A Season Full of Words

I don't have much energy to frame up a perfectly structured post.

Life has been too full of words.

I feel hoarse in a way.

Words--My characters constantly whisper in my ear and challenge my interpretation of their story as I barrel toward a deadline.

Words--"Characters" in the media shout them loud and ugly, my newsfeed is covered in hurtful ones, joyous ones, deceiving ones, tormented ones. And I am a contributor.

Words--My kids use them as weapons against each other, and I throw out angry word OR manipulative, encouraging words to trick them to kindness.

Words.

My ears are tired of hearing, my eyes are leery of what they'll see at every click I make, my heart is heavy with the use of words. The unbecoming words of the world out there push down my hope and peace. And my ever-opinion-forming brain wants to retaliate with too many words of my own.

Words. Such magnificent, terrible things. I mean, we writers LOVE words...I LOVE WORDS! But they are my biggest foe in many ways. If only they were all lovely and life-giving. If only I controlled all of mine like I control the words of my stories.

As I slash and splash words on my manuscript pages, I wonder at my process. It's one of digging deep into the heart of my characters, stepping into their world, understanding their point-of-view and circumstance, and realizing their journey--as fictional as it may be. I learn from their heart's cry and discover truth and ideas that I'd never have found if I kept my words within my own reality.

Is that something I can begin to do, not just as a writer, but as a real-time 21st century human being?

Before finalizing my actual words--status updates, blog posts, comments, arguments, conversations--shouldn't I look at the heart of those I'm tending to, the "characters" in my very non-fiction life?

I can explore their world, take a peek from their point-of-view, discover their own circumstances and realize their actual journey. I can allow God to change my heart about my own biases and judgement, before I jump into spewing words of my own.

Maybe then, my words would't be a burden, but a reflection of THE Word, making way for an uncluttered newsfeed and room for something God-breathed. My words would bring life and love in an authentic, compassionate way--the same end I hope to share in a brilliant story description, or a tender moment between a hero and heroine.

Words are powerful, wonderful things--if they are used wisely and with deep, sought-out intention. Same as the written word. Same as fiction words.

I write this. And I'll forget. Just like I forget grammar and spelling and showing vs. telling. But I'll try. Try to be different. Try to craft my real-time words as heartfelt and empathetic as I craft my fiction.

Yep. That's all I have. Sorry for all the...words. But, I think I've hashed out what I needed to say.

Word.

****************************************************************************************

Angie Dicken is a mom of four, an adult ministry staff member at her church, and is married to her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, Angie currently has two novels under contract. Her first full-length novel by Barbour Publishing comes out in November 2017, followed by her winning entry for Harlequin's Manuscript Matchmakers Contest, a Love Inspired Historical novel. Angie is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Connect with Angie at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, 

Twitter: @angiedicken
Pinterest: pinterest.com/agdicken

5 Tips for Tailoring Your Social Media Presence

Social Media.

I know...I'm cringing with you.

There is so much pressure on writers to have an ever-growing social media presence. If you want to have a writing career, whether as a traditionally published author or one who publishes your own books, you have to become comfortable telling the world about them. After all, a book isn't really a book until it's read.

Because it is part of the writing life, here are five tips to hopefully remove some of the angst from building your social media presence.

1) Get to know the platforms. There are so many different social media outlets available, take the time to explore them. Not every outlet will be one that you enjoy. That's okay. For every platform you aren't fond of, there will be another one, two or three that you love. So play around. Try them out. See what you like.

2) Pick one or two to focus on.  You can't be an expert on all formats, but you can develop skills in a few. Take it slow. You eat an elephant one bite at a time after all. So focus on Twitter until you figure out how it works for you. Then try Facebook. Maybe you'll decide Pinterest is your sweet spot. Could it be Goodreads? You'll never know which one is a good fit for you until you get on a platform and take it for a spin. Invest a few months in it and see how it develops.

3) Realize each Social Media Platform has its own system. What works on Twitter does not work on Facebook and vice versa. So you will need to invest some research and time into what will work for you on each. Some good sources of information to get you started include: Social Media Examiner, Author Media, The Marketing Nutz, and Edie Melson. There are many more resources out there, but if you start with these three, you can begin to develop your strategy.

4) Strategy? I don't need no stinking strategy! Well, actually you do. I'll admit on my blog, I don't always look like I have a strategy, but I do. It's buried in there. One day a week I try to post on parenting/homeschooling. Wednesday are faith days. And Fridays are fiction/book days to coincide with the weekend. On social media, my strategy is to provide a ray of hope in a dark world. This could be through quotes, pictures with Bible verses, questions for engagement, etc. But I decided a long time ago that selling books is why I'm on social media, but it is not the only or even primary reason. Prayerfully evaluating and altering why I'm on social media helps on the days I really don't want to be.

So can I be efficient? Are there ways to funnel content from one to the other? Yes! Experts debate about whether it's a good thing to do, but it can save you some precious time. Which leads me to...

5) Maximize Your Limited Time with Tools. There are many great tools that can help you feed content to your social media presence so that you aren't constantly needing to be online. You might choose to be, but you won't need to be. There is a difference. Rather than recreate it, I have a post that gives you five of my favorite tools to maximize social media. You can read it here.

Do you have a social media presence? Which is your favorite application?

-----------------------

Cara Putman

An award-winning author of twenty books, Cara is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana.

Social ME-dia: How to Lose a Reader in 10 Seconds or Less

Between Bruce Jenner and the Duggars I was about ready to say goodbye to social media.

Before that it was Fifty Shades, or the Kardashians, or Honey Boo. I lose track.

Why even bother with CNN or Fox? All that's needed is to glance at our twitter stream for a few seconds and we know all the "important" events of the day.

Social media. The emphasis on ME. Everything I "think" about every issue of the day matters. (Can you sense my sarcasm?).

 ONE QUESTION FOR EVERY WRITER: WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE BEHIND USING SOCIAL MEDIA? 

TWO QUESTIONS BEFORE EVERY POST:
1) IS THIS POST GOD-HONORING?
2) IS THIS POST A GOOD USE OF MY READER'S TIME?
3) IS THIS POST WHAT THE READER WANTS FROM ME SPECIFICALLY?

WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE BEHIND USING SOCIAL MEDIA?

First, where are you in your career? Are you pre-published? A debut novelist? Or multi-published?

Is your opinion relevant to your writing? Recently, it was the anniversary of the end of the Civil War. If you write novels about that era, readers will be interested in these events. You could include news articles or pictures and you don't even have to be afraid to mention your novel occasionally. I'll bite. Because if I read your books, chances are I love the Civil War time period and all that entails.

Is your feed for a few real-life friends or does it contain every person you ever met at ACFW 2013? Your real-life friends might care what you think about the Kardashians. It might be something you even sit at a cafe and chat about. But most of your writing friends don't. Even more than that most of your readers probably don't.

How much of your feed is spent on partisan issues, politics, economics, church issues, opinions on controversy. Although many care what's going on in these arenas, is your opinion helping them. Do you care what another writer thinks about these issues? How about your favorite author? If I follow a favorite suspense author, I don't mind hearing about their personal life a little bit or seeing some photos of their hometown. I really don't want to hear about who she's voting for, but I DO want to know what she thinks about what might be going on in the FBI right now (especially if she used to work for them).


What can YOU share with your reader on social media that nobody else can in quite the same way?

If your book features a star chef, I would probably like to see what you're cooking for dinner. Henry VIII plays a prominent role in your story, please share with me about that Tudor Faire you went to and the silly costumes you made for your family to wear.

Hopefully, your reader is already head-over-heels in love with your work, make them fall even deeper. 

Here are some brainstorming questions to help you get started in streamlining what you post on social media:

1) What topics do I know about because of my research that might be interesting to my reader or my future reader?

2) Who is the average reader of my feed? Why do they follow me specifically? (Ask yourself why you follow those you do).

3) What settings do my books contain that readers might be interested in knowing more about?

4) What other people might my reader be interested in? Don't be afraid to point to other bloggers, authors that your feed readers might enjoy.

5) Have I watched, listened to, or read anything that might be of interest to those who like the genre of book I write?

6) Have I participated in an activity or event that those who read my novels might be interested in? For instance, if you went to a police conference, your suspense readers might want to hear more.

7) Most of all, is this post just for MY interest? Or so I can say something I want to get out? Sure, you can share your opinion on Facebook. But keep in mind if you do so often enough, you may lose readers because let's face it. Most of us follow authors because we love their work, not because we care about their personal opinions.

Julia Reffner lives in central Virginia with her husband, two children and three ragdoll cats. She freelances and reviews for Library Journaand is a blogger at Wonderfully Woven.

 

 

Linking Your Social Media Platforms

We’re told to be on as many platforms for social media as we can get our fist around. Not every social media is for every person and I would more encourage you to find two or three you really love and connects you with different people through each platform.

Are there ways to maximize your time?

Absolutely.

In this post I’m going to cover several of the larger social media platforms and how you can link each one to reach your audience in each market.

**Note: (and this is purely my personal opinion) if you have crossover audiences between your social medias that you’re sharing the same content on, I would advise against this. Seeing the same thing over and over, weakens your audience’s interest in what you’re offering. Just keep this in mind.**

**ALSO PLEASE NOTE: in offering these multiple ways to link your platforms, you stand the potential for limiting your reach, especially due to Facebook algorithms. This should never be a total substitute for going in and posting real time updates directly to your social medias, especially Facebook. Take this information with a grain of salt and don't assume that all your work will now be taken care of. :)**

Linking Facebook:

To send Facebook updates to Twitter see this link: https://www.facebook.com/twitter/ this will give you instructions for linking your profile page and each of your public fan pages you might have.

Linking Twitter:

Login and navigate to your settings (under edit profile which is found by clicking on your profile picture). Go to apps and it’s as simple as choosing an account and loading your password.

Linking Instagram:

You’ll have to do this from your phone’s app. Go to your profile and click the three dots in the upper right hand corner. Under settings choose Linked Accounts. Here you can connect Facebook and Twitter. If you have a picture you don’t want to post to one of these medias, just click off those options before it posts.

Linking Google+:

This topic is more complicated. But it can be done! I’m directing you to this resource that I found online for linking your Google+ updates into Facebook.

Linking Goodreads:

Go to the edit profile function. (Found under the drop down arrow next to your picture in the upper right hand corner). Click the “apps” tab and connect the social medias you want linked. Goodreads also has widgets you can add to your blog that are customized to your book lists.

Linking Pinterest:

Log into Pinterest. Visit your profile page—this is where you’ll see all your boards and pins. Click on the “wheel” in the upper right hand corner and choose account settings. Scroll until you see “Connect Your Social Networks”.

Linking Your Blog:

The easiest form of promotion. You write a blog post. It posts to Facebook. Get started here: http://www.networkedblogs.com/ But note: when you accidentally hit publish it does show up on Facebook, but you CAN remove it. :) If you have hooked your Facebook to Twitter, it will also automatically post there. However there is a pretty big BUT with using Network blogs and you can read that more fully here. You can do this, but be aware, that Network blogs does diminish your reach, especially if you're using the free version. If you pay a high enough price, Network Blogs won't route through their platform just to boost their own numbers (what they do on the free option plan). Facebook also limits your reach in using this platform to their social media as only Facebook can. There are positives: posting your blog automatically to Facebook and other social medias. But there are negatives, so weigh both carefully, before handing your blog link over.  

Host platforms for scheduling social media updates:

You can schedule updates across multiple platforms so you only have to load an update once and pick the publish time. A couple different options to research for which one best fits your needs are: Buffer, TweetDeck, Hootsuite, Edgar (though not free) to name a few.

So there you have it! A few tips to connect each of your social medias. Don’t be daunted by this, take it one at a time. And let me know of your success or failures. Of which I hope there is many of the first and none of the last!

************************************************

Casey Herringshaw is a homeschool graduate and has been writing since high school. She is a country girl now living in a metropolis of Denver, Colorado, employed as an administrative assistant at Wordserve Literary.

3 Tools to Make Great Images

One challenge writers have is constantly creating content for social media. We have to develop a platform, and that means we need content. But the content has to be fresh, professional and most important of all easy to create. We're writers after all!

Over time, I've found a few tools that help me create visuals like the one above. I'm still learning, but I hope these tips will help you. I'd also love to hear what you use!

1) PicMonkey.com. Tricia Goyer told me about this website several years ago and I LOVE IT! It has truly been a life saver for me. I love that you don't need to register -- though if you pay a bit each month, you get rid of all the crazy ads. Still, if I have to have log-in information to remember one more place I might go crazy. Certainly, my brain will explode and that is simply bad for this homeschooling momma and writer. The website is fairly intuitive, but you'll want to play around for a bit.

On PicMonkey.com, there are several options. You can upload a photo you've taken and add text, edit to change the look, add overlays, etc. Or you can design collages and Facebook headers. You can start with a blank slate and create a quote. I made this book review pull quote on PicMonkey.com. Those with better design skills could make it sing, but I liked it :-) If you're going to do something like this, start with an image that does not have the quote. Then it's super easy to open it, add the quote, and save it as a new image without recreating the basic image each time.

2) Quozio.com: This website is perfect when you want to create a quick quote. Once you're on the website, you enter your text, where it's from/who said it, and hit enter. After that it creates an image. You may choose from approximately 20 backdrops with preset fonts. This is not for those who like to create on their own. You have no design flexibility. However, it is GREAT for quick pull quote images. Download it to your desktop. Upload it to a blog, Facebook, Instagram, etc., and away you go. This verse is one I made on Quozio a couple years ago. It's also great for pull quotes from book reviews. 

3) Canva.com: This is a great resource if you want super professional, pre-made images. You can also create your own if you have the time and patience. Most of the images have an associate fee, but there are many free designs to choose from. The one at the top of this post is free -- and it took me less than five minutes to create the image. Here's another image I created at Canva.com:

BONUS: 4) DollarPhotoClub.com: When creating graphic images, using photos you've taken ensures you're in compliance with copyright laws. But if you haven't taken the right image that you need, the DollarPhotoClub.com is a great place to explore. For $1 per image, you can find great photos that make your verses, ideas, etc., come to life. If you would like an invitation to join, let me know in the comments. Here's an example of a photo I bought at DollarPhotoClub.com and edited on PicMonkey.com:

This final graphic is one I made on Canva.com, and then edited at PicMonkey.com

What tools do you use?

____________________

Cara Putman

An award-winning author of twenty books, Cara is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana.

Spilling Your Heart on Social Media

freedigitalphotos.net by nokhoog_buchachon

As aspiring authors, we strive to gain a following on social media. To be honest, there are many times I have wanted to step away from it for a good long season and the only reason I don't is because I care so much about connecting with the writing community, and my future audience.

So social media is not just a place of goofing off, throwing out your opinions and rants, or sharing family pictures... it is a place of impressions, a measure of your heart, really. In Jesus' day, the measure of a heart was what came from your mouth...and in present day, our mouths have multiplied to not just speaking with the tongue, but speaking with speedy fingers on a keyboard.

Yet, the same concept still applies--from the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

When was the last time you typed something on social media without thinking it through, and then tossed and turned all night wondering how someone took it?

I do it...too much.

How about finding yourself convincing YOU of a stance you took, realizing that you just debated for
debating's sake?

Ugh! Guilty!!

While the pressure gets stronger as we try and use social media not just for play but for dream-building (aka professional networking), it is not only something that can trip us up, but something that can refine us in the most personal, non-work-related way.

Remembering our audience (Facebook friends, twitter followers, future readers and critics), is just as important in that social media post as it is while we write our stories.

Now-a-days, our hearts literally can bleed all over a page...and we need to be sure that they are pouring out truth and not deceit, life and not ego. And I am not talking about posting a Bible verse every 30 minutes...I am talking about authenticity. Be YOU...but do it in a clear, Christ-centered way. And think before you type.

I'll try to take my own advice, too!
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Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written five Historical Romance novels, has a Historical underway, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets, selling Jamberry, and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check out her author page at www.facebook.com/dicken.angie and her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com 

Instagram for Writers

There’s a new social media sheriff in town: Instagram. And it’s not just for teenagers. Here’s how you can utilize this valuable platform to connect with other writers and potential readers – over 200 million of them.

Hashtags

If you're familiar with Twitter, you know these are links preceded by the pound sign. (For those who existed after the age of landline telephones, I’m talking about the # symbol. ;) ) The #amwriting hashtag is one of the most popular among writers from all stages of the game, a great way to connect and see who around the world is currently working right now.

For published authors or authors who plan to go indie, creating a hashtag for your latest book or series title can connect current and future readers. There’s nothing like community, and I’ve noticed that’s especially true among readers. Hashtags are the virtual equivalent of sitting next to someone who’s reading the same book on an airplane. You instantly know that person is awesome because of his or her great taste. Hashtags are how you can use social media to help turn your readership into a community.

Behind the Scenes

On the subject of community, it’s a beautiful thing when writers post behind-the-scenes glimpses of their process. From images of a historical writer’s research findings to a real-life snapshot of a hot mess of a desk to a picture of an author’s kid holding a debut novel, readers love to see this.

Of course, there’s a fine balance. You don’t want to give away all of your trade secrets. And you certainly don’t want to jeopardize your privacy – or the privacy of your loved ones. There’s just something about a little glimpse of an author’s humanity to connect and endear him or her with readers and give context to the characters and worlds they love reading about.

Promotions

Approaching release day? Running an eBook sale? Posting an article on your blog? You can make graphics, even on your smartphone (I don’t have enough room on my laptop for Photoshop, so I use the Rhonna Designs and A Beautiful Mess apps on my phone) for announcements, blog post graphics, and other promotions. In today’s digital age, having an attractive image or graphic to accompany your content greatly increases your visibility, not only according to the algorithms of major platforms like Facebook but based on people's natural tendency to gravitate toward what’s visually appealing.

I’ve also known authors to run promotions on Instagram and other social media platforms (sometimes with their own hashtags). For example, around release day, they will run giveaways inviting readers to post a "selfie" with their copy of the book or the book on the shelf at a store in exchange for prizes.

{Tip: Since hyperlinks don’t work in Instagram, changing the link in your Instagram profile will give readers direct access to the link you're working with.} 

{Two writers who are doing it right}

Mary C. Weber, author of The Storm Siren Trilogy (Instagram: @maryweberauthor)

        

If you follow Mary Weber on Instagram, you'll see everything from news about giveaways to extras from her books to pictures of the author at work to funny quotes from her kids. As you can see above, she recently used Instagram to alert readers to a special Valentine’s Day promotion for her eBooks. She used the hashtag #kindle, so people who happen to click on that hashtag looking for books on kindle will see her graphic and be aware of her book's special price. 

Mary is definitely one who is doing her social media promotion right because it doesn't seem like promotion. It's a fun gathering place for her readers with a really inviting sense of authenticity. The middle screenshot is from a video she made talking about her Storm Siren for Schools program. And the one on the far right answers the number one question readers ask about her first novel. Love it!

My only complaint? How much she likes to TEASE readers about her enticing upcoming sequel, Siren's Fury. :) 

Jenny Bravo, author of These Are the Moments, writer behind BlotsandPlots.com (Instagram: @blotsandplots) 

  

Jenny Bravo is an indie author and one who is spot-on, in my opinion. If you visit her Instagram profile, she is doing a phenomenal job preparing the way for her self-published novel by posting enticing snippets, being transparent about the process and the valuable things she's learning, and inviting readers into a gorgeous yet cozy space. She is nailing the hashtag game with consistency too, with the abbreviation #TATM for her novel, the #TATMtent for her amazing writing tent, and #TATMTuesday for {usually handwritten} quotes from her book.  

Like Mary, Jenny offers authenticity to her readers. And I think the biggest thing I can commend her for is what she gives back to her readers. Obviously a lot of people who follow her blog and Instagram are aspiring authors themselves, perhaps a good percentage who wish to go the indie route. She gives great writing tips, selects gorgeous quotes from her book to feature, and again fosters that sense of community by offering snapshots of her personal process. Her posts don't feel gimmicky and don't have the sketchy undercurrent of self-promotion.

Whether Jenny knows it or it just comes as second nature to her, this is excellent strategy for a self-published author as she anticipates her release, opposed to some who just slap up their finished product on Amazon and call it good with no marketing legwork.

Instagram is pretty easy to use

If you’re apprehensive about having one more social media platform to manage, know that you can connect Instagram to Facebook and Twitter. A few little clicks and you can instantly post your image and caption to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, foursquare, or all of the above.

It also has built-in cropping and photo editing capabilities that are as easy as sliding through a range of lighting/color filters and picking the one you like most. Once you get used to Instagram, it’s super easy and takes no time at all. 

What have you heard about Instagram? Is anything keeping you from taking the plunge? 

Are you already on Instagram? Link us to your username and tell us how you like to use it.

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and received the Genesis Award in 2013 (Contemporary) and 2014 (Romance). 

Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

Am I Attractive?

Okay, so the title here is deliberately provoking, though not entirely misleading.

I’m not referencing appearance, not really, though I suppose that might hold some weight. No, what I’m talking about here is how you come off, what impression do you give? Who are you attracting and why?

Confused? Where to begin… oh yes. The point. We live in a social media age which means our lives, and so many details that years ago would have been private, now simply aren’t. And we have only ourselves (and perhaps Mark Zuckerberg creator of Facebook) to blame.

 

hellogiggles.com

We share anecdotes from our day. We post selfies of our new haircut. We detail what we are preparing for dinner. Shoot, some people even go so far as to pinpoint exactly which restaurant they are eating at, which gym on what street corner they frequent each morning, and even where they are dropping their kids off for school. Some of these things are innocent. Some are not. And we really do need to be careful about not just knowing our audience, but also being conscious of how we present ourselves. I’ve read posts about how to make the most of your social media presence. How to boost your platform. Even social media etiquette which might have some crossover here.

But the bottom line is… your social media pages are like your very own ad space.  

So what are you advertising?

I conducted a little experiment, trying to as objective as possible. I decided to look back over my posts for the past few years and see what kind of impression I could glean from my social media presence. These snippets and snapshots of my life showed an interesting spread of information.

adweek.com

 

On the positive side one would probably observe that I am crazy about my kids. I may have crossed over the line into that annoying proud mama but people seem to respond well to the funny quips from my tots and the sweet lil daily pics of my miracle baby. One might also see from my advertisement that I seem to occasionally read the Bible and post something inspirational in nature. In fact, you could probably timeline it and determine which times in my life I am clinging to scripture and walking through a trial, and which times I am being a lazy Christian riding through my daily routine. And Facebook is actually quite the statistical resource. How many likes, how many comments? I was connecting with people in a mostly positive way and the results were right there in the numbers. Neato!

On the negative, the reason I started Facebooking (I’m sure that has got to be a word now, right?) was for writing. And sadly, the amount of time that I dedicate to that particular subject seems to have dwindled significantly since the arrival of my third child.

So if my purpose is to build a platform, and possibly publish a book someday, what will a publisher think of my page? What will they think of yours? Do you spend your time griping about deadlines? Moaning about all the ways you procrastinated today? How you just don’t have the time? How unmotivated you are?

Or maybe you shared a review, helped promote a friend’s new book, and posted an enthusiastically high word count for the day? Perhaps you were totally stressed but something simple made you stop and smile. Maybe you just found a way to deal with all the world threw at you that day. None of those things are right or wrong.

 

All this rambling is meant to encourage you take a step back and evaluate something that has spun out of control, and not necessarily in a bad way. We can CONNECT with so many people previously beyond our reach! It’s an amazing networking tool. Especially for a writer!!!

BUT remember that every time you post, you are advertising yourself. How do you look? Are you attractive? Do you come across self-involved or vain? Grateful? Excited or grudging? Overwhelmed? And who are you hoping to attract?

Now, I’m not suggesting you misrepresent yourself. Your personality whether sarcastic or timid should be something that shines through. But while I’m preparing for the celebration of Jesus’s birth, pulling back to focus on all the ways God has blessed me this year and all the ways I’ve stumbled through my wonderfully messy life, I turned a critical eye back on myself and took a good long look.

And I had to ask myself…. Am I attractive? Do my words and opinions unite or divide? Am I being a light? Would my spouse like what I’m sharing? Would a potential employer? My friends and family? Is God pleased with who I am showing the world? Is it who I really am?

What about you? Are you brave enough to take an honest look? Try it… In one short sitting, review your social media sites. What does your Facebook page say about you? Can you name one flattering and one un-flattering thing you’ve discovered about your ad space? This might seem like a pointless exercise but it’s actually quite enlightening. Now that’s a selfie you should probably take just for you. :)

 

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Amy Leigh Simpson is a writer, singer, runner, foodie, coffee-lovin’-chocoholic. When she’s not dreaming up saucy love stories sprinkled with suspense and mystery, she’s chasing around her two adorable tow-headed toddler miscreants (Ahem)—boys, playing dress up with her miracle princess baby, and being the very blessed wife to the coolest, most hunky hero on the planet (sorry, ladies—taken). Though Amy doesn’t use her Sports Medicine degree for anything but patching up daily boo boo’s, she enjoys weaving medical aspects into her writing. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.

 

Three Social Media Rules After a National Tragedy

I promise not all of my posts are going to be about PR. Really. But after the events that have swept the news in the last few weeks, I had to talk about this important topic.

The rise of social media has changed the way news is delivered and the scope of its reach. For example, when the Boston Marathon bombing suspects were being pursued in 2013, Twitter users listening to local police scanners were live-reporting the events faster than the proper journalists could get their hands on the information. That’s just an example of the living, breathing organism social media has become.

And its potential to create a monster.

So, how can you maintain proper social media etiquette in the hours and days following a tragedy with national ramifications? You can start with this.

If you have scheduled posts, turn them off.

When actor-comedian Robin Williams died last week, Facebook and Twitter exploded. Everyone wanted to express their sentiments, their shock and sadness and other reactions. But peppered in my feed were promotional posts that were way too chirpy to not be pre-scheduled. Those can be very off-putting to people who are experiencing a roller coaster of emotions.  And that’s certainly not how you want to stand out. It can get you blocked or unfollowed, unfortunately.

Wait until social media has calmed down a little and then you can return to business as usual. But until then, toning down your promotion is most respectful.

When in doubt about whether or not to make a public statement regarding the tragedy, it’s best to stay silent.

One of the dangers of social media is how easy it is to post information -- information that’s hard to retract once it’s been published. Though you may feel strongly about a topic, there are countless others who feel just as strongly for the opposing side of your argument.

While there’s nothing wrong with having or expressing an opinion, most of the time it’s best and most tasteful to avoid statements that may spark controversy, appear to be posted for the sake of shock value, or potentially offend in times of heightened emotions. You can discuss your opinion in the safety of friends and family members and leave your social media platform for what you do best. And on the flip side of that, if you're not sure whether or not to say something, don't feel you have to just because everyone is doing it.

If you believe this tragedy could be capitalized for a sales opportunity, think again.

During Hurricane Sandy, several retail giants were chastised for incorporating Sandy-related hashtags and trending topics into their promotional efforts. Not okay.

When I was working in full-time book PR, I can’t tell you how many authors wanted me to pitch their books to the media in areas that had experienced a tragedy just because there was a similar thread in their fiction or a message of hope in their memoir. Still not okay.

Even if you’re well-meaning about it, if your post promotes you or your product, especially if it contains a direct link to sales, it will most likely be counterproductive for you. If you genuinely want to help, then donate money or free books to any official causes related to the tragedy. And you don’t have to publicize this generosity, either.

The moral of the story is: in times of tragedy, it's always better to help with actions instead of words. While I believe you have the best intentions in the world, words are powerful, especially when emotions are high. So use them wisely :)

What are your social media dos and don'ts after a tragedy? Have you seen any really bad faux pas on your feed?

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom who writes stories of grace in the beautiful mess. When she's not writing, she enjoys car singing, baking, and going on adventures with her husband and little girl. 

Her first book won the 2013 ACFW Genesis Award (Contemporary), and her second is a current finalist in the 2014 Genesis Contest (Romance). She is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie at www.laurietomlinson.com or Facebook.com/AuthorLaurieTomlinson.

How to Grow Your Social Media Platform

Remember that party when you were a teenager? Yeah, that one. The one that scarred your social relationships for years because of how totally awkward and invisible you felt. Or maybe, like me, you were too much of a nerd in high school to even get invited to any parties.

Maybe you had a huge crush and huge hopes that did not end well.

You grew up, people got more normal, and you learned valuable skills on how to make a good impression--whether it was a job interview or a date. But that ever-embarassing memory from middle school, high school, college still lingers.

Everyone wants to be liked. And as a writer, having a strong, loyal following can be HUGE when it comes to selling a book to a publisher, and then selling a book to a readership. So, while those nerve-wrecking parties may be a thing of the past, getting along well with other people is definitely not. Even if you're one of the many, many introvert writers, you still need to raise interest in your story through social media. And look at it this way-- at least now, you can interact from behind the security blanket of your own computer. Hey, if you're like me, you can even do it wearing Hello Kitty fuzzy pants. (And really, who doesn't love character-themed fuzzy pants?)

One person I know who is brilliant at establishing an online presence is Colleen Coble. If you don't already follow her on Facebook, go head over there as soon as you're finished reading this post! She has a perfect balance of friendliness, openness, and a normal line of privacy so that you feel like you really get to know her without feeling like you know every detail of her life.

So what do you need to remember in order to have an active, interesting presence online?

• People do not want to read another sad story. It's totally fine to post prayer requests and be honest about your heart. For example, the situation in Iraq and the current threats to Pastor Saeed in Iran have really hit me hard. I've shared some of this stuff on my Facebook with the hopes of raising awareness (especially to the campaigns seeking signatures to free Pastor Saeed) and also ask other people to pray. But you know what? These links and stories are not what get the most comments/likes-- and that's not why I posted them. I get it. Facebook can be a downer sometimes, and if you're constantly posting sad things, people are going to start skimming past whatever you're saying. They've got enough challenges in their own lives and may feel ill-equipped to take on more. If you have a choice between a complaint and a good report, choose the good report (most of the time, at least) and bring a smile to people (and yourself).

• People want to get the vibe of who you really are. I love how Amy posts pictures of sweet little Eisley for us! It's such a fun way for her Facebook friends to feel like we've connected with Amy each day. And I love seeing all those little Eisley outfits! Don't be afraid to post pictures, short videos, etc. that help people get to know you.

• On the other hand, don't give us too much detail. Have you ever been on a date or met a new friend, and everything is going pretty well until they suddenly start giving you way more detail about their life than you're comfortable knowing? You start to feel like they don't have an appropriate boundary in their social relationships, right? Well, the same thing can happen online. While you want your readers/friends to get to know the real you, at the same time, don't share every little detail.

• Do NOT become that person who pretends to be perfect on social media. We all pretend to admire that person, but we all secretly hate that person. Am I right? ;) I believe that one of the pit falls of social media is that it can perpetuate this perfection myth (as can Pinterest) that everyone else has a perfectly clean house, that their skinny jeans fit every day of the year, and that they have zippo problems with time management. The reality is, comparing ourselves to idealistic, unrealistic social media appearances (whether it's on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or something else) is just as bad as looking at a magazine cover and thinking to yourself how you'll never compare. So the flip side of that is, don't perpetuate the perfection myth. Be a real person in person and on social media. I know I said not to harp on the negative aspects of your life, but the flip side of that is, don't try to make people believe you're living in a fairy tale either. You'll come across inauthentic.

• Help other friends and authors. Make a habit out of investing in others on social media, and do it because you really care about them, not because you're trying to get something out of the relationship (otherwise people will resent you and feel cheated). Yesterday, for example, I shared the Amazon sale on Becky Wade's My Stubborn Heart because I LOVED that book, and I think everyone else should read it too.  Casey is wonderful at this-- she's constantly using her blog to promote other authors, and I know for a fact that when she's published, they'll want to return the favor.

So what about you? Do you ever struggle with knowing what to post and what not to post on social media? Can you think of an author who has a great social media presence? Why?

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.