You can pay someone for directory submission services

Thanks for sharing them!
Is botw really the oldest directory?
Too bad they're all payed though (except dmoz).

I hope this is the right place to post this...

I just installed a new link directory on my site.  It's for Creative Writing related sites only though...

Here: Creative Writing Directory

I happen to think that's a great idea

Heck I have done all that and it still has not increased the traffic any at all. I quite frankly I am not going to pay someone to do it for me. You can add all the meta tags or whatever you want but it just compounds the situation in my book. Forums are tricky. I have had dozens of them and did everything to promote it and it still flopped. I have one up now that I may not have after the first of the year. Theres billions upon billions of forums on the web and unless you have a particular niche that no one else has capitalized on you  are throwing water out an open window so to speak. And when you speak of free that is what you get free. Advertising cost money and unless you are making money on a forum its not hardly worth paying someone to do it for you.

I would suggest to anyone that before they begin a forum to do some research first. Typical forums like gaming,horror,rock and heavy metal are not particular genres you want to tackle as a new forum because the genre is such on the web that most times you will not even be seen or noticed.

That would be hope too. But then agian, my hope is almost gone when it comes to forums...