Free Advertising

Like the Devil’s Kitchen, I received an unsolicited email seeking to involve this blog in a little viral marketing (it wasn’t the first by any means). I wasn’t going to bother mentioning it as it only encourages them. However, DK points me to a piece on Chicken Yoghurt and I just can’t avoid passing it on:

A message for representatives of PR and advertising companies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

If you’re emailing me to help you shill your book or film or whatever, you really must be desperate. No, really; you should see how many (or, rather, how few) visitors this place gets.

Let’s put this straight. I won’t help you shill your book or film or whatever, or otherwise act as an unpaid middleman between my discerning readers and whatever product you’re trying to shift this week.

Any books, films, etc that I do (rarely) puff on this blog will be ones that I have read, seen, etc on my own initiative and have enjoyed sufficiently to suggest any passing reader might do the same. I won’t tell any reader to read your book, watch your film, etc etc, on the basis of your press release telling me they might like it.

So please, don’t bother. Your email’s going straight in the bin; the patronising, tweaked-to-personalise ones at double-quick time.

If you’d like more information about this topic, please email Justin McKeating, at [email protected], who will be more than happy to tell you to get stuffed.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Why don’t you try doing your own job instead of trying to get me to do it for free?

See also.

Justin has put into words my thoughts exactly. So, if you are reading this with the intention of spamming me, don’t bother, I won’t be reviewing your book or engaging in any marketing for you. Like DK, I expect to be paid a decent amount to write professionally and, like him, I choose the subject matter.