help wanted: social media experiences

This fall, I’ll be presenting at a number of conferences on the topic of social media. Specifically, I will be chatting about the many ways social networking sites (eg. twitter, facebook, shewrites) benefit writers.

As I would like to share real examples of how writers can benefit from interacting with others online, I am asking you to share your experiences with me. Whether you want to keep the names between you and me, or you’re not concerned about anonymity is up to you. I’ll only disclose with workshop attendees what you agree to share.

Moving past the obvious benefits of public profiles, making friends, and using RSS feeds, I am hoping to discover tangible experiences of writers of all stages and all genres. Some of the stories I would love to hear about include the following suggestions:

• An author develops a working relationship with a freelance editor
• A publisher discovers and recruits a new voice for their magazine, newspaper, or anthology
• An author is discovered and contacted by an editor, agent, or other paying market
• A collaboration is developed through a relationship initiated online
• A writer is offered an opportunity to speak at a conference or workshop
• An author’s work published online is acquired by another media outlet/publisher
• A really interesting friendship is developed that may not have otherwise emerged if it weren’t for social networking
• Evidence of sales increase or readership linked to specific online activity
• Your blog caught the attention of an editor, agent, publicist, etc
• Any number of other positive working relationships and benefits that came about because of using twitter, facebook, myspace, goodreads, shewrites, or any of the other sites

You know the experiences you’ve had. I’d love to hear your personal success stories about how social media has benefited you, improved your readership, or improved your sales/contracts, etc. I don’t need to know all the details, but I would love to be able to share with conference attendees some of the tangible experiences real working writers have benefited from as a result of creating an online presence.

To submit your experience, send an email to mystory@loriamay.com.

Give as many details as you like, but be sure to let me know anything you want kept between us. As an example, you may have had an experience with a well-known author or a mega publishing house and not want to name them by name. That’s fine. You can still share the story without identifying all parties. So long as your story is yours, real, and something that truly benefited you, I want to hear about it. Also please feel free to mention your website and publications if you want me to share that info with workshop attendees, so they can learn more about you – if you want. I’m happy to send people your way, but only if you want to share your links and publications.

Thank you to all who submit an experience or two. If you’ve had the kind of experience I am talking about, you know how valuable social networking can be for an author. Thus, I thank you for allowing me to share such positive examples with others looking for a reason to create an online presence.

Remember to send your experiences to mystory@loriamay.com.

Until tomorrow, happy reading!

she’s a hit! with shewrites.com

There’s something taking the Internet by storm. It’s women. More specifically, it’s women writers.

If you haven’t yet discovered She Writes now’s the time to join one of the most resourceful, encouraging groups I have seen in some time. The first 24 hours brought in 277 members. Now, shewrites.com is just one week old and already more than 1,000 women writers have flocked to unite and share publishing tips, book recommendations, and stories from their own writer’s desk.

The organizers Kamy, Nancy, and Deborah wanted to offer women writers – of fiction, journalism, memoir and more – an opportunity to connect through a social networking site that offers relative information, real opportunities to learn from one another, and provides a resource like no other.

Last Friday, I chatted with Deborah Siegel, one of the fabulous women behind shewrites.com, who was blown away by the success of the site:

"It's been 6 days and 1,000 members have already joined. Clearly, there is a need for women writers to connect in this way!"

Of course, the membership continues to increase at astounding rates. At the time of writing this post, there were more than 33 blogs, 40 discussion groups, and dozens of videos to view. Women range in age from 17 to 80, but it’s up to you to disclose your stats. What matters most is that women writers are able to post information about their works-in-progress, links to their sites, and join in on conversations about writing, life, and connecting with like-minded women.

Personally, I feel lucky to have stumbled upon shewrites.com right after its debut. So far I have connected with fiction writers, journalists, bloggers, publicists, and poets and my list of ‘friends’ is growing. But don’t assume this is just like some of those other sites where a person accumulates friends by the number but has barely any real contact with one another. This site is different. The writers joining shewrites.com really, truly want to connect with other writers. They want to learn from one another. They want to hear what the successful authors are doing and offer tips to those just starting out.

Members are able to start or participate in existing discussions, post information about themselves in their personal writing profile, submit article ideas and offer workshops for others. The profiles are particularly useful as a writer is able to share her writing history, publications, career direction, web links and more. It’s an easy way to learn more about other members and connect as real people within the discussions.

Until shewrites.com came along, I didn’t know I was looking for a group like this. I have been an active member for the last week and I am pleased with the useful tips, personal connections and writing resources the site has to offer.

If you are a writer, whether well established or just starting out, consider signing on as a member to take advantage of all this wonderful site has to offer. You’ll instantly make connections, get a sense of the friendly community vibe, and be glad to be amongst some truly talented women.

For more information visit shewrites.com.