― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I'm going through an awkward stage. I have no idea how to use social media as a marketing tool. I've been told by an industry guru that I need to engage readers on facebook and twitter in order to sell books.
Supposedly this can be done in as little as 15 minutes a day without ever hitting anyone over the head with my own books. Which is a big no, no.
So I scroll through recycled quotes and pet photos, liking a couple here and there. Posting the occasional comment when a friend has news to share and trying not to feel envious of research trips and vacation photos.
My only original facebook posts are my Sunday FREE Kindle book picks. And only because Amazon makes it easy.
On twitter I get a bit of industry news along with the most insignificant moments of a person's day. There's an agent espousing views on gun control while I try to be a-political so as not to offend any readers. As if anyone really cares that I, "Ordered a tall, got a Grande."
“... Try to be a filter, not a sponge.”
― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The truth is it's all just white noise to me. Yet I'm fascinated by those authors who make themselves heard. There are even publishers who require a social media marketing plan along with submissions. So I stand here with my back against the wall, observing the popular kids.
Hoping someday to be less awkward. And that I'll get around to figuring out Goodreads.
I don't know if blogging twice a week helps or hurts my books sales, but at least I feel connected.
Oh, those perks I mentioned?
a) We don't care that we're not social media savvy. b) We strive for real connections with people.
“It’s much easier not to know things sometimes.”
― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Do you consider yourself a social media wallflower? Or a social media butterfly?
Where do you go to hang out online? Where do you go to connect with your favorite authors (aside from superauthors.com, of course :)
For me here lately it's been wattpad. I've posted chapter one of my WIP with more to come.
Email me the book title of my WIP and I'll enter you in my monthly drawing for a $10. amazon.com gift card. And don't forget to enter our drawing for a Super Six Pack while you're here. Click on the link in the sidebar or go directly to the contest page.
15 comments:
I am most definitely a wallflower & I don't mind one bit.
Hmmm, I do post some, but mostly I go on and read what people are saying. Sometimes I share a photo, video or some cartoon someone's posted.
:D I'm a wallflower for sure. Just as in real life. Don't post anything really, a few very short comments and that's it.
Wallflower. :-)
Good morning, Wallflowers :)
Another thing we all have in common Mary, Snookie, Jo's Daughter, Cathryn is that we're all early birds.
You know, I'm much more gregarious on twitter than I am in real life. I have no trouble wandering into conversations, chatting with strangers. I think that's why I love twitter so!
Sounds like there's perks to being adventurous, Julia :)
I recently discovered #hashtags and I do like following those conversations. I retweet interesting tidbits. Try to remember to tweet my own blogs (though I Just discovered ow.ly to shorten links).
And thank people for following me.
Regenna,
I have a few favorite blogs I interact with. Like this one. I joined Twitter to participate in SYTYCW last year, but mostly I use it to comment on sporting events. I do scroll through for industry news but mostly I ignore the endless "buy my book" or political rants.
I'm on Facebook and I enjoy connecting with old friends and family and a few new cyber friends like Super Authors. I wish there was a way to block all political rants and pictures of food. I do like to embarrass my children though. See my post on my youngest coloring on my Sports Illustrated magazine.
As a reader, I enjoy finding out a little bit about my favorite authors. Share your tips for avoiding laundry and writers block and you've got a reader for life.
LOL--Kristina. If I had any tips for avoiding laundry I'd share them with you.
I try and visit Harlequin and a few other blogs each day. I'm not on Facebook and I do not tweet. I don't text either. I guess that makes me a wallflower or a dinosaur. The one thing I do on a fairly regular basis is visit author's websites. Some of them are up to date and other haven't updated for a number of years. I love the former and hate the latter.
Some of the best author's web sites are Marin Thomas who writes for HAR and Linda Warren who writes both HAR and HSR.
I agree, Kaelee. Linda has a very well thought out website.
Anyone interested in checking out Linda's website can find all our super authors websites in the sidebar.
I'm more a wallflower. I'm not on Facebook so I keep up by visiting blogs and checking out the tweets from my favorite authors.
Jane, I like blogs for keeping up, too.
Has anyone here every clicked next blog at the top of the page? That's quite interesting. I also find cool blogs to follow by clicking on blogs that other people follow.
I'm consider me as a social media wallflower
I'm going through an instagram followers hack awkward stage. I have no idea how to use social media as a marketing tool.
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