URL For My Novel in a Sig?

[Muz]

Hi there-
I've tried PMing a few mods on this, but I've gotten no response, so I figure I'll post it on here for an answer before I go ahead with changing my sig:

Is it allowed to put the URL of my website (or a graphic with the title/cover) advertising my own novel (available for sale--or at least will be available soon) in my sig? I understand that advertising is against the forum rules, but there is the later mention that advertising for artistic things is an exception, so I wanted to be clear.

I suppose I should also ask the same thing about announcing it in a thread, but I'm not actually sure if I even want to do that just yet.

Thanks! :smallsmile:

[xanaphia]

Is it art? If so, yes. That's what the rules say.

I'd wait for a mod to tell you one way or the other before putting it in, though.

[Ichneumon]

Advertising/Linking
As noted above, commercial (for-profit) advertising is not allowed on GiantITP.com. However, you ARE permitted to start threads advertising non-profit websites; either charity events or merely amateur/fan sites that don't sell anything. Please be sure to observe the rules governing Spam and multiple-thread cross-posting, however, and make sure your plug is in the most appropriate forum (usually Friendly Banter).

You may always advertise or link to works of art online, such as other webcomics, fiction sites, music sites, or anything else that generates original artistic content—even if that site also makes a profit off of that work. We don't want the rules against advertising to prevent people from discovering new creative works that they will love, and don't want to penalize artists for trying to make a living off of their work. However, if a site only resells creative work and does not have any of that work available online, then it is primarily a commercial site and cannot be advertised here.


These are the rules

[Muz]

I saw that, but I wasn't sure how much of a link was allowed (text URL but not graphic? How much is too much?), or if that went for making a thread about it or just mentioning it in a sig. I wanted to confirm and not risk ruining goodwill on a forum site I quite like and respect like this one. :smallsmile:

Or, as they say, "measure twice, cut once."

[Rawhide]

Here are the key words: However, if a site only resells creative work and does not have any of that work available online, then it is primarily a commercial site and cannot be advertised here.

Someone like K Sawyer Paul (http://www.ksawyerpaul.com/Home.html) could advertise his site because he is offering his book, No Chinook, for free. If he wasn't, he couldn't.

[Muz]

How much needs to be available online? (I've got a link or two to free short stories, the full first chapter of the book, and a blog.)

[Tormsskull]

How much needs to be available online? (I've got a link or two to free short stories, the full first chapter of the book, and a blog.)

This is one of those rules that is really open to interpretation. I think you're safe as long as when someone clicks on your link it doesn't take them right to a purchase page.

As an example, in my sig I have readwriteshare.net (http://www.readwriteshare.net). This is a link to my writing/publishing/editing venture. There isn't anything that jumps out and says "BUY ME!".

But if you take a casual look around the site you'll find a place to buy one of the books from one of our authors. I've had the link in my sig for sometime now, and I haven't had any problems.