Lately, social media has really crossed over into my writing pursuits. I’m helping an author friend work on his platform online for a new book proposal he’s cooking up and am getting paid for it. I’ve got a blog designer working on this blog to get it up to speed for the increasing traffic I’ve seen in recent weeks. And all this work has required me to pay close attention to my own social media goals. It’s very easy to get off-track and swept into fads.
A few guidelines I’ve used come from Paul Gillin’s Secrets of Social Media Marketing, and Dave Evans’ Social Media Marketing An Hour A Day, as well as Joel Comm’s Twitter Power and Steve Holzner’s Facebook Marketing, and Ken Lizotte’s The Expert’s Edge.
So what am I doing with social media? Blogging obviously, Twittering (and moving up the ranks on Twitterholic.com; currently I’m ranked #18 in Seattle, just 16 spots below Starbucks!), Facebook, and LinkedIn are my core focus. I’ve been writing articles for EzineArticles.com and guest blogging for several blogs (I’m negotiating with many more), plus, I’m getting ready to do some print and web writing work (reviews and essays) and I’m learning to leave comments all over the web with my blog URL and Twitter tag.
Later on this spring, I must turn my attention to my actual web sites, which I pulled down a few weeks ago to rework. I’ve got both sites started, but I just need to really focus on the copy.
What have I gained?
A lot. I’ve met a lot of great people through my increased efforts so far in 2009. I’ve been able to network with a few publishers/agents for some projects I’d like to see placed, and I’ve also learned that social media is moving really fast. If you’re hesitating about jumping in, I’d urge you to reconsider. Christina Katz has written a great book called Get Known Before the Book Deal, which helped me get my brain right. It’s mostly about changing your mindset from having all the publicity work after you sell a book to doing as much publicity as you can before you sell a book. The publishing world has radically changed in recent weeks and agents report that publishers are not even reading agented (yes, AGENTED) submissions but just turning them down, citing a weak market, a bad track record with similar projects, and that reading has fallen off (the first two excuses might be true, but the third is preposterous; people are reading more than ever).
I’ve also put a plan into place for some other things on both my blogs that my personal blog gurus have assigned me to complete in order to gain passive income earners. Those projects have to stay top secret for now, but you’ll be the first to know! Trust me!
What have you done with social media for your own writing projects?
{ 2 comments }
Good post, Trish. Best-selling author Joshilyn Jackson encouraged me to start my blog in August of 2007, as “pre-marketing” for the day I get my first book deal. Your comments are point-on. Several rejections I’ve received from agents recently have included compliments about the marketing plan I have in place, including the blog and relationships with numerous published authors who have agreed to blub my book, and also with owners of independent bookstores. The rejections have had more to do with the current market, which makes me feel a little better than having them tell me my writing sucks! I’m sticking with the blog and Twitter as my online social media, not wanting to go to Facebook. Once I find an agent to represent my work, I’ll probably hire a web designer. BTW… how do you like WordPress? I’m considering changing (from Blogger) but don’t know how much time the construction and set up will take, and whether or not I’d lose any readers in the process. Your thoughts?
Hi, Susan,
Yes, I got the same sage advice from several authors I know on Facebook (you should come join the fun!): Ally Carter, Sarah Dessen, Jennifer Weiner, Meg Cabot, J.A. Konrath, etc., just to name a few.
Yes, the rejections are more and more just because the pub is skittish.
I really love WordPress. I switched over almost a year ago now, and it did take a while for the traffic to find me and change their links, and recently I split up this blog into two and finally the traffic has split and now both blogs are getting more than this one was alone!
Anyhoo, once you’ve figure out how WP works (a whole different ballgame from Blogger, but just as easy), you’ll never go back.
If you want, I can refer you to a fantastic blog training course I’ve used (they use Wordpress).
Back to the writing!
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