8/18/2023 Edit: Did some tightening of the guidelines to reflect my point in post #4.

The information below was posted in one of the rule clarification sections here.

But here's what it says...

Re: Advertising (esp. books and websites)... Many forums have rules in place to prevent advertisement and we're one of them. I simply don't want people joining just to sell a product or advertise. However, I am okay with people bringing up their website or book just as long as it's within the context of discussing a topic or issue.

Here are some general guidelines to help meet this standard:
1. As for your profile and signature section, you can bring up your books and websites without any accompanying marketing language (don't mention anything about buying it, where to buy it, etc). You can even post a brief description about them.
2. In the discussion/debate areas, members can post the name of their book or online site only if they are quoting from it. Also, the information that they are quoting should be relevant to the discussion.
3. Do not tell members to go read your book or visit your site. Simply quote from your book and cite it as a source.


Anything beyond these guidelines can be seen as advertising or showcasing your book or website.
 
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I added a 3rd guideline...
3. You can cite your work (book, website, etc.) as a source so that people can know where it's from.
 
One of my guidelines here mentions this:
1. Books and websites can be mentioned in member’s profiles and/or signatures without any accompanying advertising language.
I will replace the word advertising with "marketing". I don't want members to advertise their books nor do I want discussion on buying it, where to buy it, etc. You could mention where to buy it in a private message if someone asks you there.

1. Books and websites can be mentioned in your profile and/or signatures without any accompanying marketing language.

As an example of a profile post,
I recently released a self-help book with a commentary on the utilization of Classic Philosophy; the psyche and philosophy are intertwined. It is a brief 50-page read and is available on website X and wherever new books are sold.

Green font is okay to post in your profile. It mentions the member's book, and I'm even okay with posting a brief description of it. The description should not involve marketing language, such as information on buying the book, advertising it, etc.

The red font is not okay. Gets into information on purchasing the book, where to purchase. Member can mention those details in a private message to someone who is asking for that information.

Information is also posted in the forum guidelines section.
 
Unfortunately, I'm still having new members join the forum just to advertise their book. I'm not sure if the rules are not being read or if there loopholes that people feel that they can get around.

I apologize in advance for having to keep modifying the rules, but I'll have to tighten them up yet again since this advertising keeps. The one thing that stays the same is my goal of having no advertisement and/or marketing on the site. How that's done and enforced will require tweaks here and there as I encounter different situations.

The one thing I want to tighten up here is when you can cite your book in the debate and discussion areas. You can only cite your book and other works if you are quoting from them. And the information you're quoting from it must be relevant to the discussion. Also, do not tell members to go read your website or book; just cite the relevant information from your book and cite your book as the source. That's it!

I've tightened up the language in the guidelines in post #1 to reflect this. You can still mention your book or works in your profile and/or signature without any accompanying marketing language.
 
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