Heard the ads in Podcastle and Escape Pod now, and some further comments, trying to word them as constructively and specifically as possible.
1. I think I've now heard the ad 6 times in the last week? Bookending an episode each of Podcastle, Escape Pod, and Pseudopod. It's a bit much, especially considering:
2. The ad is almost the same every time. One of the reasons that I've never spoken up about the Audible ads that have run in the past is that each one lends something novel--usually the person reading the ad picks a story that they would like to recommend that you can find on Audible, and it's different each time. I'm not exactly sure how that would be done with Clarion, but if the ads are going to be used with such density I think it's necessary to avoid just being generally annoying. Maybe could get a brief paragraph read by Clarion graduates for different ads? As it is, if this keeps up I'm probably going to start skipping to the next track as soon as the closing ad starts and miss the feedback and closing comments and other things.
3. I know this wasn't the intent, but I find it hard to not feel insulted by the way the ad is worded. The ad says something like "Do you want to be published in Escape Artists? Then you should go to Clarion!" By implication I feel like it also says "You know damned well you're never ever going to go to Clarion? Then you're unworthy of being published by Escape Artists!" Obviously this isn't true, since I have been published by Escape Artists a handful of times. Except Podcastle, because of course they hate everything I write (yes, yes, I know you don't, I'm just in the mood for hyperbole I guess). I expect a workshop might help steer your learning, might help you skip a few levels, but that doesn't meant that you need to go to a workshop to sell stories. At this point to attend Clarion I'd have to quit my job, which would mean I'd lose my house, as well as leaving my wife to tend to the baby and everything else in our life without any help from me for a month and a half, and then spend several thousand dollars that I don't have to spare now let alone if I quit my job and lost my house. If that is truly the cost of writing success then I quit now.
4. As well as feeling insulted because the ad promotes this product that I will never be able to afford as a necessity, I also think that it condescends even to those who could afford it. You know the best way to get stories written? Sit your ass in a chair and put some words to paper. Even if you've gone to a workshop, you still need to sit your ass in a chair and put some words to paper. Even if your life would allow you to attend it's not a magic pill that makes your writing sell. You still have to do the work.
5. Maybe put the price in the ad? Maybe it was left out intentionally because you were worried that people would not want to go if they heard the price. But they're going to have to hear the price to go at some point.
I am curious--do you have an idea how much of your user base is actually made up of writers? Things like Audible are an obvious hit, because they can be made to appeal to speculative fiction fans and anyone listening to the podcasts are either speculative fiction fans or they are in the wrong place. This isn't a criticism of the ad, because Clarion is paying for the ad, and it might be well worthwhile even if only a small percentage are writers because the EA audience is so big, but I am curious if this question has been explored.
