The Other Social Network

First, thanks to Writers and Authors for having me today! I’m very glad to be here. When I learned that my guest post should center on advice regarding writing or promotion etc. I panicked. Yes, I do that easily J. But really I was wondering what I could say that would have value to the readers of this blog.

Then I realized I do have something I’d like to share. Before I get to that topic however, The Other Social Network, let me drop in what little I know about promotion. Promotion is hard, and I think I understand more about what doesn’t work, than what does. Advertising, for example, seems to be a bust for the most part. Although I have found Facebook ads do sell books, they tend to be pricey and in the end I haven’t found them to offer a good return on investment. The most effective advertising I know is ironically, the least expensive. Many of the reader blogs send out newsletters to a large number of subscribers, and if you have a book on sale, you should try to take advantage of these sites. Many of them have strict qualifying standards, but if you meet the guidelines, they can be remarkably effective tools. But what if you don’t meet their guidelines or your book is not offered at a reduced price?

I hate to see people invest money on other types of expensive ads, and then the result is poor. I’d advise instead, taking advantage of other types of promotional opportunities. In my experience, things like blog tours and reader conferences where readers can interact with you and get to know you are more effective. Social Media is a must. But you already knew that. Which brings me to what I really wanted to say today.

The best way I know to be a successful writer is to surround yourself with other writers. That’s what I mean by the other social network. Whether you find your writing friends online or in person, they are critical to your writing health. And to your mental health too! I’m incredibly fortunate to have found a close circle of writing friends and critique partners. So many times, I would’ve given up if not for them. They are always there for me to celebrate my successes and also to encourage me when things don’t go my way. Those rejections from agents and publishers, the bad reviews, all become fuel for our friendship rather than stumbling blocks to our success. And the good times? My family has no clue what a big deal a release day is, but you can bet my writing friends will be supporting me and congratulating me and letting me know they are behind me all the way. Critique partners do so much more than make our writing better. They make our lives better.

Here are some places you can get started if you don’t already have a writing support system:

Sisters in Crime
Romance Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
International Thriller Writers
Yahoo Groups – if you are a self-published author there’s a fabulous group started by Marie Force and open to interested parties. There are many other online writing groups on Yahoo as well.

If you have a chance- join one of the above groups. And if you are lucky enough to have a local chapter based in your city, please get out there and make some writing friends. I promise you’ll be glad you did.
Thanks again for having me!

  
Carey Baldwin is a mild-mannered doctor by day and an award-winning author of edgy suspense by night. She holds two doctoral degrees, one in medicine and one in psychology. She loves reading and writing stories that keep you off balance and on the edge of your seat. Carey lives in the southwestern United States with her amazing family. In her spare time she enjoys hiking and chasing wildflowers. 

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2 Comments

  1. Omnimystery News9 April 2014 at 13:21

    Thanks for sharing this great advice with us today. Even for readers, the Other Social Networks are valuable resources.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carey Baldwin9 April 2014 at 17:31

    Thanks so much for having me!
    Carey Baldwin

    ReplyDelete

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