I think there’s a basic conflict for many writers, when it comes to marketing. By nature, we tend not to relish the role of salesperson. But nowadays, it’s not enough to write the best book you can. You have to publicize it too, even if your lack of skill at doing so leaves you feeling like the least-talented member of an all-zombie chorus line.
Since the publicity budget for a first novel can’t be sighted with the Hubble telescope, economy dictated establishing some kind of online presence to get Death of a Bride and Groom a little attention. Until recently, I’d never Facebooked, blogged, tweeted, or done any of the other social media activities that many people take for granted. Now, I know some of you are probably thinking I must be Amish, or confined in an institution somewhere, but the truth is that I was never interested. I felt an instant kinship with Betty White when she said on SNL that she had never known what Facebook and Twitter were, but now that she did, they sounded like an incredible waste of time.
However, my publisher made it clear that being active on social media was expected as a matter of course. The problem for me in following this direction was that I don’t want people I’ve never met to know anything about my personal life. Nothing. Certainly not my marital status, nor my age, nor where I went to school, not even my favorite color. I have a life and it’s mine, do you hear me, mine! (Well, okay, I don’t mind telling you I’m married and my favorite color is red, because it’s just the two of us talking here, right?)
So Facebook and I had a basic conflict: it wanted to get to know me and I didn’t want it to. Where did you go to school, it asked. When’s your birthday? I stomped off, muttering “none of your business.”
Eventually, I tackled Facebook again to set up a modest little stage onto which I hope to nudge Death of a Bride and Groom into an occasional appearance. I see myself as the stage mother (father?) off in the wings yelling “show them your cover! Now turn and let them see your flap copy. And your blurbs—show ‘em your blurbs!”
Blogging is the other activity I’m gingerly moving toward. You can see what I’ve done here. Blogging doesn’t seem as intrusive to me as FB, in that it seems to revolve around ideas, and ideas are what writers deal in.
Why use social media sites if I’m not comfortable with them? Well, I want to give my literary offspring the best possible start in life, and people with more experience than I assure me a social media presence is essential. I know there are also writers who think that social media use has little or no effect on book sales. What I think social media may be important for is networking, which my experience in the corporate world suggests can eventually lead to sales. Will it do so for this new writer? We’ll see.
Twitter? Let’s talk about something else. (I do have to save some time for writing.)
What do you think are the pitfalls and rewards of social media? What have you done to get the word out?
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Allan Emerson is a Canadian writer who was born in Saskatchewan and brought up in small towns there and in British Columbia. He lived in Australia and New Zealand before settling on the west coast of Canada. As his mother could tell you, he’s been making up stories since he was a little kid.
Death of a Bride and Groom is the first book in the Honeymoon Falls series. It will be released at the end of May in the US, and in late June in Canada. Emerson describes it as “a small-town mystery containing humor, a little sex, a little swearing, and some startling relationships (sort of like the author’s life, except for the murders).” It’s available from bookstores, libraries, and online. A large print edition will be released November, 2015. Visit Allan at his website and blog. You’ll also find him on Facebook.
Allan is giving away one signed copy of Death of a Bride and Groom to a U.S. or Canada resident who leaves a comment on this post before midnight Mountain Time Saturday, May 30th. The winner’s name will be selected using random.org and posted here on Sunday.
I’d say you have a knack for blogging, even if you’re not comfortable with it. I smiled at your humor, intended or not. I admit I don’t enjoy blogging or all that other social media stuff necessary to promote our works. No on will knock on my door if they don’t know I’m in there. So I do the barest essential first thing each morning to get it out of the way so I can write what’s really important . . . my next book. I’m looking forward to reading Death of a Bride and Groom, interesting title.
Thank you Carole, especially for the blogging encouragement. I must say, once I get into writing a blog piece it is kind of fun. I think what has me in a cold sweat is the thought of looming deadlines and wondering how I’m going to fill that space each week. I probably can’t run cat videos all the time, right?
I like your idea about doing it early in the day so you get it off your mind. (First thing in the morning would be dangerous for me–it takes a while for my brain to accept that I’m up and it’s going to have to start working again.)
I started a blog just so I could have that cool “clickable” name thing when I had an online short story sale. Then, I discovered blog buddies, and I became hooked. Facebook works for me only because I treat it as a fun social gathering of old and new friends, and family members. On twitter, I am the shameless stage mom/promoter. For all these things, I have a daily and weekly time limit – it’s the only way to stay sane and have time for writing. I try to keep my social media presence down to 4 hours a week – which still sounds like too much to me.
Hi Tyrean
I just had a quick look at your blog and it looks great. I’ll be visiting as soon as things settle down a bit at my end. Right now I’m busy running around in circles and trying not to forget my name (might have to look it up 🙂 ). Maybe you can give me some advice about blog buddies and Twitter some day. Thanks for commenting.
You’re doing great, Allan. I have been spending way too much time lately trying to get the word out about the two books of mine that were recently released. I’ve written blogs, posted on Facebook, written tweets, gone onto Goodreads. What haven I done? I haven’t been writing anything new. Oh how I wish I were rich enough to hire a full-time publicist.
You’re getting the word out though, Maris. I’ve seen several of your posts by following links on other sites. I know what you mean though. Of course, doing it ourselves is just temporary until we’re NYT Best-Selling Authors, which will be quite soon now, right?
It took me awhile to get in the swing of things, but now I blog and like it. I enjoy Twitter very much, tolerate Facebook, am getting to like Goodreads more and more, and use Google+ although I think it’s not a growing community as I had hoped. I do want to get more into Library Thing….after all, shouldn’t we all want to be where the librarians hang out? And then there’s the lure of Pinterest — I keep hearing it’s worth the time, but I haven’t explored it myself yet.
You’re my role model, Patricia! You seem to be everywhere at the same time and you’ve always got something interesting or entertaining to say. I love your new blog site, by the way. Visually appealing and easy to navigate.
I agree with you re Google+. I hope it gets busier, but the reason I joined was that I understand Google gives you a little more priority in Google searches if you’re a member. Goodreads is a mystery to me–it seems enormous and confusing, but perhaps that’s just because I haven’t spent much time there (he said, hopefully).
Oh, dear, being a role model is scary. I can only tell you to manage your time online wisely — I even have time now for writing and for napping.
I did feel that way about Goodreads at first, and I know I’ve barely scratched the surface on opportunities to connect with readers, but I do like the giveaways and the fact my blog can publish over there as well as here.
You’re doing great, Allan! Keep up the good work. We all want to see you succeed.
Thanks John. I’m hoping I’ll eventually get past feeling like a toddler caught in a revolving door when tackling social media.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels a little discombobulated by social media. I think blogging is going to be most demanding for me, but to my surprise, FB is much easier, maybe because it’s somewhat similar to other writers’ forums I post on. Twitter I still don’t get, but I guess I’ll have to try to see if there’s any benefit in it before writing it off completely.
Oops, am I supposed to reply to individual posts only? I hope I haven’t entered myself in the free book draw. (I already know whodunit 🙂
You can respond any way you choose, Allan. And I promise I won’t put you on the list for potentially winning a copy of Death of a Bride and Groom. 😀
Hi, Allan,
I’m still not all that comfortable using social media, but it seems to be necessary for writers with small publishers. Best wishes.
I have had very similar feelings, Allan. I try to blog once a week, but often miss my own deadline. I post interesting articles on FB and I’ve had to force myself to even sign up for Twitter. Social media takes so much time,and I don’t know if it works or not. But your’e right that publishers expect it.
Blogging is my favorite and I appear on Twitter once in a while. Facebook…yuck, but I do it once in a while.
I had no online presence when I signed the contract for my first book and didn’t want to share anything about myself either. My publisher said I had to get my butt online, so I started with blogging. I still keep my life mostly private, but now I can’t imagine a world without my blogger buddies.
Still not on Facebook though. I’ll resist that platform to the end…