I just got my new issue of Poet and Writers and Sarah Weinman has an article titled, “Are Authors Who Twitter Any Fitter?”
A couple of things that need to be pointed out, I like Sarah’s work but think the article focused too much on trying to stay in the middle of everything a Twitter instead of having some really superb examples of how authors are connecting via Twitter.
Authors like Neil Gaiman and Paulo Coehlo are doing an amazing job of Twitter and using it to stay connected to their community. Sarah’s last line in the article, “..the jury is still out on whether authors are taking full advantage of what Twitter has to offer – or if they even need to,” really speaks to the fear that is ongoing about some of these social media tools and their usage.
Authors need to use these tools because it will help you build them community long-term. Imagine not having to go from bookstore to bookstore for signings and hoping that some people turn out, and instead being able to do a Tweetup really early about those signings and get tons of folks there.
Imagine not using an online publicist or offline publicist and taking charge of your PR yourself by finding book reviewers on Twitter and direct messaging them (in a very kind and humble way) and asking if they might want to see a copy of your book.
Imagine if people stopped worrying about the “technology” part of it and the mechanics of it and started embracing the people side of it. I disagree that it’s hard to make direct connections to readers on Twitter, and refer you back to Neil Gaiman and Paulo Coehlo’s twitter activity and devotees.
The challenge to any writer (and I’m one myself) is to find time to do all these things. That’s ok. You can do it. You can find a way to do it and still streamline your work process around it so you’re not trapped in the mire of social media and missing your next big idea.
A long, long time ago I worked for a company called IBM (Big Blue) and during that time I watched that company lose its edge in the marketplace because everyone was holding way too many meetings and deciding that everyone was wrong when it came to changing and adapting to the new marketplace drivers.
I can’t tell you how many friends I have that since that time have been laid off from IBM because the company refused to participate in the future.
As an author you really have an invaluable opportunity to connect with thousands of your readers and booklovers across the Web. Don’t be Big Blue. Be Apple instead.
Make certain if you’re an unpublished author that you have a publisher like Wiley, Chelsea Green, Berrett-Koehler, Random House, HarperStudio that really get the importance of the Web and will help you navigate it as well.
Make certain that your publisher understands it’s not about “social currency” – it’s about social community and building it long-term. Don’t get left behind.
