CONFESSIONS OF A MOM

I have a confession to make. Over the past little while, I have been spending more and more time on Facebook and iPad games. Any bit of down time I had (i.e. waiting for the computer to turn on, watching a show with Tigger, etc), I would hop on and see what was happening. In a way it was relaxing and it was fun to see what others were up to.

I began reading articles for various sources that other people shared and found myself getting more and more horrified at what people thought was appropriate to share. Some of their comments were simple things like, “Interesting,” or “Gross,” or other words to describe their feelings on that particular article.

It’s gotten me thinking and over the past week I’ve adjusted my time and have not been on Facebook as much this week. And it’s because of some of the things I read. That’s what has prompted this post. I really think people don’t understand what sharing an article does or at least they don’t think about it.

This is just a caution is all. I would think twice about sharing an article on social media. Is it something you truly feel needs to be spread around? Is it an uplifting message? Because believe it or not, whenever an article is shared, it is encouraging and showing support for whatever content is in the article and whomever wrote it.

Don’t take this the wrong way. I believe there are good things to share and should be shared, but do I/you really want to be spreading things about child abuse or celebrity indiscretions or other things along those lines. Some of the articles I skimmed (most of which I didn’t complete) left me very disturbed, even the ones that appeared to be “innocent.” Some of the teaser captions underneath the pictures associated with the articles left me squirming. Is that the kind of message we want to portray?

All I’m saying is that if you want to share an article to at least take the time think it all the way through. Do I/you want that particular subject/article linked to your name? Because it is linked through the fact that you’re sharing it. Do I/you want to be showing your support of that particular article? Because even if you don’t agree with it, the fact that you are sharing it is perpetuating the subject, drawing attention to it. Do I/you think that it is something that will benefit others from reading it?

Now I know that it was my choice to read those articles, but some of them I didn’t click on. Like I said, the teaser captions left me extremely disturbed. I’ve now chosen to not spend as much time on Facebook because of how uncomfortable I became with the bombardment of so many articles I really had no interest in. Hopefully, this hasn’t happened to you. Hopefully, it never will, but if you are one that likes to share articles, please take the time to think it through because it’s not only you that is effected by it.  

We Are Not Alone by Kristen Lamb--Book Review

WE ARE NOT ALONE--THE WRITER'S GUIDE TO SOCIAL MEDIA by Kristen Lamb.

Wow, what a book. It is direct, to the point, and easy to follow. If anyone, especially writers, are fearful about getting involved with social media, (like me awhile ago) this is the book for you. It is fun to read and guides you through social media step by step. I learned and applied just about everything there. It's become my handguide in getting things set up the correct way and understanding exactly why writers need to be out there.

I've heard at many conferences, the need for a social media platform. If you are to that point in your career, and even if you're not, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.

:) :) :) :) :)

Foreword written by NY Times Best-Selling Author Bob Mayer, “I wished there had been a step-by-step guide for writers on how to not only do social media technically, but do it content-wise. This book is the answer to that wish.”

"Kristen Lamb's WE ARE NOT ALONE is a must-read for any writer dealing with the wildly competitive publishing climate. Even if you think you know what you're doing using social media, Kristen's book will teach you how to use all the tools to maximize your author platform and, most of all, SALES! I'm already recommending this book to all my authors!" Gina Panettieri from Talcott Notch Literary

Social Media is more popular than ever. As society becomes more and more technologically advanced, people are seeking new ways to interact. Humans are social creatures. Relationships and community are vital to our survival and our mental and emotional health.

Writers, published and unpublished, fiction and non-fiction are hearing words like platform and brand with increasing frequency as the publishing paradigm shifts into the 21st century. The world around us is changing faster than ever, and publishing is certainly not immune.

There are more opportunities for a new author today than there has been in the entirety of human history. Yet, the flip side of that reality is, with thousands and thousands of authors with books and blogs, how can a writer ever hope to stand apart let alone succeed?

This book will show you how.

There are countless social media experts, but Kristen's system is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of a writer. Take charge of your future today. You have great books to write, and don't have time for rookie mistakes that can cost you years of rebuilding your name, brand, and platform.

Kristen's method is simple, effective, and helps auhors find ways to harness the imaginatin used for writing and employ this creativity to build a solid platform designed to connect with readers. This system is designed to change the writer's approach, not the writer's personality.

And the best part is you have help. Remember, We Are Not Alone.

The World Of Social Media For Writers

By Bonnie Harris

I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic as of late. I’ve also been reluctant to join the social media sites for years, partly because I don’t like to “jump on the bandwagon.” The decision to join in on the craze happened when I realized that most of the authors I liked had profiles on things like MySpace and Facebook. As an aspiring author, it only made sense that if I wanted to be a successful author, I should be doing what other successful authors do.

So I’ve slowly gotten my feet wet and set up a profile on MySpace and Facebook. I didn’t spend too much time on either site, but I did post book reviews. Then a friend of mine, Tanya Parker Mills, encouraged me to set up a blog and post my reviews there. I followed her advice and that’s how I got my start in the social media world.

From there, I’ve taken classes on networking, creating platforms, and had another realization. The social media websites, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, and all the other sites out there, are all ways of creating an author platform as well as networking with other writers and readers around the world. And let me tell you, it works.

Here are a few tips that I’ve learned, mostly from Kristen Lamb’s WE ARE NOT ALONE—which I highly recommend to anyone who is wanting to make a name for themselves in the cyberspace world, which really is any author out there, self-published or traditionally published. Stay tuned for my review. :)

One—you have to be online. You can’t just have profiles and update them once in awhile. Be consistent. If you have a blog, make sure you blog at least once a week. Try to make it on the same day so followers will know when to come visit you. As Elana Johnson said in one of her classes, the internet world is very forgiving, but also very forgetful.

Two—return the favor. I’m working on this one. If someone follows you, follow them back. (Twitter, FB, Blogs) If someone comments on something you said, return the favor. I had someone ask me how I keep getting Twitter followers. My answer: follow people. I go out and find people with similar interests and follow them, and if someone follows me, I be sure to follow them back.

Three—choose a few social media sites to participate in. It seems like every few months a new media site pops up. My head spins just thinking about all of them, and if I tried to keep up with all of them, I wouldn’t have time to write. So don’t feel like you have to be on all of them. Pick a couple that work for you and stick to them. Personally, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, my blog, LinkedIn, and Goodreads. Am I active on all of them all the time? No. I keep FB and my blog regularly updated. I’ve also linked my blog posts to FB and Twitter. There are ways to do that and it makes life much easier.

Four—create a brand name. As authors, we want people to recognize our names, not just the title of our books. When at all possible, use your name. For example, my Twitter account is @bonnieharrisaz. My blog is www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com. You can find me on FB under harris.bonnie. When I get my website going, it will have Bonnie Harris in there. That way, people will know my name and when I am published, they will recognize it when they are looking for a good book to read. :)

These are just a few things I’m trying to implement to help build my author platform. I’ve had a few author friends ask if having an online presence really does any good. My answer to that is a resounding YES. I know it takes time and I know it can be a time waster, but if you allot a few minutes a day, you’ll be amazed at the results. We live in an internet world and our readers are closer than ever. I know, as a reader, I get really frustrated when I go to an authors website and the information there is years old. As fickle as this sounds, it makes me not want to read there stuff anymore. If I feel that way and I’m more lenient toward authors, how does a reader feel that wants the information, but can’t find it?

In the end, we want to share what we do. In a world that has everything at their fingertips, we need to be willing to share it by letting people know what we do. Take a look at Kristen Lamb’s blog. It has tons of help on it. Her book helps authors navigate the social media world. And here’s another article by Aimee L Slater about some do’s and don’t’s for authors. In the meantime, Happy Writing!