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!

tweet me right

It wasn’t that long ago I started using twitter. In my experience thus far, I have to say – it’s brilliant. Since I have learned a few key ways for making the most out of twitter, I thought I’d share some of my experience with you. Perhaps you’ll see why this social media can be an excellent tool for writers and readers, when used strategically.

Many want to know if it’s possible to make genuine connections and not just succumb to talking about what you ate for lunch. Then there’s the big concern…

When you first join your main concern is whether or not anyone is going to give a crap about what you have to say. What I quickly learned, however, is that it's not what you have to say about yourself, but what you say about others. Think in "pay it forward" style and you'll tweet successfully. It's been said that the only time someone cares about what you have to say is when you're saying something about them. I believe that, especially on twitter.

In my modest experience of sending and receiving tweets, I have observed the most successful posts tend to relate to others and what other news is happening in the land of publishing. Think about it. I consider myself an emerging/somewhat-established author with a humble list of publication credits to my name. Does anyone really need to receive a constant update about today's word count or the fact that my cat just furballed all over my rough draft? Not really.

What people do care about though is gossip. And I don't mean negative gossip (although we have recently seen a demonstration or two of how negative comments can multiply tweets by the nanosecond); I mean useful information. Like what? How about the announcement of an editor moving from one house to another. Or the release of a hot new book release. Then there's the promo for an upcoming author appearance. Being in the book biz, these are things I like to hear about. Plus, the amount of books publishers give away on twitter astonishes me. I’d say I see a giveaway just about every day. Who doesn’t like free books?

What I’ve discovered twitter is most useful for is keeping up with breaking news, hearing about to-the-minute contests and calls for submissions, and finding links to authors and editors I would perhaps not otherwise have connected with. Rather than searching around the Internet when I'm looking for something new and exciting, the exciting news comes to me.

Of course, you ask, how do you receive all this great news? You add yourself as a follower to other people's tweets. But, whoa, slow down. You don't want to follow everyone, do you? Just think of how your email inbox looks on the worst of days. Do you really want to wake up to 2,897 tweets? Not likely. So the trick is to be selective. Follow only those you actually want to hear updates from. You can still read any tweets you want without actually following them. But here's the kicker: When you do see something really cool, something worth sharing... share it!

Retweet the best of the best. By sending an RT@ post, you are not only sharing something others may appreciate, you will likely receive twitter love in return. Someone else is no doubt going to tweet you back or, ideally, become one of your followers. From this method, your own list of followers will grow.

Why do I think that’s so important? Because when you finally do want to share your own fabulous writing news (like the sale of a book, landing an agent, reaching the bestseller list), you will have long ago built up an audience who will all hopefully retweet til their heart's content. And thus the cycle will feed into itself. Doesn't that sound great? To have an audience eager to hear about what you're doing? Then you can tell them all about what you had for lunch!

If I can offer one final bit of wisdom I think we all know, but sometimes forget, it's this: Posting comments online is an open invitation into your world. Meaning, think before you tweet. Just as you wouldn't slam someone in person (I am assuming this much), it's not a great idea for a writer to moan about someone on twitter, or any social medium for that matter. These posts are indefinite and will possibly last longer than your career. Remember that. If you don't want a potential agent, editor, or employer seeing your nasty comments all over the net, back away from the keyboard before it's too late. After all, this is your career we're talking about.

Have I become a twitter master? No. I'm still figuring it out as I go. However, I have learned some of the ins and outs of using this social medium to my advantage. Treat twitter like a controlled substance and it can be one of your best promotional tools. Just remember to use it wisely, with forethought, and with a “pay it forward” mentality. And remember, friends don't let friends drink and twitter.

For writers interested in following people in the biz, High Spot compiled a great list of agents, editors, publishes, and more. Find it here. Tip: You don't need to follow each one that interests you, but you can 'bookmark' their tweets and read them when you have time.

Tip: If you are a reader looking to see what your favorite author is doing in between edits, type his or her name into the search field.

Also, Guy LeCharles Gonzalez recently wrote how writers can use twitter to start building the all-important platform. There’s great tips and discussion there, so check it out.

Agent Rachelle Gardner also has a lively discussion about social networking on her blog and you can see it here, but be sure to also visit this blog post about why Rachelle suggests unpublished authors should focus more time on writing than on social networking.

By the way, the twitter buttons used in this post can be found at http://www.twitterbuttons.com/. They have a great selection.

If you use twitter, don’t forget to visit me here. If you have any great twitter experiences, share them here!

Q&A with author Lauren Baratz-Logsted

In 1994, Lauren Baratz-Logsted took a gamble – and it paid off. With her passion for the pen, she set out to focus on her career as a writer. While success didn’t come knocking on her door the very next morning, it didn’t take long for Lauren to make her fiction debut. The Thin Pink Line was released in 2002 and since then Lauren has proven to be prolific with a collection of adult and teen novels to her credit, as well as a great series for children.

I recently chatted with Lauren about her latest release, Crazy Beautiful, and I’m pleased to share the conversation with you here. Please join me in welcoming author Lauren Baratz-Logsted.

Hi Lauren. Can you tell us about Crazy Beautiful?
Lauren: It's a contemporary re-visioning of Beauty & the Beast told in he-said/she-said fashion about a boy with hooks for hands and a gorgeous girl who meet on their first day at a new school.

But what’s it really about?
Lauren: HA! Good question! It's about how the world often reacts to people so much based on physical characteristics alone. And since Lucius is modeled after the Beast, it's about how we are often the authors of our own tragic conditions. Oh, and redemption and forgiveness - it's about that too.

What were some of the challenges in writing in the he-said/she-said style?
Lauren: I wish I could tell you some horror stories, about how hard I had to struggle, but that simply wasn't the case. Lucius Wolfe and Aurora Belle are so distinctly different from one another, it was exciting to create their voices.

What are/were some of your favorite fairy tales?
Lauren: Beauty & the Beast, of course! I also have a fondness for Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin.

You’ve written for teens and for adults. How do you balance your writing life?
Lauren: I balance it by writing pretty much 365 days a year, so when you think about it, my life is kind of unbalanced.

Tell us a bit about your journey as an author.
Lauren: I'd need to write a whole book for that! I left my day job in 1994 to take a chance on myself as a writer. I made my first sale eight years later. That book was The Thin Pink Line, a comedic novel for adults. I've since had four comedic novels published, one Victorian suspense, two YA, one tween, and the first four volumes of The Sisters 8 series for young readers which I created with my YA novelist husband Greg Logsted (Something Happened, Alibi Junior High) and our nine-year-old daughter Jackie. I also edited an anthology of stories called This Is Chick-Lit, and have had several stories and essays published. That all makes it sound easier than it is. It has been a long journey and it goes on being a journey, every day.

What have been some of the challenges in your career as a writer? How did you overcome these?
Lauren: I guess the biggest is that we live in the era of branding. A lot of people - many of them publishing professionals - expect a writer to be one thing: write one kind of book and stick to it. But for me, that'd be like eating the same wonderful menu at every meal until I got sick of it. Even within a genre like YA, it's tough to pigeonhole my stuff: Angel's Choice and Crazy Beautiful are serious, Secrets of My Suburban Life is comedic, and I have two different books coming out next year that are set in the Victorian era, one a coming-of-age story while the other is more suspense/mystery. So how did I overcome the industry's desire to pigeonhole? I'm bullheaded! I just barreled my way through!

You’ve been at this business for some time. How do you explain your staying power?
Lauren: I believe in myself. Please don't take that as cockiness, because it's not. It's just that I believe in my ability to come up with ideas that appeal to others and further believe in my ability to execute those ideas in such a way that enough people get some sort of enjoyment. It helps to flat-out love what you're doing, which I do.

How would you say the industry has changed since you debuted with The Thin Pink Line?
Lauren: The rise of social media. Every year we become more connected to everyone else. This can be a wonderful thing for authors because there are so many new ways to promote our work without relying strictly on in-house publicists. It can also be a problem, though, for authors who talk without thinking first.

How has social media and technology enabled you to connect with readers?
Lauren: Being interviewed here, for one! And sometimes serendipitous things happen, particularly through Twitter right now. There's been a lot of pre-pub buzz for Crazy Beautiful - more so than for any other book I've written - and nearly all of it can be traced back to Twitter. It also helped that Mashable named me one of 100+ authors worth following on Twitter, an honor they gave out to writers not based on book sales, but rather for writers who do more than simply promote-promote-promote on there, endlessly talking about me-me-me.

What advice do you have for writers starting out?
Lauren: I say the same thing every time: 1) read, read, read - read everything you can get your hands on, in and out of your area of interest, and recognize you can learn just as much if not more from a lousy book as you can from a good book; and 2) always remember, the only person who can ever really take you out of the game is you.

What’s up next for you? What can readers look forward to?
Lauren: Well, you already know about Crazy Beautiful, which is due out September 7. And due to your strong journalistic skills, you even wormed out of me what it's really about! In terms of 2010, I have four books coming out:

The Education of Bet (spring, from Houghton Mifflin), a YA novel set in the Victorian era about a 16-year-old girl who impersonates a boy in order to get a proper education.

The Twin's Daughter (fall, Bloomsbury), a YA suspense novel set in the Victorian era about a teen whose life is irrevocably changed when she discovers her society mother has an identical twin who grew up in the poorhouse.

Marcia's Madness and Petal's Problems (April and Sept, respectively, Houghton Mifflin), Books 5 & 6 in The Sisters 8 series for young readers.

How can readers learn more about you and your books?
Lauren: Just go to http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com/!

Thanks, Lauren! I appreciate you taking the time to talk about Crazy Beautiful and your latest news.
Lauren: Thank you so much, Lori, for having me!

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Be sure to visit Lauren’s site to learn even more about her journey as an author. You can also pre-order Crazy Beautiful here.

And don’t forget, there are more amazing authors on the Q&A schedule. You don’t want to miss authors like Erica Orloff, Kyra Davis, or Daphne Uviller do you? Then don’t forget to “follow this blog” (on the menu to the right) and you’ll also be entered in the contest for a signed copy of one of my books! By following this blog, you'll be able to stay up to date with what's happening, what guests are coming up, book reviews and so much more.

Until next time… happy reading!

e-connecting with the world

I’ve never considered myself slow to adapt to technology, but with the speed of e-evolution it’s admittedly difficult, at times, to keep up with the latest wave. As an author, I aim to keep connected to readers and industry news and discussions, but things change so quickly, a writer really has to be on her toes.

When my first book, The Profiler, was released in 2005 this wasn’t so hard. At the time – and it seems so archaic now – most of my online socializing comprised of emails, posting in online community discussions, and occasionally being a part of a chatroom discussion or IM. Now, 2005 wasn’t that long ago and using those mediums to communicate with readers and editors was a very valuable resource. Undoubtedly I met and established relationships with several great people. The times, though, they are a changing.

Since my first book debuted, there has been an avalanche of social networks that have debuted and succeeded (some more so than others) and changed the way authors interact online. Facebook opened its doors to the public sphere in 2006 and gradually authors gravitated toward that phenomenon. Now, though, a writer can interact with others through networks such as myspace, twitter, personal and industry blogs, you name it. There are a great many social networks out there and an author really has to pick and choose to truly make a connection. Otherwise, it can be overwhelming to try to keep up with absolutely everything, all the time.

The other day I mentioned a blog post I read by author Allison Winn Scotch, who argued all the right reasons why a writer should use twitter. That was barely more than a week ago but since then I have become convinced. Over and over I hear from authors, agents, editors, and readers how great twitter is and how valuable it is to them in staying connected. After following a few tweets, as they say, I finally caved. I now have a twitter account and, my goodness, it’s brilliant.

It’s super user friendly, not time consuming (unless you want it to be), and it’s a lightning fast way to keep abreast of what’s happening in the world of books. Of course, people use twitter to chat about any number of topics but I have set myself limits to focus on book discussions, primarily. Each day, I am greeted with a number of industry news, book releases, author event announcements, and so forth and I am thus far finding it quite useful. I’ll keep you posted. Feel free to find me on twitter @ loriamay.

In addition to blogging and twittering, I try to post on online discussions about books and publishing news. Also, I’ve joined reader discussions on goodreads.com and also have a shelf over at shelfari. This allows me to keep in tune with what others are reading while talking about books and authors I love to read. These groups are a great way to learn about new titles and hot trends, and –most importantly – it’s a great way to meet and interact with others who have similar tastes.

Now, all of this is 100% more than I used to do online, going back to The Profiler days. But times change. Technology changes. And if I can’t keep up with where people meet to talk about books, I risk falling behind. It’s important for an author to have a connection with others. It doesn’t have to be a full-time commitment, but one should dress up and go to the party from time to time.

For this blog, I’m hoping to include some additional perks I hope you’ll enjoy. Occasionally, I will provide an interview with an author, agent, or other booklover. I hope that will be a nice complement to the reviews and other news I share on here. If you know of any authors, agents, editors, booksellers, or other interested parties, send them my way so we can chat about setting up a blog interview date.

By the way, this week I updated my website with new content: past interviews with authors such as Melissa Senate, Cathy Yardley, and Suzanne North. More white space was added to improve readability and I’ve increased the overall content. Check it out and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear your comments and suggestions.

Also, I just sent out the quarterly LoriAMay.com newsletter. If you haven't yet subscribed, check the most recent one here and sign-up today for occasional e-blast.

I’m signing off with a new contest! In September I’ll be giving away a signed copy of one of my books to a randomly selected “follower” of this blog. Follow this blog by clicking on the link in the right-hand panel and you could be the lucky winner!

Don't forget to let me know how you, as an author or reader, like to stay connected online.

northern exposure: a writer's retreat

I just came back from a self-imposed retreat. Exploring Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, I visited the incredibly beautiful towns of Petoskey, Traverse City, Harbor Springs, and of course Mackinaw City and the indescribable Mackinac Island. For four days I had nothing but a notebook, camera, and open mind to encourage me to absorb the natural settings, interact with the locals, and inspire the creative juices within. It worked. Coming home, I had an energy within me for creating new works, researching new material, and living off the rejuvenation such a weekend can provide.

While away, I made sure to visit all the independent booksellers I came across. What a treasure I found! On Mackinac Island and in Mackinaw City, The Island Bookstore offered an abundance of local and regional authors to discover. Here, locals and visitors can take part in the many author events in-store, such as the past weekend’s “Great Summer Read Presentation” from Random House or the upcoming signing with author Vince Carroll. Another great stop was at McLean & Eakin, in Petoskey MI. Talk about variety and secret finds! M&E has an entire display of signed copies – books signed by authors during past visits. I had a hard time controlling myself, I’ll admit. But it just shows how many author events they do at this great bookshop. With two floors of shelving and a staff that can talk your ear off (in a good way), this is a booklover’s paradise. I feel lucky to have had the chance to meet some independent booksellers and learn their hot picks for the summer. What an incredible weekend.

When I came home, I had some very nice news. I have a new poem in the summer issue of Willows Wept Review, and this November I’ll have poetry featured in Two Review, published in Anchorage AK. I also just found out I received an honorable mention from The University of Western Ontario for the Marie Smibert Writing Program Achievement Awards. Really, there is nothing like coming home to mail like this. I should go away for the weekend more often!

Now that I have been catching up on e-news since my return, I see there are some interesting discussions that caught my eye. One is a great article by Louis Menand of The New Yorker who asks, “Should creative writing be taught?” This is an intriguing relation of how creative writing programs have developed over the years and how the ‘industry’ has reacted in various ways. Like many of the quoted people in the article, I believe this question will never have a final answer. My favorite part of this article, however, is the lead photograph of Robert Frost and peers prior to the dawn of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.

Another great piece I came across is a blog post from author Allison Winn Scotch who discusses why all authors should be on twitter. While I have returned to the blog world and believe social networking sites can be beneficial to writers, I have not yet found it in me to join the twitter movement. However, there are some really great tweets out there I do read. One is an incredibly cool project from the poets at The Scarab Club. With rolling contributions, it’s neat to see how this poem in motion is translating.

And speaking of poetry, now that I have settled down from my weekend retreat it’s time to get ink-deep into turning inspiration into fruition. I look forward reviewing the notes and poems I began on my trip and discovering where they will take me…