WRITERLY WISDOM: Donna L Martin

It's time once again for WRITERLY WISDOM where every Wednesday we will sneak a peek into the world of writing and publication.  After much thought, I decided to create this new writer's series in the hopes new and established writers would benefit from the thoughts of many writers from around the world.  Only time will tell if this series has fulfilled it's purpose.  This week's scheduled writer had other commitments get in the way of their being able to provide their post, so I have stepped into the spotlight this week.  Some of the ways you can reach me is through my website (www.donnalmartin.com), Twitter (www.twitter.com/donasdays), or through my email (www.donasdays@gmail.com).  Here's my little words of wisdom:

Choose The Right Social Media For You

By Donna L Martin

I can remember when I first started writing professionally during the winter of 2010.  There was so much to learn and one of the things I kept hearing was “You’ve got to build an author platform.”  But what exactly did that mean?

Two years later I don’t feel quite so ignorant about the plethora of social websites a new or established writer have to choose from.  Below, I’ve listed ten of the most commonly used platform building websites an author should consider.

1)    Blogging...a type of "online journal" supported by sites like Blogger or WordPress where writers can connect with "followers".  Blogging gives the most flexibility to write about whatever might be of interest to you, not just about the writing itself.

2)    Facebook...a social media site where you, and millions of others, can connect with friends, family, and potentially unlimited followers from all around the world.  You can even create separate "author" pages to promote your books as well as "fan" pages to encourage interaction amongst your readers.

3)    Google Plus...a fairly new social website, Google Plus began in 2011 and is used by more than 100 million people per month with a total of over 400 million active users.

4)    LinkedIn...this site is promoted as a professional networking social website.  Writers can connect with other professionals, join discussion groups, post resumes and clips of their work, as well as go job hunting themselves.

5)    Pinterest...one of the newest social sites, Pinterest uses "pinning" and "bulletin boards" to connect it's 10 million monthly users with similar interests. It can be used to give readers insight to a writer's other interests as well as a way to showcase a writer's work.

6)    Quora...this is a very useful site for writers, especially of the nonfiction variety.  You can post your own research question and allow others to answer it or you can showcase your own expertise in a particular subject by replying and connecting with over 100,000 monthly users.

7)    Reddit...registered users of this social news website submit copy or links to be voted on by other users.  The larger the vote, the higher the rank, which determines the story's position on the site's pages.  Not really set up for posting blog entries.

8)    Tumblr...this social site is known for it's picture sharing.  Page views are in the billions as teenagers and young adults "reblog" and "like" posted images.

9) Twitter...writers who can condense their message into 140 characters or less will find this microblogging site perfect for them.  Writers can use it to keep their followers updated with the latest info about their work and to connect in other ways.
10) YouTube...this extremely popular social network is used primarily for video production, vlogging, movies and music. With over 800 million unique views each month, writers can tap into an almost unlimited source of potential new followers if they understand the video technology.    

Looking at this list, a new  writer might be tempted to throw their hands up in frustration.  Some writers struggle to make time for writing at all and now they are expected to become multiple social media participants as well?

Here are some questions to ask before deciding which social websites to join:

1)    What do you want your online presence to do for your platform?  Do you want to connect with potential readers?  Maybe market your latest book?  Even generate additional monthly income?  How you honestly answer these questions determine which social media avenue will help you the most.

2)    Are you trying to be an expert in a certain area?  Your content on a new blog could showcase your expertise.  If you’re an illustrator, a Pinterest account or WordPress website can spotlight your best work for future clients to view.

3)    Who are you, anyway?  The person you are as a writer or illustrator IS your brand or product you are trying to sell to the world.  Blogging gives you the most freedom to express yourself through your posts while sites like You Tube provides a way to be even more expressive.

Bottom line is you don't have to jump onto every social networking site out there.  Decide what type of platform and message are you really trying to create before you choose one of these sites or maybe one I haven't listed. Maybe a Facebook fan page to begin with while you visit some blogs or LinkedIn accounts to get a feel for how things work.  Agents and editors who are interested in your work will google your name to see what your platform consists of, but one or two strong sites are much better than a dozen poor ones.  And since you will have to find the time to devote to whichever site(s) you participate in, there is only one person who can choose what's best for you!

Donna L Martin has spent many years hanging out with her cat, Tommy, and perfecting the worlds in her imagination. She writes engaging children's books, middle grade adventures, and young adult novels. When Donna is not training for her Master Fifth Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo or helping run her martial arts school in Tennessee, she is working on her latest writing project. Donna is an active member of SCBWI Midsouth and participates in a variety of online communities including 12 X 12, PiBoIdMo, Linkedin, Twitter, Children's Book Creatives, Sub Six, Writer Unboxed Facebook group and Children's Book Hub Facebook group.