SOCIAL MEDIA—CHANGING FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT

by Jean Joachim

Keeping up with the changes in social media seems like a full time job. Facebook used to be a great place to rope in readers and boost sales but not anymore. Now, I‘m told, Pinterest is more valuable. I wouldn‘t know because I haven‘t had time to master that medium yet. I have tweeted a bit but not really gotten into that, either.

Yes, I‘m behind the times, but I get the feeling even after mastering the next social media phenomenon, I‘ll be left in the dust fifteen minutes later. So I hobble along with the social media I‘m most comfortable with: Facebook and Blogging.

I‘m convinced that blogging attracts real readers as there is something more to read than a few words. A blog gives you a chance to showcase your creativity, humor and brevity. That‘s right, I don‘t believe in long blogs, long excerpts or long blurbs. Shorter is better as so many are pressed for time and want to get the essence of what you‘re saying quickly.

That‘s a great exercise for a writer, trying to get so much across in so few words. Helps to create tighter writing and makes you more conscious of every word. ―”Hmm, do I really need that word?”  Half the time the answer is ―no.

Blogging also allows you to choose your topic. Reveal some aspects of yourself that people don‘t know about or do something outrageous, like write about the color red. Or even start a story, write a continuing story or showcase a new book before it‘s published. A blog can be so versatile.

The key word here, I think Eloisa James emphasized this in her talk to the RWA/NYC Chapter in May, is comfort.

Select a social medium you‘re comfortable with. The more at ease you are with what you‘re doing, the better your communication will be. So whether you‘re pinning, tweeting, posting on Facebook or blogging, do it often, master it and, above all else, keep writing.♥



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Jean Joachim is the author of numerous books, including SUNNY DAYS, MOONLIT NIGHTS; NOW AND FOREVER; THE MARRIAGE LIST; and MEMORIES OF LOVE, part of her Hollywood Hearts series. To learn more about Jean, visit her website www.jeanjoachimbooks.com or her blog at http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com. Friend her and follow her at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Joachim-Author/221092234568929?ref=ts&fref=ts and @jeanjoachim.