Does Social Media Help Your Writing Platform?

We can talk about this topic until the cows come home. You have to be old and pre-social media to understand that one--which means, take my viewpoint with a grain of salt. I didn't even have a computer until I was married with four kids, because before that, computers filled entire rooms. Ok, so you know where I'm coming from here. 

Everywhere I turn, I am reading about Pinterest, Blogs, Facebook, Goodreads and how they help your platform. But if you're writing, you have to take time away from that to engage. Ugh! What's a shy writer to do? 

I admit I like interfacing on Facebook and Pinterest. Two slightly different forums, but because I wanted to be a newspaper features writer (and was a sports editor/writer in HS,) this sort of satisfies that aspect of my personality. It's like having little features in a daily newspaper only you don't have to wait for the letters to the editor! Instant feedback! 

And I like Goodreads because it satisfies my need to organize my reading, or at least keep track of some of it. I will never get to the end of my TBR piles (by my bed, nightstand or on my Kindle) but it makes me smile to see the books I'd like to read as well as the ones I have read. Books comfort me. 

On Facebook I try to give a shout out to my friends as they promote their books. I've influenced a great deal that way because I have a lot of reader-only friends who have asked me for reading suggestions since my days of writing my book review column in a Christian magazine. 

And I have a lot of pins of books on my boards--if I haven't pinned your book, just let me know. I cannot possibly keep up, but lately I've tried to click on links I've seen on the ACFW loop and other places. I never purposely avoid authors/books--I love you all. And I especially have tried to pin all of my Hoosier ACFW friends, but I do get overwhelmed. You're a productive bunch! I also am trying to do my own writing. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed there too. I"ve helped so many others--like helping (shades of being a mom, I guess!)--that I know I need to say no more. (And that hurts me! Ouch!)  

I just put up my own "author" page in anticipation of having writing in the public, all the while I'm trying to "like" others' authors pages too. (leave me your link on here or Facebook and I'll reciprocate.) It was rather intimidating to me. I can get that deer in the headlights feeling just looking at my page. Yikes. And choosing your header can be hard to do, but it's not set in stone. Get creative and you will soon be at home and so will your readers. I've seen some great author pages and some that are not so great. One piece of advice says to not put your friends' books on your author page--save that sort of thing for your personal page. But it's up to you. 

So, is it helping to be out there? I don't have a book out, but I am noticing I can really influence readers and get people engaged in topics/photos, so yes, I do think your efforts are working. I guess remembering The Golden Rule, being kind and helpful to your readers will be what they remember more than anything else.  

What kinds of things are you doing? What works for you? What turns you off when (where you inwardly groan) you get on your Facebook page and see posts? What kinds of posts work best on blogs for you? 

Whether we like it or not, social media is a part of the marketing strategy. You become the product. Just jump in! (And be my friend on Facebook! :D )

One more thing--I just got a timer and my next step is going to be timing each of the things I want to do on the computer. I'll let you know how that works out.

http://wheniwasjustakid.blogspot.com has a list of authors and kid interviews I've done, which get hits even years later. Email me if you want to do an interview! I will be featuring Deborah Dulworth and Linda Hanna, Indiana ACFW authors, on When I Was Just a Kid starting on April 15th. Be sure to check that out.  

Be sure to leave us your links! 

"You Wrote about My Son"

In my historical novels, I sometimes give a well-known person a "cameo" role. I wouldn't do that with private individuals because they have a right to maintain their privacy. But a politician or other newsmaker? Of course.

Even so, that person's notoriety doesn't give me license to cast them in a bad light. I'm accountable for authenticity, especially since newsmakers or their families may see what I write about them. This point came home to me last month in connection with a nonfiction article.

"Focus 40" is an annual emphasis on prayer and fasting during the 40 days leading up to Easter, sponsored by our denomination. The "Focus 40" resources include a daily devotional, and I wrote a couple of meditations for this year's booklet. "Extreme Love" was the theme, so I began one article by referring to last year's theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. I noted that three young men in the theater--Jon Blunk, Matt McQuinn, and Alex Teves--covered their girlfriends with their own bodies and died as a result. It was a striking illustration of Jesus' words, "Greater love has no man than this..."

Imagine my surprise when this post appeared on my Facebook timeline a few days later:

Joe,
My name is Jerri Jackson and I am the mother of Matt McQuinn. I was honored as I read day 23 of Focus 40. I attend ______ Church in Springfield, OH...

Jerri went on to share her experience of flying to Colorado on the night of the shooting. Although the medical team tried valiantly to save Matt's life, he died of his wounds 18 hours later. Jerri told about the peace God gave her that day--and since then. She closed her post with the words, "Thank you for honoring our loved ones."

I would not have guessed that the mother of one of those young men would see my devotional article. But we never know when someone related to a real-life character in our stories will see that name, recognize the connection, and be touched (or offended) by the way we portray them.

Joe Allison and his wife, Judy, live in Anderson IN, where Joe serves as Coordinator of Publishing for Church of God Ministries, Inc. Joe has several nonfiction books in print, including Swords and Whetstones: A Guide to Christian Bible Study Resources. He's currently writing a trilogy of Christian historical novels set in the Great Depression.

Visit Joe's blog at http://hoosierwriter.wordpress.com

"Hey, how did I get here?"

Lost in a story...

Recently a friend shared a funny incident. Her son Josh had been reading. Scratch that--her son Josh had been totally absorbed by the novel on his lap. Although she told him several times to come to the table for supper, Josh couldn't hear. His mind was submerged in a fictional world about another time, another place. As a last resort, this mom took her son by the shoulders and--while he was still reading--guided him to the kitchen table and eased him onto his chair. Moments later, when the aroma of a delicious meal wafted up from his plate, he glanced around in astonishment.

"Hey, how did I get here?"

I didn't ask which book Josh was reading that day. As a writer, though, I applauded the author who crafted a captivating tale so successfully it gripped the boy's mind and held him even while his physical body was maneuvered from a living room sofa to the kitchen table.

Have you ever experienced something similar? I have. When I drive long distances, I like to listen to books on CDs. (If you haven't discovered these in your local library, you really need to check them out--literally.) As least twice, I have been driving along an interstate highway and listening to suspenseful stories until--unexpectedly--I blinked and thought, "Huh? Where am I?" In both cases, I had missed my exit a couple miles earlier and had to backtrack.

Such is the power of a well-written tale. Of course, not all stories hold such ability. Some authors insist on flaunting their vast vocabularies and frequently use obscure words that knock the reader out of the story with the question, "What's that word mean?" Other authors include scenes or events that come across as so incredibly coincidental, or so unlikely, that they puncture the very fabric of the story and let all the believability escape.

Although, by God's grace, I've successfully sold over two hundred short stories and articles, plus a couple novels, I'm still learning and growing as a writer. I'm not yet where I would like to be on this  journey. However, authors who are true craftsmen at this trade inspire me. Who knows? Maybe someday readers will engage with my stories so intensely that they will suddenly look around and wonder, "Hey, how did I get here?"

Sharpen Your Craft

As writers we must not only work our craft, we must hone our craft. ACFW provides plenty of opportunities to do that regardless of the level of writing through on-line critique groups, Novel Track, Genesis contest, and loops. The annual conference also is set up to aid all writers from newbie to profit-making professional.

Plenty of fine websites provide helpful tools for quick and reliable reference. Right here on Hoosier Ink we address writing issues. For instance, you can flit over to Steph Pritchard’s “If I Were a Butterfly” on subjunctive mood. Other sites such as http://www.grammarly.com/handbook  and http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl act as traffic cops at the intersection of sloppy diction and proper English. One site that guides you to other helpful places is http://writing-program.uchicago.edu/resources/grammar.htm.

While computer use increases availability for those hands-on or hard to find questions, sometimes it’s best to hold a book in our hands as we alternately read and work exercises. There’s something about physically recording work that aids in learning.

What is your favorite craft-of-writing source? What is one idea that held great take-away value for you? Do you have a favorite site to check grammar?

Mary Allen, a lifelong Hoosier, has authored many articles and two books of poems, “Journey to Christmas” and “Ten Days to an Empty Tomb”. She also contributed stories to “Kernels of Hope” published by Majesty House. Allen was named La Porte County Poet Laureate 2010-2011. Follow her online at https://www.facebook.com/PoetAndWriterMaryAllen. She blogs monthly for www.thebarndoor.net, a site about the Midwest.

The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots

I really am a Pastor's Wife who wears biker boots.

I get asked a lot if my new book is about me. It's not. But I drew on a lot of my experiences as a pastor's wife and "biker chick" when I wrote it.

Today I got my book trailer from the Editor-in-Chief at Pelican Book Group. This is one of the FUN things about being a writer. All that hard work capsulized in a video! And it makes it look so movie-like, doesn't it?

Do you like book trailers? Do they make a difference for you when deciding to read a book? I know they do influence me.

I'd love your feedback on my trailer, so please leave a comment below.

(I don't yet know my release date but I'll keep you posted.)

And don't forget to hang on.

It's gonna be a wild ride!

 Karla Akins is author of the best-selling Jacques Cartier (that went #1 on Amazon in its category), O Canada! Her Story and  Sacagawea. Her debut novel The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots  is due out in 2013. When she's not writing she dreams of riding her motorcycle through the Smoky Mountains.