How can an author reach an audience without promotion?
As a newly published author, I am learning that self promotion is not only necessary, it's mandantory if you're serious about getting your work noticed. I have scoured (and still scour) the internet and Facebook and Twitter and every other social media outlet for potential new readers, because as good as I believe my work to be, it means nothing if I cannot make YOU believe it, too. The obvious way is to get the book in your hands (or your Kindle), so it confuses me when I use Facebook or Goodreads to promote my book and have certain groups tell me they don't allow author self promotion.
How can new readers hear my voice if the very venues designed to share and exchange and discuss books is being, in essence, censored to exclude new work from new authors? I can understand the aversion to spamming; but how can a promotion for a book be considered spamming in a group specifically created for readers? I'd understand better were I attempting to steer your groups members to a website for male enhancement treatments of the latest gadget from Ronco, but a novel being suggested by its author in a group for people who like to read doesn't sound like spamming to me, it sounds like smart marketing...still, it's your group...just seems like you're missing out on an exciting opportunity to expand your reading horizons...oh, and by the way:
