FB, MS, Tweets

If you know what the heck the title of this post means, you do your fair share of networking. Me, I always have to stop and think–MS is a disease in my book, not myspace and as for FB, I tend to think of some feminine product. Lately, all the writer’s listserves I’m on seem to be devoted to these acronyms as the authors try to get each other’s Twitter addies or facebook urls.
I guess that’s promo at work. If we’re promoting to ourselves as writers. Don’t get me wrong–if you send me your Twitter name, I’ll follow you. I tweet about this blog and the other blog I’m on MakeMineMystery and I like being part an on-line writing community. I pick up a lot of stuff there just as I do on the writing listservs I’m on.
But I don’t expect you guys to buy my books either. Plus I keep hearing that these things are on the last legs of the fad. So what’s the newest fad? What new way is there to get your book out there promo wise? Are you podcasting? Are you putting book trailers up on Youtube? (I really don’t see the point of that one–are there really that many people so bored with their lives that they’re sitting on Youtube trolling for book trailers? Isn’t it easier to just go to a store and check out the covers and the backs of the books?)
Or are you trying the old fashioned way–going out to the book stores and trying to hand sell your stuff one signing at a time?
The thing is I have learned in the last year or so just how much of a time sink blogging, tweeting, facebook, and all the of the rest are. So a podcast or a book trailer would probably be even worse. Wouldn’t they? And I am trying to write the next in the series although my critique partners claim not to have noticed. And with this economy, I tend to shudder at the thought of how much it would cost to go across the country trying to sell my book.
Still I need ideas. What are you doing right now to promote and why?

My Fiddy Percent

[Acquatinance]  “Wow Narelle, you’ve writting a book?  That fantastic.  Well I guess you can cross that off your list of things to do in life.”

[Narelle] “Actually, I think I’ll have to cross it off someone else’s list, it was never on mine.”

What’s my point and what does it have to do with networking? 

I’m gladd you asked. 

I didn’t ask to be a writer.  I didn’t dream about it, spend endless days/months wrestling with writers block or struggle to fit a writing schedule into my busy life.  Nope, all I did was ask for a little bit of guidance back in May 2007.  Then, without warning, I found myself tapping out a novel (and a survival guide and a non-fiction piece and…) and I’ve been writing like a woman on a mission ever since. 

I’m not complaining – I absolutely love writing.  But seeing as how this wasn’t really my idea, I figure that my writing must be part of some kind of big picture.

I’m not a big picture novice so I know that all I have to do is follow the process (which is always the same) and do my 50% (I’m never required to do more than that).

Here’s the big picture process as I see it (and how it works in the case of writing):

• Follow my inspiration (sitt my butt down and write) 15%
• Step out (network and follow leads) 20%
• Say yes (accept offers that resonate with me) 15%

You’ll notice I’ve given stepping out a greater percentage value.  That’s because it’s a crucial step in this simple process.  Of the several big pictures which have unfold in my life, none came as a result of some dude knocking on my front door and asking me if I’d like to participate in my life.

 

Networking

I want to chime in on what Don had to say. I agree with him that networking can be very important.

But when you sign in to those yahoo writing groups that Don talked about, don’t just lurk. Yeah, yeah, I’m shy too. I am hate-to-have-my-picture-taken shy. I am—my-face-is-as-red-as-my-hair-when-I-talk-sometimes shy. Thank God no one can see me online. I’ve learned that if you talk on these groups about what you are there to accomplish, ask questions, and answer the questions you know the answers for, people will get to know you. And so when they hear, for instance that you are a Science Fiction writer with a manuscript to peddle, they will remember when they hear that Baen is opening up a new line. And they’ll hop on the email to tell you.

So having said that I have to say that in terms of promotion after the book is out, I’m not sure about networking. I want to believe. I’ve done chats and I’m not convinced they are effective. I have been in groups where I’ve been turned off by the authors who were BSPing (blatant self promoting). So usually, I keep my promotion to my signature line. Myspace? Hey, I’m new to it but I like myspace—but I like it because I meet neat people. I also like crimespace and goodreads but then they are all about books and mysteries. I don’t sell books in those places. I usually end up buying more. And I’ve seen blogs that were largely ignored and then abandoned.

I think in terms of promotion, networking, at least on the net, may not be working. (Make what you want out of that sentence.) I’d love to have people pop in and tell me I am wrong. Better yet, tell me how it has worked for you.

Writers Need Love Too

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Don Lafferty to the Rule of Three stage.  Don is a writer and networking extraordinaire (our words – not his).  His book – A Field Guide For The Rookie Coach http://rookiecoach.org/ - is due for release in 2009.   Don has agreed to share some of his networking knowledge with us. [insert applause]

We all know the writing life can be a solitary existence. Day after day investing long hours crafting pages of prose or scouring the Internet for research material can make for some long stretches of alone time. And this is absolutely necessary if a writer is going to push through to the finish line, whether your passion is a novel, short story or a magazine article.

The other pursuits of the writing life – self promotion, researching potential markets, agents, publishers and new ideas – can be more effectively served by including a strong networking strategy among the tools you employ to build platform.

There are networking options for every personality.

You can start with a MySpace page focused on your writing career, and by joining all the writing Yahoo Groups you can find. Simply “listening” in these buzzing online groups will open doors to unforeseen possibilities and direct your writer’s mind into uncharted territory, and neither will cost you a penny.

More outgoing souls should seek local writing groups who meet face to face. Visit with a handful of different groups and eventually you’ll find one that’s a good fit for you.

I scored on my very first try.

Several years ago I found myself living that solitary writing lifestyle, but clearly feeling like I needed something more, so I found a local writer’s group through the Web and attended their next open gathering where I met a bunch of people just like me…only different.

For the next three hours I listened to other writers talking about their personal journeys, their process, their frustrations and their accomplishments. This meeting led me to attend a local writer’s conference where I met more writers, editors and agents. I was pumped.

In these few short years I’ve learned more about the writing life, published more and been paid more than in all the previous years combined. I’ve met hundreds of people in the writing world and made some good friends along the way. Not a single day goes by that my writing network doesn’t present me with an opportunity to publish or take me down some unexpected path.

It’s the reason I’m here with you today.

So gather up your best work and jump into the writing world. Be prepared to talk about your writing, take care to keep track of your new connections via email and online social networks, and when you think you have something to offer, don’t be shy. Everything you give to your network will come back to you again and again.