Social Media for Writers

1. Social Media for Writers

2. Introductions • Who you are. • What you write. • Why you chose this class. • Which 2 social networks you use most.

3. The 250 Follower Rule “Agents will now tell young writers, ‘I won’t even look at your manuscript if you don’t have 250 followers on Twitter.’”

4. Principles of Social Media • Social media is the least important part of your job as a writer. • Do what you enjoy! • Social media is a conversation, not a billboard. • Social media lets you control part of your online footprint. • What will you offer your followers? “I see people who ought to be spending their time developing their craft and people who used to be able to make their living as freelance writers. I see them making nothing, and I see them feeling absolutely coerced into this constant self-promotion.”

5. What to Listen For • Frequency of posts. • Posts on- vs. off-topic. • Percentage of posts on- vs. off-topic per network. • Number of social networks present. • Number of social networks used.

6. Ask yourself: • How do I feel about sharing personal information? • How much time am I willing to devote to social media? • What do I want to share? Is it something people want to hear? • What will participating do for me?

7. Meet the Networks

8. The most important service to be on for networking. • Connect with: other writers, editors/agents, readers/bloggers. • Easy to manage.

9. Tips • Following/Followback. • Loren Ridingervs Jennifer Weiner • Get a management tool: HootSuite, TweetDeck. • ads.twitter.com • Use lists. • Get to know hashtags. • #amwriting #amediting #mglitchat #1k1hr #askagent #askeditor • Use RTs and MTs. • Manage your time.

10. Where are you in your career? • Listen. Like pages. Create interest lists. • More potential for cross-pollination.

11. Tips • How will you handle friend requests? • Public page. • Subscriptions. • What can you give your followers? • Jill Shalvis • Dean Koontz

13. 15% of internet users. • 5x women as men. • 18 – 49. • Image-only social bookmarking. • Easy to create content. • Great for non-fiction, esp. design, home, cookbooks. • Searchable, good shelf life.

14. Tips • Scheduling more difficult, less important. • Following/followback works differently. • Individual pins. • Remember the audience. • Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews • Stephanie Chandler – non-fiction • Elizabeth Gilbert

15. Beware! Porn! • Image and GIF-heavy. • Easy to create content, keep an up-to-date blog. • Small audience, but can be a tool. • Heavily YA and 20-something.

16. Tips • John Green • Cassandra Clare • Jami Attenberg

17. Image-only. • Mobile-dependent. • 13% of internet users. • Heavily YA and 20-something. • Celebrity-focused. • Small book audience. • Hard to make relevant.

18. Tips • James Franco • John Krakauer • Erin Morgenstern

19. YA Writer on “I follow all my favorite fandoms. Teen Wolf, Doctor Who, Avengers, Lord of the Rings, anything Benedict Cumberbatch, Star Trek, and more…most of the time, not all, these IG accounts are run by teenagers. It’s quite awesome, too, because as a YA author, I find that it helps me get in the head of the younger generation…especially in dialogue. They have their own language! I’m sure we did, too, when I was a teenager, but it’s changed since then. Lol’s are out. Ha or Haha’s are in. They “ship” certain characters that have good chemistry between each other, no matter the gender or orientation of said characters. They use the word “perf” instead of perfect. UGH for just about anything they don’t agree with or if they feel terrible.” -Emerald Barnes

20. Good features, smaller audience. • Go where your people are. • Nonfiction authors, esp. technology and social media. • Search results: “paleo family recipes” • Hangouts. • Communities.

21. Tips • Lynette Young • Ron Charles • Robert Scoble • Writing Fantasy Novels community

22. Social networking for readers. • Author profile. • How can I be present as a reader and as a professional?

23. Tips • News feed • Author profile • Giveaways • Groups/discussions • Liking/commenting on reviews of your book? • Reviewing books?

24. Where Are You?

25. Where Are You? • Hobbyist/Writing for Pleasure/Reader • Thinking About Publication • “Small” Publication • Traditionally Published • Independently (Self) Published

26. Hobbyist/Writing for Pleasure/Reader • Listen • Personal Facebook page • Twitter • Goodreads • (Any other network that makes you happy.) • Follow your faves • Make lists

27. Thinking About Publication • Everything a WfP writer is doing AND • Follow industry folks: • Publishers Weekly • Shelf Awareness • Editors (book/journal) • Agents • Locate role models • Join Twitter • Hashtags • Create a blogroll (feedly.com)

28. “Small” Publication • Everything a TAP and WfP writer is doing AND • Locate people in similar places. • Locate relevant hashtags or communities. • Locate relevant blogs/communities. • Facebook professional page • Goodreads • Book bloggers

29. “Small” Publication Jenny Shank Facebook Twitter Goodreads

30. Traditionally Published • All of the above, AND: • Confirm publisher’s expectations. • Facebook professional page. • If YA, Tumblr/Instagram • If NF, Pinterest, blog, Google+ • Connect with book bloggers/reviewers

31. Independently (Self) Published • All of the above, AND: • Social media is more important. • Find people in similar places. • Find thought leaders. • Find book bloggers who review indie titles.

32. Social Media Survival Tips • Dress for the job you want. • People will be wonderful. People will be rotten. • Be practical: use lists, don’t be afraid to unfollow/unfriend, schedule posts, use metrics. • Be conscious of your time. • Do what you can with what you enjoy.