This blog chain is brought to you by Amanda. She asks: Are you a good social networker? What aspect of platform building do you focus on the most? Which aspects freak you out?
This is a really great question because so much of promoting freaks me out. However, the thing I do well is interact with people. I LOVE connecting with other writers, aspiring writer, librarians, readers, you name it. I’m told many writers are introverts and that may be why Twitter works so well for them but not for me. I try on Twitter, but I don’t have a Blackberry so I’ll be responding to someone’s post about their cute puppy or trends in YA lit like 10 hours later when they’ve moved on to hamsters and fave TV shows. I realize a lot of people do Twitter and blogging (blogging is easier for me to keep up with), but these things are not my strengths. So after beating myself up about that, I decided to focus my efforts on things I excel in. I set up book signings and meet and greets and those have worked well for me. I have more of these in the works (see my EVENTS page for upcoming ones– because you know you’ve been dying to meet me-haha). I have done school visits, feeding my teaching bug. I have a bunch of library book clubs in the works, events at JCCs and other organizations. I don’t have a problem approaching strangers and giving them a bookmark or scouting the aisles at B&N and seeing which books teens gravitate to. I have even pointed out my book. The readers liked the cover and summary, bought it and I signed it for them on the spot. I have an event coming up at the high school I graduated from–Fair Lawn H.S.–and am very excited about that, and school books clubs as well.
The funny thing is that in h.s. I was really shy. I had my friends but would never just walk up to someone I didn’t know and speak to them. In college, something changed and I learned to speak my mind and speak in general and I liked the sound of my voice so much I never stopped. 🙂
But I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way. For many authors and books, online networking is the way to go. It works for them. For me, in person is key. And as my agent and editor had said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Blog and Twitter and FB. Unless it feels off to you. Then don’t.” Being natural is key and brings results. And if one form of connection brings you anxiety or stress, try something else.
If you haven’t yet read Amanda’s post, head over to her blog. Laura’s tips are next. Check her out here.
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