I honestly don’t know how some authors do it. It seems like they’re everywhere all at once. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Twitch, MySpace, Arpanet, the Moon, and lurking around my basement. Social media icons litter their websites like bugs around a street lamp. Half the time I’m like, “No, I’m not going to find you at the pink walrus wearing a hat. I don’t even know what that is.”
Keeping profiles up-to-date is a full-time job in itself. The most successful authors are able to outsource the task, but the majority of us are nowhere near famous enough to hire a PR staff. We maintain our own personas like the dirty proles we are.
My website footer links to various profiles, but doesn’t tell the full story. Having an account doesn’t mean much if you never use it. For me, saying “find me on Goodreads” is about as useful as saying “find me in Greenland.” I may have an office there (crap, I’ve said too much), but it’s a dank space filled with cobwebs. You can send me a message, but I likely won’t see it until after the next Olympics.
So the question arises: where can you find me? Thankfully, the answer is much simpler these days. There was a time when my online persona was spread too thin, but I have since rectified that problem. So if you would like to say hello, here are the best places.
It’s not uncommon for authors to ignore their websites in favor of social media. I’m on the extreme end of this spectrum because I work as a Web Developer and actually enjoy diving into code. I am constantly tweaking and adjusting this site to improve its SEO, which means that I am rarely removed from my domain email. Thus, the best way to reach me is through the contact form on my homepage.
The second best way is through my newsletter, because members are welcome to reply with questions and comments. I read them all and happily respond, which has created a glorious fan community. I put a lot of effort into crafting these mailers and look forward to the replies. It’s like having a bunch of thoughtful pen pals all around the world. The resulting chats always make my day, so keep ’em coming.
I include these sites because I access them on a regular basis. If you post a review on either, chances are high that I will see it by the end of the day. You can’t do much other than follow my profile (which I encourage you to do), but I keep my info current in both places. I spend a lot of time on Amazon because I need to manage ads and run reports. My author page also reads my RSS feed, so you can see my latest blog posts.
I am not a fan of Goodreads. I am only there because Amazon owns the platform and auto-populates its database, which forces me to maintain an author account. Otherwise, I would have nothing to do with it. The reasons are plenty, from the terrible interface to the endless trolling. Goodreads has a lot of potential, but its current state leaves much to be desired. At this point, I only login to update book details.
Nowhere Else
I am not on any other platform, nor do I plan to be.
And there you have it, a digital roadmap of where I roam inside the ether. This post will serve as a virtual compass, which I will update as needed. But given my disdain for the social media landscape, I doubt that it will require much attention.
Read more:
No, I’m Not on Facebook (And No Author Should Be)
I Have Slayed the Twitter Dragon (And Bid Farewell to Social Media)
Rethinking Author Branding: Why Social Media is Marketing Poison
