Self-Promotion

I've posted the existence of this place on the boards over at AdultSwim.com and the feedback has been largely positive, for which I'm very grateful. There's always that moment of tension where you're not sure anyone's going to like something you've done, but thanks to the users at AS.com that's passed. They may just be humoring me because I work for Adult Swim, but I appreciate it anyway.

One user did leave a comment on my Fan Collective blog about me kind of going overkill with the self-promotion. He or she may have just been kidding (or maybe not) but it actually struck a bit of a nerve. Self-promotion is something I'm horrible at. I hate doing it, I hate trying to tout myself or my work at all, because it brings a caustic level of scrutiny to bear on whatever it is you're promoting. When I first started this, that was something I dreaded. But what's the point of putting up stories on the net if you can't get people to read them? It ruins the whole idea of bypassing traditional publishers if no one reads it. But maybe that'll be my answer; that traditional publishers serve a purpose and that this isn't the way to get your work read. But until that's clear I'll promote RunBinary at least once on as many places as I know. Once some people know it exists I'll be happy, even if they don't continue to visit, because that will be a true test of whether or not my writing is any kind of quality at all.

Still, self-promotion sucks. Wish I didn't have to do it.