RHYS: Okay, confession time. I admit it. I've become a Facebook addict. I started using it tentatively. Now I'm a huge Facebook fan. I post at least once a day. I get new friends all the time and I find it a wonderfully immediate way to connect with my readers, fellow writers and fans. If I post about something, I get zillions of responses within a minute or so. What other medium can do that? When I broke my wrist I got hundreds of sympathetic replies including TEN people volunteering to type my manuscripts for me. I was overwhelmed by how kind people are.
Having said how wonderful Facebook is, I have had my share of creepy guys wanting to know me better, come from Africa to live in my house etc etc. They are rapidly unfriended. I also, on the advice of my friend ex cop Robin Burcell, removed anything personal from my page--no telephone, nothing about my kids, no hint of where I am.
I know Hank is a big Facebook fan. I read her posts every day and often answer them. I enjoy Deborah's photos from England. But how about the rest of you Jungle Reds? What are your feelings on Facebook? Is it your favorite social medium? Any suggestions on others?
JAN: Facebook can be fun at times, but it's basically a distraction. Like hanging out at the water cooler. I have connected with long lost friends - but you know, the reconnection is pretty superficial. Also, I am not really comfortable with the notion that you are supposed to be selling yourself all the time. So I go on Facebook a few days and then won't go on for weeks. Which I think defeats the purpose.
ROSEMARY: I have both a personal and a Fan page although dang if I can remember how I let someone talk me into the Fan page. I know I can do outbound marketing to Fans but that's what my rarely-sent newsletter is for. It's fun and I do appreciate it when readers connect. I just hate to have to have five places to write "And tomorrow I'll be at the CT Book Festival!!" And I always seem to see posts from the same ten people...what's that about?
HANK: Yes, I do like it. YOu know why, I think? I'm actually pretty shy, talking to people in person. Yes, hush, it's true. So Face book lets me chat without that worry.
It is a HUGE time suck, though, and that's sometimes annoying. And it's a lit-tle scary, privacy-wise. But I enjoy seeing what everyone is doing.
(Am I supposed to have a fan page? Someone? Anyone?)
DEB: I have a personal page and a fan page, my idea being that the fan page should be strictly for promotion (news about the books, signings, etc.) and that anyone could look at it. Of course, as it turns out, I have five times as many friends as fans, and many of them overlap. And I do enjoy Facebook, although I try to limit my time on it. I like keeping up with what other people are doing, and sharing things I think are interesting or fun.
I think it was Nathan Bransford who said that the point of social media is being "social." It doesn't work if you only use it when you want to promote your own work, and I will pretty quickly block someone who does that.
RHYS: I tried having a personal page and a fan page and found I just coudln't keep up with both. So now the message on my fan page directs everyone to my personal page.Actually it's only fellow writers and fans who are my FB friends anyway. I keep my personal life out of it.
JULIA: I only got on this past winter, and on the advice of my web guy, I started a fan page. No limit to the number of fans (isn't that optimistic of me?) and I don't have to always be approving people's friend requests. Anyone can join and anyone can view/post.
My favorite thing about FB is that I can dash off a one-line answer to a reader's question or a simple "Thanks" if someone compliments my work. I always felt email had to be more meaty and well-written, and as a result I let them pile up... and up...and up. FB helps me respond so much more promptly.
HALLIE: I do love Facebook. Love that it feels like...friends talking? I can unobtrusively follow my kids, though I'm careful about what I post since both my fan and friends page are so public. The other day I posted a photo of the screech owl that took up residence for months in the tree across from our house. Got a huge response. And then the owl disappeared. I wonder if it's something I said?
ROBERTA: Yep I like facebook--it's the water cooler thing, definitely. Drop in and catch a slice of life--although a thin slice. Hank, shy? Not a chance. You are very good at asking the right leading question. Lucy Burdette has a fan page but she doesn't have the hang of that at all. So any tips welcome...
RHYS: So join in, please--who loves Facebook, who hates it? Any creepy experiences (worse than my African friend who wanted to live at my house?)
Having said how wonderful Facebook is, I have had my share of creepy guys wanting to know me better, come from Africa to live in my house etc etc. They are rapidly unfriended. I also, on the advice of my friend ex cop Robin Burcell, removed anything personal from my page--no telephone, nothing about my kids, no hint of where I am.
I know Hank is a big Facebook fan. I read her posts every day and often answer them. I enjoy Deborah's photos from England. But how about the rest of you Jungle Reds? What are your feelings on Facebook? Is it your favorite social medium? Any suggestions on others?
JAN: Facebook can be fun at times, but it's basically a distraction. Like hanging out at the water cooler. I have connected with long lost friends - but you know, the reconnection is pretty superficial. Also, I am not really comfortable with the notion that you are supposed to be selling yourself all the time. So I go on Facebook a few days and then won't go on for weeks. Which I think defeats the purpose.
ROSEMARY: I have both a personal and a Fan page although dang if I can remember how I let someone talk me into the Fan page. I know I can do outbound marketing to Fans but that's what my rarely-sent newsletter is for. It's fun and I do appreciate it when readers connect. I just hate to have to have five places to write "And tomorrow I'll be at the CT Book Festival!!" And I always seem to see posts from the same ten people...what's that about?
HANK: Yes, I do like it. YOu know why, I think? I'm actually pretty shy, talking to people in person. Yes, hush, it's true. So Face book lets me chat without that worry.
It is a HUGE time suck, though, and that's sometimes annoying. And it's a lit-tle scary, privacy-wise. But I enjoy seeing what everyone is doing.
(Am I supposed to have a fan page? Someone? Anyone?)
DEB: I have a personal page and a fan page, my idea being that the fan page should be strictly for promotion (news about the books, signings, etc.) and that anyone could look at it. Of course, as it turns out, I have five times as many friends as fans, and many of them overlap. And I do enjoy Facebook, although I try to limit my time on it. I like keeping up with what other people are doing, and sharing things I think are interesting or fun.
I think it was Nathan Bransford who said that the point of social media is being "social." It doesn't work if you only use it when you want to promote your own work, and I will pretty quickly block someone who does that.
RHYS: I tried having a personal page and a fan page and found I just coudln't keep up with both. So now the message on my fan page directs everyone to my personal page.Actually it's only fellow writers and fans who are my FB friends anyway. I keep my personal life out of it.
JULIA: I only got on this past winter, and on the advice of my web guy, I started a fan page. No limit to the number of fans (isn't that optimistic of me?) and I don't have to always be approving people's friend requests. Anyone can join and anyone can view/post.
My favorite thing about FB is that I can dash off a one-line answer to a reader's question or a simple "Thanks" if someone compliments my work. I always felt email had to be more meaty and well-written, and as a result I let them pile up... and up...and up. FB helps me respond so much more promptly.
HALLIE: I do love Facebook. Love that it feels like...friends talking? I can unobtrusively follow my kids, though I'm careful about what I post since both my fan and friends page are so public. The other day I posted a photo of the screech owl that took up residence for months in the tree across from our house. Got a huge response. And then the owl disappeared. I wonder if it's something I said?
ROBERTA: Yep I like facebook--it's the water cooler thing, definitely. Drop in and catch a slice of life--although a thin slice. Hank, shy? Not a chance. You are very good at asking the right leading question. Lucy Burdette has a fan page but she doesn't have the hang of that at all. So any tips welcome...
RHYS: So join in, please--who loves Facebook, who hates it? Any creepy experiences (worse than my African friend who wanted to live at my house?)
