How Do You Make Connections On Twitter?

[Manny]

I finished my 8 Graduates From CalTex High...And How There Lives Intertwine with Each Others book 6 months ago, and for the last couple of months, I've been trying to make connections on Social Networks like Twitter & here on Goodreads (I don't use Facebook), but I'm having a hard time making connections. I know I can't just say "Hey, will you check out my book?", but I want people to check out my book. I would like to make connections with Authors, bloggers, & readers. How do you make connections on these Social Networks with these people without seeming like your spamming them?

Can someone tell me some of their stories on how they made connections on these Social Networks... Also, I especially find bloggers & reviewers the hardest, because a decent amount of them look down on Self-Published Authors & ebooks...Have any of y'all face the same issues?

[Doc]

If you want to make connections on social networks, start looking for what other folks are doing that is interesting and ask them about it. Stop thinking about what you want to tell people, and think about what you can learn from others. Eventually folks will ask about your projects, but first you have to get involved in theirs.

Doc

[Marius]

Hi Manny, find people with similar interests to you or your book. The trick is NOT to sell to them. It's the same with blogging and making friends here on Goodreads - talk to people, make connections, be friendly and interesting and then people will start taking an interest in you. As you've no doubt seen, everyone who has written a book is trying to shout as loudly as they can to get noticed (so we can ascertain by this that just saying 'hey I've written a book' doesn't work). So be inventive, social media is a young channel and is developing all the time. Read and learn about the new ways of audience building, don't be in a rush and play the long game because this e-book revolution is just beginning - learn the tools and the tricks of Social Media (can you guess that I work in it yet?) and you'll start reaping the dividends.