Shameless Self-Promotion and the Internet
The internet is by far one of the cheapest and most accessible forms of marketing available to authors of independent roleplaying games today. With one web-post, authors and artists can have full exposure of their unedited works to a potential viewing public of thousands. In the time it takes to publish a single piece in print, authors can post dozens of their works online for the world to see. But how do artists find an online home for their masterpieces?
When submitting a work for online publication, take a moment and decide what you are trying to accomplish. Among other things, the choices you make should reflect the audience you want to attract, the control you’ll have over your work, and the type of exposure you’re looking for. The big points to remember are this:
- Content is King. No matter how much traffic a site may be able to offer you, if it’s not the right kind it does you no good. Don’t bother submitting articles to websites that have nothing in common with your work, or that are overly generic. A good rule of thumb is that if a website doesn’t interest you, it probably won’t interest anyone who would want to look at your work.
- Rules of the Road. Be sure to carefully consider a website’s submission policies before committing yourself. Although most online services will allow you to maintain your copyright privileges, they may ask for permission to resize and reformat your work and in some cases even edit it to reflect the theme of their site.
- Pick your battles. Choose from online newsletters, ezines, and web catalogs that will present your work in a positive light. Although any exposure is good exposure, invest your time in submitting to sites that promote artists and their skills rather than the products they have to offer.
Examining yourself is the first step, but the submission process will be the most difficult. Use a popular search engine to find websites that deal in your particular genre. Look over the work they currently have on display, and submit carefully according to their instructions.
Websites like: deviantart.com, breedart.org, and digitalart.org are well designed sites that promote conceptual and graphic art while rpg.net, sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com, and thealienonline.net are geared toward the written fantasy/science fiction audience.
Used with care, the internet can be a powerful tool to introduce an artist to the public. Exposure on the internet can lead to job offerings, commissioned work, valuable professional criticism, and resume building. More importantly it can be a source of pride for any artist trying to make an impression and leave their mark on the world.
Keeton Harrington is Director of the “one thousand monkeys, one thousand typewriters” website, where they accept open submissions and provide publication resources for artists and writers in the fantasy, science fiction, and role-playing genres. His site can be found at: http://www.1km1kt.net
