I think social networks can be extremely helpful especially for writers. I like Facebook actually more than Twitter. Twitter makes me feel silly sometimes. I mean I like other people's tweets, but rarely my own. I feel foolish saying things like 'I'm going to sleep now, beddy byes' or quoting something that sounds as if it's come out of a fortune cookie.
I'll tell you what I don't like, particularly about Twitter. I hate when someone starts to follow me, I usually follow them back unless they tweet every five minutes about something they are pushing--too spammy.
What I positively detest is getting a direct message which says: CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE. DON'T MISS MY BLOG THIS WEEK, IT'S ABOUT WRITERS!
Well hello! I'm a writer too, a very hard working one and, please give me the courtesy of not hard selling yourself. I'll get there, on my own time in my own way. I love to re-tweet things too. Just Mr. and Mrs. Followers, please don't come on like gangbusters.
Facebook I love, it's a great diversion. I have made friends there that I genuinely like. I have a profile and an official author page. The author page permits me to promote my writing. I never like sending a message out to a zillion people to get them to buy something I've written, too hard sell for my taste. I like people to join my page on their own and to read my blog posts if it interests them.
Privacy issues got way out of hand when Ning was free. A lot of spammers used it for their purposes. Personally, I would gladly shoot to kill any and all spammers from 'why doncha see me on web cam' to 'buy canadian meds!' 'To my name is Gunga Bunga and I have been reading your profile. I think we can be great friends...'
I always think the next breath would be 'my father works in the bank of Whatta Lotta Noiyve' but he had a heart attack and cannot withdraw the 900 billion dollars he saved--so could you, (yada yada)...!
Privacy issues can be issues! You can make your profile private but when you're like me, trying to interest the entire planet in your novel, you don't and will run into annoying people.
So that's it really, yes I do think social networks work. I think though we should be discerning about them, exerting caution as in all things.
Great post, Carole. Sometimes we run into annoying people, but horror writers can write about them, changing names of course, and make soup out of them. We feed the soup to other annoying people.I have met some wonderful people on Facebook.There's always a trade off.
ReplyDeleteI agree and thanks so much!
ReplyDeletethey can inspire us to write horror.
i do like FB so much, especially all the friends i've made.
thanks again!
Nice post, Carole. I always enjoy your perspective and "view". I'm with you about the annoying things in social media, but I must admit, I'm a neophyte. For instance (anyone can jump in here), I don't know how to link my blog to my FB page. And yes, when I friend someone, it is annoying to get "flapped" with their name so many times I never want to see it again. I sincerely hope I have never done that to anyone, and I suspect that others may not know if they do or not, because they'd stop.
ReplyDeleteEventually something seems to wear off and it stops. Or perhaps I stop listening or tune them out. Just like the good old library issue here in the States, and whether or not they should be hosting what some would call porn so the bums can get their free cup of coffee, use the bathroom and get their daily jollies, I wouldn't like to see massive controls, so I put up with the annoyance.
When someone goes to regulate, someone else's freedom gets reduced. I'm all for protecting the guys that sleep in the creeks and under buildings here, with a hope that somehow they can be rehabilitated (yes, I'm a dreamer). I also don't want my rights as a reader altered in any way, or "protected" by someone who knows better than I what I should read or think.
We all do the best we can. I've given up trying to look professional, since anyone with a brain will see I'm still new at it.
And I guess, watching others' mistakes helps me learn the ropes, and hopefully someone will let me know when I've made the social boo-boos.
Sharon, thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteI share your views socially. But I'm lost about the libraries? What was that? sorry!
As for the blog link on FB I think there's a place under Contacts where you can put in your website and then the link becomes automatic.
I preferred the old FB profile where you could put it on the sidebar (left) but the Uber FB Volk vot makes decisions der deceided: NEIN! for whatever reason.
I just wish there weren't homeless anywhere. And yes, I'm for protecting them as well.
We are much agreed! just explain about the libraries por favor!
One of those little things we do here: think everyone knows what happens just because of where we live.
ReplyDeleteA portion of our homeless population hangs out in our public library, uses the restroom and is allowed access to its computers. There's been people who have objected, since the library is used by children and teens, as well as adults.
But it has become a freedom of speech and assembly question, instead of a health and safety issue. So they are allowed to hang out or around our library, and you can't let your kids go there without a chapperone. Some people think it's the "porn" that attracts them. That's what I was referring to.
thanks Sharon.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't too sure. Well, it's quite a problem, I can see that.
It's interesting that libraries which were opened so that all people could access books and education became something else, something sad, something that tries to compensate for something else.
Thank you, Sharon.
Hello, Ladies & Robert. That cracked me up about turning people into soup and then feeding that soup to others..
ReplyDeleteFirst, didn't we all just want to write our stories and leave it to others to promote? Turns out that was the bigger Fiction of them all, wasn't it.
I do love the interaction. I just wished that I was more disciplined/efficient with it all, with regard to touching base with people. The hope was that by this time, I would have figured what networks to hit and how often, and then to balance my stuff with reaching out to others for their's. Takes time, doesn't it.
I don't know what I'm going to do when I actually start writing fiction again. There just isn't time for everything.
Oh, well. Everybody take care and have a great weekend.
James, that is some comment!
ReplyDeleteyeah, that's what it's all about. You zeroed in on the 'why' social networks in the first place.
Here a point: when Stephen King says we have to read a lot in order to write I always think how much more I could read if I was Stephen King and didn't have to promote.
Interesting. Of course I read anyway but the pressure is intense. as you say, it's tough to find time for writing!
Social Networks I think do help us. We are out there. I also don't know which ones help more than others, but if i don't get any sort of feedback, just a 'hello' will suffice, i don't go back often if ever.
I am always afraid of pushing too hard. I know authors who do and I hate it. it's not only the network we have to get right (which ones) it's also what to do when we get there.
I think just 'setting up your stall' and being friendly, participating in discussions and being helpful is the only way to go.
There are those who join up. put up billboards of their books and never under any circumstances contribute anything.
I don't like that.
Wish you and all a great weekend as well. I'm sure you will hit the right balance so that you can really pound away at those keys. you're that good and that committed.
Thanks Jimmy.
Great post, Carole! I agree about twitter and hard selling, drives me bonkers, too!
ReplyDelete