Social Networking for Writers-- If Facebook Exploded Tomorrow

Jan 8, 2011

Don't forget to sign up for the What's Your Process blogfest-- share your writing process and learn from others!

I read an interesting article last night on CNN that stated Goldman Sachs' investment in Facebook is a sign of the beginning of the end for the social networking site.

I don't know if this has any merit, but it made me think. As writers and aspiring authors, we are encouraged to use Facebook as a marketing tool. What would happen if Facebook, or Twitter, or Blogger-- the trifecta of social networking-- were to collapse tomorrow?

We debate all the time about whether we should tweet, and if we should have a fan page on Facebook, and how often we should blog. One expert says do it this way, and another says to do it differently. You MUST post more than once a week, you MUST interact with others on Twitter, you MUSTMUSTMUSTMUST.

No, my friends, you musn't.

What you MUST do, if you plan on selling whatever fabulous book you are writing, is to connect with people. Oh, you must write a fabulous book, of course, but that's just a given.

Social networking is just what it claims to be: networking. Making connections. Reaching out to one person at a time and saying I understand you, or we are the same, or let's learn from each other, or millions of other things. People once did this by talking to other people, like in person, maybe at a grocery store or a bus stop...it's sort of cool, if you want to give it a whirl.

So stop stressing about whether you should Facebook, Tweet, or blog, and start focusing on making connections. Where and how you do it is up to you, but keep in mind that these sites are just tools. If social-network-site-Armageddon came tomorrow, you'd find another tool to reach those people you've connected with.

As long as you're making those connections.

So, my friends, how are you making connections? Any thoughts on the demise of Facebook? Who will you talk to/tweet/blog comment to today?

P.S. For the best book I've ever read on marketing/networking/sales, check out The Greatest Salesman in the World. It's not even boring, I promise-- it's fiction.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

well said Shallee, I get stressed enough wanting to esnure I keep up with all my blogging buddies. LOL!
I can't handle Facebook or Twitter, but I love the connections and comradeship that blogging has engendered in my life and meeting such lovely, talented people as yourself. :O)

Jean Michelle Miernik said...

I agree... It's not about which tools you use and how often, but how effectively you are connecting with others. Whether you use Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, LinkedIn, Goodreads, or whatever--it's only worthwhile if you're gaining attention, learning from others, and establishing meaningful relationships. And there are so many people, so many readers out there, that all you need to do is find a niche, not try to create one in every single outlet.

And, I signed up for the blogfest. That could be a good starting point for learning and connecting with other writers!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I don't use FaceBook, so I'm okay with it exploding.
And Og Mandino is a great author. I've read several of his books.

Emy Shin said...

I use Facebook very sparingly, so its explosion wouldn't affect me much, if at all. And I definitely agree that social networking is all about making connections. My main sites are Blogger and Twitter -- and while I'd be devastate if either disappears, I agree that I'll find other ways to make/maintain connections with other writers. :)

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

An interesting thought - social networking Armageddon. I wonder if people would demand a substitute? I do a lot of on-line networking, but I do a lot of off-line networking too. Still, it would be a sad day if I couldn't email my friends. :(

Kittie Howard said...

Shallee, this is beautiful! You rock! I dropped FB because I just couldn't look at non-stop baby photos from over enthused friends. I dropped twitter because I really didn't - still don't - care to know what people do all day long. I love blogging because there's no real pressure. I mean, who's the magical Who who said I must post every day? Humbug!

Rachna Chhabria said...

I use facebook to keep in touch with all the writing friends I have made all over the world. As I am not on twitter, nothing much to say on that aspect. And I look forward to connecting with more writers via my blog.

I am sure we would find some other way to connect if facebook disappeared. :)

DL Hammons said...

Facebooks not going anywhere, and if by some extreme quirk of circumstances prove me wrong, then a clone of Facebook will pop up somewhere. As they would say in SERENITY, "you can't kill the signal."

I play around on the fringes of Facebook and Twitter, so I'll know how it all works when I really need to press it into service.

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