[Dani Collins]

I tried a search to see if there was a thread for this. I was wondering:

a) Is there a place for authors to post contests?

b) Are contests worth it - looking for feedback from Readers even more than writers. Do you enter a lot? For what? Free books, signed copies ... ?

 

[Ann in Arlington]

<moderator hat>
The usual rules apply to contests. If they're connected to a specific book, they should only be announced in that book's thread. If it's a general contest through your website or blog, well, you can have a promo thread for those as well so that would be the place for it.
</moderator hat>

<reader hat>
Personally, I don't enter contests in general. I definitely woujldn't enter anythning that said wanted reviews or to have me 'tweet' something or share on FB or what-have-you to enter. As to prizes, I find enough free books on my own and, no offense, but I'm not much interested in a signed paper copy of a book by an author who's not at all famous and whom I've never actually met. For me, the value of an autograph copy is that I've actually met the person In Real Life. . .maybe even sat and talked to them.

But that's just me. . .I'm sure there are others here with opposing opinions. . . .and I dare say they will share.

 

[Dani Collins]

Thank Ann,

Just so I'm clear, as long as I'm here, in Writer's Cafe, I can start a thread about one of my titles and/or a contest related to it?  'Cause I've never been 100% clear on how the self-promo works within these forums and I don't want to overstep.

thanks,
d

 

[Mathew Reuther]

You can start a thread (one per book) in the reader area and bump it yourself no more than once per week: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/board,42.0.html

This area is for general talk, not promotion.

 

[Ann in Arlington]

You can start a thread (one per book) in the reader area and bump it yourself no more than once per week: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/board,42.0.html

This area is for general talk, not promotion.

Well, that's not really accurate. . .but then I'm not sure what you mean by the 'reader area'.

A person may have one thread for each book in the Book Bazaar. You may post to it no more often than once every 7 days, unless someone else has posted in the mean time. Once you start a thread a 'welcome' will be posted that spells out the rules and has links to helpful posts here.

You may choose, instead, to have a thread for a group of books -- a good choice if you have a series, for instance.

So, to address the original question, if you have a book and want to have some sort of contest connected to its release, say, you can start the thread in the Bazaar. If you already have a thread for that book, you should use it to announce the contest.

You may NOT announce it, or in any way promote your book, in any other board. . .though discussion of the contest is appropriate here in the Cafe -- which is why I moved your post here.

 

[Mathew Reuther]

Well, that's not really accurate. . .but then I'm not sure what you mean by the 'reader area'.

The link goes directly to the Book Bazaar, which I had forgotten the name of until I looked up the link, and then did not go back to clarify. But it points at the right place.

So I was correct, I just didn't edit the original wording.