and many of the comments were made, before the reorganization.  But I think there were a lot of good observations made . . . .

I thank you doubly, Ann, for kind comments and useful advice. My book cover sig pics look a bit pushy, and I'll be shrinking them (or just eliminating them) straightway.

It's threads like this--candid, eloquent and helpful--that make the boards such a pleasure to be part of.

[Carolyn Kephart]

Carolyn--

As a reader and KindleBoards member, I appreciate your willingness to work with us to find the right balance for members and member-authors!

You're doing fine with your approach so far; we welcome you here and congratulate you on reaching 50 posts!!!  Woohoo!

Betsy

Betsy, you've made my day. Thanks!

I hadn't noticed I'd gone from the Cat in the Hat to the Mad Hatter at 50...just now looked, and am thrilled.

Your avatar pic is great, btw.

[sigrosenblum]

I like links to books in sigs. It reminds me that the poster is a writer without doing the hard sell.

I vote against an author board. I run a board with similar software, and new boards tend to take while to take off and zap a little bit of vitality from the boards where those posts used to go.

This surprises me. I used to have a link to my website or a book with my signature. But I felt uncomfortable with this, fearing that I was blowing my own book horn much too much. So I dropped the links, relying completely on my three threads in the Book Bazaar.

Now, I am puzzled--and uncertain. It seems that several members actually want to see the author links! What to do? Help me out, folks!

[intinst]

The book links in the signature line do not bother me, I feel thay are appropriate. I believe the text ones are best, they take up less room. Book link as avatar is also ok by me.

[Tip10]

This surprises me. I used to have a link to my website or a book with my signature. But I felt uncomfortable with this, fearing that I was blowing my own book horn much too much. So I dropped the links, relying completely on my three threads in the Book Bazaar.

Now, I am puzzled--and uncertain. It seems that several members actually want to see the author links! What to do? Help me out, folks!

Personally I like to see the author links in the sig lines -- I personally prefer the text links but so long as the pic link is SMALL and doesn't chew up half the the screen I'm good with it.
I don't necessarily dive into all of the threads on here and its nice to have the links to remind me that you all are out there. 
See, now you've got me interested and I'll have to go hunt out what you have to offer to see if its of interest!!  Not good to have to hunt -- toot that horn -- you worked hard for it!

[Carolyn Kephart]

This surprises me. I used to have a link to my website or a book with my signature. But I felt uncomfortable with this, fearing that I was blowing my own book horn much too much. So I dropped the links, relying completely on my three threads in the Book Bazaar.

Now, I am puzzled--and uncertain. It seems that several members actually want to see the author links! What to do? Help me out, folks!

I don't think members notice the links much if at all, Sig, as long as the author keeps them low-key. Originally I'd included my book covers, but removed them when I was kindly advised that they take up a lot of room (I have my Wysard cover as my avatar anyway). My website traffic has increased, I've noticed, since I included the link to it here.

It's free advertising, and I'm grateful. At any rate, people can opt out of viewing signature files if they so choose by adjusting their Profile settings.

CK

Edited to thank intinst and Tip10 for their comments.

[geoffthomas]

Sig,
I agree with Intinst.  Carolyn and Jeff Helpple and Gertie and Mike and Boyd are all examples of author presences that are in good taste and desirable.  Please include your links (small ones) in your avatar and/or signature.
Personally I like the way Carolyn has hers.  With the graphic in the avatar and the links in the signature as text.  Being lazy, when I see your posts I would like to be able to remember that you are an author and what books you have available and have the links to Amazon right there.  All the time, every time. I don't want to have to look it up.
Told you I was lazy.

Just sayin......

[Edward C. Patterson]

Sig, the signatures as text have been appropriate. I have been guided by the moderators of these boards in all my promotional activities and the proper balance has been regarded as a model.

Edward C. Patterson

[Carolyn Kephart]

Sig,
I agree with Intinst.  Carolyn and Jeff Helpple and Gertie and Mike and Boyd are all examples of author presences that are in good taste and desirable.  Please include your links (small ones) in your avatar and/or signature.
Personally I like the way Carolyn has hers.  With the graphic in the avatar and the links in the signature as text.  Being lazy, when I see your posts I would like to be able to remember that you are an author and what books you have available and have the links to Amazon right there.  All the time, every time. I don't want to have to look it up.
Told you I was lazy.

Just sayin......

Geoff, how kind! Thanks.

CK

[CS]

It's only fitting for Sig to have a sig.   

[Betsy the Quilter]

Our members, as (almost) always, are exactly right.  Sig SHOULD have a sig!

Betsy

[sherylb]

The book links in the signature line do not bother me, I feel they are appropriate. I believe the text ones are best, they take up less room. Book link as avatar is also ok by me.

Ditto.
I really, really like the book links in the sig line. They are discrete and contrary to what Carolyn says I think a lot of people notice them more because they do not scream "hey look at me" anymore. I tended to skip right past most of the graphics and other stuff in the sig line, now I stop to read them. Thank you to all who have changed!!

[Kevis 'The Berserker' Hendrickson]

I've been using a signature to mention my posts since I first became a member of KindleBoards. Originally, I used a small image of my book in my signature. But to me, it's easier on my own eyes to look at text (which is why I got rid of the book image). I imagine the same goes for many readers.

[Greg Banks]

Signatures, as long as they are done properly, have always been the best way to discreetly promote one's work. You can use them in emails too.

[koolmnbv]

Thanks for mentioning this, I have noticed this going on from certain authors on the book board, and it is the BIGGEST deterrent for me, I won't even sample a book from an author that is blatantly spamming.

Great list!

I agree Snapcar!! And I also agree with everything Cs said as well!