September 2, 2011

Asking for the Sale Without P****** People Off

Nathan Bransford, self-pub’d writer, former literary agent with Curtis Brown Ltd., San Francisco resident, blogger–umm, pretty good writer BTW–posted a ‘Pledge Drive’ on his blog to drum up business for his YA book. A humorous approach to the self-promotion we-all must do as authors, it received mixed reviews. He pulled the post down to reconsider, reconsidered and re-posted it.

Drop over to his blog. What do you think? Think about it before you read any further and get my take.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuABhumm6fY&w=420&h=345]

Play this YouTube of Jeopardy’s signature music while you think. Make sure you’re sound’s on

OK. My take is: Why not? How are readers supposed to know about his book if he doesn’t tell us? In fact, I didn’t know until he brought it to my attention. Why can PBS do it and individuals can’t? And America–where’s your sense of humor? He posted a follow-up with his thinking. Erudite.


Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-fifth grade and creator of two technology training books for middle school. She is the author of Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman. She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, IMS tech expert, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything and Technology in Education. Currently, she’s working on a techno-thriller that should be ready this summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.

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