Personal Rules

I've blogged before about social networking, but I thought I would update you on my experience. It can be intimidating to dip your toes into myspace and facebook. But after three months, I've discovered it can be a lot of fun to meet new people and follow them on-line.

It can also be a bit scary.

There are cyber stalkers out there. I've had people become down right angry if I don't chat with them or answer their messages. So, as with everything I do on-line, I have developed a few private rules for social networks.

1) I don't make it a habit of chatting up men I don't know from foreign countries. (I have a suspense writer's mind and don't want to have my computer confiscated for being in touch with possible tangos.)
2) I don't make it a habit of chatting with men I don't know. (I'm in a relationship and don't want to give anyone ideas.) I add male as well as female writers/readers to my friends. I may make a comment on their wall to congratulate them if they make a sale, or tell them happy birthday, or that I enjoyed reading their published work, but for the most part I'm networking not looking for a date- that's what match.com and other personal sites are for...right?
3)I can't take the time to answer all queries on how to find an editor, where the publishers are, and would I read unpublished work and polish it. (Some have asked very nicely, but the answer is still no reply. It's not personal. It's a time constraint. I have my own research and polishing to do.)
4)I will remove anyone who consistently comments on inappropriate pictures I don't want to look at day in and day out. (When you comment on a photo it appears on my home page.) I'm not here to search the web for funky photos.
5)I don't play with all the wonderful apps available. So if you send me flowers, or candy or pets-thanks but I won't click on them. Again not personal, just squished for time.

What do I do? Meet new people, discover new blogs, join new groups and promote my website and my books.

These are hard and fast rules I've had to put into place to protect myself. So, please, don't take it personal if I don't chat with you or message back when you ask me to help you find a decent editor. It's not personal, it's business.

On that note...What are your personal on-line rules?

Happy Holidays!

Interesting Findings

There are plenty of so called "marketing experts" in the writing business, who give advice especially when it comes to web or word of mouth marketing. I've gathered up a lot of their advice and have been applying it to my marketing efforts- with some results that my interest you.

First off-experts agree that you should have a blog so that people can find you in the blog-o-sphere-listen to your writing voice and ideas and to build a community of readers around you and your work. This has proven successful for a couple of very famous authors. Also, if you comment on other people's blogs you get more hits in the search engines. In other words if someone types your name into Google-there are more positive results. The theory is that the more positive results, the more people talk; the more people talk, the more positive results until everyone knows your name or wants to know your name.

Second you should join as many social networks as possible so that people can find you if they are looking for you, friend you, and you can easily notify people of your book announcements, reviews and accomplishments.

I decided early on that my goal is to build a community around my website. (www.nancyjparra.com)So I moved my daily blog to my website. I want people to keep coming back to my website for daily blogs, writing articles, reviews and free reads (I have the first chapter of my latest book posted there if you are interested.) I found this successful as the number of daily hits on my website grew. I kept this Sunday blog so I could travel about the blog-o-sphere and read what others were writing and post comments-thus increasing the number of search engine hits on my name. (That said, I have seen no correlation between increased search engine hits and increased website hits.)

Recently I joined Myspace- a social network originally for young kids but now expanded for the world. I am proud to say I have 15 real friends there. It was a couple of days work and a daily on-going search to add friends. But I keep that page as a door to my website-in other words I don't post blogs or reviews or daily musings, instead I ask people to check out my website. Interestingly enough, hits on my website have jumped by a third-just from my efforts in Myspace. Check me out at www.myspace.com/nancyjparraauthor

Thus, from my early results, it appears that having a page in a social network is more productive then commenting on blogs or increasing the numbers of google hits.

For those of you wondering what works and what doesn't when it comes to book marketing, it appears social networks may be the best place to start. Now I know your next question-does any of this actually sell books?

Time will tell. :)

I'll be there for you

It's Sunday and I'm thinking about ethics. Mine are strong and to some people's thinking-too puritanical-ridiculous in today's world. I mention this because on one of my writer's loops a new author asked about publicity. She was told to go on the social networking sites and make a page, then contact groups of readers. Reader groups are simply people who ban together and make friends because they all like to read. She was told to make "friends" with the people in her group-then let them know she had a book coming out-when and where. She was told her new "friends" would buy her book-out of loyalty I suppose. I don't know. This doesn't feel right to me--to extend your hand in friendship with the pure purpose of selling something. Seems wrong to me. But others say-this is how it's done. It's called networking. It's called building a community. It's called public relations. I call it fraud. Friends, real friends are people you come to know through shared experiences. Shared interests. Friends bond to promote each other, to make lives better. I guess some would say the above example is helping each other-one likes to read, the other sells them a good book and both win. Perhaps, but to me that's not friendship. It's capitalism.

Don't get me wrong. I believe there is a place for advertising, a place for public relations. Consumers can't buy your stories unless they know your name and they know your work. Which is why I have a website and a blog. I'm more than happy to talk business or stories-I LOVE to talk stories. But I promise you, should I ever call you friend, its because you really are one.