If self promotion is not allowed, why post short stories?

[moderntimes]

Someone please help me understand this dilemma...

If we aren't allowed to promote our books (for which I agree), then how is it that short story writers can post their own writing there? Isn't that self promotion too?

I mean, if the author of a short story posts it and then the story is published in a magazine or anthology or whatever, isn't the author self-promoting that story in an attempt to get good feedback?

Please explain the difference between authors posting a short story (WITH the story title) whereas novelists might not be allowed to post a section of their own novels which also includes the book's title?

As a novelist, I'd like to get feedback on chapters of my new in-progress books but don't want to run afoul of forum rules.

Thanks!

[bookowlie]

I can see your point. I always thought the difference was that the short stories and/or poems weren't published anywhere. Good luck with your soon-to-be published books.

[gali]

It isn't the same at all. When someone posts short stories, he does it in order to be read and not to promote his story which may never be published. When an author mentions his book's title, he does it so people will buy his book. Members consider it spam when an author comes on the site and endorses his or her own book, and rightly so. If one wants to promote his book here, he should go though the usual channels (reviews, advertising packages, etc.). All that is clearly stated on the rules.

Nonetheless, I think a section for authors posting new novel chapters, like you suggested, is a good idea to consider.

[bookowlie]

Good point.

[moderntimes]

So tell me the difference, gali, please. If a short story is posted and later the story sells, vs a couple chapters of an in-progress novel are posted and then the book sells? I don't see any difference.

You say that the short story writers aren't thinking their stories are going to sell. Okay. But does posting the story mean therefore that the author must decline sale and publication later, if the story is purchased, just because it was first posted here?

After all, the title and the author's name are both given when the story is posted (although some may use pseudonyms, they might then publish using that pen name too, right?)

True, most short stories and most novels are never purchased and professionally published.

But we get self-published authors -- novelists and short story writers both -- here all the time. Just because the author self-publishes doesn't mean that there won't be sales on Amazon.

If I'm writing a new novel "Deliverance" and I want some feedback on the river journey chapters, and later that book is sold, how then could I know this ahead of time.

Now in all honesty, I'm speaking from the standpoint of a mystery novelist who's just signed a 3-book contract. Therefore whenever I've posted excerpts from my yet-unsold books I may have earlier mentioned the title. But after the contract, I've avoided posting the book titles or publisher or of course any links. I've asked those who are interested to PM me so I could give them my website url which provides all the info and yes, links to the Amazon print & Kindle listings.

But after the contract, I haven't given the titles nor other direct info.

However, I do have 2 novels in progress, one a mystery and the other a supernatural thriller. Neither are sold or licensed or anything. And yeah, I'd like to sell them but that's the future.

If I were to post a couple sample chapters of my in-progress novel and give the title, this is as I see it exactly equivalent to authors posting their short stories. If these short story writers then put their stories onto Amazon as self-published, and they make modest sales, I don't have any objections, so long as they of course don't post the links or info to their existing anthologies.

Same exactly as a novelist who hasn't sold the book (or self-published it). Because I see zero difference in self-publishing (and asking for payment of course) or getting the book professionally published and asking for sales. Both are verboten and should be, but if the story or novel is unsold, I don't see the problem.

[gali]

The difference is that the short story wasn't published to promote a book in the first place. If the author decides later on to publish the story, it's his right to do so. By the way, after reading the story here people won't buy the story, so the sales point is moot.

When author writes a book, he does it in order to publish it at some date. Authors who publish parts of their books, or write its title, do it to boost their sales, period. Anyway, you can ask for feedback on your chapters just as you did so far.

If you have any further questions, I suggest you ask Scott about it, as he wrote those rules not I.

[moderntimes]

Thanks for the feedback.

I honestly admit that I fully intend to sell my novels and hopefully to make some money off them, that's true.

I have therefore avoided posting links or other direct info on books which are being published. For in-progress books, I'm assuming it's therefore okay to post a few excerpts and ask for feedback.

Understand that I also may post a chapter or so as an illustration of the topic we're on, and in no case will I include the book title or other info which would represent a direct link to the sale or info per Amazon. For example if we're talking about dialogue, I might include an excerpt from my novels which demonstrates how I handle conversations.

Thanks for the feedback. You'll see that Scott has also answered my other thread about why not have novel excerpts as a possible section, parallel to short stories or poetry. And Scott has replied very nicely and all is fine there.

[gali]

Thanks for the feedback.

I honestly admit that I fully intend to sell my novels and hopefully to make some money off them, that's true.

I have therefore avoided posting links or other direct info on books which are being published. For in-progress books, I'm assuming it's therefore okay to post a few excerpts and ask for feedback.

Understand that I also may post a chapter or so as an illustration of the topic we're on, and in no case will I include the book title or other info which would represent a direct link to the sale or info per Amazon. For example if we're talking about dialogue, I might include an excerpt from my novels which demonstrates how I handle conversations.

Thanks for the feedback. You'll see that Scott has also answered my other thread about why not have novel excerpts as a possible section, parallel to short stories or poetry. And Scott has replied very nicely and all is fine there.

Good. Good luck!