Have you heard of Second Life? It’s an online virtual society populated by eight million members so large that it has it’s own virtual cable network, the Second Life Cable Network. The SL members are represented by avatars (a graphical representation of the individual), and the cable network tapes shows in front of “live” audiences of SL members.
One of the programs on SLCN is “Authors in your Pocket,” and on Sunday, October 28, Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush will be interviewed live. The interview can be seen live by SL members at 8:00pm EST, and afterwards can be seen at the slcn.tv website for non-SL-members.
So not only can authors promote themselves in the “real world,” but they can promote themselves in virtual worlds as well, with avatars representing their actual selves, interacting with an entirely different audience of potential readers. (Or you can be really pessimistic about it and shriek to yourself, “OMGWTF I have to promote myself in TWO UNIVERSES NOW?!”
So: how many of your are familiar with online virtual societies, and how well do you think they can be used for self-promotion?
I’m still trying to figure out how to get by in this world.
I have a character created at Second Life, but have never managed to figure out how to actually play in it, because the website is so complicated – there are no links which guide you on how to get into the world to start. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. So no, I wouldn’t use Second Life as a method of self-promotion.
I’ve used Second Life, on and off, and am very familiar with it – but frankly it’s far too flaky at the moment, and I would take an audio interview (or a written interview) over an in-world appearance by an author in which you’re bound to crash, have tremendous lag, or some combination of the above. Also, while I like the idea in theory, I don’t like to spend hours ‘inside’ SL or any other online world, as it absolutely prevents me from doing anything else. I would rather read/listen to interviews on a website which will allow me to do other things at the same time (and that I can easily pause).
I heard of Second Life through The Office – where Dwight is SO into Second Life that his Second-Life character plays Second Second Life.
I once saw a Law and Order SVU episode based off the concept. The victim was spotted by her abductor in “Another Universe”, a Second Life rip off
Okay, this is scary! I’m with Yvonne; I’ve got enough trouble in this world without traipsing off to muck around in another one. Besides there’s only so many hours in a day, and at the moment, the fall colors are fabulous—the real fall colors.
Second Life? For me it’s the one that comes after this one, and I’m in no hurry to get there.
I’ve also sporadically participated in SL. My guess is that authors/publishing houses may be somewhat effective by adding author “appearances” in SL (like Diana Gabaldon’s recently). If the grid stays stable, the author can interact with people from many geographic locations and can be comfortable at home, since it’s a lot easier to achieve one’s best image as an avatar.
When I think about it further, though, it strikes me that the real lure of SL and similar metaverses will be as a new dramatic form where one can “stage” stories with full costuming and scenery, without movie/TV expenses. It can also be a sort of “laboratory” for authors of historical romance, because the author (or an associate who has the time and building skills, more likely)can set up a “physical” analog to their imagined world.
I prefer Get a First Life: A One Page Satire of Second Life. They encourage people to “fornicate using your actual genitals.”
I signed up for second life after hearing quite a bit about it on NPR. The problem I had was that a lot of other people had the same idea and 1) the servers were slow and 2) all of the new people wanted to chat while I was just trying to figure out my way around.
However I did hear a very odd story which you can find here: http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118670164592393622.html?mod=blog
Yes, it’s the Wall Street Journal about a man and woman who met and married in Second Life. His first life wife is not happy about it.
I’m in SL fairly often as a librarian and soon-to-be volunteer Reference Desk librarian. (Well, as soon as I get up on my arse in RL and volunteer to volunteer.) My work is also exploring it as the university we are a part of considers using the SL platform for distance education.
While Linden Labs has worked some of the bugs out, SL requires a massive amount of processing power and a really fast internet connection. I can pretty much only get online at work, and only then when I don’t have a bazillion other things to do.
When in SL, I tend to hang out on Info Island and I’ll usually park my avatar in the Romance section of the SL Library. It’s pretty, there’s great sitting-animations, and the interactive posters are fun to explore and click through.
As SL currectly operates, I see it as another way tech-savvy authors can promote themselves by having book covers/blurbs on display which, which “touched” link to their websites, or by participating in an “interview” with readers also in SL. I wouldn’t suggest giving up all RL publicity in favor of SL, but it can be a good little add on. Like extra M&Ms on a chocolate sundae 🙂
OK, that WSJ article – crazy! First, they’ve only been married in REAL LIFE for seven months, the guy spends six hours a night on SL, and his real life wife is upset enough to discuss it with the WSJ, but not enough to do something about it?
*Verification word: husband23! No SL husbands for me, thanks.
Okay…now for the other side of the story :).
I’m VERY active in Second Life, having just celebrated my “rez day” this past Wednesday. That means I’ve been in Second Life (SL) for an entire year. Why did I go in? Because of that same article on NPR that DS heard. Toyota and Ford and IBM were establishing presences there and I figured if they could, then so could I!
The learning curve of SL is steep, I’ll grant that. But it’s WELL worth the climb. I opened my first bookshop in early December 2006 and will be opening my seventh one in a few days. All my stores are called “Passionate Books” and I display my bookcovers there. Whenever anyone clicks on a cover, they’ll get a notecard with a free excerpt and the purchasing info for the book. In addition, I have a serial that comes out sporadically that takes place in SL and is available only IN Second Life.
I’ve been interviewed on Paisley Beebe’s SLCN Show (“Tonight Live”)—you can search the archives on the SLCN to find the episode if you’re curious. Booksquare has also done a piece on my inworld promotions as has the SL Newspaper. I do live readings to audiences of 25 or so at a time and offer creative writing workshops to people from all over the world.
An add on? Not for me. This has become my primary promotional activity. I find my money well spent in Second Life in the form of shop rental (I can rent all seven shops for the entire year for less than I’d spend on a 1/4 page add in a national magazine).
Do I sound like I love it there? Good. I do :). I’ve met readers from all over the world…met other authors (btw, there are SEVERAL places dedicated to writing and publishing in SL), met publishers and even done some networking there. Come in, learn the culture, and have fun!
Diana Hunter (in Real Life)
Diana Allandale (in Second Life)
by the way..that should be “ad” not “add”
Sorry.
Diana
Second Life has always been a source of curiosity for me but I find I already have a full time addiction in Ragnarok Online.
So while I don’t know the details, I can understand the lure SL holds. If SL is as large and diverse as it seems to be then it’s an interesting way to self-promote. Perhaps that way one could reach an audience that would otherwise be difficult to entice.
*Sigh* I just got on Facebook. Between that, MySpace, LiveJournal, Blogspot, HEACafe and my website I’m spending time dealing with those cyberspots that I used to spend writing—or reading.
I’m resisting getting involved with Second Life, for now.