Technology and things on the web are constantly changing. Evolving. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the pace of the changes. For writers, the changes mean trying new ways to get the word out about their books and different means of connecting with readers.
Blogging:
I’ve always blogged. It’s fun writing a post and it allows me to write something different from my current work in progress. Some bloggers use their blog post as a way to start the day and ease into writing. Mostly, I don’t post about the business of writing since there are others who do a great job of this already. I’m more likely to mention something random about an interest or hobby, an interesting fact I’ve seen or read in the media, or something relating to the background of one of my books. I also host a lot of other writers and visitors.
MySpace/Facebook/Twitter:
I used to MySpace. It was fun, but some of the pages were unwieldy and graphic heavy. My computer didn’t like the graphics. Hated them, actually! After many screen jams, I decided to move on to Facebook. I like Facebook too, although a few things bug me. The constant changes on the part of Facebook are frustrating. The need to check on security and check/uncheck various settings because of updates and improvements is something that irks many users.
When it came to Twitter, I took baby steps, fiercely resisting the lure for some time. Once I embraced Twitter, it didn’t take me long to release the short messages make for easy interaction with people who live in far flung parts of the world.
Google+:
Now there’s the new kid on the block, Google+. A friend sent an invitation to join, and I signed up last week, curious about what Google+ offers that’s so different from Facebook and Twitter. In Google+ you connect with other people and assign each person to a circle (a little like Twitter’s lists). Each circle is particular to the user so no one knows what circle you’ve assigned them.
There’s a video feature where you can hook up with friends and another section called Sparks where you can follow your interests e.g. sports, crafts, recipes etc. I like this feature a lot.
Here’s the link to Google+ where you will find basic info and can watch videos showing how things work.
Here’s a link to an interesting article about the new Google+
I’m interested in what types of social media you use. These are mine:
Do you blog? Facebook? Twitter? MySpace? Google+? Let me know what you enjoy and make sure you leave your links so I can connect with you. Which ones are your favorites? Also, if you’d like an invite to Google+ let me know in the comments.
