Is Self-promoting Wrong?

Here at Associated Content writers are encouraged to self promote, to tell people about their work here, to promote it online or elsewhere. But what about your writing in other arenas? Should you still self promote?

I recently entered an online writing contest for another site. I won't state where, because I am sure Associated Content would not like that. It wouldn't help me any to tell where it was located anyway. By the time this article is published online the contest will be finished. I don't think I have any hopes of winning this contest. I don't have enough popularity at the site and it seems many online contests comes down to popularity. I am not making any money from it, either. Only the winner makes any money. Yet, I wanted people to read my entry. I wanted people to vote and comment on my entry. I didn't want it to become buried beneath pages and pages of other entries.

I did a bit of self promoting. I didn't do a whole lot of it. For one reason, I am not very good at self promoting. I don't know exactly where to go. Yes, I have a myspace page (who doesn't). I also am a member of a few other groups. But the thing is I do have a life. By having a bit of an outside life, I am not popular on any of these sites (including here at Associated Content, many of you don't know my name).

A lot of contests and a lot of online things require that you have popularity. To gain some popularity, you either have to be incredibly lucky, witty or talented or you have to do some self promoting.

Some writers and artists frown on this. They want their art, their words to speak for themselves. Sounds good in theory. I, too, want my words to speak. But how are you going to read my words, if you never see them or know they are out there somewhere? There are thousands, or millions of pages online, at every site. Articles, stories and poetry easily get buried, even the good pieces. If you don't know they are out there to read, how will you find them?