Social Media for Writers and Authors | Social Media Aspirin™

June 16, 2015April 22, 2016

Authors Behaving Badly: What NOT to Do on Social Media

Authors are human. There, I said (wrote) it.

We have feelings. We have the same life stressors everyone else has. We work our butts off.

We don’t like it when we get negative reviews or comments on our pride and joy, our babies, our very souls also known as our books. It happens, and it happens to even the most popular and well-known authors.

There is more than one case of an author having a highly public meltdown online. The problem with this is that once it’s out there, there’s no taking it back. I don’t care if you delete it, give 97 reasons why you responded the way you did, make well-crafted and well-punctuated excuses, send flowers or a sing-o-gram, or even apologize – the Internet never forgets. Ever. Someone somewhere took a screenshot of your ugly words and posted it again. ON THE INTERNET.

Let me give you an example that happened on Twitter. An author, who shall remain nameless here, received a less-than-glowing review in the Boston Globe of her latest book by a reviewer of some renown, a reviewer with a long and esteemed literary career of her own.

The author didn’t tweet one response; she tweeted 27. Here are some of the words she used: “[blankity blank] is a moron.” “Now any idiot can be a critic.” “If you want to tell [blankity blank] off her phone is _____.”

Oh yes, she publicly posted the reviewer’s phone number and email address.

Oh my. My, my, my.

This is a perfect example how social media can be misused as a place to vent. That’s what BFF’s are for, people! Call up your best friend and vent every vile word you can think of. Drink wine. Go out for beer and darts. Take a nap. For the super-healthy types, go for a run, climb a fourteener or eat some tofu. I don’t care.

But DO NOT, under any circumstances, respond online to negative reviews or comments.

The end.

That’s it. That’s my number one bit of advice for authors on what not to do on social media.

Don’t be one of those authors that someone like me can easily find online as a bad example for yet another article.

How do you deal with negative comments posted about you online?

May 31, 2013April 22, 2016

Reset Your Mindset About Social Media

As an author, small business owner, or entrepreneur, you’ve become acutely aware of the need to be present on social media. Do you find that you are reluctant? Overwhelmed? Think it’s not working? You need to reset your mindset, my friends.

Mindset: Social media is separate from everything else.

Reset: Social media is part of a cohesive whole.

Social media works best in synergy with your entire author or business platform. It is part of your marketing, not all of your marketing, so when you are planning your strategy, make sure social media isn’t shouldering the whole burden. It won’t work, and you will feel frustrated.

Mindset: I have to use all the major social media platforms right away.

Reset: I will begin with one social media platform and learn to use it correctly.

There is absolutely no need to begin using every platform at the same time. Start with the one where your target audience gathers. Learn about it. Become proficient at it. Then add the next one and do the same thing.

Mindset: Social media is overwhelming.

Reset: Social media can be managed with personal investment and the right tools.

It’s true that social media CAN be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. If you are serious about success, you must invest in yourself. That means you take the time to learn how to use your chosen social media platform, whether through self-education, classes, or one-on-one coaching. You must also learn the tools needed to streamline social media, such as HootSuite or TweetDeck, and time management techniques such as planning calendars. Your early investment will make incorporating social media MUCH easier.

Mindset: The only reason I use social media is to sell my stuff.

Reset: I use social media to create relationships, share valuable information, and build a loyal fan base.

Folks, we are here to sell our books or products, yes, but the world has changed. Gone are the old days when we talked at our audience with ads asking them to buy something. Now, we have conversations with our audience, building relationships in an authentic way that shows fans we’re real people with interesting stuff to share. And we happen to be authors or business owners, too.

With a few mental resets, you can incorporate social media into your life more easily. It’s worth your time to invest in yourself because in today’s world, authors and entrepreneurs must take care of themselves!