Two weeks ago, Wise Ink had our first workshop. Called PublishWise, it was an opportunity for us to get a bunch of indie authors together to share their own experiences and help them become more knowledgeable about the inner workings of the publishing process.
We had writers in the process of releasing their first book, as well as authors who were old hands at the indie publishing business. While it is no surprise to habitual readers of our blog that the single best way for an indie author to get out into the world and to sell books is by using social media, every single one of the authors at this event had the same issue with social media: it was scary.
The savvy authorpreneuer knows that there is no excuse in the world that makes avoiding social media a good idea, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is genuinely difficult for a lot of people to build and maintain something as daunting as an online presence.
In light of the bravery of our first PublishWise group, who were willing to take those first terrifying steps to become social media stars, we’ve come up with a list of reasons why social media isn’t nearly as scary as many authors think it is…
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It’s recreational AND constructive
Writing is one of the hardest things someone can do. Spending day after day by yourself, creating and revising, chopping and agonizing over the perfect turn of phrase, it’s easy to get lost in the process and forget that you’re actually making progress.
Luckily, social media is a wonderful tool for distraction. Refreshing Twitter or looking at a Facebook homepage to see what’s going on in the world can help you shift your focus, which might help you through a problem with your manuscript. Taking a break will actually allow you to look at your writing more critically, and will make your writing more efficient when you do buckle down to pound out a few thousand words.
You’re allowed to use social media as an escape as well as a marketing tool. In fact, your fans will probably like your work more if you treat your accounts as more than just a way to sell books and let your personality shine through.
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It makes you a better writer
We’ve already talked about how blogging helps you create content for your book in manageable chunks, but there’s something special about writing on social media that will make you write better, not just more. The people on these sites have short attention spans. They skim rather than read every word, and decide very quickly if a post or an account is worth their time.
As you participate in social media, be it Goodreads, Twitter, or something else, you’re learning something you probably didn’t notice you were learning: you’re becoming a clearer, more concise writer to cater to your friends and followers. Things like the 140-character Twitter novel show that a truly great piece of writing is written to make every word count. And you’ll take that newly-developed skill to your book, and it will be better for it.
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It’s supportive
While you’re probably looking to connect primarily with fans on social media, every single site you could use is full of writers who want to share their experiences and give support to other people in their position.
Had a not-so-productive day editing? Well, the people you connect with on social media will be there to commiserate with you, pick you up, or even brainstorm with you. Writing is often a solitary endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be. If you need support, the best place to find wonderful, helpful people is online. You just have to take the time and look.
Authors, what reasons make social media not-so-scary for you?
