Am I the only person who gets weird “Promote-my-book” e-mail spam? I just got one this morning inviting me to “write about (title), a very unique new woman’s fiction book on your blog” and I am at a loss. First, the phrase “very unique new woman’s fiction” gives me an instant ice-pick headache, and secondly, what gives? Do marketing people think this works as an advertisement? This is the second message I’ve received since I started my blog in July. Anyone else?

Hi Ella Ron had something about this a week or so ago. It should be posted at Galleycat.

Steve

I have received this same type of request either by e-mail or by comments left on the weblog.  While I’d like to be magnanimous and help all writers, I’m not a free advertising billboard, nor am I about to push something I haven’t read.  It’s interesting that at Scott Esposito’s Conversational Reading, a recent post called “The Reading Crisis” discusses the problem of what measures an author must take these days to promote his book.  I myself left a comment that short of spam, I understood and was tolerant of most marketing measures.

One of the most annoying comments I received started out with something to the effect of “I see you’re into Creative Writing too--come visit my blog, blah, blah.” The writer had spent all of 90 seconds on my blog, just long enough for him to pin his tail on my donkey.  I saw absolutely no fellowship or camaraderie forthcoming, so gave none in return.

I’m one of these spammers, I suppose, having sent emails to bloggers who might be interested in my new short story blog. How else can I bring it to any one’s attention?

Lee

It’s hard to start up and draw readers, but I found that one of the best ways is to find a couple blogs you like, then start checking out their blogrolls, and add their link to yours if it’s something you’re interested in.  Comment, definitely, at the places you visit; but only if you have something to add or want to show appreciation.  There’s no need to ever mention your own blog, as it will show up under your comment anyway, and believe me, people do check out who’s been commenting and will visit your own blog.  On that side of it, keep your weblog updated as often as possible, especially when folks are first starting to come around.  If they like it, they’ll either link you on theirs, or at the very least (since this has been a God-send for reading, but has cut a serious dent in actual on-site readers), set up with Bloglines or some rss feed and list them there.  Frankly, I never visit through my site blogroll, just via Bloglines.  It takes time, have patience.  More than readership will develop; it’ a new form of friendship and camaraderie among like-minded folk.

Lee,

I think that it’s harder now to send out emails than it was even a year ago. When I started my blog focusing just on books, I sent an email to two sites that I liked and seemed to have a lot of traffic. Then, it was definitely what Susan said in her post above.

It will probably only get more challenging as the field grows and I know that I try to look at everyone’s emails, but they often get lost, particularly if they are not personal and related to something on my site. I get (particularly now with metaxucafe) easily over 100 emails a day, so there’s always a chance things get lost in the shuffle - all the more reason to do what Susan said.

Then too, you can make some great posts here at MetaxuCafe and I think that should send people to your site. The most common comment I’ve gotten is that people are finding new sites through this one.

The problem is that my blog contains my own short stories, rather than a discussion of published writing. Short of posting an excerpt, I can’t very well pat myself on the back, can I?

I’m very interested in new non-commercial publishing models, in part to restore control of the text to the authors themselves.

This may go a small way toward helping. I just created a “fiction” category for member’s sites here. Not sure it that’s descriptive enough (I’m open to ideas), but at least those that write fiction instead of commentary, can be put in their own category and be more easily found.

I put your site as the first in that category, Lee, so let me know if for any reason you’d prefer to have it back to general literature.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with sending a quick e-mail to a fellow blogger alerting her/him to a post you’ve written that they might find interesting. I’ve gotten quite a few major bloggers to notice me that way. The keys, it seems, are this:

1. Don’t ask for a “link exchange.” Why would a blog with 10,000 visitors a day care about a link from your brand-new blog that’s only been read by your friends and relatives?

2. Use a well-thought, interesting subject line. Not “hi,” and not “joe smith’s new blog.”

3. Don’t spam. Send personal notes to one or two bloggers that you know write about your topic.

4. Don’t ask for anything. Just let the blogger know that you’ve written something that they might be interested in. Of course, if they’re a blogger, and they really find it interesting, they’ll probably blog about it.

5. You might consider including a quick summary or a key sentence or two from your post in addition to the link, just so they’ll have some reason to click through. Don’t copy the entire post into your message, though.

I think the previous is good advice.  On my blog, an acquaintance posted a small comment to one of my posts with a link to one of his own he thought might interest me.  He had enough detail to pique, not enough to fatigue, and I blogged on it today.  I think finding other (preferably busier) blogs that have real overlap with what you’re offering is the key.  If it’s up their alley, chances are they’re looking for content and ideas.  Sometimes, I send blurbs into space and never hear back.  Sometimes, I get a link.  Gaining a reputation as a worthwhile contributor, even if not every suggestion’s used, will make it more likely you’ll see regularly linked traffic to your blog and that the owners of the bigger blog will become your readers, too.

The best way I’ve found to get noticed is to become part of the conversation by commenting on other weblogs, about your area of interest, and include your weblog URL.  I check out all the weblogs on comments sent to me and add them into the link section if they seem appropriate.  And by appropriate I mean even vaguely close.  I doubt I’d be interested in someone emailing me with a “Look at me! Look at me!” approach.

Looking back, I guess I wasn’t really clear about what makes an email spam. If I get an email that addresses me by name, (extra points for correct spelling) and says something personal enough to let me know that this is not a huge mass-mailing (ie: I think you would be interested in my blog/book/site because ...) than I would certainly check it out. I know it’s hard to promote your stuff, and of course I am always interested in hearing about new projects. BUT an email that begins “Dear Blogger, I am writing to let you know about an exciting new book -” goes right in the trash. Why? Because if you don’t know enough about me to address me by name then I assume that this email is junk. And if, in the body of the email, the author makes such glaring grammatical errors as “very unique” and ‘woman’s fiction” then I’m also going to assume that not only is this email junk, but the marketing company is junk and the book is junk, junk, junk.

That particular email just made me want to strangle the computer.

I second Ella. Bothering to put my name in the email is a big plus.