Authors - Avoid getting sucked into the social media trap

We all get it. Social media can get addicting. And, before I go any further, I do want to say, there are a lot of good and positive things to be said about social media and what we can get out of it. We can stay connected. We can get some great advice from intelligent people. For me, as I am writing this, I can sit and enjoy someone who is walking around Walt Disney World in the sunshine while I am in the PNW where it is gloomy. 

HOWEVER...

For authors, this can be one of the worst places to hang out. 

You might be saying, "But Scott, this would be great for getting new readers and publicity!" Sure, it is a great place, but of course when you are out there, you also get a ton of people who just hate everything. You can say something totally positive or constructive and they will find some way to spin it in a direction that will ruin it for everyone. 

I think what is more discouraging is that single comment alone will ruin the flow you are in when you are writing. It might even be a single 3 star review, you know that simple "meh" review that is neither positive or negative will become the worst thing in your life ever.

And here is what will often happen. You get sucked in. You will want to respond. You will want to interact. And they want you to. 

So don't!

Just delete them. Block them. And do like I do. Turn up the volume to the parade that is coming down through Frontier Land right now and enjoy the music and keep on writing!

Social Media And Your Author's Online Presence

You would think by now, that people are aware of both the positive and the negative side of having an active online presence. This is a great way to increase your name recognition. This is also a place where you can easily end up with a reputation that does not show the good side of you or your writing.

We have to remember that when you type anything and hit "SEND" that information just became public. Sure, we get that there are now some safeguards that allow you to UNDO what you sent, but within that time between the SEND and the UNDO, I can guarantee that people saw what you wrote and have already made it public on their social media.

We also have to remember that when we type something, the tone of your voice is not going to show up in those words. People will read and think exactly what you wrote and not necessarily what you "meant."

Lately, I have seen a lot of different authors getting out there on social media stating their opinions, making general statements and probably not thinking about what the casual reader is now thinking of them. Using the F-bomb, slamming people in the industry and so forth just makes the writer look like someone who is not professional.

Let me give you another way to think of this. My daughter and I started a joke several years ago. If we had something negative to say about someone or some situation, we could only say that comment in the safe confines of my truck - we called this "TRUCK TALK." Saying things out loud where someone might hear it could lead to misinterpretation and certainly a negative reaction.

Look, I have no problem with people having opinions. I also have no problem with people who want to have a "discussion" or partake in a "conversation." But, when you "abuse" that right, please know that you are likely going to see an impact on your professional writing career. Readers are not that forgiving. 

Authors And Social Media

We talk a lot about exposure in the publishing world, and in the market today, it is more than important to get your name out there to the readers of the world. We simply do not have the luxury of being "discovered" at the local bookstore like we used to. Let's face it. That opportunity is pretty limited due to the lack of bookstores anymore. It is for this reason that authors need to really take every opportunity to use social media to get their names out there.


For established authors, they already have a lot of name recognition, so when we get ready to buy a book, the odds are we gravitate to the known names. How are they known? They have their name in as many places as possible.


If you think about it, when you get onto any of the social media sites, you see many of the same names popping up over and over again. The idea is simple. The more we see the name, the more we remember the person. Publishers have also taken advantage of that name recognition when they release books back to back from the same author. You get hooked on an author and immediately want to read the next book (which conveniently comes out in a couple of weeks).


The problem I am seeing, however, is that many authors are really missing the mark when it comes to the use of social media. They either don't send out relevant information about their books and their writing, or they just don't release information in a timely fashion. One Tweet every week or so is not going to draw in the traffic. Tweets that come every hour become annoying. The key is finding the happy medium.


The same goes for blog posts on Facebook posts. Readers want to know about you and your writing career. They want to know where you get your inspiration. Posts that show pictures of just your cat are probably not going to get a lot of attention.


Now, will social media drive up sales? There is no promise of it. What I can say is that if readers do get hooked on what you have to say through social media, the odds are they might start following you and your writing career.

Using Multiple Approaches Works To Get the New Out

I have attended several workshops at writing conferences where I have heard authors speak of finding other ways, other than social media to get the news out about their latest releases. Some of the authors have commented that things such as Facebook are just not effective.

I have some news for you....

Social media does work!

A friend of mine works in the area of social media and emergency services with the Virtual Emergency Management Association and the Clackamas County Communications. This last week, they unrolled the latest addition to their 9-1-1 program, allowing people to text in their 9-1-1 call if necessary.

This is what she posted in response to those who don't believe in social media:

Naysayers of social media often tell me that social media never reaches those without online accounts. And I smile.
Earlier today, my mom called to tell me about text-to-911. She heard about it because my Cousin Ian boarded a bus in Scotland and ran into my Aunt Barbara who told her what I have been up to. She returned home and called my mom, who lives 20 minutes away from me.
That, my friends, is why I smile at the naysayers.

For authors, you have to find multiple ways to get the news out to your readers. You cannot just rely on one approach. You have to attack the market on all fronts. Sure, Facebook might not be your friend, but it is for other people. Sure, you might not be interested in Twitter, but others do like it. Others like Pinterest so use that.

If you think about how you have found out about books, movies or other new things, a lot of that comes from word of mouth. You know what I mean - A friend tells you that he read something on a Twitter post, that connected to Facebook, that someone else heard on NPR.

That is how the world works.

Look, I get that adding in all of these other approaches can be a pain. I also know that it is going to suck up some of your writing time. But, if it increases your sales, then I say go for it!

Just a real world example to think about for a Friday

Do Your Own Research, Make Your Own Judgements

This idea has been rolling around in my head all week after last weekend's playoff game between the Seahawks and the 49ers. Following the game, one of the Seahawks players, Richard Sherman, made some comments that came across as being a bit harsh. Now, I don't want to get into whether or not the comments were right or wrong, and I certainly don't want to discuss it any more than the media has been doing all week (I have to say this morning was the first day ESPN radio didn't bring it up). The point of this, however, was the instant reaction so many people had on the social media outlets.

What I found interesting was the number of people just "passing on" information they heard from someone else, who heard it from someone else, who heard it from someone else. People from all walks of life were suddenly using this information that they "heard" as being quality and accurate information. In many of the cases, the comments were far from the reality.

Recently, I have seen more and more of this happening in the publishing world. I do think a lot of it has to do with the number of writers trying to do the "publishing thing" on their own. Now don't get me wrong. These writers are doing exactly what I have been saying all along. They are out doing their research and trying to get all of the information possible to make a decision. Unfortunately, I do believe many writers are not stopping to "filter" that information or to critically think about what they are hearing, or who might be saying it.

Online discussion groups and social media are great sources of information about things going on in publishing, but with all of this information, it is crucial for individuals to take that information and consider the sources. One example I saw recently was a discussion thread going after a particular publisher. As the thread progressed, it got to the point that this particular publisher was really looking like a criminal out to "screw the authors." But, if the writers had stopped to consider the comments and to do their own research, they would have discovered several things. First, the thread started up after one (that's right, one) author didn't get something they wanted. Secondly, there were more factors that came into play with the problem that single author had. Next, as the thread progressed, writers were "adding" assumptions to the argument that eventually turned into "fact" with later posts.

Because of the "instant" transfer of information that social media has today, we simply cannot just go out and make rash decisions based on the incomplete information. What happened to that one author does not mean that it is a "universal problem." Yes, it could be, but it might not be. You as an author have to figure that out for yourself. This is especially important if you are an author looking for an agent or that first publisher. You have to remember that what works for one person might not work for you and obviously the reverse is true. Just because something didn't work for someone else does not mean it won't work for you.

When I hear of "issues" surfacing with publishers, or "potential changes" happening in the publishing world on the Twitter, Facebook and discussion threads, I do listen to what I hear. I don't just discount those ideas because they are on social media. BUT! I do do take that information and then go out and find out more before I say anything or do anything. I call the editors and publishers and ask questions. I talk to agents that may have been directly associated with the "issue." AND THEN, I make decisions about what to do or say based on whether or not this is something that was an isolated case, or if it would really impact my authors at Greyhaus.

Just be careful out there with that information. Your rash judgement call based on that "hearsay" might be an opportunity that you passed up.

Why You Should Follow Editors And Agents On Social Media

It is amazing to think that just a few years ago, the idea of social media was something new and exciting. Now, using social media is really almost common practice with people. We use it to stay in touch with each other, to comment on why we hated a call during a recent football game, and even to send a picture of what we are having for dinner at that given moment. In publishing, however, there really is an added benefit for tapping into the social media realm.

It is very important, as a writer, to take the time to start "following" your potential editors and agents that you want to work with. Although you can get a lot of information from their FAQ pages and the articles they write for publications, it is the area of social media where you really get a sense of who that person is and what he or she might be able to do for you. Remember that marketing your projects to these people is more than simply selling a book. This is a marriage and you want it to work and last a long time.

Let's just look at Twitter for example. Following that agent will give you a sense of the things that person seems to be drawn to in terms of projects. There isn't a day that goes by when you won't see a post about some book that agent loved and why they loved it. Watch for patterns.

Along the same lines, there are many agents that "open the door" to their offices by "recording" their thoughts as they read through new submissions and projects. This is a resource that is incredibly useful. You get to learn from the mistakes of other writers.

Finally, some agents will take the time to host "#askagent" sessions. This is your chance to ask those people ANYTHING you want to get you better prepared for the submission process. This is not a time to pitch stories, but truly a time to learn a little about the craft. For the agents, this is simply a way to give back to the community. We aren't going to be looking for new projects, but we are trying to help make the submission and publishing process better for you.

Facebook, Blogs and the like also give you that insight. These, of course, will take a little more work since you can't skim the notes, but you are getting a deeper knowledge of these individuals. Of course, if they have things set up like I do, those blog posts are getting filtered to Twitter and Facebook so that scan option is still there for you.

The key is to get a better understanding of that person. Sending out queries and submissions to simply a name is a sure way of getting rejections letters back. Sending out queries and submissions to people you "know" will increase the chance for that connection to make them want to read more.

So here is the question for you... What do you want to see in the social media from these editors and agents?

Making Social Media Work For Your Writing

So we are clearly living in a world of social media. We can no longer sit around and be passive about getting the news out about our books and projects. Still, it is interesting that with all of the social media that we have available to us, I find that many writers are still missing the mark when it comes to using it to truly enhance their writing.

Here are a few things to consider;

ACTIVE WEB PRESENCE This is a big one that I do believe a lot of writers miss. They eagerly put a website up, sign up for Twitter, start a Pinterest account and then do nothing with it. To truly promote your work as a writer, you have to have something that makes people want to come back on a daily or weekly basis. If you have a blog, it needs to be updated frequently. Discuss current projects. Announce when you will be out at conferences. Offer give-a-ways. The key is to keep your name available to your readers.

Now, with that said, the material needs to be something they would like to use. This might be information on how you develop characters, do your research or other craft ideas. In other words, think like a reader who might be asking, "What's in it for me?" I know that I have quit visiting many websites and blogs because the author (or agent or editor) only posted the books they had coming out. While this was fine every now and then, if this was all they offered, and I knew I had that same information in publications such as Romantic Times, then why visit?

RELEVANT WEB PRESENCE Remember that you are an author. This means that including informations about you and your dogs, the trips you took and so forth might not be that interesting to your reader who is interested in you as a writing professional. Now, please understand. If this information directly ties into your writing, then you need to include that information. If your stories are always set around ranch life and horses, AND, you happen to raise horses, then bring that information to your readers.

PROFESSIONAL WEB PRESENCE This one ties into the relevant web presence and really revolves around social media that might be a bit more immediate. Twitter and Facebook are great tools for getting and giving information, but if you abuse that tool, if you come across in a manner that is less than professional, you will lose readers. These sites are used to promote communication between professionals. Simply using it to slam those that might not agree with you gives your readers a sense that you might not be as professional as they had hoped.

REPRESENTATIVE OF WHO YOU ARE AS A WRITING PROFESSIONAL In simple terms, this is branding. The tone you have, the topics you discuss really create an image for people who only know you virtually. Do you want to promote you are accessible to readers and you honestly care about them? Then select the tone that represents it.

Although these tools are available and can be used to promote your career, they can also be used to drag it down. Think before you post!

OMG! TMI! Drowning In The Digital Age

I was talking to an author a couple of days ago and they asked me about this new publisher that was floating around on the loops. My comment? "Another one? When did this happen?" Now, while the publisher wasn't someone we would have been sending her projects to, it got me thinking. While there is a ton of hype out there about book promotion, social media and the new face of publishing, we might simply be getting to a point of such saturation that we don't know which way to turn.

Think of it this way? Stop and examine what digitial sources you "follow" right now. Start with the platforms:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• My Space
• Pinterest
• etc.

Now, within each of those, think of the number of people you have contacts with

• Friends
• Publishers
• Agents
• etc.

Now add in the blogs you might be following on a regular basis?

In all honesty, I love my Twitter and I do try to keep up with things but I only follow 361 people. I stick to using Tweetdeck (on my computer) and Hootsweet (on my iPad). These are editors, agents, publishers and swimmers (for my kids). Even with the column breakdown on each of these platforms, keeping up with what is going on in the world is nightmarish.

I was at a conference with Leah Hultenshmidt earlier this year and she made an interesting point. We were talking about the rise of e-publishing and self-publishing and she talked about how it was really becoming a matter of rising above all of the "noise" out there with your books. In other words, writers who want to be successful have to dig, claw and climb their way above all of the other authors out there.

Don't get me wrong. I think there is certainly a place for social media and a lot of this other digital technology, but if there is far too much out there, are we really helping our readers to find us, or are we disappearing into a fog of all of the other authors trying to do the same thing.

In all honesty, I am starting to think it is time for a complete re-thinking of how publishing is working. Maybe some of those "old school" techniques are the way to go and maybe, just maybe, we have to think about not trying to do everything and only do a few things but do it great?

Thoughts?

Scott

Use That Social Media To "KNOW" Potential Editors and Agents

Time and time again, I find that I end up rejecting stories from authors who simply had no idea what I was looking for in a project. In the end, the reason for the rejection was simply the author's lack of proper research before sending the project out. I know I am not alone either. Other editors and agents are faced with this daily. As I have said here on the blog, your story does not fit with every editor or agent out there. Each of us has a unique voice and characteristic.

Fortunately for authors, the internet is providing an excellent view into the offices of all those editors and agents that you might be interested in working with. If you know what you are doing, you can certainly insure that your project falls into the hands of the right person. The tool you use is social media.

Yes, I know, this shouldn't come as a shock to you, but those tools such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and what not tell you a lot more about the editors and agents that you want to target. In a virtual experience, you can learn a lot about these professionals beyond the information they may post on submission guidelines and FAQ pages. We have to remember, even though the business is about your manuscript and your writing, the personalities of the editors and agents play a huge role in the success or failure of your writing career.

So, what do you look for?

• If the editor or agent posts frequently of the types of stories they accept or reject, watch for patterns. This is especially useful if that professional is Tweeting while they read submissions or editorial notes and telling you what they think. I have done that in the past and I know Angela James of Carina and Sara Megibow of the Nelson Agency does this every now and then.
• Read those #pubtips they post on Twitter every now and then. When you see those, the odds are they stumbled across a project that did something really stupid and they want to remind you of these. Sure, tweets like this are great reminders, but you also learn to understand their pet peeves.
• Read those blog posts. I do have to say, the number of editors and agents blogging is decreasing daily but if you can track those people, listen to them. Don't just look at the message, but read between the lines. You should find out a lot about that person. If you are someone who reads this blog on a regular basis, you should be able to sense that I try to provide writers with a lot of craft ideas as well as things that should make your life easier as a writer.
• Check out who they read. In this case you can see other people they might follow on Twitter, other Blogs they quote or even the stories they frequently talk about publically. Pay attention to the patterns here. They tell you a lot.
• Watch for the personal stories they tell. When it is time to pitch face-to-face with these people, this becomes some great small talk elements to bring up.

Now, does this mean that you will get signed with these editors and agents faster? No, this is not a certainty. But, taking the time to figure some of this out might move your project a bit further up the reading pile.

Scott


P.S.

So, here is a pop quiz for you....

What do you know about Scott?

1) How many kids do I have?
2) Who is frequently with me when I read submissions? I will tell you he has assisted in the past with submissions?
3) What do my kids do as a hobby?
4) Name one pet peeve I have when it comes to submissions.
5) If you attend the RWA National conference, what sessions do I always say are MUSTS!
6) If you attend the RWA National conference, how do I feel about elevator pitches?
7) If you attend the RWA National conference, what is my "formal wear" for the evenings?

Question from a Writer - Online Presence???

How important is an unpublished author's social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, website, blog) in the quest for publication?

The answer to this one is simple. It is NOT needed for the author's presence.

I would say that using social media for gaining information on the business is crucial. There is a lot of information out there and any tool you can use to get that information is great. But, for a new author without anything to sell, I would simply say the time can be better spent working on your craft.

I know there are a lot of people out there that will claim you can "build your readership" for your book, but personally, this is not going to work in the fiction market. Non-fiction, yes. You may have a craft or hobby that is of interest to people, but for fiction, it just won't happen.

I do recommend you are ready to go with some ideas for a website when you do sell, but there is really no need to rush.

Good Question!!!!1

Scott

First Impressions and the Social Media

Social media is everywhere. People seem to really get into this whole idea of immediate conversations and interactions with people all around the world. While I am far from someone who is against the idea, I do think there is something people seem to forget. Things being typed in the computer lack the personality behind it. Needless to say, what you type might not be what you say. And, in the end, the impression people have of you might not be the reality.

I have mentioned this before here on the blog, but I want to remind you of it again. The Head and Shoulders commercial stated, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." How true this is.

When it comes to the things you say on the social media, the impression people have of you may be completely opposite of who you really are. I know for myself, there are numerous writers, editors and agents that I have quit "following", not because of what they say, but how it comes across. One in particular, who I have met at conferences, seemed to come across as doing nothing but complaining about everything in the business. In fact, there were times that I could almost guess who that person was talking about. Uncool.

We have to remember that we cannot take things back once we hit the "submit" button on the computer. Oh, we can try, but by then, the damage may have already been done.

Just something to think about on a Monday morning.

Scott

The Pros and Cons of Social Media

Several days ago, when I asked about some potential blog topics, one that was forwarded to me asked me to cover the challenges of using social media. I have to say, I have actually tried writing this one every day now since I first asked all of you what to write about. In the end, I would always find myself a bit frustrated with my comments so, in the end, the blog post was deleted and I would move on to something else. So, here I try again.

There are certainly a lot of challenges we have when it comes to using social media. It really is a necessary evil though in todays world of technology. As a writer, many publishers really push people to use that social media to promote their books. You need an online presence. And there comes the first of all the challenges.

Maintaining that online presence in a social media circle means a constant presence. With a blog or website, it is easy to leave it alone every now and then. With these social media sites, however, a writer has to constantly be updating and posting. I fully understand that pressure. With this blog, there are many days I struggle with putting something up here that is useful for writers. 5 days a week is tough. But I do it.

With the social media side of things, people expect to hear from you on a daily basis. They want the Facebook pages updated. They want to receive Tweets. They want to Friend you and for you to be their Friend.

The second challenge comes from something I have said before when talking about anything online. You have to be careful what you say. There is simply no delete button. I will have to say, I follow a lot of Editors and Agents on Twitter. I do it to hear of new books coming out or articles people have written. As I work, my Tweetdeck keeps flashing those news alerts to me in the corner. What amazes me though are the comments some of the people Tweet. Sure, we might think the same thing, but putting it out there publically becomes a huge problem. In fact, there are several people out there in the publishing world that I have a realy hard time with due to comments they have made. These are people I respected.

I think the last challenge comes from the level of professionalism. There is a fine line between being informed and being "a friend." I know other agents have said the same thing before but being a follower on Twitter, Friending me on Facebook, or Connecting with me on Linked In does not make you any closer to me. I created a Facebook Group for Greyhaus at the request of writers who wondered why I wasn't there. But I am still amazed at the number of writers who want to "Friend" me. I don't want to know about your dogs. I don't care about your family pictures. This is a business.

Out of all these ramblings, I think I want to simply say that we can use social media to keep people informed, but that is it. If you are going to use it, then use it properly.

Have a happy 2011 and I'll see you on the 3rd of January!

Scott

Why I Hate Social Media - But Will Do It Anyway

"Can I Friend You?"
"Did you see that last tweet?
"I have to update my MySpace Page"


ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!


And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Social media is really beginning to take over our lives and I am really learning to hate it all, and yet I will continue to use it. In fact, isn't it a bit funny that here I am blogging about something that gets a bit unnerving to me daily. Still here I am.

I have said this in the past and I will restate it again. Writers have to spend time with their writing. The time we spend on this social media really does suck up a lot of valuable time that could better be spent making sure that the characters we create are real and the world they live in is believable. We all have to find a healthy balance for all of this.

Now, don't get me wrong. I do think there is a place for some of this social media. Getting our projects out there to potential readers is very important and whatever we can do to increase sales is great. For me on the agent side of thing, I do see an great potential for educating writers around the world on how we see things. The more writers know, the better the chance that maybe they will find success when they submit to agents and editors. The tidbits they pick up every now and then from agents and editors might be just the thing they needed to get them through a hurdle on their stories.

What concerns me about all of this social media is that we are seeing professionals (writers included) spending far too much time on this, especially with some of these social media sites that are duplicates of one another. To add to this, I see many people spending time telling us about things that really don't matter and, in no way, will ever increase the sales of their books.

Do me a favor this week. From Monday through Friday, log in how much time you spend on your social media. Reading, writing, posting, blogging, tweeting and the like. At the end of the week, think about how much writing you could have done? It might shock you!

Scott