WRITERLY WISDOM: Donna M McDine

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Here is another post in my WRITERLY WISDOM series I first ran back in 2013. Five years later, I’ve updated the material and made sure it still applies to today’s writers. Besides sharing the same first name, my next author and I share the same passion for writing as well as the challenge of not letting social networking get in the way of our stories. You can connect with Donna M McDine on her website, (www.donnamcdine.com), or through her blog (www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com). 

 

Social Networking Enough Already…When It Hinders Your Writing
By Donna M. McDine

 

As a society we are bombarded with technology at every angle. Often times overloading our brains with too much information. No matter what type of business world you travel in, it has become a constant buzz of checking our email and voice mail at a frantic pace, and hanging out on social media networks to the point that our face-to-face communication suffers.

Personally, I’ve come to the decision I need to turn off the technology to rejuvenate my creative juices for my writing. When I say turn-off, I don’t mean completely, but with limitations. I always write my first draft of an article or new manuscript long hand with my favorite pen. In my case, my Graf Von Faber-Castell pen. Yes an indulgence but oh so worth it! Using this method to write away from my computer greatly reduces my temptation to check email every 30 seconds and surf various social media networks.

Over the years I have forced myself to get to the task at hand and write first, marketing second (yes, I know many feel social networking is a form of marketing, but when you spend the majority of your time socializing with peers and not connecting with your readers what’s the point?), researching publishing markets and blogging (which is a form of social networking) and in my opinion instrumental in developing one’s platform. How to build your platform is a topic for another day.

It’s wonderful to connect with people through social networking whom you most likely would have never met otherwise, however if you allow social networking to become your “job” you risk valuable writing time that could result in the next “big” book!

Yes, utilize social networking but with responsibility. Do you want to concentrate on honing your writing skills and writing the best manuscript possible or have hundreds of thousands followers on your social networks with no concrete publishing credits to show for your efforts? You decide what’s important to you. I made my decision to get out from behind my computer and engage in-person with members of my community who are instrumental in getting the books in to the children’s hands, librarians, teachers, parents, after school program directors, etc. The end and continued result is my business relationships have soared.

Good luck and expand your outreach beyond your computer!

 

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Multi award-winning children’s author, Donna McDine’s creative side laid dormant for many years until her desire to write sparked in 2007. With four early reader children’s picture books to her credit, A Sandy Grave (January 2014), Powder Monkey (May 2013), Hockey Agony (January 2013) and The Golden Pathway (August 2010) and a fifth book in the publishing pipeline with Guardian Angel Publishing her adventures continue as she ignites the curiosity of children through reading. She writes and moms from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI, New York State Reading Association and Family Reding Partnership.

 

sandy grave

 

The anticipation of summer vacation can put anyone in a great mood with the excitement of adventures especially at the beach. But what is a group of friends to do when they discover mysterious men poaching whale teeth at the beach? Suggested age range for readers: 8-12

 

Donna L

Hybrid award winning author; aspiring sketch artist; and 4th Degree Senior Certified Taekwondo Instructor. Host of BOOK NOOK REVIEWS. Member of SCBWI. Mom to fabulous son and adventurer delving into the tricky world of indie-publishing.

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