I'm doing copyedits for Caressed By Ice at the moment so if you email me and get no response, that is why. I also have three thousand other things to do but that's okay, because I have a list. I love lists. You can cross things off and feel a great sense of achievement.
Right, moving on - I've noticed lately that a lot of authors have message boards. Or maybe I'm just slow and people have always had them. I considered getting one myself for a while but then realized that timewise, if I got a board, the blog would have to go. I decided in favor of the blog, but what are your thoughts - blog or message board? Any preferences? What do you like about each/both?
p.s. The hunky picture of NK has nothing to do with anything except his gorgeousness. Happy Friday!
Right, moving on - I've noticed lately that a lot of authors have message boards. Or maybe I'm just slow and people have always had them. I considered getting one myself for a while but then realized that timewise, if I got a board, the blog would have to go. I decided in favor of the blog, but what are your thoughts - blog or message board? Any preferences? What do you like about each/both?
p.s. The hunky picture of NK has nothing to do with anything except his gorgeousness. Happy Friday!
8 comments :
I prefer blogs. They seem to take less time and are less complicated. But then that could just be me lol. (great pic)
I think message boards are nice for discussions -- blogs are usually just responses to the main post (although they can head into the discussion, the format isn't as conducive to it.) Also, it is the fans who typically start the threads, whereas on a blog, the content is author-generated.
What might be an option is to start up a message board with a couple of other authors ... so that you have the discussion ability there if you want it, but the responsibility of the upkeep isn't solely yours. And if you've got (or get) crossover fans that way, all the better.
...and if you ever decide to do that... *trails off innocently*
LOL at Meljean's post.
As a reader I think blogs can be more personal. But as MB points out they can also be limiting.
My only thing with message boards is that they can get cliquey which can be off putting. Also when they get high volume they are a lot harder to keep up with.
I prefer blogs, there is an aspect of responding to the main post rather than discussing, but after enthusiastically embracing messy boards I always get swamped in the posts and sometimes feel posters go way to far into books so there becomes the accepted view and cliques.
Catslady - mmm, isn't he pretty?
Meljean - you should be careful. I might take you up on that! But even with a group, I worry about the time committment...
Lesley/Clare - thanks for those views. I never thought about it but yeah, I can see how that could happen.
Yeah, the time commitment would be huge, either way.
In my case, I'm also not a big enough author to justify my own board -- to me, message boards are for a community, and I don't think I have a fanbase like that, lol!
Another option might be a Yahoo group -- you still have mostly-fan-generated posts, but not quite the upkeep of a board or the pressure to blog. Or it feels like less upkeep and pressure. And then if your fanbase and participation grows to a huge population, switching to a board might be worth it -- and you can also pick up moderators who will keep an eye on things for you.
Meljean, hmm, that's a good idea. Maybe something to think about. But I think you're very right about needing to have a large fan base (I'm still working that LOL!) - otherwise it wouldn't be very active, which I think, is part of the appeal of both message boards and yahoogroups.
And it also, I think depends on the readers/books themselves. Some inspire more back and forth dialogue than others.
STick with the blogs. They are easier to keep up on and control from spamming/flamewars/trolling.. Most people I know prefer blogs as they just lurk and read rather than respond so message boards die a quick death.
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