Live chat and Yahoo loop venues.
January 7th, 2007 by anned
Yahoo groups:
These are all yahoo groups that are potential promo venues.
Each list does have different requirements. Some only allow promo on certain days, others any time; some are moderated and you have to keep it clean, others you are free to post and you can make it as hot as you can get it.
To access these groups you will have to go to Yahoo Groups and sign up (if you haven’t already) and apply. Some groups are instant admission, others are moderated. Remember your manners when Promoing into groups. Try obey the rules (check the files lists in each group for a document explaining the rules), and check calendars for author/publisher only days. You don’t want to get a name for being constantly rude by popping your own promo into other authors loops days!
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LooseId_community: for Loose Id Authors and Readers
CataNetwork_Readers
Chatting_with_Joyfully_Reviewed
eBookLove
eroticexcerpts
FallenAngelReviewChatters
karendevinkaren (This is the Coffeetime Romance loop)
literary_nymphs
LoveRomancesCafe
RomanceJunkiesReaders
RoRRChatters
TRSBlue
Author lists who allow other authors to promo:
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Bethwylde
evevaughnsbooks
Live Chats
These chats are in real time, rather than in an email based format like Yahoo groups. Most times they will be referred to as ‘Chats’ versus ‘Loop days’. With live chats you book a time with the host (usually review sites offer these services, although a few authors do have live chat rooms), and between x & X time you show up and chat with anyone else who turns up.
A lot of the live chats will be publisher related – i.e. you and a number of other authors from your publisher will attend a certain chat. If you are a well established author with a large backlist, there is definitely a lot more material for you to potentially cover which makes it easier to carry a chat by yourself.
Live chats are fast and furious, definitely not for the hunt and peck typists, but don’t be scared, everyone else is typing fast, too, and understand all to well that typos are going to happen. Besides typos can be a great ice breaker! Depending on the chat room, you can make yourself a cut and paste cheat sheet for large amounts of text you might want to show your readers – blurbs, short excerpts, contest rules etc.
Live chats are wonderful for ‘hearing’ the author, but they have a small audience. Loop days can be more impersonal, but the information sticks around peoples in boxes even though they didn’t ‘attend’ the chatting that day. So both have their pluses and minuses. One thing for a live chat – an hour and your done! Loops days take just that, all day; constant attention is needed.
If you have another yahoo group or live chat venue to add, please post in the comments below and I will update the list.
You can find out more about Anne Douglas at her website or blog.
