How Much Social Media Does A Writer Need?

by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

It depends on the writer. Now before you throw banana peels at the computer, pause for a moment. Think. Do textbook writers need blogs? Do technical book authors need blogs? Does anybody really need social media or blogs? Depends on your writing goals.

I resisted writing a blog forever. Being the type of person I am, if everyone is doing something, I head in the opposite direction; less crowded and I’m quirky. My writing web site went online in 1997, so I embraced the whole Internet medium, but I try to evaluate if each potential time suck away from writing helps my marketing bottom line first.

Twitter was my first love, since the challenge of telling a story in 140 characters lit up my journalist brain. When I figured a blog would be good to promote my book(s) and it felt like my own newspaper, getting training became important. Bought Kristen Lamb’s book, “Are You There Blog? It’s Me, Writer,” and then enrolled and lurked in her online class. She has great common sense advice and instructions on how to manage the blog beast. She emphasizes  making a schedule that works for your life and then stick to it like super glue put on with duct tape. Be consistent. (See Lamb’s blog link under Writing Biz on the right)

Facebook is not my friend. For the last two years I volunteered to manage a fan page for a non-profit, growing from 800 to 3,600 followers. FB and I don’t see eye to eye and some of the new changes creep me out. I do not need to know the status of anyone’s farm animals, I can barely keep up with my backyard patio herb pots. My personal/business FB is on hold, referring folks to my blog.

At a recent writer conference one attendee complained Twitter is turning into a link zone. I’m part of that problem/opportunity. Before the blog I posted three times a week on Twitter, all on Friday. I know there are things like Tweetdeck, but that seems like cheating to me.  My Tuesday and Friday blog postings are scheduled ahead of time, but I don’t get too far ahead in case the world goes crazy and I need to chat about it. My blog feeds to Twitter twice a week. Period. Nobody needs to hear from me more than that right now, people have lives or should get one!

My one big takeaway from all this? If you’re on social media or blogging and not working on your writing projects, then STOP IT. WRITE FIRST. If blogging is your writing project, go forth and blog. But maybe unplugging altogether until you get a first book draft done is what needs to happen.

You don’t need to “build a marketing platform” and “get followers” if your book is two years from being finished. FOCUS!

Feel free to work on your writing and ignore social media, I give you permission. Trust me, social media will be there when you get back and then you can watch even more of those fabulous cat movies. How much social media do you think a writer needs?