Guest Speakers: Terry Maggert, Catherine Lundoff, Melissa McArthur, Bobby Nash, Cat Rambo – WRITE Program Director: Venessa Giunta
First off, is social media mandatory for writers? Absolutely – especially if you want a career. Yes, yes, I can already see you rolling your eyes or sighing in complaint. I understand that it’s far more appealing to remain a hermit and hide away from the land of the living (I prefer that too.) However, your readers want to see what you’ve already published, and know what’s coming next. It’s a crucial aspect of marketing that you can’t afford to ignore.
Bear in mind, social media is not just for selling. That is one of the quickest ways to turn your audience off. Pepper your posts with personal tidbits about yourself and the writing process, etc. People appreciate a genuine connection! They are also smarter than you think, and can sense when your social media is inauthentic.
Promote what you love – don’t bash what you hate.
Definitely promote other authors’ and artists’ work that you love, and before you know it, you will have built a network of your own. 🙂 NEVER express complaints about publishers, editors, agents, conventions, etc. You want to maintain a professional reputation.
When you’re going through hard times, do you mention it on social media? Or do you remain upbeat? If you have to mention something bad, try to balance it as 90% positive and 10% negative.
Avoid divisive topics like politics and religion. (Unless of course you’re referring to a fictional political or religious structure in your story – examples: Game of Thrones, Avatar.)
To maintain momentum, post regularly. We’re not talking once a month – but more like once a day, or every other day. (Looking at myself in the mirror right now and wagging that finger!) This sets up a schedule for your audience’s expectations, and people LOVE engagement! Make an effort to read and reply to your reader’s posts! Who knows? You may discover that you love your fandom as much as they love you. 😉
Also, relax! It doesn’t have to be rocket science. Something as simple as “Good morning, I’m planning (this) for today. What are you guys up to?” or “Good evening, (this) is what I’ve accomplished!” Memes can be fun too. Overall, you want something that elicits more engagement and responses from your audience.
Hold unique contests for your viewers. Ask people “How do you want me to die?” in a short story, or offer a giveaway of “an awkward sex scene.” (You’d be amazed how many people respond to that one!)
When you start promoting your work, how do you avoid “Buy my book” frenzy? Spread it out. Film yourself doing a 30 second promo. Follow up with five different types of posts: a cover reveal, concept chat, a dramatic reading, a direct link, and a ‘thank-you’ post.
Alas, it’s unfortunate, but we must practice safety in our modern cyber-world. Set up 2-factor authentication on your accounts to prevent hacking. Never mention that you’re away from home, at a restaurant, or on vacation until you’re back at home.
Use social media primarily for writing purposes. Keep that and your personal life separate. In other words, don’t mention your family, children, or close friends’ names. You never know who may try to threaten or use that against you. Consider getting a VPN service which will further protect you from malicious hackers who may attempt to dox your location or personal identifying information.
(Check out Cat Rambo’s book – “Creating an Online Presence for Writers“!)
If you become successful, be aware that random people will approach you and know a lot about you – even if you don’t know them. It can be daunting at first, but your fans will remember how you respond. Being polite and respectful is typically the way to go, but (as I mentioned in my Podcasting post) you’ll want to have a thick skin and know your boundaries in advance. Know your personal on or off-limits to discuss with the public.
And finally, if the idea of managing multiple social media sites is overwhelming, you can utilize software to handle all of your platforms at once. (Yes, they exist!) Check out Hootsuite, Crowdfinder, Latergram, Readerlinks, Buffer, Canva.com, Namechk, coschedule (good for WordPress users), and the Follow/Unfollow App.
When it comes to social media, what are your thoughts? I’d love to hear from you in the Comments Section below! What’s your favorite social media platform, and why? As a writer, do you consider yourself an introvert or extrovert? What’s one of your best experiences with a fan?
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