Like many writers, I have a love/hate relationship with social media. Marketing gurus tell writers that a social media presence is an essential part of an author platform, and we must have a platform and an author brand to sell books. And yet, we also hear we can’t be everywhere, […]
Continue readingTag Archives: social media
Oversharing on Social Media: Where Do You Land?
I have family and friends who span the spectrum in their usage of social media. Some people post several times a day, while others refuse even to have a Facebook or Instagram or Twitter account. They might deign to have a LinkedIn account, but only because their professional contacts demand […]
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Why I Don’t Wish Friends Happy Birthday on Facebook
Another year has begun, and with it another round of birthdays. And another round of deciding which birthdays will I acknowledge, and which will I ignore. Kids get recognized—that’s a given. (Or it should be.) My younger nieces and nephews will get a card and a gift. The recognition may […]
Continue readingWhere Am I on Social Media? And Where Are You?
Using social media takes a lot of time. Some of it is wasted time, some of it is productive—at least in terms of learning what our friends are doing and thinking. Now that the election is over, I can read most people’s posts without my blood pressure rising. Authors are […]
Continue readingSocial Media: Reconnecting and Lurking
I’ve written before about how social media has helped me reconnect with relatives and friends. Well, I’ve had two new experiences in the last couple of weeks where social media again has warmed my heart in this way. A second cousin found me on Facebook recently. I’ve met her and her […]
Continue readingThe Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Social Media in Times of Stress
Before my father passed away on January 5, I had scheduled some posts on my Facebook author page about Clean Off Your Desk Day on January 12, and today’s Organize Your Home Day. I forgot about these posts in the middle of much bigger worries. So in addition to my […]
Continue readingOn Cousins, Connections, and the “Social” in Social Media
I envied my children as they were growing up—they were close with two of their cousins. They were close in age, and for their first few years of life they lived within a reasonable driving distance of their mutual grandparents. The four kids played together regularly, stair steps spanning six […]
Continue readingMy Son Made Me Tweet
It’s my son’s fault I’m on Twitter. Or rather, you can blame it on @jamestweeting – his Twitter handle. He doesn’t call. He doesn’t write, not even emails. He’s rarely on Facebook. But he does tweet. A couple of years ago, James told me how to follow him on Twitter without […]
Continue readingStories Are the Heart and Soul of Communication
Heidi Cohen writes a good blog offering Practical Marketing Advice. Her February 13 post, 13 Ways Stories Support Social Media Marketing, contains good information for writers. Heidi says that stories are the heart and soul of social media, but I would argue stories are the heart and soul of any […]
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