Controlling the Beast of Social Media by Betsy Ashton

Writers face a daily dilemma: how much time to spend on social media marketing books and how much time in writing new ones. Our agents press us for new manuscripts which have to be written, edited and re-edited before we submit to the agent. Once the agent passes the multi-edited manuscript to the publisher, the writer faces additional edits and proof reads. At the same time as we are preparing the current WIP for publication, we are expected to be working on the next manuscript. The juggling act is worthy of the Ringling Bros center ring.

We are expected to have a presence on social media. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. The next social media fad. Publishers tell us we need a platform we can exploit for book sales. No platform seems good enough. They pressure us to expand, spend more time in social media. Out on speaking engagements we set up. Out on book tours we set up. Out in signing events we set up. Tweet all the time. Post all the time. Blog all the time.

Some writers hit the daily slide into the social media sand trap and emerge hours later or not at all. If I don't set limits, I'll "check my mail and posts on FB" before I begin writing. I'll answer only critical messages, look at the most important posts on my timeline. Oh, look, how cute is that kitten. I love kitties. I respond. Before I know it, I need more coffee. What? Two hours flew by? It can't be.

I decide I'll watch the clock in the corner of the computer screen. Right next to that wonderfully snarky post from one of my favorite FB friends. Someone is following me on Twitter? I have to check out this intelligent person who finds me worthy of a follow. I tweet back, receive a response and trip lightly into conversation that goes nowhere but takes time.

I don't suffer from writer's block. I don't have ADD or ADHD. I love writing, but those snarky Maxine comics must be read.

I put my foot down. No more wasting time. Watching the clock was a failure. I asked my husband for a special present two Christmases ago. I wanted a special egg timer. Mine has blue sand and flows for 15 minutes. When the sand of time runs out, I switch off my wi-fi and get back to work.

Oops. Time's up. What works for you?

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Betsy Ashton is the author of Mad Max Unintended Consequences published in March 2013 by Koehler Books.

Hints to Organize Your Promo

Everyone who knows me knows I don’t think in organized terms. With this in mind, I'm presenting hints for organizing your life to include promotion for your books.
This is in no way meant to be instructions or directions on how to organize your promotion methods. I found out the hard way what every ebook writer learns: the only way to sell books is to market, market. market.

The other big fact is: Selling your book taked time away from your writing.
The solution: organize.
Aaaargh Just the thought makes my stomach ache, but its necessary.
Once I realized I needed to use my time wisely, I made decisions. Here is a partial list of things that helped me.

1. What am I promoting? My books or myself?
   Really important to know to save wasted efforts. It doesn’t make any difference as far as objectives, but  does affect the subject.
2. Where do I go to promote?
   My goodness, the list of places is endless and growing. I got lost in the tangled web of the internet. It takes real dedication to stop trolling and get back to work.
3. Find a network of supportive and like-minded authors.
   I am on several blogs where various authors post. This gives me exposure without the daily expectation.
4. Find how to check how many visitors go to your sites. Are your efforts paying off or a waste of time?
5. Concentrate your efforts.
   I support my fellow authors by following their blogs and found a timesaver: I check the bloggerlist (also worpress and google) daily instead of clicking on each individual blog. Commenting is easy and the numbers add up.
6. Create a blog.
   Focus on something. Writing, interviews, whatever will draw attention.
7. Tweet. I know, I know.
   To make it simple I joined Triberr along with several supportive authors. My followers are growing and the most recent count is over 20 thousand reached. These are people who buy books.
8. Join StumbleUpon.
   Never heard of it? Me neither, but it suggests blogs to people who list interests. Horses, dogs, cowboys, vampires? Click on it. A whole new audience for my books.
9. LinkedIn
   Is a puzzle to me since I’m not looking for an employer, but there I am. It doesn’t take much time and my name is out there on several groups. Connections are growing. Another new audience.
10. Set a time limit.
    I started with one hour a day. Now I’ve divided it into 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the late afternoon.Why? Because morning is my prime writing time. And I have organized my priorities.

Hope these hints help you. I'm willing to add to my list if you have suggestions.

Author Website: http://barbaraedwards.net

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Authors Den: http://authorsden.com/barbaraedwards      
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/barbaraedwards

In Ancient Awakening, Police Officer ‘Mel’ Petersen investigates a death only she believes is murder. By disobeying direct orders from the Rhodes End Chief, she risks her career to follow clues that twist in circles to her backyard and lead the killer to her.

Her neighbor Stephen Zoriak is a prime suspect. Steve worked for a major pharmaceutical company where he discovered a weapon so dangerous he destroys the research. He is exposed to the dangerous organism. He suspects he is the killer and agrees to help her find the truth.

In the course of their investigation Mel and Steve find the real killer and a love that defies death.

www.wildrosepress buy link