Would you post your stuff directly on social media?

[Deadman]

Recently, I noticed a few people who are posting entire chapters of their fanfic directly on Facebook as a way to try and promote their work.

Obviously these things aren’t necessarily for more adult content but it’s often the opening chapter.

This seems really weird to me personally. So I’m curious what people do to promote their content. Either here or elsewhere.

 

[Wilde_Guess]

Hi, Deadman and all.

2 hours ago, Deadman said:

Recently, I noticed a few people who are posting entire chapters of their fanfic directly on Facebook as a way to try and promote their work.

Obviously these things aren’t necessarily for more adult content but it’s often the opening chapter.

This seems really weird to me personally. So I’m curious what people do to promote their content. Either here or elsewhere.

 

That would depend on what I’m writing.  If I had something I was writing under my actual name, I’d certainly post “teasers” at least, particularly if the story itself was behind a paywall where I received a nice portion of the revenue from it.

My writing here is under a ‘double-pseudonym’ for anonymity, so the promotion opportunities are quite limited.

I thought about creating a larger ‘online presence’ for this pseudonym while writing this reply, and discarded the idea out of hand as ‘too much work.’  YMMD.

Although I’ve yet to be paid for anything I’ve written, I have posted content under my own name, mostly in history and public opinion.

Cheers!

Edited June 19, 2023 by Wilde_Guess

[BronxWench]

I am notoriously bad about promoting my work. Seriously, aside from my banner ads here, I used to promo on Facebook and Twitter, but social media gives me the creeps lately, so I’ve not been promoting like I should. Argh.

However, I don’t think I’d post a chapter on Facebook, at least not for my published stuff. My AFF content tends to be very niche, and I doubt I’d drag in a huge audience even if I did promote those on social media.

And there’s absolutely nothing out there under my real name. I don’t even “like” my author accounts under my real name, although my pen names did follow each other on Facebook.

Now I feel like I have to go ramp up my Mastadon account, and do some promoting there if I can, and maybe drop a line or two on Facebook again.  

[Desiderius Price]

23 hours ago, Deadman said:

Recently, I noticed a few people who are posting entire chapters of their fanfic directly on Facebook as a way to try and promote their work.

Obviously these things aren’t necessarily for more adult content but it’s often the opening chapter.

This seems really weird to me personally. So I’m curious what people do to promote their content. Either here or elsewhere.

I suppose we *could* post adult smut to facebook, see how quickly we’re banned.

[Deadman]

2 hours ago, Desiderius Price said:

I suppose we *could* post adult smut to facebook, see how quickly we’re banned.

Yeah, probably pretty quickly although I know some of us write more long form story based fanfic too.

In such a scenario, you could post that on Facebook. Which is what I was curious about. I just don't understand the need to post stuff like that directly on Facebook or any social media.

Though you might actually be able to post this stuff on Twitter since they’re more relaxed about this stuff. Supposedly they have a new feature where you can create more long form content on the platform.

[Desiderius Price]

More practically, if you’re looking to expand your readership, giving snippets (or even chapters) out on social media would be a way to “market” your works, attract readers (or dissuade them depending on quality).  If it’s on your real name account, well, perhaps your mother/father would read it because it’s something you wrote, or alienate all your friends away.

[Deadman]

8 hours ago, Desiderius Price said:

More practically, if you’re looking to expand your readership, giving snippets (or even chapters) out on social media would be a way to “market” your works, attract readers (or dissuade them depending on quality).  If it’s on your real name account, well, perhaps your mother/father would read it because it’s something you wrote, or alienate all your friends away.

I’m not so much looking to do it. But it seems like more than a few other people are. I just don’t understand the desire to do it personally. I would prefer to get people to read it on a place that would give you better information.

For instance, I have a newsletter that I write but republishing a recent piece directly on Facebook doesn’t make sense. I want people to read it in email/website.

[Desiderius Price]

I’m certainly not posting my writings (or even mentioning of it) on facebook!  Though, not dis’ing on those that do either.  It’s obviously a choice, not one I choose.  From a marketing perspective, I’d say a snippet posting could be “clickbait” to lure people to your website/newsletter. 

[Deadman]

48 minutes ago, Desiderius Price said:

I’m certainly not posting my writings (or even mentioning of it) on facebook!  Though, not dis’ing on those that do either.  It’s obviously a choice, not one I choose.  From a marketing perspective, I’d say a snippet posting could be “clickbait” to lure people to your website/newsletter. 

Totally makes sense I suppose. Like I said, these people who post entire chapters feels weird. Because people won’t necessarily click through. After all, everything is right there.

[Wilde_Guess]

Hello, all.

“Social Media” is like any other form of media for the purposes of marketing.  You evaluate it, decide if you are reaching or can reasonably reach potential customers (readers;) and if so, you post a “teaser,” to encourage those reading your “Social Media” post to click through to your actual site where full content is offered.

When you apply those steps to prose you are actually likely to publish here, you also need to ask yourself whether it’s worth the bother of creating a “Social Media Presence” for your your “nom de plume” for erotica and or pornography, or have your actual identity known for being a “hobbyist text pornographer.”  If so, then do it, and evaluate the results for yourself.  Some people would rather not go through the bother, or don’t want their “text-only” work competing with the “visual arts.”

Cheers!

[Desiderius Price]

18 hours ago, Wilde_Guess said:

When you apply those steps to prose you are actually likely to publish here, you also need to ask yourself whether it’s worth the bother of creating a “Social Media Presence” for your your “nom de plume” for erotica and or pornography, or have your actual identity known for being a “hobbyist text pornographer.”  If so, then do it, and evaluate the results for yourself.  Some people would rather not go through the bother, or don’t want their “text-only” work competing with the “visual arts.”

Part of me wants to say “triple dog dare you”… but I’d rather not that association be public either.

[Deadman]

16 minutes ago, Desiderius Price said:

Part of me wants to say “triple dog dare you”… but I’d rather not that association be public either.

Technically, some people are doing that… like me. It might come as a surprise but… my name isn’t actually Deadman.

While my non-erotic content is under my real name.

[Desiderius Price]

36 minutes ago, Deadman said:

Technically, some people are doing that… like me. It might come as a surprise but… my name isn’t actually Deadman.
While my non-erotic content is under my real name.

Aw.  Yeah, all of my content’s under pen-names, and I’d prefer to keep the disassociation (at least at this time).  I generally keep friends & family in the dark about my writing habits (aside from a couple of close confidants).

[Deadman]

4 minutes ago, Desiderius Price said:

Aw.  Yeah, all of my content’s under pen-names, and I’d prefer to keep the disassociation (at least at this time).  I generally keep friends & family in the dark about my writing habits (aside from a couple of close confidants).

I totally get that. I started out that way but also things went weird in the early days of the internet where I accidentally put my real name out there. Yahoo Groups that no longer exists sometimes showed my real name.

So I have generally put my stuff out under my real name. Though I generally don’t put it out on Facebook and other social media. Even my newsletter is under my real name but I only share it in groups but not on my main profile. Almost none of my friends or family is aware of what I’m doing, even under my real name. The few people who have discovered it, generally don’t share it anywhere.