What is this I terror?
It's the despicable practice of the hard sale by drive-by authors, Tupperware and Pampered Chef ladies, health food practitioners, artists, and other assorted desperate salespersons.
Understand me. I'm not talking about the folks that post on their own "walls" or whatever that particular network calls it. I'm talking about the ones who post on MY wall. You know who I'm talking about. They're the ones who FRIEND you or ADD you to their group without your permission.
No by-your-leave. Just BAMM! And then they pepper you with stuff you don't want, care about, or need to know.
Now, personally, I think the constant posting of materials you're trying to sell on your own wall is counter-productive. I know your shtick. If I want to buy your books, beads, shoes, records, I'll find them. A post when your book is released or when you have a new cover is fine. After that? I'm not paying much attention.
There are a couple circumstances that will absolutely guarantee I will unsubscribe from your posts. And possibly even unfriend you.
Let's see...
#5) Posting offensive posts making fun of religion. Any religion. You don't believe? Fine. Find a little group of like-minded people and discuss it on your page. Otherwise, you're gone.
#4) Offensive political posts. Again. Everyone is allowed an opinion. But my page is open to my grandchildren and family. Whatever is posted there will reflect that reality.
#3) Offensive language. See #4. I write erotic romance. That doesn't mean I have to use filthy language to get my point across. My page is not a porn site.
#2) Bullying in any form. My grandmother was a lady. One of her favorite sayings was, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." No individual out there has the right to arbitrarily decide how another should behave, look, talk, write. Certainly not on my wall.
#1) Badgering me to buy something. It's telemarketing on the Internet. You know...those folks who ambush you over the phone just when you're sitting down to dinner? Yep. That's what it is. Telemarketing via Facebook, Twitter, or a host of other sites. Set up a webpage and quit posting your crap on my page, blog, wall, etc.
Rant over.
anny
It's funny you bring this up. I was chatting with another author on Facebook about the same thing earlier today. I hate to push my own book on my own wall, but what boggles my mind are the authors that come to my book page/personal Facebook wall and spam me with 'like my page, buy my book, look at me'. That's why as authors it's a good idea to have author/book pages to spread the work about your writing. I think people have forgotten how to use simple common sense.
ReplyDeleteI have many of my own opinions. However, I don't try to force my political, religious and ideas onto others-let alone spreading the hatred. I know exactly where you're coming from with this.
But that's just my opinion too.
Well written article!
Great post, Anny. What burns me is when an author or someone else sends me a message that is about 5 paragraphs long, touting their own books, telling me how to buy their books, telling me that they are "closing" their FB page because they have reached the max number of friends and I will have to Like their business page etc etc etc.
ReplyDeleteIf I want to share something important that I think others will enjoy, I post things about ME on my fan page. I post things about others on my timeline to help show off what others do.
Oh hell yes. Crash and burn the minute or you put your 'best selling novel' on my page. Totally tacky and classless to do that
ReplyDelete