Thanks to everyone who's shared my excitement over this sale - you guys are the best! Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled programming. Today's scintillating topic is...sig lines. You know, those lines of text that regularly appear at the bottom of an author's signoff on emails.
While this is not something I usually spend much time thinking over, an author on one of my email groups actually threw this question out there - how long is too long? And I thought it'd be interesting to discuss. To begin with, here's my basic sig line:
Nalini Singh
SLAVE TO SENSATION - Sep 06
www.nalinisingh.com
Sometimes, I put Berkley Sensation in there, or very occasionally I'll add the blog if I think we're discussing something others might be interested in. But my limit is four lines. Three is better but four will do. Anything else and my eyes glaze over.
I totally understand the urge to put everything and the kitchen sink in there, I do. And if you're doing it for yourself, as a motivational thing - a sort of "ha, I did it!" - then go for it. I see nothing wrong with a really long sig line. Enjoy your success. Wallow in it. I certainly did some wallowing yesterday.
But if you're using that sig line as a promotional tool - ie. if you're giving people notice about your upcoming books, then prune, prune, prune. Personally, I think if you go much over four lines, people don't even notice the sig line. It becomes a meaningless block of text.
So my answer to the question would be that five lines is too long. I might of course be completely wrong, which is why I'm writing this blog. I'm interested in others' take on this too - as readers and as writers, how long do you think is too long?
7 comments :
Three's just right for me - can't abide ones that go on forever. In fact, I usually don't bother to read long ones. If someone includes a web and blog addy I often go check it out.
I'm also not keen on the book title being in caps, because it feels too much in my face. Unless it's on PM, of course, then I love to see it in caps!!!
Lol! I think CAPS makes the title stand out. If you do html and people have it disabled, bold etc doesn't show through.
Okay, I ignore sig lines that aren't just name, and website or blog. I'm terrible, but sig lines are wasted on me.
I don't do sig lines at all because I don't read them unless I know the person and then it doesn't matter. (run on sentences there I am sure) :-)
I think you're right: 3 is perfect, 4 is ok. More than that, and you start to sound a tad desperate. Especially if you start to list awards from sites no one's ever heard of, as I've seen some authors do.
Well, we definitely seem to have a consensus - 3 or 4. Hmm, but I think I'll stick with my caps. Maybe. *g*
Mel, Cynthia - don't you think you might be subconsciously noticing??
Could be... I have a friend that likes to put a joke in her sig. I read that one because she changes it daily. LOL
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