A lot of what's on my mind lately has to do with internet marketing—which I guess is the next frontier once my book is officially on submission. I don't want to put the cart before the horse, and I think I've decided to wait on launching a new website until there is a book contract, but as far as I know, it's never too early to start working on your marketing plan. I think the big concern for many new writers is "how do I do it?" How do I create a brand identity for myself? What kind of readers do I want to attract, and what are they looking for? How do I make my website appealing to that audience? Can using Twitter and Facebook really boost my name? Can you tell I've been reading a lot? There are PLENTY of great articles about all of that. I just read a great one in the RWR about street teams? Anyone see that? What an great idea—I had to tell my husband about that one! (Of course, he had no idea what I was talking about, but still.) Anyway, online marketing is SO important in this digital age, that I've heard there are agents who won't sign a debut author unless she has an actual marketing plan. I guess I never would have stood a chance with them, and I'm so grateful I have time to think it over. But the more I think it over, the more I read, the more I realize there's something lacking in these online marketing articles and guides. I definitely think that even though marketing your book is REALLY important, so is internet safety.
A little aside about me—I spend my days seeing the woeful effects of the opposite of internet safety. So naturally, I'm concerned about the topic in my extracurricular writing. I'm probably more concerned (read: paranoid) than the average Jane, I realize that. But by the time you fall victim to a bad guy, it's already too late to help yourself in that instance. All that's left is a messy road of picking up the pieces. Education and prevention are where it's at. I care not only about my own safety, but the safety of my fellow writers, and also of readers. Especially since the readers I'm hoping for are teenagers.
I don't want to be a downer, but I think the answer to the question of how to use Facebook as a marketing tool needs to be a little more fine-tuned than just suggesting that you get on there and go crazy. Yes, you can certainly use it to position yourself toward a readership (and maybe you should). And yes, I follow several authors on there myself. But folks, we really need to be careful with Facebook. Do not go crazy without knowing the risks. Facebook is NOT your bff. Same with Twitter. I mean, I know we keep hearing that the "point of Twitter is to be followed", but I would argue, yeah, BUT how CLOSE do you want your followers to your real life? You don't KNOW these people. There are your "friends" and then there is your "friend's list." And I would be very careful not to make the group interchangeable. It's offensive to some of our real friends to be constantly hammered with book ads (don't give me that if they're my real friends line, some of your real friends will never tell you they hate that you try to sell them something every time they hear from you, but they do). But by the same token, don't assume that you should tell your fans special details about your personal life. Some things, like the names and ages and photos of your kids and where exactly you live and a photo of your home shouldn't be shared with the entire world— those are just for your real friends. I've heard writers criticized for just using social media to blast advertisements for their books—criticism for not sharing more than this with their readers. While I kind of understand what these folks are saying—there has to be more to your tweets than SSP, you need to give your readers a sense of who you are—I feel that this is a hard balance for most people to strike. The balance between you and your brand identity.
Where do you draw the line between fans and creepers? How do you real in a readership using online marketing and STILL maintain a screen of privacy around the things you hold dear?
3 comments:
I keep my family and close friends completely separate from my professional life. It's not perfect, but it makes me feel better.
Yes, you do a great job of that Nina :)
I think Nina has the right idea. I didn't tell my mother my pen name for over a year, and when I did, I made her promise she would tell NO ONE in our family, etc. I don't need accolades from friends or fam who wouldn't read my work if it were written by someone else. I also told her she's never allowed to tell ne what she thinks of my writing, good or bad.
My poor mother. lol.
I also use a different FB account for real name me to be online with family and non-writing friends. It's private, private, private. I post pics of kids on that account, but have asked that no one link or share thsoe photos. When referring to personal life stuff under my pen name, I don't use real names and never give away too personal info. And I never post pics of my kids on the Dearly accounts. Maybe when they are much older, but not sure. I allow myself to be social as safely as I can manage.
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