TOO LATE IN THE MORNING...

Status: On vacation

Doing: Writing this blog; finished the dishes; my workout; cleaned up a little.

Watching: OKLAHOMA!; CBS Morning News.

Listening to: "Destroy Everything You Touch" by Lady Tron; "No Defect" by Inertia

Finished Reading: The Valiant (ST-TNG book)


TOPIC: BOOK CONTESTS-BENEFICIAL OR JUST PLAIN ANNOYING?

Growing up, I liked contests like the next kid growing up. I wanted to know what they were pitching and selling--as an added incentive to jumping on board.

I guess over time, I outgrew the idea of what having a contest is all about. I just didn't find it that exciting.

After a time--when you find yourself blitzed by thousands of mailers or e-mails declaring that they have a contest going on and nothing else--it's a mighty big yawner after a time.

You get bored with seeing the same thing over and over.

While contests are an important aspect to selling your book, there are some serious questions as to whether or not they really are necessary.

It may bag you some free publicity, but what does the contest really accomplish? What are its overall goals?

And can it be considered a rousing success without driving your readers nuts?

I have been considering doing contests for my books, but I have no idea on what to base them on. I guess you could say that I'm not a real big fan of commercial enterprise or ones based on chance.

I've tried the lottery over the past couple of years, and I got close once--but not without blowing about $160 over that same time period in the process. What it taught me was that the odds of winning are extremely remote--even after playing it in increments.

Contests are basically based on the same principle. The odds of winning something important is pretty much in line with odds of winning the lottery.

I'm just not sure if it's something worth doing. Especially with the books that I have.

It if was for something less important--something I could 'run' without consequence or second thought--I would do it in a heartbeat.

No question about it.

But I have deep reservations about doing contests on my novels.

Only because I seem to be doing well with web promotions and advertising as it is.