Blog Notice

You might have noticed I didn't post a snippet yesterday, Sunday.  The reason was I was sick.  Although I'm knocking back the Zicam cold melts, I don't foresee being up to par by Wednesday.  So, the Wednesday post will be skipped this week.  Hopefully, I'll be ready with a new Roderis/Letters of the Dead snippet on Sunday, though.

A Social Media Strategy: Outside Content

Entrepreneur magazine's Chris Brogan writes,

You don't just want to beat people over the head with your own products or services.

Rather he suggests finding

interesting information that applies to their tastes and share that, too (296). 

I feel this information is helpful for writers' social media strategies.  Twitter posts shouldn't just be about your product.  Blog posts shouldn't either.  Some of these posts should include outside information worth sharing, information your readers will enjoy.

But still, you should tie this content into your blog or brand.  For example, if you write fantasy, post fantasy links or tidbits or fantasy book reviews.  This way, it doesn't feel off-topic or send a confusing message concerning what you are about.  This way you are providing content your readers will like without beating them over the head with just your own works.

Cites: Brogan, Chris. "You Are a Media Company." Entrepreneur Nov. 2011: 292-297. Nook Edition.

A Writer's Patches

In Three Minutes to Success, I ran across an interesting quote from author Jim Blasingame:

A small business is more like a patchwork quilt than a gilded security blanket. Some patches represent good things and some not so good; some patches are about the business, others are about the owner, and some are hard to tell. The happiest small business owners are those who find a way to feel successful regardless of which patch is before them. (80)

That's a great philosophy to have, especially for a writer.  Maybe sales aren't going well.  Maybe a project is giving you trouble.  Perhaps an agent passed on a partial.  In those cases, it's time to switch to a different patch.  It's time to think: What beyond the obvious are the advantages and values you see in being a writer?

For me, one is the ability to create and share characters or worlds or situations that won't leave me alone.  Another is that this job, being a writer, especially a self-published writer, fits nicely with my other job.

What about you?  What else do you value and appreciate in your chosen occupation?

Cites:  Blasingame, James. Three Minutes to Success: 52 Classic Small Business Lessons You Can Read in 3 Minutes. Aflac Special Edition. Florence: SBN Books, 2006.  Print.