Claire Charlins – Why Social Networks are the Keys to Good Networking

Why Social Networks are the Keys to Good Networking

by: Claire Charlins

Social networks and social media have become a crucial part of being a writer. It doesn’t matter if you’re an independent author or a traditionally published author, social networks and media are becoming more and more important to gain a fan base and keep that fan base.

For me, I only use Facebook and Twitter. Now I do have a blog and I do post on that blog, but when it comes to actual interactions with readers and fans of my books I find more activity on Facebook and Twitter. The great part about social networking and media is that it’s something that occurs 24 hours a day. I don’t need to be at my computer to be on Facebook or be on Twitter. I have my Facebook page set up and established and I have my Twitter account set up and established. This also allows me to take time during my day to see what readers fans are talking about. I’m able to communicate and interact with them whenever I want, but it’s also a place for readers reach out to me. I always promised myself that when the time came and I was a published author I would do everything in my power to keep myself open and talk to readers. I make sure that my email is widely available. I make sure anyone that posts on my Facebook page or messages me through Facebook I try to answer personally. Even Twitter, I always reply to anyone follows me or retweets me or just writes to me to say hello or say they’re reading one of my books. And that is probably the greatest part of social media and what makes it so important… The readers can get in touch with their favorite authors now the click of a button.

The purpose of networking is to meet people. Besides readers, I’m also able to meet and network with other writers. I don’t have to go to writing conventions all the time. I don’t have to go to writers groups all the time. I’m able to communicate and interact with writers across the country or even across the world. That allows me to be able to build a behind-the-scenes kind of network where I may be able to help support other authors I like to read and other authors do the same for me.

Now, social networking does come with a lot of responsibility and it’s very important for an author to understand the point of social networking. That means you have to look at what you want to share with your readers and with the world as a writer. It also means you have to be able to control your emotions in the event something negative is posted about yourself. There have been plenty of times in recent years where an author has tried to respond and attack a bad review or comment made which in turn can really damage an author’s reputation. Aside from that, a writer’s job is to write. Very important that as a writer you make sure you don’t get lost social networking social, which can be very easy to do!

But in today’s publishing world social networking probably the most form of communication and marketing author can do.

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Genre - Western/ Christian Romance

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with  Claire Charlins on Twitter

Website http://clairecharlins.wordpress.com/