This is my pet peeve - The
Writer's Tip Agenda.
Authors/agents/editors who pontificate about the hows and whys
and do's and don'ts of writing but really have an ulterior motive to their blog
post. You all know what I mean. You are reading how to add tension to your
story and the author/agent/editor then writes – In my latest this is how I did
it. The reader then gets to read a gripping excerpt from said author's latest
book.
Don't get
me wrong, I get the concept of promo. But which is the person actually doing? Trying
to instruct me in how to add humour to my story or get me to buy her book?
Tell me up
front you are trying to sell your book and then show me the interesting ways
you worked deep POV into it and I might just read your blog post.
To any
author/agent/editor reading this – if you've done it – I've not read your post.
I check the post before I even bother starting. If there is an excerpt, I move
on. Examples are a different thing and it is often easy to tell which is which.
Before I
get blasted for being such a heretic – why does this irritate me so much? I'm a
teacher. And true teachers educate. They don't try and sell anything. They
deliver the knowledge they wish to impart with the sole enigmatic motive of
enriching the students in their class.
But I find
author/agent/editor posts are like time-share deals. The banner reads - A free
stay at a 5-star hotel – the fine print says - but first you need to sit through our hour-long pitch.
I'm not
going to put forth any examples, but the next time you are reading someone's
writing tip, check the example – does it come from her/his latest – or – soon
to be released – or backlist collection?
And to take this one step further - writing books that do the same excerpt thing over and over - I delete them off my Kindle.
So what's your pet peeve. It doesn't have to be about writing or my blog - vent a little.
And here's a picture of my pet - he's called Peeves.
Dear Victoria,
ReplyDeleteWhew! It would be hard for any guest blogger NOT to promote his/her book, since part of the reward of being the guest is to have one's buy link (at least) listed.
I will say, though, that I feel a kinship with your aversion to cloying self-promotion. On an upcoming blog on SavvyAuthors, I write a piece about how to use the ideas of musical composition when writing. As my example, I use a short story I wrote. But I deliberately chose a piece of writing that is NOT published. I did not want to seem to be self-serving and yet I felt I had to use my own writing as an example--to show that I can walk the walk. Does that make sense?
Your piece is good, and I enjoyed it. Your peeve reminds me of a local car dealership here in Austin TX where the commercial is supposedly for "save our impounded animals" but we end up on the car lot of Kia Motors. Yeah, sure, I'll buy your car because you love animals. NOT!
:) Thanks for an enjoyable read. Erin O'Quinn
Using something you haven't published is great. I did 3 blogs on Steps to Intimacy - and used nothing from my book. I made up the examples. I didn't try and push on anybody - I talked about the topic.
DeleteLol on the local car dealership
PS...I just realized that simply by replying to your blog, my google name is listed so that people can click on my name and get a bunch of promo about me...And yet I came here to chat with you, not to promote myself. You can't win, Vic. The name of the game these days is promo. :-P
ReplyDeleteAlso, I subscribed to your post. Again, you promote yourself simply by being here. Ha!
Vicious cycle isn't it? Simply by my posting on my blog I'm promoting myself. Implication - come read my blog and while you're here - buy my book.
Deleteoh well.
But that is not sneaky so it is fine. You'd be silly not to promote that way.
DeleteGood post! One of my pet peeves is when someone asks for advice - and I don't expect anyone to follow my advice - and then they never even acknowledge you gave them advice - it's like what you said was so unimportant (because after all they are the important one) that they don't have to acknowledge you. I hate how rude everyone is becoming and it's just so annoying to deal with it on an ongoing and daily basis:) Thanks for the chance to vent...lol
ReplyDeleteI so understand what you mean.
DeleteI may not always use someone's advice but I will consider it. I will always always always let them know I appreciate their input.
DeleteI've been feeling like action to favors, such as asking for advice, is a favorable expected response. Almost a demand. Some people politely demand their inquiry, then expect the appropriate timely response. What happened to manners? Somewhere along the line, parents neglected to teach them.
DeleteMiss Manners needs to step up and start spreading the word.
DeleteI hear ya, Victoria! Thank goodness we're part of a community that loves to help its members, but you're right. Help should be for help's sake, not promo.
ReplyDeleteExactly
DeleteMy biggest pet peeve is lack of research. It doesn't matter if it is in a contemp or historical. It drives me nuts.
ReplyDeleteYes, they have the wrong clothes on the wrong time frame - or are using something that hasn't be invented yet. Can't trust the story if major facts are wrong.
DeleteLOVE THIS POST!
ReplyDeleteWhere to start. T
he #1 thing that bugs me is some of the advice I see floating around on how to get your book published. Then repeatedly I see books that SHOULDN'T have been published(according to what this "advice" likes to tell us) become #1 best sellers!
#2: The amount of blogs around--But sadly, we need to get noticed.
I could go on and on, but I won't.
Sooooo true - don't write this way - don't do that - oh by the way - 50 Shades of Gray made a million bucks today!
DeleteThe amount of blogs these days is huge. Sigh. Good thing interested parties all have different tastes. Like my being here and commenting today. LOL
DeleteAnd thanks for all your wonderful comments.
DeleteFriends and relatives who find out you have gotten books published then don't even bother to hint, but just say, "Well, I'd read it if you gave me a copy." I try to explain that I have to pay for the copies I have, and I'd gladly sell them one if they really want to read it. They hem and haw and make excuses or change the subject. Then they act surprised that I'm still working multiple jobs to pay the bills, since they assume I must be rolling in the dough from my royalties checks. Yeah, because everyone except YOU is willing to pay! Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteYes - everybody gets royalty cheques like on the ones J K Rowlings gets.
DeleteRelative: "When can I get a copy of your book?"
DeleteSheri: "When you buy one."
Relative: "Don't you get 'em for free?"
Sheri: "Of course not."
Relative: "Ohhhh."
lol
DeleteHi! It's my first time here, so I probably shouldn't voice an opinion yet--but sadly, the "educate to promote thing" is what is taught to us bloggers in the "how to market your book" hoopla these days. It's the ole,give some away for free and then sell yourself alongside that.
ReplyDeleteIt can be done but has to be done well....so I completely get your point and agree. It takes finesse to do it right. I wish for the days of finding an agent and letting them promote your work, verses how it is done now with social media and internet marketing. *sigh*
The times, they are a changin! ;)
Comment away - you aren't the only first timer here.
Deleteand times - times they are a changin'
Great post Victoria and you make some really valid points. I echo what Maria has said, too. Rudeness will not be tolerated.
ReplyDeleteMarika
Definitely no rudeness on my site!
DeleteAs a reviewer..my pet peeve is the complaint "you didn't get my message" or I did not grasp their vision.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but as the consumer, it is not my job to "get" anything. Did I like your book and why is my job.
As a reader, I hate reviews that are a 3 or 4 rating and no reason why. It is really anger producing when the wording is all gushy but the rating doesn't match.
AND
I hate, loathe, want to beat grudge reviewers. SO you don't like someone, don't read their books. There is a reviewer on Amazon who gave an author 1, 2, and 3 ratings on all the authors books, in one day. That is nuts.
Yes a 3 or 4 review with no reason is useless.
DeleteNever heard of a grudge review - that's horrible!
LOved this:
ReplyDeleteI'm a teacher. And true teachers educate. They don't try and sell anything.
Thank you.
DeleteI think I'm too new to writing to have a pet peeve yet. I could see where what you ladies mentioned would get irritating though.
ReplyDeleteSome day your turn will come - something about writing will just irked you - and you'll write a blog about it and I'll comment on it :-)
DeleteMy pet peeve is with myself. I'm not good at promo. It annoys me rather than entices and so I have to be dragged kicking and screaming to do it. BUT I post other material (not promo) on blogs, I blog on my own blog, I'm on facebook and Twitter, I always respond to readers and comments and yet - still not known by many. I have no idea what more I can do - apart from strip naked and dance on the internet. LOL
ReplyDeleteDarn it, that's it, isn't it? The secret. I've stumbled across it ... off to take off my clothes. Course, I'll have changed my mind by the time I get in front of the camera. Actually, by the time I get out of the room..... lucky for everyone.
My biggest peeve is people not getting when I'm joking - that's the truth!
I'm so glad your joking - I thought the new promo thing was going to be dance naked on the internet - I don't think I'm ready for that!
DeleteHmmm. I have to agree with Ash, it does seem to be the expected norm, to blog to promote. I expect when I read a blog to get an interesting tidbit or two, then a promo for the author's book. If the tidbit is good, I'll look at the book, if not, I stop reading. Now, if I pay for a class or go to an educational site, I don't expect promotion. I also agree with Ash, it would be lovely to have someone else marketing for me, so I could just write and enjoy social media to be...social. Nice post, I enjoy everyone's comments.
ReplyDeleteA writer blogging about their book is fine - but when the blog is actually about writing techniques and then the author slips in excerpts about their book - I find that truly annoying.
DeleteI wrote three blog posts on a topic - not once did I include an excerpt from my book. This post about pet peeves - not once did I include an excerpt from my book. My blog wasn't about "my book" it was about what irks me.
I do promo on my blog - just got off a blog hop and that's all about the promo. But the readers coming to the blog on that day expected promo.
When I go to a blog about writing tips - I expect to be "educated".