1984 Discussion

[Patrick_Skelton]

1984 remains one of my favorite novels.  This is one of the few classics, IMO, that really deserves to be called a classic. I read it again last week and it still holds up.

Thoughts?

The Device

  

[Doug_Pardee Distinguished Bibliophile]

My thoughts: this has nothing to do with NOOKbooks, which is the topic of this forum. This discussion belongs in the Fantasy & Science Fiction discussion group: http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Fantasy-Science-Fiction/bd-p/fsf

I'm also beginning to wonder if you really want to discuss these things, or if they're simply excuses that you're using to pander your e-book, an advertisement for which completely dominates every posting that you make. There's an official thread for announcing e-books: http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/NOOKbook-Discussion/Are-you-the-author-of-an-eBook-Tell-us-ab... and other authors have done a pretty good job of creating a single new thread which introduces their e-book and provides a place to discuss that e-book.

E-book marketing is a delicate thing. You want to get your e-book noticed, but you don't want to tick off potential readers by continually jamming it in their faces everywhere they turn. For me, you've crossed over into the latter.

[Tubby]

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Doug_Pardee wrote:

E-book marketing is a delicate thing. You want to get your e-book noticed, but you don't want to tick off potential readers by continually jamming it in their faces everywhere they turn. For me, you've crossed over into the latter.

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Yeah.. what he said!!

[RHWright]

Thanks, Doug, for eloquently pointing out my problem with this poster. I thought maybe it was just me. I made a similar, if less diplomatic, point in another post they made over in the Sci-Fi discussion.

I'm about this close to starting to click "Report Abuse to a Moderator" every time I see them do it.

Hopefully they will take this hint and rethink their strategy. I'm all for self-promotion by authors, but this goes beyond the pale of even shameless self-promotion.

[Doug_Pardee Distinguished Bibliophile]

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RHWright wrote:

Thanks, Doug, for eloquently pointing out my problem with this poster.

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Ya know, it's hard. Those who've followed these forums know that I rarely take anyone on person-to-person. Add to that, I'm an aspiring author myself and I'm seriously looking at self-e-publishing (if I ever get anything written), so I fully understand the importance of marketing one's work. I really do empathize with the e-book authors who want to get noticed so they can make some sales.

It's just a matter of degree. Most of the authors have set up a single thread for their e-books. I suspect that some of them regularly post on their thread just to "bump" it back onto the front page, which is fine with me.

[Digression follows...]

Well, it's fine so far. As we get more and more e-books being promoted here, the front page is going to fill up with e-book promotion threads, and shortly after that we'll probably start seeing bumping matches. I don't have any suggestions for what to do when we reach that point. None. Maybe I'll just stick my head under the covers.

I don't think there's any more appropriate place to promote a NOOKbook than right here on the NOOKbook discussion forum. This is the place. But how on earth will things work when we have 500 self-e-pubbed NOOKbooks being promoted here?

[ABthree]

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RHWright wrote:

I'm about this close to starting to click "Report Abuse to a Moderator" every time I see them do it.

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I lack your patience -- I did it yesterday. 

[GeneHunter]

I think what bothered me, was always seeing the book cover and amount of space taken for the author's promotion. If he had just done a one line signature with: Read my newest novel, "insert title"  with a link, I wouldn't be so negative with the self promotion.

[Ya_Ya]

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GeneHunter wrote:

I think what bothered me, was always seeing the book cover and amount of space taken for the author's promotion. If he had just done a one line signature with: Read my newest novel, "insert title"  with a link, I wouldn't be so negative with the self promotion.

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I think this is completely appropriate - and I even hope that all of our authors have links to one or more of their books in their signatures.  But the space taken up in the gratuitous advertisement posts and the multitude of said posts (I won't call them deceptive because only the dimmest of the dim wouldn't see through them) is annoying.

Certainly, every author is free to self-promote however s/he wishes.  But alienating potential customers isn't a good tactic and he has clearly alienated some.

[ABthree]

Should we all be labeling our posts "OT", even though the purported topic of the thread was bogus from the get-go? 

[Tweedledee]

He crossed over the line ages ago, sorry to say, and the message was not received on the last go round.

There is another thread referencing this same issue, same person, same supercilious method of pandering and advertising.

Somehow, or another given that it was already pointed out in a rather cryptic fashion last weekend....very bluntly I might add, that his books may lack some real insight and will fail to hold my interest due to the "dumb" factor.  JMHO 

[Sardonicus]

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Doug_Pardee wrote:

My thoughts: this has nothing to do with NOOKbooks, which is the topic of this forum. This discussion belongs in the Fantasy & Science Fiction discussion group . . . 

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Hey, Doug.  I'm sure you're right and would never dispute it. 

I just wonder:  Where does the 'Sports Bar' thread about baseball belong?  I think I musta missed you speaking out about that ( I didn't make it to the board that day).

[Other "OT" threads show up on these boards - that one just happens to be visible right now.]

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Then, Doug_Pardee wrote:

I'm also beginning to wonder if you really want to discuss these things, or if they're simply excuses that you're using to pander your e-book,

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Well, yeah.  It couldn't be more obvious.  And yeah - he's taken it a bit far for my tastes, but I guess my shoulders shrug a bit more easily than others'.

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In another post, Doug_Pardee wrote:

I don't think there's any more appropriate place to promote a NOOKbook than right here on the NOOKbook discussion forum. This is the place. . .

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Yeah.  That's exactly what I thought!

Ah, well.

[Sardonicus]

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Tweedledee wrote:

. . . his books may lack some real insight and will fail to hold my interest due to the "dumb" factor. 

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I also read "The Device" and though he isn't yet close to being the next Heinlein or Aminov, I can't help but be somewhat supportive of anyone with the guts to try. 

I wish I had the talent and the courage!  Can't be easy, I'm thinkin'.

[Desert_Brat]

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Doug_Pardee wrote:

My thoughts: this has nothing to do with NOOKbooks, which is the topic of this forum. This discussion belongs in the Fantasy & Science Fiction discussion group ...

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Well, Doug, that's already happened. And this author has been taken to task for spamming the genre blogs as well. So you are not alone in voicing your dislike of his methods. Others have posted their dislike in that his sig line says the book is 99 cents, but the cover link and store price is $2.99.

Personally, I like books that are "offered" to me. Those with a "here's my book, here's a brief description" message, with a well-written description that can also give me an idea of that author's command of the written word.

But lately, quite of few of the announcements seem to be really over the top. A hyped-up pagelong description, followed by 14 paragraphs of kudos and endorsements that are literally in-your-face.

 I also don't like the "read it here on my website" promos. The Free Sample button is supposed to allow for reading enough of a book to decide whether or not it is worth purchasing. Unless, of course, the free sample is loaded with 20 pages of dedications and endorsements that leaves only enough room for one page of actual text. (Yes, I've seen a few of those, too.)

Recently I sent a message to one of the admins to make a suggestion since the First Look project is now abandoned. Perhaps they could set up a separate forum to include the PubIt forum and other like threads, as well as have a place for authors to announce their new books. One place where people could go to see what's new on the menu, so to speak. It could be a forum that entails all aspects of writing, publishing, self-publishing, and advertisement. The books could still come under discussion in the various other forums, but all of the advertising would be done in one place.

[Theriot_Publis…]

I also dislike spammage.  What goes around comes around.  Just desserts and all.

[Patrick_Skelton]

Does anyone here actually WANT to dicuss the novel, 1984?  That was the topic of discussion and I am interested in discussing it. Who cares if I put my product link in the post?  I have no control over as to how large the picture is.  If you don't  like my product links with my postings, then I suggest you get over it and move to a different discussion. It's a free country and I am abiding the forum regulations (not directly advertising, but starting conversations)

[Jenniisme]

While the OP is annoying as all get out there was no call for the craptastic reviews.

Did his posts annoy me? Yeah a bit, I didn't feel the need to call him on it or post a negative review about his book. That's simply childish.

OP, pulling your nookbook from the forum was a bit childish and basically stupid, but it's your book. So *shrugs*

[Ryan_L]

Well I think everyone else has quite eloquently put a verbal beat down on the off topic promotion of the book so I won't even get into that. However one thing I will note is I think it's an interesting dynamic that there is a consistent opinion and traffic of posters/readers here and on other blogs. Such a nifty community we have "here".

[Patrick_Skelton]

Guys...I'm sorry for the ads. But your terrible reviews were unfair.  You didn't even read the book.  I am done with the advertising. Please do not tamper with my product page.

Regards,

Patrick

[Theriot_Publis…]

do the crime, do the time.

You earned it.  While your posts on the forums are fleeting, those reviews are forever.  Enjoy!

PS:  Have a nice day!  And don't tamper with the forums.  You get ONE thread to advert your book.  Two if it specifically is formatted to different genres.  You do not get to spam and while the mods don't take action, the forumners do. 

If you don't like the reviews, delete your book and republish it.  Don't spam and don't abuse these forums.  1984 might have been a great discussion, and your advert at the end would have been valid if you actually presented any thoughts other than "great book.. discuss!".

Now you feel a bit of what the forumners are feeling.  And I'm sorry to say, you deserve every bit.

I suppose you learned a valuable lesson here.  But to resort to spam in the forums is something many do not forgive.  Now you reap the consequences and cry 'foul'.  Sorry, but you did the damage and as you reap, so shall you sew (a nice afghan please ).