WRITERLY WISDOM: Donna L Martin

 

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***This is PART THREE of a five part series to uncover some myths about becoming a published author. Make sure to come back next week and find out more insider secrets about the writing industry!***

 

5 Common Myths About Getting Published, Part Three

by Donna L Martin

 

The myths I’ve been uncovering are nothing new and you’ve probably already heard some of them before but it is always nice to be reminded of what is true and what might not be on the path to publication. When I started getting more serious about my writing back in 2010 I felt a bit overwhelmed with everything I had to quickly learn to improve my writing. Then I had to figure out the difference between agents and publishers as well as trying to determine just what they were looking for. By the time someone starting asking me what social media sites I was on and how many followers I had I wanted to scream! If you’ve ever felt like that just take a moment, take a breath, and realize you are not alone. While I was sorting everything out I ran across maybe one of the biggest myths of all…

 

MYTH #3. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A HUGE PLATFORM BEFORE YOU CAN BECOME AN AUTHOR

 

While it’s true an agent or publisher will check to see if you have a website or blog and maybe even a Twitter or Facebook page, they know it takes time to build an “author platform”. Rushing to get as many followers as you can but having nothing to give them in return will only result in leaving a bad impression with your potential readers. There is a general rule of 80/20 when it comes to social networking where you are engaged with others 80% of the time and only promoting yourself or your books 20% of the time. It will also depend on which site you are using as to what you might offer your audience.

Here is a list of all the sites I currently participate in…some sporadically and some on a more day to day basis but all are set up to send me prompts of new posts I might need to be aware of. Probably while I sift through at least two to three hundred emails per day…;~)

WordPress (http://www.wordpress.com)…this is where my own blog, STORY CATCHER PUBLISHING (http://storycatcherpublishing.com) comes from. I switched from Blogger to WordPress last year for one simple reason…it offered me more support and expansion possibilities than any other site I had researched. There are advantages and disadvantages to any one of the sites so take the time to do your research to find which one is best for you. Here are some other free blog sites…

Blogger.com

Penzu.com

Squarespace.com

Tumblr.com

Webs.com

Weebly.com

Wix.com

Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) …I have a personal account and a “fan page” listed under STORY CATCHER PUBLISHING (http://www.facebook.com/Donasdays). My personal account is for anything that interests me and the fan page is for my blog posts, videos or pictures I think my readers might enjoy, and anything writerly. I am also a member of about twenty Facebook communities which include wrters, readers, and people sharing other interests I have and I comment on all of those as often as I can…usually 3 to 4 times a week or more.

LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/story-catcher-publishing-b4a87a39/)  …I use this site for more professional contacts. I have a lot of authors, agents, editors, publishers, librarians, etc. on this account who want to connect with me. I also list my blog posts here.

Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/donasdays/) …I really enjoy fooling around with my Pinterest account and currently have many boards for people to choose from. It’s another place I can post my books, blog posts, and other things writerly as well as giving a chance to see some of my other interests.

Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18279692.Donna_L_Martin). My Goodreads account is full of books I’ve read over the years and is another place where my own books will be listed. I read the discussions but only comment occasionally.

Amazon (www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KA7DS02) …I have an account set up on Amazon through Author Central. It has links to my website and lists all my books.

Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/donasdays)…I list my blog posts, my books, share other writerly posts, and just anything that might interest me.

Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/martindonnal/) …this is my newest account and I’m just learning my way around it.

Some of these social sites I’ve used for years and others for just a couple of months. Yes, social networking takes time. Yes, it requires a lot of participation and some may think it only as a necessary evil. I’m very much a online people person, so I enjoy connecting with others. I love learning new things and participation in these sites give me the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of mindsets as well as other cultures.

From a business viewpoint it expands my platform. I have around 12,000 followers over the various platforms but it didn’t start out that way. While that is HUGE for me, in the publishing world I am still a mere speck on the social networking radar but that’s okay.

I may be tiny but I’m mighty and I’m continuing to get better at this whole social media thing so who knows what might happen over the next year? New authors don’t need to spread themselves so thin. Pick a site or two and get to know the people who hang out there. Comment, repost, engage…be present and allow them to see another part of you.

What social networking sites do YOU use? Do you have a favorite? Let me know in the comments…

 

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donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

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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