Yahoo loops....a few years ago I had no idea what they were....A yahoo loop..Huh?????
Well now it's a totally different thing...I currently belong to over 213 yahoo loops...Writing loops, author groups, workshops and newsletters....
It seems like the number keeps growing....
I though I was bad with the number of loops I belong to...I have talked to people that have even more then me...
It's hard to keep up with emails and that when digest comes in...I love that little function...There are some loops I'm on with individual emails, those are my publishers, my own loop and other groups that are a email must...
When it comes to yahoo loops are you finding that the list just keeps growing?...
Are you addicted to them?
People say yahoo loops are great to network and promo your work, discover new authors. I agree, this is how I got my name out there and got people to find out about my work....
So what do you think about yahoo loops/groups....Have they made a difference with getting your name out there, getting your work noticed?
There are so many different places now that you can promo yourself from facebook, to myspace, bebo, and the list goes on....Yes I am a part of a few of those...That's how I discovered a lot of amazing authors and their work...I like that they give you the chance to reach people all over the world from your computer...
Talk to me, what do you think?
Savannah
Bid For Love coming Aug 18,2008 to Lyrical Press
Satisfy Your Desire......Indulge The Temptation
www.savannahchase.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savannahchase/
Saturday, August 9, 2008
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13 comments:
wow over 200 and I thought 36 was too many loops. I don't feel so bad.
Sav, Yes it can be crazy out there.
I had to cut mine down. I have no time to play on all loops.
You as authors I just think you are all amazing with RL Writing and groups. {I bow to you all}
Saroya and Deb, it is nuts, there is always a new one popping up that you want to join.....by the end of the year I will probably have 1000...NOT...I must say NOOOOO
oh and yeah no matter how much i try to cut down, i join more instead..So not good...
Mine was at 150 plus. I cut back to a little over 80. Some groups share so many of the same authors and subjects, not to mention readers.
Often times I think it can be just plain redundant. I have two groups I read via no mail and keep the tabs up at all times. Midnight Seductions and then the Midnight Seductions Author group.
After that there are only a four that I keep as individual email. I don't have any set to special notice however.
Groups are an important tool for networking, but I'm not always sure as to how well they reach an actual reader and make an actual sale.
However, for name recognition you just can't beat it.
Great topic, Sav.
i know what you mean Tess...both MSA groups are on email and those are ones i need on email....
i guess we cant live without them....
Hey Savannah. Yeah, yahoo groups rock. I only am a part of like ten, but they keep growing. keeps me glued to my comp. Yeah, that's what they had in mind, lol I even started one of my own.
Jen
I'm a member of 112 Yahoo Groups and it can be overwhelming at times. A few are announcement only, about 10 really prolific mostly social reader groups are on digest, but the author and publisher groups are set to individual email.
Last week I was unable to get online for two days and came back to 3800+ emails. I had limited time online for another three days and so I'm just now caught up to today's posts after 5 hours online.
Are they worth it for authors/publishers? Do they encourage readers to purchase? Absolutely!!! When I started doing this a year ago I owned about 10 ebooks. I now own 600+ ebooks and at least 80% of those are from authors I hadn't even heard of before I read their excerpts online.
That said, I think some authors spend TOO much time promoting on the groups when they have nothing new to offer. Any more than 2 to 4 times per month and readers will suffer overload and start to delete posts without reading them.
The contests on the loop encourage me to check out authors websites, but if the contest involves more than reading a blurb and answering questions about it, I usually pass since I just don't have the time to go to 10 to 40+ sites to track down clues that have to be sent in the email entry.
I also avoid most contests that give out candles, food, or bath and body products, etc. I'm interested in ARC's, books (ebook and print) signed coverflats, etc that I can display in my reading room. I have received many free ebooks as prizes in contests, and 80% of the time they lead me to purchase additional books by the author.
So yes, I think the groups can be a valuble tool for both authors and readers, but both sides should exercise some restraint. I'm trying :P!
I'm at about 40 and feel overloaded - I can't keep up with some of the groups that have other a thousand posts a month, it's just too much. I end up just sort of popping in from month to month, which isn't good really. But as Tess said, there are a lot of groups that are so similar and have the same groups of people.
I know I need to get out there, but dayam they take SO much time.
i agree, i was gone for 2 days and i came back to over 30,000 emails...yeah thats bad....
thank you for the opinions scifi and leah
I enjoy them but I have to admit all the mail gets overwhelming. So I only read the main message on e-mail. I leave the RE's go. I can't spend all day on-line to read them all (I'd never get any reading done :) ). But the are useful to let me know what books are coming or if an author might be doing a signing in my area.
I am on over 100 groups now, but many of them are newsletter only ones that generate about one mailing per month.
Some of the high-volume ones I keep on Special Notices and just peek in on the web to see if there is anything that sticks out that I want to read.
The support and camaraderie I've received through some of the Yahoo groups has been wonderful. It's what really gave me the extra push to try to get published.
Also I agree with name recognition. The more places your name and info is out there, the better, imho.
Carpe Noctem,
Des
Desirée Lee
Putting the Romance Back in Necromancy
http://www.desireelee.com
des@desireelee.com
it looks like with the high number of loops you guys are on you have found your way to deal with the mass emails and everything that comes with it..i agree it's not easy.....
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