Do Writers REALLY Need to Use Social Media Anymore?

 
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

With the rapid growth of self-publishing, many writers have stopped putting stock in social media as a marketing tool. Instead many writers are focusing on output–creating more content to get in front of readers with the hopes that the writing itself will be the biggest marketing tool.

Essentially the strategy over the past year or two has been for writers to put a permanently free (aka perma-free) book out there to act as the catalyst to draw readers to their other books. But in order for the perma-free book to work at maximum potential, it usually has to be the first in a series. It also helps if the author has a decent backlist.

However, with every author now attempting to put out a perma-free book, the free book market has become glutted. If you're like me, you probably have dozens of free books on your Kindle that you haven't gotten around to reading yet. Unfortunately all of the free books have undermined the value of ebooks (but that's a topic for another post!).

Of course writers are trying other ways to get content in front of readers (in addition to a perma-free book). They're writing enovellas, eshorts, serials, and republishing out-of-print backlists.

But the question always remains (one I'm asked frequently by other writers, especially new ones): "How do get the word out about all of my content? Even the stuff that's free or relatively cheap isn't garnering much reader attention nowadays. So how do I get my books noticed?"

In the not-so-recent past, the typical answer would have been: "Build a social media presence, develop relationships. Then your friends and followers will want to help you get the word out because that's what friends do for each other." (Or something like that.)

All of us were at different parts of the path on the journey to publication. So those of us who were coming behind would cheer on and promote those farther ahead. And those farther ahead would do the same for friends once they landed their first deal.

With the explosion of the indie movement, the publishing journey is much shorter with fewer differentiations along the path. Almost everyone who wants to be published is published. And so that means everyone needs help with promotion at pretty much the same time as everyone else. Basically, we're all in the same place of needing to get the word out about our books.

In fact, as I thought about my early blogging friends, most are published or are in the process of it. Many of us have the same circles of influence. Some of us even have the same readers. And while we can support each other as best we can, I can only imagine that at times readers' eyes glaze over at the barrage of promotion they get from all of us.

In addition to the over-saturation of promotion among social media, the nature of social media is constantly in flux. New ways of relating come up that make the not-so-old seem antiquated.

Does that mean social media is fairly useless to writers as a marketing tool? Should we just throw in the towel and do nothing?

At this point, I  don't think writers should close up their social media accounts. Yes, I think a writer's focus should remain on producing content. We should have a perma-free book even if it's only a novella (like mine) or an eshort. We should continue to have a large volume of books (including backlist) available for purchase; occasionally we should even put them on sale to draw attention to our front list books. We can make use of BookBub and other promotional sites.

But we can't completely neglect social media. With patience and perseverance, with consistency and a little more creativity, the various outlets can still be an effective way to reach readers with the news of our books.

Above all, social media is an awesome way to connect with readers on a more personal level (and not just when we're trying to promote our book). I want my readers to know I'm here, I'm available, and I appreciate them. I don't want to be the kind of snooty author who sits away in her ivory tower pumping out book after book with the attitude that I don't have time to mingle with the masses.

Rather, I'd like to be known for my warmth, compassion, and accessibility. To me, being an author is more than just about my books. Yes, I want readers to find hope and enjoyment in the stories I tell. But I also want to be known as a real person who cares. Social media allows for that . . . if we do the work to make it happen.

What about YOU? What do you think is the role of social media in the writer's life nowadays? Has it stopped being an effective marketing tool?

Social Media for Writers: A Kool-Aid Drinking Cult?

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

Last week I read an interesting article about social media called, "I Drank the Social Media Kool-Aid."

The article was written anonymously and compared social media (Twitter in particular) to a "junior high school clique, an impenetrable inner circle."

And as the title of the article implies, the author apparently feels he or she has been fooled by industry professionals into believing social media was "the answer" similar to those who join a kool-aid drinking cult believe whatever they're told.

Of course I had to smile at the comparisons. They're just slightly embellished to make a point. And the point is well-taken. Anywhere we go in life, there will always be those who are unfriendly and treat us like an outsider. And I'm sure there are groups, even among writers, who get cliquish.

But strangely, I've not had the same experience as Anonymous among the large online writing community. I've had an active social media presence over the past several years. And honestly, I can't remember a time when I was shunned, where I got the cold shoulder, or when more "popular" people refused to talk to me.

I've actually had the opposite experience. I've had published authors, agents, and editors stop by my blog or interact with me on Twitter. I've rubbed shoulders with a huge variety of industry professionals.

I've found the barriers that once separated people seem to fall away on social media.

But what about those who jump into social media because they're told they must build a platform, only to experience what Anonymous did in the article listed above, the cliques or the disillusioned cult-like feeling? Why do some people end up feeling that way?

Here are a few things Anonymous said along with my thoughts:

1. Regarding giving and taking: 

Anonymous said: "I frequently retweeted the postings of a number of writers, who never retweeted mine—even though our web sites served overlapping audiences . . . They (other writers) only posted their own work and that of a handful of online associates."

My response: I NEVER retweet anyone with the expectation that they must retweet me. Never. In fact, I never endorse, promote, or otherwise help another writer expecting they do something back for me. I give without any strings attached.

Moreover, when I tweet links, I do so because I think the information is something that will interest or benefit my followers. I don't pay attention to WHO wrote the article as much as WHAT the content is about and whether it will appeal to others.

Social media really works best when we aren't thinking about what we can get out of it for ourselves but rather with the mindset of what we can do for others. And usually in the process of blessing others, we're blessed in return.

2. Regarding interacting: 

Anonymous said: "These writers gave nothing away, no response of any kind, just a surrounding silence."

My response: I always interact with people who chat directly with me (unless they're spamming me). I never intentionally ignore a tweet or comment (although some may have slipped through the cracks).

On the flip side, I don't often make the time to watch my tweet or facebook streams and begin conversations anymore. For various reasons, I've cut back the amount of time I actually socialize on twitter or other sites.

All that to say, if any writer is hesitant or feels left out, the best thing to do is to start initiating the conversations. Don't sit on the sidelines and wait for others to notice you. Like any other social situation, we have to jump right in and start talking. As the saying goes, we have to be a friend to make a friend.

3. Regarding building a platform: 

Anonymous said: "We writers are told we must have a platform, if we want agents and publishers to even consider our work, and the major social media sites are critical elements of that platform."

My response: I've recently done a couple of blog posts about social media for novelists. In my post, "The Changing Nature of Blogging for Fiction Writers" I mentioned that my large social media platform has not helped me sell significantly more books. Sure, it's been helpful in other ways. But by and large, fiction writers will build their platform by writing one great book after another.

4. Regarding followers: 

Anonymous said: "Some writers who write about writing ask that you, “Follow me on Twitter." Then I go to their Twitter page and find they have say, 6,000 followers, but follow only a tenth that many."

My response: I've made it my personal policy never to solicit follows. I don't ask people to follow me on any of my social media sites. Of course I prominently display links to all my sites. But I never demand, coerce, bribe, or beg for more followers.

I want people to follow me because they want to. Plain and simple. I never promise to follow people back either, even though I do my best. I honestly can't keep up with returning follows on all my sites, especially because it's difficult to wade through who's legit and who's spamming.

All that to say, I try to connect as best I can on social media. I want to be available, real, and helpful to my readers and to fellow writers. I may not be perfect, but if I'm having problems with connecting, I usually lay the blame at my own feet first before pointing a finger at others.

How about you? Do you agree or disagree with Anonymous? Have you found social media to be full of cliques? Impenetrable? Frustrating? If not, what advice do you have to give those who do feel shunned?

Which is the Best Social Media for Connecting With Readers?

 By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

In this modern internet age, authors have numerous places they can connect with readers. I love the variety of ways that we can interact. I've found that I can relate to readers just about everywhere.

But for those authors who need to limit their social media time, who want to put their scarce time and energy into the most effective place, what would that venue be? Where is the best place to chat with readers?

This may vary from author to author depending upon genre, age of readership, and the author's own dynamics. But here's what I've discovered:

Blogging?

I rarely connect with genre readers through blogging. As Addison Moore pointed out in my post about whether self-published authors should blog, many readers don't have blogs and therefore don't have accounts that allow them to comment.

Blogging has been a way for me to connect primarily with other writers, build friendships, as well as gain a network of supporters. My "team" has helped me spread buzz around the releases of my books.

My blog and website are also an excellent online "home base" where readers can come and find out more about me and my books.

But very few readers leave comments, even on the posts where I ask for reader input.

Twitter?

I connect with more readers on Twitter than I do through blogging. In fact, I've started a column on Tweetdeck titled "Readers." But it's not a very long list. My lists with other writers and industry professionals are all much longer.

Occasionally readers mention my name when they finish my book or post a review. Sometimes readers tweet about my book from Goodreads. But overall, I don't have a large following of readers on Twitter.

Pinterest?

I'm still in love with Pinterest. But I've found that in these early stages of its development, it's still a bit cumbersome for interacting with others. While I've enjoyed creating boards for my books and developing my brand on Pinterest, I don't feel that I get to know readers on a personal level there.

Goodreads?

I really like Goodreads not necessarily as an author, but as a reader. I enjoy being able to keep a record of the books I'm reading. And I also think it's fascinating to read other reviews of books I've finished, especially on books I adore but others don't like. It reminds my thin-skinned writer heart that people won't always enjoy the books I read OR write!

As far as interacting with my fans on Goodreads, I rarely do. I try to keep my author hat off when I'm on Goodreads. Occasionally readers will send me messages or comment on a book I've read. But overall, I try to view Goodreads from the perspective of a reader.

Emails?

I frequently get emails from readers who've read my books and want to share their enthusiasm with me. I absolutely love the one on one connection that an email provides. Of all the modes of communicating, it's probably my favorite, simply because it allows for a longer and more personal exchange.

But we have to make it easy for readers to find our emails. I put mine in my books. And I also have a contact form on my website for easy access.

Facebook?

Of all the social media sites, readers seem to gravitate toward facebook. And even though facebook has lost its effectiveness as a promotional tool (unless you're willing to pay), it's still the best place to engage readers.

It's no wonder. The latest statistics show that Facebook topped one billion users last month.

As frustrating as facebook can be (like the fact that facebook now offers paid promotion not only for Pages but now for personal accounts!), we're stuck with the system. We really can't do much about the frustrations. If we decide to throw in the towel on Facebook or boycott it, we'll only be hurting ourselves.

The fact is, most readers like and use facebook regularly as their main form of social media. I know this to be true from my own readers and also in talking with other authors who have said the same thing.

Readers: Which social media do you like the best for interacting with authors?

Writers: Where do you find that most readers hang out? Have you sensed a trend in a favorite social media?

5 Obnoxious Marketing Techniques Writers Should Avoid

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

I'm definitely not a marketing expert. I've made plenty of mistakes. I've tried things that have flopped. And I've likely irritated people with my efforts at times.

But as I've looked around at what kinds of techniques work and don't work, I've realized there are several things that stand out as somewhat obnoxious, things I go out of my way to avoid.

1. Sending a direct message on Twitter (automated or otherwise) to a new follower asking them to go to your website, facebook page, or check out your books.

2. Following someone new on Facebook and then when he or she follows you back, ask them to go Like your Author Page.

3. Gaining a new friend on Facebook and then going right over and posting something about your book on her timeline.

4. Emailing someone you don't know, being friendly, and then ending the note by asking them to go to your website or Amazon page to take a look at your books.

5. Asking followers you don't know well to help "spread the news" about a book or event or to "please retweet" the information.

All of the above techniques are pushy and impersonal. And all of them have happened to me recently.

Such methods remind me of the college kids who used to come to my door every summer trying to sell me children's encyclopedias. The kids were trained not to take no for an answer, and I often felt like they were badgering me so that I'd allow them come inside and explain more about their books. Even if I had been interested (which I wasn't), I didn't want someone trying to force me to make a purchase.

Nobody wants someone knocking on their door in real life trying to sell something. Don't we all cringe when we get those kinds of visitors (or we hide in the bathroom and pretend were not home)?

Well, in the land of social media, cold calls are even more offensive. The old-school technique of hand-selling your books DOESN'T work. In fact, going door-to-door in cyberland and trying to drum up business is just a sure-fire way to LOSE followers. Since most social media works on a mutual acceptance of a following, we feel used when someone "friends" us for the sole purpose of getting us to buy something. As I said above, such techniques are impersonal.

And IMPERSONAL marketing rarely stirs our interest. But PERSONAL connections make all the difference.

When it comes to buying books (or anything) most of us are willing and go out of our way to support our friends. Or we might make a genuine connection with someone via blogging or twitter, and subsequently we're curious to find out more about his or her books. Or maybe we get interested in a book because others are excited about it. In all those cases, we make some kind of personal connection/recommendation which in turn causes us to pursue a book further.

I read a recent article from DBW entitled: Book Discovery Landscape Becomes More Complicated as Reader Behavior Fractures. The article said: "When it comes to book discovery, things are going to get more complicated before they get simpler."

The article had a couple of interesting charts about book buying habits as well as statistics about where books are sold. But out of all of the interesting data (compiled by Bowker Market Research), the most interesting statement was this: Amid all the change in how readers read and discover books, one thing has remained constant: in-person, personal recommendations are the No. 1 way people discover books, no matter who they are or how they read.

So my encouragement to all of us trying to navigate through the complicated maze of book discovery is NOT to get so desperate that we resort to badgering, pushy, impersonal techniques. But instead we need to try to remember that PERSONAL recommendations are what sell books, NOT from us as authors, but from readers who get genuinely excited about our books and then spread their enthusiasm to others.

So it comes back to the basics. The best thing authors can do to generate enthusiasm for their books is to write stories readers can get excited about. Plain and simple. Write books that readers will want to talk about.

What about you? Has anyone ever used one of the above impersonal marketing techniques on you? How did it make you feel? Have you ever bought a book as a result of someone's "cold call"? Are personal recommendations still the number one way you discover books?

Are Online Friendships Inherently Shallow?

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

Last week I was reading a Guardian article by Ewan Morrison, "Why Social Media Isn't the Magic Bullet for Self-Epublished Authors." Morrison discusses problems and fallacies about self-promotion via social media. He takes an honest look at some of the things that have been touted to help but haven't proven to increase sales: including tweeting, buying Facebook ads, or hiring marketing companies to help improve your social media platform.

He said this, "As individuals and companies abandon Facebook advertising, and finally come to realise that Twitter does not increase sales for the vast majority of writers, then the very idea of using social media to sell books will begin to collapse."

I don't agree one hundred percent with everything Morrison said. But I do concur that we'll fail IF we approach social media with THE goal of selling more books.

Social media was never intended to become a giant billboard for every writer. 

The same way the phone was never intended to be a place for businesses to call and bug us with those annoying "ad calls." When I pick up the phone, I don't want someone on the other end trying to sell me something or trying to get me to donate to their charity.

Instead, when I answer my phone, I want to talk to a REAL person AND have a REAL conversation.
But is it possible to build REAL relationships on social media?

We can complain about how the "social" is gone from social media these days. And we can talk about the need to keep our social media sites places of community, encouragement, and learning.

However, even if we make efforts to have more conversations, are those connections merely an under-handed way to gain popularity and followers? Are we guilty of using each other to build our platforms? Are we ultimately having conversations with one another for the ulterior motive of trying to sell more books?

After all, we've been told if we build our "tribes" or "teams" they'll become some of our strongest supporters and promoters when our books release.

But how REAL and strong are internet connections, especially if they're based on ulterior motives for gaining promoters?

In the Guardian article, Morrison says, "the internet is good at forming weak, not strong links. Commitment on the net is shallow."

Of course, after reading his statement, I had to stop and evaluate all of the connections I've formed online over the past few years. I admit. Many of the friends I made early in blogging have fallen away. I don't keep in touch with them, and they don't visit my blog anymore either. And yes, some of my twitter connections have never gone beyond a few tweets.

But, over time and with effort, I've also made some really solid friends, writers with whom I share my deepest joys and struggles. They do likewise with me.

And THOSE are the kinds of friends who now go out of their way to support me when my book releases. They genuinely WANT to help me. And I love to help them too with endorsements, book reviews, advice, etc.

In my opinion, that's what social media is all about—forming genuine, mutually beneficial friendships. When we do that, we won't have to worry about social media "collapsing" on us. And we won't need to resort to spam because our friends will be excited to help us spread the news to their circles of influence. Their word-of-mouth is better than the best spam we could ever come up with.

So how do we go about creating mutually beneficial friendships on social media?

1. Check our motives. Anytime we base relationships (whether online or in real life) on selfish motives, the relationships will be shallow. We need to go into friendships without the ulterior motives for selling our books or gaining popularity. If we're doing that, people will eventually find out. And no one likes feeling used.

2. Quality is better than quantity. As tempting as it is, to try to increase our follower numbers on social media sites, we're better off to go deep with a few friends rather than be shallow with many.

3. Take the time to be a friend. Every friendship takes some effort, especially in the beginning. Whether in real life or online, we have to be a friend to have a friend.

4. Don't expect anything in return. Give to people without demanding something back. If I buy a friend's book to support her, I don't turn around and ask her to buy mine. If I endorse someone's book, I don't hold it over her head expecting high praise on mine. I give without strings attached. Always.

So are internet relationships inherently shallow?

They don't have to be.

Like any relationships we form (whether in real life or online), we get out of a relationship what we put in.

What's your experience been so far with online relationships? Are they more shallow than real life relationships? Or is it possible to get beyond the motive of selling books to have real friendships?

Putting the "Social" Back in Social Media

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

Lately, I've observed a disturbing trend among the writing community on social media sites—the lack of interaction. Hordes of writers are populating Twitter and Facebook. But over the past year, there's been a steady decline in person-to-person socializing among all those writers.

Instead of having real-time communication, nowadays social media—particularly Twitter—has become one big infomercial.

As I watched the live stream of tweets one morning, almost every tweet was a plug for something. Here are just a few of the tweets I saw in about one minute of looking:

"I'd love more 'likes' on my FB Author Page. Help me out, but only if you want to [insert link]."

"Some of the best fantasy in the world comes from right here [insert blog]. Stop by and follow to keep up with the best."

"Don't forget your favorite vampire antho is now in the #kindle store! [insert link]"

For every one tweet from someone attempting to have a real conversation, there were about 10 tweets from people promoting books, blogs, businesses, or some other social media site.

The twitter stream that morning was mostly SPAM. And watching it disheartened me.

I think there are a number of reasons for the decline of socializing on social media sites:

1. The newness of a site fades and the initial enthusiasm wans. When that happens we tend to slow down in how much time we spend on particular sites.

2. We don't know what to say anymore. Perhaps after time we've said everything witty or interesting about ourselves, and we don't feel we have anything left to say.

3. We've grown disillusioned with social media. Perhaps we thought it would bring about some measure of success. And when that didn't happen as quickly or easily as we'd hoped, we fall away from using it regularly.

4. As we add in more social media sites, we become spread too thin. We don't have the time to spend on each site to adequately connect with our followers in meaningful ways.

5. As we become busier in our writing careers, we've had to prioritize our workload. Socializing on twitter or facebook has to take backseat to other responsibilities.

6. After trying to do it all, we eventually get burned out. We tell ourselves that we don't want to disappear completely, so we schedule interesting links, quotes, or promos about our books in order to keep our avatars in the public spotlight.

All of the above can happen to the best of us. I'm guilty. There are times when I've been too tired or busy to socialize. It's during those lulls that I fall into the trap of sending the "social" in social media on a vacation and start treating my sites like billboards. When we reach that point, we're better off to give ourselves a break, unplug for a few days or a week, and then come back energized.

Even though all of the above factors have likely contributed to all of us misusing social media on occasion, I think the BIGGEST CULPRIT in the demise of socializing on social media is the increased numbers of authors jumping into self-Epublishing. 

The self-Epublishing surge has increased the numbers of books being published as well as the number of authors needing to promote. As more and more authors (traditional AND self-published) compete to attract readers, they become more desperate in their marketing efforts. Many mistakenly believe that social media is the magic bullet in the scramble to get "discovered." And many also mistakenly employ traditional marketing methods on social media.

And thus our twitter streams have become clogged with everyone shouting about their books. But as the shouting has grown louder, no one can be heard any more. It's just noise. A lot of unpleasant noise.

So what am I suggesting? Should we stop promoting ourselves and our books on Twitter?

After all, I'm not really sure that social media boosts sales. (Read my recent post: Does Social Media Really Help With Success?)

Perhaps we don't need to take a drastic approach and cut out any mention of our books at all. But maybe we can work harder at putting the social back into social media, in making social media a community where we can come together for support, encouragement, and information.

Even if we never sell another book as a result of social media, we can all still benefit from being apart of the community of writers who are there for one another in all of the challenges we face.

Social media can be a place where we can share our joys and frustrations with other writers who "get it." It can be a place where we learn collectively how to be better writers and navigate the ever-changing industry. And it can definitely be a place for us to relate on a personal level with our readers.

I like Kristen Lamb's Rule of Three for social media interaction: 1/3 Information (link to your blog), 1/3 Reciprocation (RT for someone else), 1/3 CONVERSATION.

So no, it's not "wrong" to post informative links to blogs or to retweet or make an occasional plug for your book. BUT, we can't do it to the exclusion of having conversations.

We need to be there and be real. Because ultimately people are more important than products.

How about you? Have you noticed a decline in interaction on social media and an increase in promotion? How does it make you feel? 

Does Social Media Really Help With Success?

By JodyHedlund, @JodyHedlund

How much of a role does social media play in pushing a novelist toward success? Does a strong online presence equate strong sales? Do authors without blogs or twitter have less success? Or are there other factors that influence success more than social media?

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I believe social media is important. It's critical in a lot of ways.

One, it allows us to develop a team of writers and readers who support us and promote our books, especially around a release. They can help create a lot of buzz.

Second, social media allows us to connect with our readers in a variety of formats. When they take the time to reach out to us through facebook or twitter, we can be there to interact (just like we would at a book signing or other event).

And third, for those who are self-publishing, a strong web presence is even more important in spreading book buzz (although with the overwhelming numbers of writers now self-publishing, I'm beginning to wonder how anyone can be heard above the clamor—but that's the makings of another post on another day.)

Yes, social media is vital to the modern author on many levels. I'm not arguing that.

But, in all the social media hype over the past couple years, have we elevated its importance too high? Does social media really give a boost to an author's sales, land them on best seller lists, get them bigger publishing deals, or turn them into national celebrities?

After several years and several books, I've decided that even though my social media presence is fairly strong, it has NOT been the most significant factor in my success.

In fact, I've done an informal comparison with another author friend who started publishing about the same time I did. We're both in approximately the same spots in our careers. Same genre. Same publisher. Same high quality of editing and cover development. Same overall marketing. Same general audience.

We have a lot in common.

But our approaches to social media have been different.

This friend decided she wasn't going to have a blog or get on twitter. She maintains a website and personal facebook account. But beyond that she limits herself.

On the other hand, I do just about every social media out there. Through consistent hard work and determination, I've been able to build significant followings on most of my sites. I've made a large number of genuine, wonderful connections as a result of social media.

If social media makes a big difference, then you'd think my sales and my success would be significantly higher than that of my fellow author since I have a large web presence.

But the truth is that my friend and I are very comparable. In fact, in some aspects, she's probably doing better than me.

The conclusion I've come to is that for fiction writers, especially traditionally published, social media can create buzz, but there are other factors that play a larger role in whether an author achieves success.

Here are a few of the more significant factors:

• Getting a stellar review from a major review site like Publisher's Weekly.

• Having significant publisher marketing dollars behind the book.

• The publisher's sales department and inroads they have at various brick and mortar stores. (For example, getting into Walmart or a big box store can really boost sales.)

• Placement of books in bookstores. (For example, my publisher is able to display some books in prominent positions on the ends of aisles.)

• Getting the support of book buyers and retail distributors in displaying the book in high traffic reader areas (in catalogs, flyers, or front pages of online stores).

All of the above can help propel an author to success at a faster rate and wider scope than what an author can accomplish on her own through social media. Because really, what we do in our limited scope on twitter or blogging is merely a blip in the wide-world of publication—especially with so many other writers on social media all scrambling to be heard.

While we may not have control over many of the factors that can lead to success, we do have control over THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR OF ALL. And that is this: Write a compelling, knock-your-socks off story. And then keep writing the absolute best books you can, book after book. 

Building a readership takes time and quality books. When we deliver amazing stories to our readers time and time again, we'll slowly expand the scope of our reach.

That's what my friend has done. She protects her writing time and focuses on writing award-winning stories with each book. And it's starting to pay off for her. She's finaling in contests and making the best seller list.

I certainly don't advocate giving up on social media. I'm still planning to utilize it to the best of my ability. Why not take advantage of every little bit of help in promoting our books?

But, we can't let the social media hype get in the way of what really matters most to a novelist—the STORY.

As fiction writers, we need to spend our best energy and time on what's going to ultimately help our careers the most: growing in skill and writing excellent books.

Do you think social media has been over-rated in its importance in the success of an author? What factors do you think help make an author successful?


Photo Credit: Flickr by thinboyfatter

How Should Writers Handle Facebook Frustrations?

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

Did you know that Facebook has been using a calculation called EdgeRank to determine which of our followers get to see the status updates we post?

In other words, whenever we post something on Facebook (whether on our Personal Account or our Page), not ALL of our followers get to see what we post. Our comments will only show up on a VERY small percentage of newsfeeds (determined by some algorithm through EdgeRank).

Sadly this big-brother type of control is not new with Facebook and has been ongoing for some time now.

However, what IS new is that those of us who have Pages can choose to PAY to promote our comments to MORE of our followers through a new “Paid Promotion” feature that Facebook recently unveiled.

Those writers with Pages may have noticed the link "Promote" at the bottom of each status update. The link gives you the option of paying to promote that particular comment (and from what I understand, payments are not cheap for effective promotion).

In other words, we have to PAY Facebook to get our comments to show up in the newsfeeds of those followers we’ve already worked hard to obtain and in some cases may have even used paid advertising to gain (i.e. through Facebook ads).

Not only do we have to PAY to promote our posts to our hard-earned followers, but our followers aren’t automatically getting our updates, even though they freely and willingly signed up to “like” our pages. Instead, most of our followers have to actively seek us out if they want to keep up with what we’re saying and doing. And realistically, who has the time to do that?

Supposedly, if we can get real people interacting, commenting, sharing, liking, etc. then EdgeRank will share our comments in more newsfeeds. But does this really happen?

I thought I’d share a few statistics from my Facebook Page to give you an idea of just how FEW of our fans are actually being reached through our comments under EdgeRank (even with what I’d consider good interaction).

Here’s one comment: Today I got to meet with a Japanese woman who's been learning English by reading my book, The Doctor's Lady. This comment had 73 Likes & 15 Comments and only went to 31% of my followers. 

(Sidenote: These statistics are available to Page administrators at the bottom of each post, but aren’t on Personal accounts. And only Page administrators can see them.)

Another of my most popular comments was this: I DID IT! I finished writing a book today! After spending the past four months immersed in the story . . . This comment had 177 Likes, 52 Comments, & 1 Share and still only went to 38% of my followers.

The truth is, no matter how much interaction my Facebook posts get, it’s still difficult to increase the reach. The large majority of my posts go to about 25% or less of my followers. In light of the small percentages, one has to wonder if Facebook is purposefully making EdgeRank stingy so that we need the paid promotions to reach our fans.

I’m the first to admit I’m no expert in Facebook, EdgeRank, and Paid Promotion. If you want to delve deeper into the issues and learn more, here are several posts that I found helpful:

*FB fans aren’t seeing your posts (and how to fix it) by Cinda Baxter

*For FB page admins: How to reclaim (part) of your missing audience by Cinda Baxter

*A Common Sense, Non-Reactionary Approach to EdgeRank and Facebook Business Pages by Ken Mueller

So what’s a writer to do? Should we give up on Facebook altogether?

Here’s my evolving philosophy.

1. I’m keeping both my Facebook Page and Personal Accounts because my fans can still interact with me in both places. And that’s really what matters. Maybe the news about my books, events, or blog posts won’t reach the numbers I’d ideally like them to. But I can still interact with those who DO see them as well as those who take the time to search me out.

2. For the time being, I won’t be dishing out money for the Paid Promotion aspect. I don’t think I should have to pay to reach my OWN followers with my messages.

3. Facebook may not play as large of a role in marketing and platform-building anymore. If it’s losing its effectiveness and scope for the average author, then we may need to look at how we can utilize our other social media options better (including Pinterest).

4. I'll work harder to keep the social in Social Media. EdgeRank supposedly works best when we're utilizing Facebook on a personal level and forming genuine connections with our followers (versus just spamming our books with very little interaction with our fans).

And isn't that what social media is about anyway? Socializing? Yes, it's easier to throw out posts about our books, blog tours, or giveaways. But we have to remember to do the hard work of interacting and making our posts meaningful to our followers.

What are your thoughts? What do you think of Facebook’s EdgeRank system? Would you consider using Paid Promotion? Or do you think it’s unfair of Facebook to charge people to reach more of their own fans?

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10 Social Media Pet Peeves

In social media we’re bound to irritate each other from time to time. Nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes and rub each other the wrong way.

Even so, lately on my various social media sites, I’ve been feeling bombarded by some annoying tactics. They’re the kinds of things that make me want to unfollow people.

Fortunately I’m not a rash or vindictive person, and I don’t rush off to exterminate followers at the first offense.

But here are 10 of my pet peeves—social media faux pas for writers:

Pet Peeve #1: When followers send messages asking us to “check out” something. This happens a lot with new followers asking me to visit their facebook page, website, book trailer, or amazon book page. I NEVER go “check out” those sites. Those kind of messages are spam, make a bad first impression, and could do more harm than good. Most of us don’t want to feel like people are following us to gain “business.” Instead we’d rather make a genuine connection.

Pet Peeve #2: When followers send massive Facebook messages. This is probably one of my biggest pet peeves, because of the nature of getting flooded with everyone else’s responses to that message. Those kinds of messages are impersonal and feel like spam. If we really need to do a group message, make sure to let everyone know NOT to respond to the group message but to send you a private note instead.

Pet Peeve #3: When people ask for more followers. It’s natural to get excited when we’re close to reaching certain follower milestones (i.e. 100 blog followers or 500 twitter followers). But when we make a point of asking for more followers, it makes us sound desperate. It could make people think we’re only concerned about numbers and thus cause our current followers to feel unappreciated.

Pet Peeve #4: When followers use graphic pictures. This applies mostly to Pinterest. Soon after I joined, I quickly realized I couldn’t auto follow back. I was getting some very steamy pictures in my nice “happy” homepage stream. My laptop sits on the kitchen table in plain view of my kids, and I don’t want to have to worry about what they happen to see as I browse my SM sites. Even if a writer’s brand is erotic, I still think it’s wise to be sensitive to the fact that many of us are Moms with kids running around us.

Pet Peeve #5: When followers have potty mouths. Again, many of us have kids who see our twitter streams or facebook pages. That should be reason enough for us to be careful what we say. But in addition, we need to remember that we’re trying to present ourselves as professionals. If we wouldn’t complain, swear, or talk dirty in a real life professional office job, then we probably should think twice before doing so in our online professional writer’s job.

Pet Peeve #6: When followers over-do their conversations. When we post numerous tweets, pins, or updates, we risk clogging up our followers’ streams with our chatter. I have eased this problem on twitter by having “lists” where I group my followers. Even so, I’ve occasionally had to remove someone from one of my lists because his or her “noise” became overbearing.

Pet Peeve #7: When people get on social media only to promote. Social media just doesn’t work as a traditional promotional tool. People aren’t going to care about comments that promote our book, blog post, or event . . . unless they have a connection to us. So we can’t just show up on social media when we’re ready to promote. We have to be there the rest of the time too, building connections. Then when it comes time to promote, people will listen.

Pet Peeve #8: When people ignore personal messages. I try not to overlook anyone who connects with me on a personal level. I’ve had authors ignore me, and I realized I didn’t like that. I’d expected them to acknowledge me, even if briefly. Since I didn’t like being ignored, I decided to try not to overlook those who take the time to chat with me. Sure, it’s not always easy to keep up. But I’ve made it a priority to interact.

Pet Peeve #9: When new followers are friendly to earn favors. This has happens when someone starts visiting our blogs, makes a point of being friendly, and then after a short time asks us to do something for them—even something as simple as “like” their facebook page. Those kinds of requests usually leave me feeling icky and used.

Pet Peeve #10: When people make social media all about themselves. If all we do is post about our books, our blogs, our awards, our good news, our kids, etc., eventually our followers are going to think we’re conceited, even if we’re not. And pride is a sure way to alienate followers and fans. Instead, we need to find a balance of sharing about ourselves along with looking out for the needs and interests of others.

What about you? What are your social media pet peeves? Any that you’d add to my list?

8 Reasons Not to Quit Social Media When You're Burned Out

Every so often I’m tempted to pull myself out of the social media game and sit on the sidelines. I especially feel this way when I’m focused on finishing a WIP or exhausted from my real life. At those times, I usually feel like I don’t have much to say on my social media sites. So why bother? It’s not like the world needs me in order to keep revolving.

But over the years, I’ve pushed through those times when I’m burned out and tempted to quit. And in hindsight, I’m glad I kept going.

The truth is, if we want to win the game, we have to keep playing. Sure we may strike out from time to time, or have a bad inning, or even have a losing streak (rejection from an agent, turned down by a publisher, or negative review from a reader). But we won’t give ourselves the chance to succeed if we plop onto the bench and simply watch from the sidelines.

Don’t get me wrong. We all need vacations from social media on occasion. I usually take a couple breaks during the year. It’s good for us and our families for us to unplug. And sometimes we have to evaluate our schedules and cut back the time we’re spending on social media—especially if it becomes more consuming than our actual writing.

But we can’t give up altogether, even though there will be plenty of times when we’re tempted to—especially for those who are still in the pre-publication struggles. The BEST time to lay a solid foundation for social media is BEFORE publication, not after. 

Over time, the benefits of social media begin to accumulate like money in the bank. And later, when a writer needs to cash in, then those benefits are waiting. But in order to accrue a tidy sum, writers have to keep maximizing social media, join in the writing community, develop genuine friendships, engage in conversations, and give, give, give. Did I mention give?

If we stay in the game even when we feel like dropping out, here are the numerous benefits we might reap:

1. Endorsements. Many traditional publishers require debut authors to get endorsements from established authors. When we build friendships with other writers, they’re more likely to agree to endorse us when we need it. Obviously, established authors don’t have the time for every endorsement request. But I’m more likely to read and endorse a book from friends I’ve made versus someone I don’t know.

2. Agent referrals. We never know which of our friends will get agents before us and perhaps be able to help us get a foot in the door as a result. I’ve occasionally been able to put in a good word for a writer friend when they get ready to query my agent. But that’s only because we’ve already established a relationship and I want to help them out.

3. Feedback. Often newer writers wonder how to find critique partners or get feedback on their writing. I’ve found the best way to develop trusted critique partnerships is out of evolving friendships with like-minded writers. But finding those like-minded friends takes time and effort getting to know others.

4. Influencers. During the release of our books, those early friends we make become some of our biggest supporters. They’re the ones who get genuinely excited for us, shout out the news, and help spread the buzz about our books. I’m most likely to go above and beyond spreading buzz for those friends I’ve had through thick and thin. Many of those are friends I made before publication.

5. Readers. Yes, our early writer friends often become our readers. Not only do they influence for us, but they enjoy reading our books and help pass around the book love to their families and friends.

6. Encouragement. Other writers “get” the pain, frustrations, and disappointments of the writing life in ways that non-writers can’t. In the changing writing industry, agents and editors don’t have the time to pamper and hold the hands of each of their clients. Our writing friends can fill the gap and encourage us when we most need it.

7. Resources. I have found the writing community to be a wealth of information. Because of all the connections I’ve made over the years, I’m constantly surrounded by the best and most recent happenings in the publishing industry that I couldn’t possibly have found on my own.

8. Mentors. I’ve been mentored by countless other writers—through blogs and writing books—many I wouldn’t have known about if not for the friends I’ve made online. I’ve found other writers to be some of the most generous people, willing to share all they’re learning with others.

Summary: If you’re ever tempted to pull yourself out of the social media game, think long and hard before you do. Those early relationships are foundational for success in the modern writer’s career.

Have you ever grown exhausted by social media and been tempted to pull out of the game? What are some of the benefits that have kept you on the playing field?

Why Writers Need to Seriously Consider Pinterest

I wasn’t planning to write a post about Pinterest. But after hearing some grumbling about this up-and-coming social media site, I felt compelled to share my evolving thoughts about it.

I know writers fear over-commitment to social media. We’re already stretched thin between Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Goodreads, Tumblr, and Blogging.

“I just don’t have the time to add one more thing,” I’ve heard plenty of writers say.

I’m a tad busy too. But I’m making the time for Pinterest. In fact, if need be, I’ll subtract a little bit of time from some of the other social media sites so that I can interact on Pinterest.

Here are several reasons why I think Pinterest is important for writers:

Pinterest isn’t a passing fad. Last week I read an infographic by TalkingFinger. Here are just a few statistics the infographic cited about Pinterest that show how important it’s becoming:

• It has 1.36 million users DAILY.
• It generates more traffic to websites than Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube combined.
• There is a 145% daily user increase since the beginning of 2012.
• Over one-fifth of connected Facebook users are on Pinterest daily (which amounts to over 2 million people).

And here's another insightful infographic: Interest in Pinterest Reaches a Fever Pitch.

Pinterest provides key visual stimuli. I personally think that visuals attract people to our products more than any other type of marketing. Pictures are engaging, spark interest, and draw attention. In our culture of short-attention spans, the quick visual is sometimes all the time we have to garner someone’s interest. Just last week I was attracted to two different books as a result of pins on Pinterest. I’m sure if those pins grabbed my attention, they did others as well.

A recent study shows that Pinterest drives more revenue per click than Twitter or Facebook. The study said: "Pinterest is the first social network that’s delivering not only lots of traffic but also real revenue and lots of new customers."

Pinterest puts us into contact with more people than our followers. Currently with the way Pinterest is set up, every time you pin something that is “categorized” it will show up in that particular category under the “Everything” list which anyone can access. That means your pin has the potential to reach more than your followers. In fact, it can go viral. One of my inspirational pins got over 200 repins mostly by non-followers.

Pinterest allows us to connect with readers in a unique way. I connect with writers and industry professionals through Twitter and Blogging. But I’ve connected with readers mostly on Facebook. And since Pinterest is a female dominated site (so far 68.2% of Pinterest users are women), I have no doubt a large majority of my readers (women) will gravitate there at some point in the near future if they’re not already there. I want to be there waiting to welcome them.

On Pinterest, readers will get a better picture of my interests as well as my books (through my story boards). Recently, one follower on Pinterest said she decided to read my book as a result of my active presence on Pinterest. (Read what she said here.)

My summary:

For those who are dragging their feet about joining a new social media site, just remember the hesitancies you had with Twitter or that Facebook Page when you first started. They seemed a little intimidating at first, and you didn’t really “get” the point of them.

But once you jumped in and tried them, they began to grow on you, right?

It’s the same with Pinterest. Don’t let fear or other excuses stop you. As modern writers, we have to stay flexible and willing to change with the times.

Pinterest is only growing in popularity every day. Once you take part in the pinning fun, you’ll begin to see why it’s becoming so popular. And you’ll realize what a valuable new tool it can be to add to your writer’s toolbox.

Several cautions:

Pinterest is NOT a place to spam our books. Like any of the social media sites, Pinterest is SOCIAL. It works best if we pin/repin a variety of pictures that can entertain, encourage, and inspire others.

Pinterest needs to reflect YOU. One of the coolest things about Pinterest is that you can tailor your site to reflect your BRAND and who you are as a writer. For example, my boards display not only my novels, but also my love of writing, reading, coffee, and chocolate. I invite you to take a look and get some ideas from what I'm doing. But you shouldn't try to imitate me or anyone else. Figure out your brand and what is uniquely YOU.

Pinterest also needs to be for our readers. While it’s fun to have all kinds of random boards of things we like (i.e. hairstyles, kitchen remodeling,etc.), we need to keep the primary focus on having boards and pins that will appeal to our consumers. I think Random House and Penguin Books do a fabulous job with their boards. Both are promoting their books but at the same time appealing to their target audience in creative ways.

So, if you’re not using Pinterest, did I convince you of its worth? *grin* If not, why not? What’s holding you back? If you’re using Pinterest, what are some things you’ve learned about the site that can help other writers who are getting started on it?

*Image via: 18 stats to sell your boss on Pinterest

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3 Ways to Keep Social Media from Taking Control of Writing Time

 

The newest craze around the internet seems to be Pinterest. Everywhere I turn, I see posts lauding the benefits of the site and telling us how to make the most of it.

I’m not nay-saying Pinterest. In fact, I joined some time ago and am having a blast with it. I love using it not only to share more about myself and my books (via pictures), but I also love the capabilities Pinterest has to inspire, encourage, and brighten the lives of all those my pins touch.

However, the thing about any social networking site is that as good as they can be, they have the potential to detract us from our limited writing time. Add Pinterest to Twitter, personal and author Facebook accounts, Goodreads, and blogging, and we could literally spend hours a day drifting from one place to the next.

Sure, we can and should enjoy social media. I’d likely spend time on social media sites even if I wasn’t an author. But . . . let’s face it. Writers who are serious about publication have the added pressure of building an online presence. So, many of us are likely doing more online than we would do otherwise.

But as I always say: Writing HAS to stay the priority. Or what’s the point?

We’ll only waste a LOT of time building an online presence if we don’t have a well-written book that can really WOW our readers. Because honestly, readers aren’t going to care a whole lot about what we have to say on Twitter or Facebook or Pinterest if they think our books are garbage.

So how do we keep the MAIN THING the main thing?

With my dive into Pinterest, I’ve realized that I need to keep a grip on my writing productivity. I have to be the master of my time, rather than letting Pinterest or other social media take control of me.

Here are three things I’ve been doing lately to make sure my productivity doesn’t bend the knee to social media:

1. Turn off the temptation during writing time.

When I have writing time, especially uninterrupted writing time, I try not to let anything else tempt me away from opening my WIP, putting my fingers on the keyboard, and plunking out my daily word count.

The internet can tempt even the most self-disciplined of us. When I’m writing, I’m usually most distracted by my emails as they come in (and lately also with Pinterest). So, what do I make myself do before I start writing? I completely shut off those two things so that they aren’t an easy click away when I get stuck on a hard sentence or scene.

Know your temptations. If you can’t turn the internet off completely (which doesn’t work for me because I listen to Pandora while I write), at least turn off the sites that the biggest distractions.

Author Media also put together a list of inexpensive apps that can help writers quit wasting time. If you’re really struggling with turning off tempting sites, then you might consider downloading an app that can help you gain self-control.

2. Set tangible writing goals within specified amounts of time.

I usually give myself the goal of writing a certain number of words within a 30-minute time span. I post the time and the amount of words I hope to write on a sticky note on my screen. Then every 30 minutes I add a new goal.

I don’t let myself switch on my social media temptations until I reach several consecutive goals. Then I take a quick break to answer a couple emails, tweet, or respond to a blog comment. I use the social media break as a reward for reaching several working goals.

3. Designate time to focus on social media.

As I said, I don’t believe our social media time should overshadow our writing time (except perhaps around the time of a book launch when the marketing responsibilities are at an all time high). Writing should stay THE number one priority.

However, I’ve found it’s somewhat freeing during my writing time, if I know that later I’ll have time to write those blog posts, or follow back my new twitter followers, or respond to emails. I’ve had to build social media time into my schedule, which ultimately allows me to focus better on my writing while I’m in writing mode.

What about you? Do you ever have trouble with social media taking over your writing time? What are some ways you keep social media in its place?

Will Only Those Who Shout the Loudest Be Heard?

Many writers I rub shoulders with claim to be introverts. They recharge when they’re alone. They don’t mind spending hours holed away as they work on their stories. And they find fresh energy by delving into inner thoughts, exploring feelings, and probing the depths of their imaginations.

Of course, not every writer is an introvert. Some are extroverts who thrive on being around people and who are refueled from the energy of others. They have a harder time sitting alone at their laptops and have to take frequent breaks from their writing and get out of the house to be with people.

All of us fall somewhere on the spectrum from being painfully shy to an outgoing people-person.

The question I’ve seen raised around cyberland occasionally is this: In today’s noisy publishing industry where we have the constant clamor of online social media, are extroverts more likely to succeed? And likewise, are the shyer introverted writers doomed to obscurity?

In other words, since we’re all clamoring to be heard, to draw attention to our books, to get noticed, are those who shout the loudest going to have the most success garnering attention?

I don’t think introverts are doomed. And I don’t necessarily think extroverts are going to dominate. And here’s why:

The internet can level the playing field. 

Perhaps socializing comes easier for extroverts, even online. Perhaps they have a quicker wit and an easier time finding things to say. But usually I can’t tell the difference between the tweets or facebook comments of introverts versus extroverts. Introverts can add smiley faces and exclamation points and sound just as exuberant as anyone else, even if they cower behind their screens.

Even if interacting online is difficult or a “chore” or even painful, no one else will know—unless we complain about it (which is unprofessional). After all, we wouldn’t go to a book signing and grumble through the whole thing. And we shouldn’t do that on social media sites either—even if we’d rather not be there.

Instead, if introverts put forth a professional, confident, and successful attitude, most people are going to perceive them that way. The internet gives them the ability to put their best foot forward and hide the nervousness.

Sometimes the “shouting” turns into white noise. 

Those who talk the loudest often get ignored the most. I don’t know about you, but if someone tweets too much, my eyes start to glaze over when I see their comments. Even when they might be saying something really important, it gets overlooked because I’m not paying attention to anything they say anymore.

So being loud and witty and dominate on social media doesn’t necessarily equate success. It can in fact backfire so that people consider us obnoxious, particularly if our noise is mostly about numero uno.

Consistency is more important than quantity. 

Talking, tweeting, or blogging a lot isn’t the key to social media success. I’ve seen some writers jump into social media with flaring, flaming fanaticism. They burn brightly for a short time, seemingly everywhere all at once. But then eventually they fade out of sight like a meteor.

Those who work at having a steady, disciplined, consistent presence will burn like a star. They’re there for the long haul. No I’m not advocating that it’s okay to only post once a year on as long as we’re consistent with that once a year. The fact is, we need to remain visible.

One thing that helps me be consistent is having a social media notebook handy. I use it to jot down blog ideas as they pop up. I keep a running list of marketing ideas I’d like to try. I also sometimes make notes of tweets or facebook comments that I can use on those “blah” days when I don’t feel like I have anything to say.

And as always, we can look for ways to encourage. We may not always feel like we have something witty or worthwhile to say, but we can find ways to jump into the conversation and cheer others on.

Summary: No matter our natural bent, we have to go into the publishing process with the expectation that we’ll have to step out of our comfort zones. In the olden days, authors accepted the fact that book signings and speaking engagements would be part of the job—whether introvert or extrovert we expected to do them (and many of us still do them--I have three speaking engagements in March).

And the same is true today in our online marketing. We have to accept our online interaction as part of the job whether we're introverted or not. In fact, we need to do more than accept it. We need to make it a priority (but that’s the makings of another post!).

So what about you? Are you an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between? How hard or easy is online socializing for you as a result of your personality?

How Much Time Should Writers Devote to Social Media?

Let’s face it. Building our social media followings takes a lot of time and hard work. (See this post: How To Build a Blog Following From the Ground Up)

For those who thrive on social networking, it’s all too easy to let facebook, twitter, and blogging, eat away at our limited time.

And for those who cringe at the idea of having to carve out more time for social media, it’s just as easy to sit in the corner and whine about all of the problems related to building an online presence.

Either way, social media is here to stay. We can’t let it control us nor can we scoff at it. We need to learn to use it wisely.

And part of learning to use it wisely is figuring out how much time to give it. How much time should a writer spend on social media sites if they hope to establish a decent following and build a platform?

There’s no easy answer to that question. But I’m going to attempt to lay out my thoughts on it.

1. Beginning to middle level writers:

Beginning writers should spend LESS time on social media (and less time worrying about their platforms) and should spend MOST of their concentrated work time learning how to write—studying and practicing (See this post: 6 Tips For Making the Learning of Fiction Techniques Less Painful)

The prevalence of social media and all of the talk about building platforms has put undue pressure on newer writers (those working on their first book or two). Many beginners are jumping in too strong and pushing to develop followings too hard and thus taking valuable time away from really learning how to write saleable fiction.

I’m not saying beginning writers shouldn’t have blogs or chat on twitter. Because I don’t think it’s ever too early to get connected, meet other writers, and develop friendships. But I do think new writers should take the pressure off themselves, sit back, and focus on first things first—learning how to write good books.

2. Writers nearing publication: 

Writers who’ve received critical and objective feedback that they’re moving toward publishable quality writing are ready to vamp up their social media time quota. This happened for me about the time I was ready to query. I found those months while I was querying, getting rejections, and waiting on agent responses, to be a good time to take social media to the next level.

I used those many months to visit blogs, meet new people, and get comfortable with social media. I scheduled in time almost every day for visiting and commenting on other blogs. I made a point of seeking out new people, not just on blogging but on twitter and facebook too.

However, I did NOT give social media more time than I gave my writing. I always, always kept writing in the midst of social networking. Through those early social media days, I learned to give my writing my best and most concentrated time, which has helped me do the same now after publication when blog tours, interviews, marketing, rewrites, etc. crowd in on writing time. I’ve trained myself to keep writing a priority even though other things demand my attention.

3. Published and beyond:

Around the time of publication, writers will find themselves becoming busier with other demands. We will likely have less time to spend visiting blogs and commenting and keeping up with everyone on facebook. Which is why if we wait to add social media until after getting a contract, we may not have the time and effort it takes to grow our followings.

I’ve had several friends email me and ask me how I was able to transition smoothly from less commenting and visiting without jeopardizing my following. If we’re well established as being reliable, offering consistent posts that resonate with readers, and we continue to be available to interact with friends in other ways (for me that is mainly through twitter), then we’ll likely be able to gradually diminish some of our earlier concerted efforts without ill-effects.

The bottom line is that eventually as we add in more, we can’t keep up with everything. We have to find ways to adjust or we’ll drive ourselves to exhaustion.

4. Non-fiction & self-published:

For those who are writing non-fiction or considering self-publication, devoting time to social media and developing a platform becomes even more critical. You will likely need to start earlier. And will probably need to continue to block in more time expanding your social media reach.

My summary: There’s no set amount of time any one writer “should” give to social media. As I’ve outlined, some of it will depend upon where we’re at in our writing journey. One thing is certain though, we can’t ever lose focus on what matters the most—writing a compelling, well-crafted book that readers can fall in love with.

How about you? Do you agree or disagree with my breakdown of how much time to spend on social media? And do you struggle to keep the time you spend on social media in balance?

What Is the Best Way for Authors to Get Noticed on the Internet?

Picture courtesy of Sarah Forgrave! Thanks, Sarah!

My Amazon page for The Doctor’s Lady says this at the top: The Doctor's Lady and over 950,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle.

950,000 books available on Kindle? I mean think about it. My book is just ONE out of nine hundred and fifty thousand currently available.

Yikes! The numbers of writers and books seems to be constantly growing. And if the numbers are increasing, how can writers ever hope to stand out amidst SO much competition? Is there any hope?

Most of us are coming to terms with the fact that modern authors need to develop a web presence in order to help our books stand out. But even when we make an effort, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd of all the other writers who are jumping onto the social media bandwagon.

Recently, @ellebethmiller asked me a question on Twitter: “What is the best way for an author to get noticed on the internet? There are so many options . . . it’s overwhelming.”

What is the best way to get noticed on the internet? What social media sites can help the most? And will the social media efforts really pay off?

I’ll tackle the questions and give you my opinions based on my experience so far. But make sure you chime in the comments with your thoughts.

What is the best way to get noticed on the internet? 

First, the most important aspect is to use social media to SOCIALIZE. And second, the socializing must be in a GENUINE, AUTHENTIC, and FRIENDLY way.

And no, social media isn’t a high school popularity contest. This isn’t about how much attention we can get, or how famous we can become, or how many friends we can accumulate.

Rather, we can approach social media with the goal of blessing others. We can take the focus off ourselves, stay humble, and look at how we can help, encourage, inspire, and pay the love forward to those we come into contact with. In doing so, others will begin to appreciate and respect our presence.

At the same time, our efforts must be consistent. We need to move outside of our comfort zone and meet new people. It WILL take a great deal of effort to regularly and genuinely interact.

What social media sites can help the most?

I don’t’ believe Twitter and Facebook alone are enough to build a vibrant web presence. They’re both great ways to chit-chat and begin to form relationships. But short comments are not enough to solidify friendships.

I also don’t think having a standout, knock-em dead website is enough either. While a website is a necessity for every author, it’s not designed for the back and forth exchange that people long for.

Of all the social media sites, I believe that my blog has helped me the most in standing out. Our blogs can be our home bases for socializing. We can engage people by sharing issues we're passionate about. But we need to do that sharing in ways that solicit interest, inspire, educate, and encourage, etc.

And yet, even if we have THE best content ever written, we still have to work at promoting our posts. That might mean visiting, commenting, and mingling with other bloggers (especially at the beginning). We can also share links to our posts on Twitter or Facebook. And if people appreciate and enjoy our blogs, they’ll usually keep coming back.

Will social media efforts really pay off?

If writers go to all the work of building a large social media presence, will it really help our books to stand out?

Yes. And no.

Yes, I believe writers who put forth the effort to develop an authentic and vibrant web presence will eventually help their books stand out. Maybe our books won’t hit Amazon’s Top 100 sellers. But we’ll give our books a slight boost in the right direction.

But no, social media efforts can only take us so far. The most important factor is and always will be THE BOOK ITSELF. If we rustle up all the social media attention in the world, it will fall flat if we don’t back it up with a book worthy of the attention.

If we want to see our books succeed in today’s market, then we’ll really need BOTH—an engaging web presence AND an engaging book.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my opinions? What do you think is THE best way for an author to get noticed on the internet?

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Check out these blog tour stops for your chance to WIN signed copies of my new release!

Monday 9/12:  Book reviewer Christy Janes interviews me in sassy Southern style on her blog!

Monday 9/12: I'm visiting with Susie Finkbeiner on her blog and sharing when I was little what I wanted to be when I grew up.

Tuesday 9/13: On Marji Lane's blog find out what event from Narcissa Whitman's diary I wish I could have included in the story but wasn't able to! 

Don't forget to enter my BE A TRAILBLAZER CONTEST!

The Birds & the Bees of Marketing

No one ever sat me down and explained the birds and the bees of marketing. In fact, most of what I’ve learned has come from experience and from fellow classmates on the playground of the writing world.

However, in an effort to spare you some hard knocks and embarrassment, I thought I’d share the basics of what I’ve learned so far:

1. Focus most of your attention online.

Guess how many book signings I did for The Preacher's Bride? Two. Yep. Only two. Guess how many I have planned for The Doctor's Lady? One. Why? Why haven’t I focused more attention on traveling around, visiting libraries, book clubs, etc?

Because most people have gone virtual. Very few of even the biggest name authors get turnouts at book signings or other events. When we struggle to find time to write much less market, we have to maximize our energy, be as efficient as we can, and protect our scared writing time. That means I’ve chosen to focus most of my marketing efforts in cyberland.

But . . . we can’t hope to succeed with online marketing if we use traditional tactics. The days of billboards, ads, and spam are over. Those methods are old-fashioned and won’t work in the virtual world. That’s why it’s so important for writers to learn the birds and bees of how to make online marketing work.

2. The Birds: Nurture your nest.

The first and most important aspect of online marketing is to build a welcoming nest (a home base) where we can begin to connect with others. For many writers, the home base is our blog because we can have open dialog and build connections with others in a way that just can’t be accomplished through other social media (although I have seen some authors do a fantastic job interacting on Facebook).

Once we have a nest, we need to nurture those who come to it. Our focus needs to be on finding ways to lift our wings and provide shelter and encouragement to those who enter our folds. Build friendships and mutually care for one another. Enjoy being social, and generously love those around us. When we’re doing that, eventually our flock will grow into a large family.

If we build and nurture our nest, then when it’s time for a book release or some other writer milestone, our “family” will be there to naturally help us, the same way we will be there for them.

3. The Bees: Generate buzz.

Yes, we need our nest. But . . . we can’t stop there. We have to make an effort to start the buzz about our books. Buzz is the chatter, the excitement, the hype that surrounds our book. The more people hear about our books and see the name, the more “important” the book grows throughout cyberland.

We can generate buzz in numerous ways. Here are just a few ways I’m buzzing about The Doctor’s Lady, which releases in less than a month:

• I put a countdown widget in my sidebar.

• I had a video trailer contest last week (see below for the two winners!).

• I’m doing weekly book giveaways (starting next week).

• I’m hosting a blog tour with LOTS of book giveaways for the months of Sept. & Oct. (see the list on my Events page).

• I’m kicking off release day (Sept. 1) with a bang by having a HUGE social network sharing contest that will last several weeks. (You will not want to miss this!)

• I’ll ask readers to send me pictures of them with my book and post them on my blog, website, and facebook.

• I’ll be tweeting and posting to facebook about the various above events.

In other words, I need to start the buzz—I can’t sit back and do nothing. I can’t wait for someone else to do the work for me. Rather, I need to step out of my comfort zone and gently send out the first buzz. And yet, the sound throughout cyberland will be like a whisper through my efforts alone.

But then my friends and online family will pick up the buzz and make it louder. With all of their generous support, the buzz will keep vibrating, growing stronger and being heard much further than I could ever hope to accomplish on my own.

So there you have it. The birds and the bees of online marketing! Nurture your nest, start some buzz. And watch what happens!

What about you? Are you building and nurturing a nest? And if you’re at the place where you need to start the buzz, what are some ways you’ve done that?

P.S. The winners of The Doctor's Lady Trailer Contest are: Caroline @Keep_Tha_Faith and Lisa Groves! Congratulations!! Thank you EVERYONE for joining in! I really enjoyed reading all of your thoughts about the trailer!