The pros and cons of getting noticed on Twitter

[Brian Clegg]

There's a lot said about authors needing social media platforms. I have plugged away at social media for several years - I'd say it doesn't have a huge impact, but it does give a degree of connection with readers, and potential new contacts, and is worthwhile as long as it doesn't take up too much time.

Of the two I tend to prefer Twitter - I've never done anything to build up followers, but they have gradually risen to around 1,450 - compared with a couple of hundred likes on Facebook - and people seem significantly more likely to retweet that to repost on Facebook.

I found this happening graphically this weekend. Yesterday morning, I put out this tweet on my way to give a 'How to write a popular science book' event at the Guardian.

By the following afternoon it had been seen by over 70,000 people and retweeted nearly 800 times. (Not to mention featuring in the London free newspaper, the Metro.)

I think my 15 seconds of Twitter fame has quite a good lesson for using Twitter as an author. If you want to get a reasonable amount of reach, make the majority of your tweets fun, interesting, quirky - but not self-promoting. And when people comment, engage with them. When you occasionally slip in a tweet about your books it's more likely to be tolerated that someone who constantly yells BUY MY STUFF. But don't expect that you'll get a lot of return from any individual tweet - even a far-reaching one like this.

It's a slow, steady burn.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

One can see which agents are currently looking for what, on Twitter.

 

[Brian Clegg]

Yes - it's certainly useful for information gained for others - I do this all the time with science bodies, science writers etc - but I was thinking here of its role as that dreaded term a 'platform'.

 

[Carol Rose]

I agree with you, Brian. I've built up over five hundred likes on my Facebook author page not by asking for them, but by engaging with my readers on my profile page about anything and everything. And yes, I do use both for promo, but I also use them to simply talk to people. Everything I post on the author page gets tweeted automatically, so I don't have to do double work. But when people tweet back to me, I get an email notification, and I do respond to those. It's not only about letting them know your work is out there. It's about connecting with them as people.

And well done on the tweet and resulting stats! Very impressive!

 

[James Marinero]

A great example of why it's important to have a phone with a camera - and have it with you, wherever. You're sure to get a call about invasion of privacy or image rights . . I hate phones, but have 2...

 

[Brian Clegg]

You're sure to get a call about invasion of privacy or image rights . . I hate phones, but have 2...

I don't think so. (Or at least I hope not.) The two possible legal issues are photography on the tube and personal privacy. London Underground says personal photography is fine as long as you don't use a flash or tripod. On privacy, it's acceptable under the law to take pictures of a scene that includes people without their permission as long as there is not a reasonable expectation of privacy - for instance in their garden.

 

[AgentPete]

As an aside, it’s also a useful way to find out what people are saying about you / your work etc. About twice a year, some bright spark tries to appropriate the “Litopia” name, and Twitter has been key to discovering this.

 

[Brian Clegg]

As an aside, it’s also a useful way to find out what people are saying about you / your work etc. About twice a year, some bright spark tries to appropriate the “Litopia” name, and Twitter has been key to discovering this.

I use an app called Mention (see details here) which alerts you to mentions of key phrases online (a bit like Google alerts, but works much better). It's free if you don't go mad on search terms, and very handy.

I've just done a blog post on the lessons (if any) that can be drawn on authors using social media.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Platform so far, no cons yet. A bit of spam. Pros, blog visitors, some customers and some contacts.

 

[EPHahn]

I have yet to create an author fb page, but have recently taken to my twitter account with fervor and found the return to be encouraging. It's a fantastic medium for networking with other writers with little effort. I have a blog that I created to go along side my novels and to be honest, it had very little return for the amount of work involved. While I am writing and editing, twitter seems the way to go.

 

[AgentPete]

I was on FB in the early days. Really didn’t like the voyeuristic feelings it engendered. Since then, there’s been a study or two claiming it ain’t great for mental health, which comes as little surprise to me. And what did Zuck call his users? Oh yes, I remember...

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Then there's LinkedIn, mostly a soggy mush. It did bring me one £3k contract, though, writing stuff for a new Tarot app.

 

[AgentPete]

I wanted to like LinkedIn more than I do. Feels like it's mostly for middle management?

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I'd say so, and heading steadily more stupid-wards. Stage32 might reward strategic use.

 

[James Marinero]

I'm an infrequent Tw#tter. Interesting post here on Twitter hashtags for penpeople. http://www.garymclaren.com/best-hashtags-for-indie-authors-in-2015/

 

[Marc Joan]

I put a lot of effort into LinkedIn for my day-job. Hideous. Lots of people shouting 'me, me, me'.
Twitter - never again.
Yet to try FB.

 

[AgentPete]

Lots of people shouting 'me, me, me'.

For me, that is really the great problem with “social media” on the net. There is a crucial difference, not widely appreciated, between expression and communication.

 

[Brian Clegg]

You are absolutely right, Peter. Unless you regard social media as a conversation, rather than a broadcast of ME, you have problems. I find it works well, but I do this by mostly just posting interesting stuff. (Well, stuff I find interesting, which probably isn't the same thing.) Sometimes you hit lucky like my Loki tweet, which has now been retweeted 1,400 times - more usually it's just like mentioning something interesting at a watercooler and getting a couple of responses. Of course I do occasionally mention my books - but infrequently enough that most people don't mind.

It's the same reason that back in 2003 (good grief) I set up www.popularscience.co.uk, a website for popular science book reviews. My reasoning was that not many people would look at a Brian Clegg website (I do have one now, as some actually want to, but it was very unlikely at the time), but a lot more would be interested in popular science book reviews, which gives me an audience who are naturally likely to be interested in my books - but for whom I'm providing a useful service, which is the main reason for going there.

 

[Emurelda]

I was getting to know my characters today - useful, I know - and was thinking if it is worthwhile giving them a twitter account. They have different interests and am hoping to add another dimension to them as they grow. By doing this I will almost live in their shoes...it's a novel technique. Though when I should start this I am not sure. Maybe with a couple of characters depending if they're 'with it'. Or after completing the novel. Not sure.

 

[Jennifer Stone]

I was getting to know my characters today - useful, I know - and was thinking if it is worthwhile giving them a twitter account. They have different interests and am hoping to add another dimension to them as they grow. By doing this I will almost live in their shoes...it's a novel technique. Though when I should start this I am not sure. Maybe with a couple of characters depending if they're 'with it'. Or after completing the novel. Not sure.

Sounds interesting, certainly a possibility worth exploring, I'd try with your MC first to gain interest