Promo is a tricky thing. It’s a very tricky thing. One of the most useful promo tools I’ve got is the blog.

Social networks are another tool. I dunno if I’ve got any new readers from myspace, although I guess it’s a good way to interact.I do like facebook. I’m getting disturbingly addicted to twitter.

Social network sites can definitely be a good tool for authors.

But…and yes, this is a BIG but…social networking sites can also be extremely annoying. For one…I hate it when somebody I don’t know and haven’t ever met friends me on myspace and then sends a HUGE graphic to post on my way, along with all the interesting and must-have details about his/her upcoming book. Now do I friend other authors? Well, if they are friends, by all means. If I read them, yes, by all means. But I’m not going to go join the myspace page for Sherrilyn Kenyon and then post a huge graphic on her wall with the details how a person can buy my book.

It’s kind of rude.

Do I use my status updates and bulletin boards to mention new books? Well, yeah… I figure keeping up with my new releases would be the reason readers wanted to friend me anyway. Seems kind of pointless NOT to use that avenue. But that’s my avenue. It’s my myspace page (say ten times fast) and I set it up to use as a promo avenue for my readers or would-be readers.

I didn’t set it up so 200+ (exaggerating a little) people can come in and tell me about their stuff. And when they do, I delete the comment anyway. Still, is annoying.

With facebook, the same basic idea-I set up the account to interact with readers and the friends I’ve got on there, as well as to keep up with authors I enjoy. Yes, it is a promo tool.

But there are 2 ways to use promo tools. The first way is to be as annoying as possible, persistently sending page suggestion, group invites, fan-me messages, etc. If I want to fan an writer, I’ll do it. And I’ve done so, on my own.

The second way is to set up your facebook account, use your status update to periodically mention your author page where readers can fan you or just let them find you on their own. Readers will suggest pages they like to other readers. We will see the little updates on our homepage that so and so joined Writer Suzy P Writer’s fan page and if we want to do so, we can do so then. Do the advertising if you really want to push it. Geez, find one of the reader groups that sponsor author events and see if they can do an event for you. I don’t mind event invites nowhere near as much.

Now, full disclosure, when I first got on facebook and set up my author page, I did set up an event and invited people from my friend list to it. Halfway through it, it dawned on me how fricking annoying it was. So I started using just my status update to share those sort of things. It’s easier for me, probably less annoying for others. If you don’t see how it’s annoying, then look at it this way…imagine I kept sending you the same message. Over and over. And over. And over. Would get old, yes? Now imagine if ten other writers are doing the exact same thing to you. Same message. Over. And Over. And over.

Maybe now you can see that it’s annoying?

Please, oh pretty please…don’t friend me just because you want to post your new release info to my wall. Don’t friend me just so you can send me 200 ‘fan-page’ suggestions.

This is just my opinion, blah, blah, blah…but after getting the same invite from the same person for the 3rd day in a row, I’m getting a bit annoyed.