Friday, April 27, 2012

Now I Have to Network?

So, I made the decision to self-publish.  After agonizing over that for weeks, I finally stuck to my decision.  What now?

Now, I enter the wonderful world of promotion (important for self-pub and traditional alike).  I already started this blog (and if you are thinking about starting your own blog, I've personally been happy with Blogger--and it's free)  and then I bought the domain name for my web site.  What did I have left to do?

Boy, it's a good thing I've found a few friends along the way to clue me in!

World Literary CafeMy first stop was World Literary Cafe.  This web site includes a lot of information for the aspiring author or the published.  It is a place for readers and writers to connect.  Mostly, I've been trying to build my network, so I became interested in the follow programs for both Facebook and Twitter where you follow other authors and they follow you back (or like you in the case of Facebook).  Sounded good to me.

Next, I started a Facebook page.  Honestly, my blog seems much more useful to me than this.  I have some followers though, so I'll keep trying to figure out what to do with the Facebook page.  I would suggest this be the last thing you attempt, as I've found it to be the least useful.

After that, it was time to move on to Twitter.  Now, this was actually a bit fun for me, and I've been meeting some really interesting people.  In addition to that, I've connected with both readers and writers over the last few weeks (and even other people who watch Ghost Hunters!).

The real power comes when you combine your blog with Twitter in a newer media called triberr.  It is best if you don't join this web site on your own, but ask a friend who is in triberr to invite you into their tribe.  If you get invited, it is free.  If you join on your own, then to get into a specific tribe with people you know it causes what they call "inbreeding," and it costs money (bones) to get into the tribe of your choice.  Basically, we all share our blog feeds with triberr and with a simple click to approve posts, we share each other's blogs over our Twitter feeds.   This has really increased the number of viewers I get to my blog each day, increased my blog followers, and is helping to spread the word about information I'm sharing... hopefully it is all interesting enough to keep people coming back!

Just a cautionary tale... do not commit one of the Seven Sins of Social Networking as detailed by the vastly entertaining Rachelle Ayala on her blog Rachelle's Window.

Do you have any great networking tips I've overlooked?  Anything else I should be doing?

Thanks so much for reading!  Have a wonderful weekend!

18 comments:

  1. Great post, Chantel! I have been going through the same process, more to promote myself as a writer since I'm not self-publishing. I would suggest looking into Blog Hops. I've been reading up on them and it's another way to get out there. I wish we had more time to figure it all out.

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    1. Thanks, Melinda! Great suggestion!

      I know, right? If only every weekend had an extra day in there somewhere!! Have a great one!

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  2. I agree with your analysis, Chantel. The combo of blog plus twitter plus some targeted Facebook groups has power. The fb author page, not so much. At least yet. But promo, promo, promo! That's the ticket.

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    1. Thanks, Carol! It's been so nice to see what all you are doing, as you are going through the process currently with your book. Fingers crossed I'll be there soon, too. In the meantime, it is quite a bit of fun making new friends!

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  3. Oh, this is a very interesting read! I am in the process of trying to do all of this. But with school finals coming up..it's ever so hard to find time! :(

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    1. And it is definitely a time suck, Karla. I would finish your finals first! Good luck with them and good luck with the networking!

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  4. Great post! This sounds almost exactly like my experience. Oh, and I love Ghost Hunters. Mentioned it in the last short story I contracted. I'll follow you and come back again.

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    1. Oh, thanks for the follow! I have to admit, I'm not a big TV person, but Ghost Hunters is always set to record so that I can watch it at my leisure. I'm going to miss Grant, though!

      Wouldn't it be great to go on a hunt with them? I think that would be fun! Nice to meet you, Denise!

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    2. This is where the hard BUT fun bit starts to promote you and your book. I am a first time writer, well never have I written before and I am writing about an event that happen to me. I have an editor thankfully and I have completed over 50k words and just finishing chapter 21 and only another chapter to go. I have been promoting myself for sometime and looking forward for when the big day is here when the book is available as an ebook. I follow blogs, as I have just done with yours, I tweet and follow, as I have just done with yours and guess what, just commented on your great new book cover and liked your FB page. So all the best with everything and keep at it.....
      This is me:
      FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wrong-Place-Wrong-Time/222448311163967
      Twitter: @davepperlmutter
      Blog: http://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.pt/

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    3. Thanks for the support, David! It looks like you are a bit ahead of me with getting your blog out there. I poked around a bit over there, read your first chapter, and followed you. I like your book cover! Nicely done. Good luck on finishing the manuscript! That is a great feeling reaching The End, I can tell you that! :)

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    4. Pardon my nosing...but Grant? What happened to him? Why will he be missed?? Ghost Hunters was literally my fav show but have been unable to watch it :(

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    5. He decided to quit, Karla... not sure why. I'm thinking it is family stuff but haven't gone online to figure it out or anything. Only four more episodes with him in them. I love Grant! Him and Jason are so funny together! :-( Sorry you can't watch anymore! That is the one reason I love my DVR player. I can record the five shows I actually like to watch and fast forward the commercials - LOL.

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  5. I'm a little leery about joining twitter or triberr, but I guess I'll have to take the plunge sooner or later.

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    1. I know what you mean. I actually was too. I resisted twitter for quite a while. I'm having a hard time balancing how much time it takes up, but I'm learning!

      Thanks for stopping in and commenting, Tay Lee! I really appreciate it!

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  6. Twitter is powerful and easily abused. Depending on your point of view, I'm either an evil spammer, or a wonderful sharer. I share everyone's blog posts, book posts, free book announcements and retweet quotes and chat (mostly in DM).

    Tweet teams work and WLC has the best organized teams. 10 people per team so you don't overwhelm your followers. Teams are formed ad hoc, as people post, so you don't get the same people all the time. Readers have let me know they heard about my book from a tweet by @ mention or DM or retweeting.

    And then there is Goodreads...

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  7. Another reader just retweeted that she bought my book. She even responded to the tweet that caught her attention. This is the 2nd person who responded to the Outlander tweet. Now I hope she finds Michal as interesting as Claire.

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    1. Well, at least that shows Twitter is doing some good for you! :-) I totally forgot about Goodreads. I'm just learning how to use it, and mostly have been using it to check out books I want to read! LOL Thanks, Rachelle!

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