Publishing and Social Networking

[Nathan Bransford]

Jason Pinter has an interesting article today for the Huffington Post about the way the publishing industry is embracing social media (full disclosure: he interviewed me). For those that don't know, Pinter was an editor and early adopting blogger and was "Dooced" when his bosses found out about his blog. Now, of course, editors and imprints are encouraged to blog and Tweet.

What do you think about the publishing industry moving into the social networking sphere? Any likes and dislikes? Do you think it's been effective?

[tiftruitt]

It is silly for any writer to ignore the importance of social networking. Certain genres DEMAND social networking, particularly YA. I had my students create "FictionBook" pages for characters from their self-selected novels during our gothic lit unit. They turned out fantastic! Teens are more engrossed in social networking than most of us older folks realize. I blog about my adventures in writing, create book trailers, and have finally started a twitter account (eek...errr....tweet?)

We live in a media savvy world. Ignoring that would make selling your book and getting your name out there more difficult than it needs to be.

[charlotte49ers]

I love how the publishing industry has entered the world of social networking. Mainly, because it is such an education for people.

When I first started writing, I was relying on Google for information (bad idea, btw), but then I found forums, twitter, blogs, etc. and it helped me wade through the scams and know exactly what the legitimate paths are to becoming published (if I am to be so lucky). And query letters? I wouldn't have had a CLUE where to even begin without the blogs and information provided by you guys. I've already started working on mine, even though I'm months from actually needing one because I know it's kind of an art in and of itself.


So, yeah, it gets two thumbs up from me.

[Bryan Russell/Ink]

Seems crazy that people were being fired for their blogs all the way back in... 2007. So little time, but they say technology moves fast. And now he'd probably be lauded for having a popular blog.

I like the transparency, I think. If you need information it's probably out there. A little less mystique... and a little more honesty? I think one of the keys to this whole new social media world is having a little prudence, though. Because it's out there. A tap of the keys and then it's off to live a life of it's own. So I think prudence is valuable, whether from authors, editors or agents. It's like Ocean's 11: "Someone's always watching." That's social media, in a sense, an ever present audience.

[mojo25]

I agree with you that blogs (tweets etc) are a great way to stay connected and to get attention for one's book. I also enjoy reading agents' and editors' blogs (both anonymous and not anonymous). But I have a hard time with my own blogging--maybe because my husband works in publishing. If I get too personal, I worry and feel exposed and wonder if I should or shouldn't have said something (I frequently take down posts a day or two later). If I don't get personal, my posts are too bland. I think it's important to be connected, but not all of us are so great at it!

[Rik]

I hate Twitter with a vengeance ...

[Hillsy]

It's difficult to argue the move into blogging, tweeting even, by writers hasn't had a positive impact on the wannabe author community. The wealth of knowledge, experience, advice - even my old nemesis 'the anecdote' - available to anyone with a google reader and half an idea of how the internet works is boggling at times. Want tips on dialogue? How about 140000 google hits? Wanna know how a top selling author goes about promoting his book? Visit Brandon Sanderson's blog. Comic book/cross over writer? Dan Abnett's a click away. It is almost too good to be true.

And as an entertainment medium as well! A writer writes, we read and enjoy. Sometimes we're getting reams of essays for free that might once have been bound together and sold. We are given a further, accessible place to enjoy our writers do what they do well, convey meaning and message in the written form.

That said, I view Blogs, Facebook & Twitter akin to wearing a suit to an interview. You want the job? Then suck it up and grab a tie. But we'd be much more comfortable in jeans. I'll do my time in the social media in order to help my novel towards publication, to do otherwise is naive at best. Doesn't mean I find the idea of foisting daily updates upon the unsuspecting world, without a contract to back it up, anything but arrogant.

The world is getting louder. People shout about their lives over the internet with a kinda of enthusiasm usually reserved for unhappy collisions between children and sugar. The ideology of equality has warped into 'diversity' where everyone is brilliant, not just equal. Therefore it's vital the publishing industry draw a line in the sand to when social networking should be pursued, and when all you are doing is making noise. In the meritocratic world, the publishing flow of social media would be mainly 1 way. The accomplished and proven earn their right to pour thoughts down one end of the blogging tube while the rest of us shower underneath the other, a small updraft of questions going the other way. If the publishing industry forget this we could be faced with everyone screaming for attention, lacking anything subtler that's effective, such as a proven career, unique insight or research.

Or is the time of the reserved over? Is it a case of 'grab your bullhorn at the door or get out!'?

[Mira]

This is a really interesting question, and I don't have an answer for myself yet. I think some of it is yet to be determined.

But, for now, anyway, I feel mixed about it. The benefits of social networking are numerous: support, shared expertise, networking, information exchange, potential increase in blog traffic, and marketing.

The downside is, it's: Incredibly time-consuming; it can backfire if the author is more socially awkward than not; it can also back-fire if the marketing is done in a ham-fisted sort of way; it could potentially lead to burn-out; it could become an expectation that some authors can't live up to; it could foster insincere relationships and maniuplation; and finally, it won't work if the book isn't any good.

My main praise of social networking is the development of a world-wide community. My main critique is the last point - it can once again confuse the issue. The book is the thing.

And a great book will sell through referral and recommendations at this point. Social networking may not be required.

So, I'm still thinking this out, but those are my thoughts for today.

[Krista G.]

I think you definitely have to do what works for you. If you hate Twitter (and Rik, I'm definitely more for you than against you on that count), you'll be an awful Tweeter. If you don't like blogging, your latest entry will always be two and a half years old. And then you're going to be dealing with a lot more of the downsides that Mira mentioned and a lot less of the benefits.

On another, but related, note, one small blogging pet peeve: when people have contests on their blogs that are only open to followers. Inspire me to follow you, I say, with your cogent posts, your sparkling wit - don't coerce me.

[JustineDell]

I think social networking is very important. It gets your name out there, gets your cause out there, gets your story out there...etc...etc.

I do the Twitter, the FB, the Blog, and of course, I'm alwasy lurking around these here forums ;-) The only thing I don't have is a website - and I want one, bad.

The problem I've noticed, and I think Nathan mentioned this once, is that with all those outfits, sometimes it hard to keep up. I believe Nathan said "pick one, and do it the best" or something along those lines. That's what I'm struggling with now. Keeping up and doing them all to the best of my ability. They've all been wonderful and I've created contacts and met other writers that would have never been possible before. It's like my own life line, my own personal support group, and the way for me to pimp myself out - all pretty easily. So many things can go right from social networking. I embrace it.

~JD

[JTB]

A writer these days has got to be worried about a publisher or an agent that doesn't twitter etc, or at least have an account and be following other agents and publisher's. Penquin (UK), SimonShuster and a few other have however gone a bit bonkers and - I follow them on my twitter - they're tweeting every minute which is becoming annoying esp. when it's so obvious that they're often just selling product.

Overall it's to be welcomed and I sense this initial frentic tweeting and blogging will eventualy calm so you don't have some tweets forcing quite interesting people and insitutions into new depths of banality