August 12, 2009

According to an article in the May/June 2009 Writer’s Digest (“The Must-Have Online Marketing Plan” by M.J. Rose), “Ultimately, no matter what you do, careers are made on the book, not on the marketing.” That’s very true. Just as true is this statement from the same article: “Someone–either you or your publisher–is going to have to get the word out about the book.”

More and more, today’s author is expected to do his part in the marketing. It includes creating a website, maybe a blog, making video trailers, doing blog tours, getting your book reviewed online, commenting on others’ blogs–and the one thing I’ve been dragging my feet on: social networking.

Why Social Networking?

Until I heard several speakers last week at a leadership conference, I’d been avoiding most social networking because of the time it takes. (I Twittered for a while, then I’m afraid I let it slide, other than using it to post new blog entries.) But these leaders mentioned that a high percentage of people now are checking Facebook accounts four times more often than their email. Social networking appears to be the new way to connect with people. 

I’ve actually had an active Facebook account–but I only have eight “friends” (all relatives). We all joined Facebook the first time my daughter was deployed as a way to connect the family. It’s very personal–both the content and the family photos. It wasn’t anything I wanted to share with the world–and most of the world probably wouldn’t find umpteen photos of my grandkids half as entertaining as I do.

Lately, though, I’ve had so many people (including an editor) ask why I wasn’t on Facebook or LinkedIn. I told them I was, but my site was very personal. They suggested I create a separate Facebook account, just for my writing. (I hadn’t known you could have two accounts. Sometimes I’m not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree.)

Join Me on Facebook

So the last couple days I set up a Facebook page, and I’m launching it today. One thing you might enjoy are the fifty photos I uploaded of my trip to England, including visits to the homes of Jane Austen and C.S. Lewis. It was hard choosing fifty pictures out of the 950!

I hope you’ll come to Facebook, join for free if you don’t already have an account there, then do a search for “Kristi Holl.” There’s more than one–I’m the one in the red shirt. Just ask to join my friends group. It will be a fun way to keep in touch and hopefully learn more about you as well.

If you have time, leave a comment below about your own social networking experiences. Which avenues have worked best for you? What are the pluses  and minuses you’ve encountered? Looking forward to your ideas!

14 Comments »

1. 

   Hmmm, I joined the online community, first at ICL, then at Verla Kay’s Blueboard for friendship and a place to hang out with other children’s writers. At the prodding of an editor, I finally put up a website. I said I would never blog, but started last year, because I was bursting to talk about all the good stuff going on in my critique group. And that’s about it. I refuse to do anything else (right now). The Blueboard is my favorite place to hang out and I have bookmarked several blogs that I enjoy, yours among them.

   I don’t know how to say this properly, but I don’t like it when people are only promoting their book but don’t offer anything else of value, like a discussion or friendship (and I’m using this term very loosely because I realize that online friendships are different than in-person ones). I think it’s better to be genuine and friendly and do the things you enjoy and the rest will come automatically. Perhaps I’m naive …

   By the way, my blog, if you are inclined to visit is:
   http://www.vijayabodach.blogspot.com

   I had to throw that in there since we’re talking about promoting ourselves

   Comment by Vijaya — August 12, 2009 @ 11:50 am

2. 

   Oh, I forgot to add that I think the website has been the most helpful. Having an online address helps people to get in touch with me. I’ve gotten work because people can see that I can deliver the goodies.

   The blueboard and blogging is for fun and procrastination and I don’t know whether it will ever help me to sell any books.

   Comment by Vijaya — August 12, 2009 @ 11:54 am

3. 

   Vijaya, I loved your blog post about your anniversary. Congratulations, by the way. Very touching post. I agree with you about not enjoying soical networking that is only for self-promotion. It feels like one long series of commercials. I like to hear about new books, etc. by authors, but that’s not ALL I enjoy knowing about.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — August 12, 2009 @ 12:12 pm

4. 

   Kristi, It would be interesting to find out what marketing methods that authors do (not publicity departments or publicists)actually generate the most book sales. We are “told” what to do by “them,” but we are writers, not salespersons or even marketers. A bookseller once told me that the best promotion technique for a writer is to write the next book. Amen. Marketing books by authors seems to be a matter of choosing the best method suited to an individual’s nature. One size definitely does not fit all. Thank you again for provoking our thoughts!

   Comment by Anne Bromley — August 12, 2009 @ 1:56 pm

5. 

   Anne, I was just talking about this very subject yesterday with a writing friend. We, too, were wondering if there were any statistics anywhere that showed how much the networking translated into sales. No one I’ve asked has ever known of any. It’s always just “I hope it makes a difference.” We shall see!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — August 12, 2009 @ 3:42 pm

6. 

   Hello Kristi,
   Ugh Facebook… I’ve been trying to avoid it – I tell everyone who asks about my facebook page (I don’t have one) that I just don’t have time.
   After reading your blog (and thinking about the countless friends on Facebook) it seems that I may need to make time to have a page… it is a good marketing place (at least from what I hear) as we do seem to be becoming a wired society…
   I have been working on a web page (using the free “Webs” site) but I’m not nearly ready to show it to the world…
   I may just have to join you in the new age of marketing…
   Cheers,
   Ally

   Comment by Ally M — August 13, 2009 @ 3:57 pm

7. 

   Ally, I fully understand your hesitation to immerse yourself in online social networking. I’ve been trying to prod myself into it for a few years. I’ve been hesitant because of the time factor mostly. That’s my next project–working out a schedule of some kind to make the best use of very limited time.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — August 13, 2009 @ 4:05 pm

8. 

   Hi Kristi,
   I feel like you, that the social networking takes too much time. Thank you for the encouragement to get started. I need to figure it out and get going. I bet after this blog, you will have LOTS more Facebook friends.

   Comment by Sue Tornai — August 13, 2009 @ 4:55 pm

9. 

   Sue, I’m working on that issue–how much time I can devote to it–and how to make the best use of my time. We shall see how it goes!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — August 13, 2009 @ 7:49 pm

10. 

    Hi Kristi:

    Happy to have connected with you on Facebook. My problem with social networking is that it can become addicting. One must make sure to get their writing in before getting online or before you know it hours have gone by.

    Warm regards,
    Donna
    Children’s Author
    Write What Inspires You Blog
    Donna M. McDine’s Website

    Comment by Donna McDine — August 14, 2009 @ 5:00 am

11. 

    Thank you Kristi. And Donna’s advice is spot on.

    Comment by Vijaya — August 14, 2009 @ 3:45 pm

12. 

    Boy, Donna, I saw that right away! Have to stay offline in the morning, if at all possible! Amazing how fast the time flies when you’re online, isn’t it?

    Comment by Kristi Holl — August 14, 2009 @ 3:51 pm

13. 

    Thanks Kristi for this information about social networking. I, too, started on Facebook recently. I’m a newbie to writing (one year) and am in Nancy I. Sander’s writing critique group. I’m anxious to see how authors set up a facebook acct. I’ll request you as a “friend.” Oh, I’m also from Iowa but living in CA. I think I read somewhere you were from Iowa. ?
    Anyway, thanks for this info about using our time wisely with social networking!
    ~Tina Cho

    Comment by Tina M. Cho — August 20, 2009 @ 11:35 am

14. 

    Tina, I think we’ll all be learning about this together! Yes, I lived my first fifty years in Iowa–lived all over the state at one time or antoher–and I still miss it. We raised our girls on a farm there.

    Comment by Kristi Holl — August 20, 2009 @ 1:06 pm

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