Happy Sunday morning, everyone!
Today I’m being interviewed at the Author Exchange blog: a great place to find out more about your favorite authors. And now, it’s also a great place to post news on upcoming releases, announce contests, and post blogs. Author Linda M. Faulkner is the blog owner.
Hope you’ll pop over there and say hi.
My writing workshop yesterday went well. The audience was attentive and asked some great questions, and I learned a lot from the other authors there, too.
One of the questions I got was about how I balanced my online time (blogging, Twitter, Facebook) with my writing time and family time. I was also asked whether I found social media useful.
To me, the time I spend online on blogging and social media is promotional and networking time for me. Not only is promoting part of my job as a published writer, it’s also become a lot more enjoyable to me through online media.
Facebook: I started out using Facebook as a conduit to connect with family members and old friends who used it. I quickly discovered that I needed a separate page for my professional profile. My husband and I agreed that I would keep the kids’ and my husband’s image/names off the net as much as possible and let them enjoy their anonymity. (They didn’t sign up to be as public as me.)
This method has worked really well for me. I have a professional FB page as Elizabeth Spann Craig Author and have made a lot of connections there. Also, I’m figuring out Networked Blogs and have enjoyed discovering new blogs to read and new people to follow.
Twitter: I was a big pooh-pooher of Twitter, but have been surprised to find a niche there. If you want, you can use Twitter only to connect to readers, writers, and industry professionals. It’s a painless way to keep up with industry news via links, connect with other writers, etc. I was thrilled yesterday when someone tweeted that they’d just bought my book. That kind of connection with a reader was just unheard of before. Plus, I’ve gotten several book reviews written about my book because of my Twitter identity.
Blogging—Admittedly, blogging can take up a lot of time. There again, though, the rewards have been tremendous. I’ve connected with other writers and readers from around the world and have really enjoyed the experience.
Anyone else become a social media convert?
I am slowly getting there. I also had one person tweet that they bought my book. It felt great. But I’m trying to evaluate the time commitment versus the reward and I won’t know that for quite a while. So I’ll keep on keepin’ on. I don’t think I’m utilizing Twitter and Facebook to the best advantage.
Karen
Like you, I was a Twitter critc. “What a waste of time!” I would say. My impression was that people were on there merely announcing dinner plans and such: “Okay, I’m off to Applebee’s!”
Turns out, there’s a lot more on Twitter than that. Sure, you have some Tweeters who tweet about the most mundane stuff, but if it bugs you too much, you can just unfollow!
I’ve made some great connections through Twitter and have to admit that I am now a Twitter convert.
I’m on my way. Sometimes it feels like I’m connecting with people; other times it feels like I’m tweeting into the void of space.
Helen, could you pass the A1 Sauce? My part of the elephant’s a little dry.
I just found your blog via Martin Edwards´.
I would not call myself a social media convert, but I admit Facebook has its uses. Now I am in touch with cousins I have not met for ten years or more, and I can certainly see these media offer opportunities for authors to get in touch with their readers.
As pseudonyms (in modern times) do puzzle me a bit, I would like to know why you have written a series under another name.
I have. Who would have thought ten years ago all this online networking would be possible? And yet, here we are. If you’re not into it, but are thinking about it, just start with one thing. It’s like the old question of how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Helen–You’re right, just a little bit at a time works well.
Karen–I’m still trying to use the schedule that Dani suggested: 1 promo tweet, 1 retweet, 1 news link tweet (my news is industry related.) Sometimes I get carried away, though.
Jack–I think the trick lies in the quality of our followers and the kinds of tweets they’re making.
Alan–I felt that way at first. Then I found some great folks to follow with interesting writing-related links. When I started retweeting their links, Twitter life picked up for me.
Dorte–The only reason I’m writing under a pseudonym is because Penguin asked me to. :) I’m being agreeable.
Started blogging in March, Facebook in July, two things I thought I’d never do. Twitter? Well, maybe, sometime … don’t know. Oh, probably.
I’m diving in to it. FB is friends and family only (because of family photos). My blog is based on writing, and I’ve also turned to online forums like Absolute Write’s Water Cooler.