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What would you do?

edited May 2016 in Writing
A while back, someone from Goodreads asked me to write an article for their blog. Apparently, it got more hits than anything else ever featured. He contacted me to ask what I had done to promote it; it seemed as though he just couldn't believe the stats! I just told him that I had left links on various social media platforms.

Since then, he's contacted me intermittently, still in awe (!), and yesterday asked if I would write a weekly article for his blog, or else bi-monthly. I've just replied with a no, the reasons being: I am in the middle of writing a book, with another in the pipeline, I want to find time to enter comps again, I am overhauling my website... and article-writing is my least favourite type of writing, plus, I'd never be able to come up with enough topics.

Have I missed an opportunity, or is it more that I'd be used as bait for readers of his blog?

Comments

  • You've done the right thing. There's only so many hours in each day and your priority must be your own projects and not his.
  • I agree with Baggy. If this was something you actually wanted to do, you wouldn't have said no before coming here to ask our opinion, would you?

  • My only worry is that this would have been another way to get my name out there - in the States, too.
  • After he got all those hits, did you see an impressive rise in sales to the US?
  • edited May 2016
    PM and BB are right.

    How about giving him something once every six months? It could work out to be only a summary of everything you've achieved work wise in that time, an advert in a way, for yourself.
  • After he got all those hits, did you see an impressive rise in sales to the US?
    No, I didn't!

    Yes, dora. That's an idea. I did say that if ever I wrote anything of interest on my (mostly neglected) blog, I would send him a link.

  • You made the right decision, TN.

    It's his blog, so he needs to improve his content, not rely on you to do it for him.
  • Right thing done!
  • Thank you, all!
  • Concur!

    *wonders how to lure TN to write content for own blog and therefore increase its profile*
  • Your instinct was correct, TN - but offering to do the occasional guest spot when you have something of your own to promote might be a good plan.
  • Your own blog is your priority. Why give him the glory. Plus you are right you might run out of topics, steam and energy.

    WHICH social media sites?

    *link ready*
  • edited May 2016
    You were so right, TN. Keep in contact and send him the odd thing when you have a lull in activity (if ever!)

    A similar thing happened to me recently when I was asked to run a slot on a high profile short form poetry site in the US because I contribute critiques regularly. The site organiser said it would give me an international profile and get my work recognised. I agree with this. The only hitch is - it's WEEKLY! Not a chance that would be achievable for me, as once something is compulsory it becomes a chore. Plus, without a chapbook or anything to promote it would be with no reward at all. So I made my excuses and headed for the virtual door - I did leave it slightly ajar for the future, mind you, just in case! :)

    One thing you will have learned from your experience TN, is that this type of writing you think is your least favourite could end up the most lucrative :)

    marion
  • Thanks again, Peeps!

    You know, Liz: FB, Goodreads, Twitter, my blog, LinkedIn... blah, blah, blah...
  • Wow, well done. I wonder how many hits he gets normally?
  • Once at the beginning of my A-z blogs, in 2012, I put up the link on the labradoodle website. Everyone who reads the site practically came to see the blog, to read about Lola, not to see the poems, although I have a couple of labradoodle poet followers... it was my biggest hit by FAR, 350 more than usual. But now most of them have read it and subsequent posts there are not so fruitful.
  • Was he going to pay you, TN?
  • Nooooooo, Lou! :-))
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