Social Media and the Writer

I assign myself a certain number of social media hours during the week. Those of you who love checking Facebook and Twitter around the clock are probably laughing at this. But I actually find the whole thing a bit overwhelming. The blog is a bit easier, since it's a great place for all my 'brain flotsom'-- my random musings on writing and the like, which would otherwise be permanently circling around my grey matter.

The thing I find most difficult is the need to sell myself. To be charming, to schmooze in these virtual cocktail parties, to be controversial enough to gain attention but not create a flame war, to be a distilled version of me, shaped and calculated to help promote my books. To promote my work without becoming an annoying spammer. And to watch my brain-to-mouth filter (or rather, brain-to-keyboard filter).

The upside is, naturally, meeting people. There are books I never would have read, causes I would have never learned about, and amusing conversations I'd never had had if I didn't connect with other writers online. Even more importantly, it's a community which has provided myself and my coauthor with invaluable advice and writing critiques. Contrary to popular belief, books are not written in a vacuum, and social media has been an amazing tool for bringing writers together and helping us help each other succeed.

CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE RAFFLE!