Using Social Media Appropriately

Social media is a great way to connect to each other. For authors, it is a great way to connect with readers. For editors and agents, it is a great way for us to reach out to you and give you the insights you are desperately looking for. However, far too many authors are missing the mark. I had not planned on posting this today, but I had the chance to go through my social media accounts deleting posts from "authors" (and yes, I am putting this in quotes for a reason). Let me explain.

There are times when I post here on this blog and then find authors thinking that this is a great way to promote their books or services in the comments. I get it. In their minds, they see this as another way to connect. People hop on my blog, read the comments and then follow those links to their site. Now, don't get me wrong. Authors do this all of the time, BUT WITH THE CONSENT of the author of the original post. Teaming up with other authors like this, or even having your editor or agent promote your books works well. However, just riding on the coattails of the social media post is not cool.

A similar approach happened on one of my other social media accounts. After a post to help authors out, I had several authors just jumping on with comments of "Just saying hi!" and yet, their post also included full posts to sites that had nothing to do with the topic of the post, or for that matter, writing. While they might think this is going to work for them, I end up not only deleting their comments, but reporting these as essentially phishing scams. 

On another level, I have a ton of authors who seem to believe that posting their submissions on social media sites is somehow a "shortcut" to getting me to read their stories. Please understand that UNLESS an editor or agent says in their submission guidelines that posting on their FB/Instagram/TikTok/X or any other social media accounting their submission material, it will get you nothing. We don't read the material and we won't respond. 

Editors and agents do their best to make it easy for you to get the material to us. We make it clear as to what we want in projects. We make it clear as to how the material should be submitted. There are no hidden agendas. 

So what am I telling you here? It's simple. Be appropriate when posting. Follow our suggestions and guidelines. It is that easy.