Every Writer Needs Connections

 

By W. Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Wherever you are in the writing world: brand new or experienced every writer needs publishing connections to editors, agents, promoters and their fellow writers. Attending a conference is a great way to be connected but that only happens once a year. How do you get connected at other times?

Within the publishing community, who you know is almost as important as what you know. Yes, it is important to pitch an excellent book proposal or manuscript to the right publisher. As an editor and an author, I also understand people buy (books or manuscripts) from people they know, like and trust. How can you know more publishing people? From my years in publishing, one of the challenges is keeping track of the moving people.

Years ago, one of my six-figure book deals was cancelled because my New York editor had changed companies. My book was orphaned or without an editor directly responsible for my project. It taught me the importance of having a champion within the publishing house for each book.

How does a new author with no connections, begin to get connected to publishing people? Everyone can use a social network which has over 849 million users: LinkedIn. This network is primarily business related and publishing is a business.

To get connected, you need to take several actions:

1. Rework your LinkedIn profile to show your activity in publishing. Do you write for magazines? Have you published books? Or possibly you have some other explicit publishing role such as leading a local writer’s group. If you have these types of qualifications, then add them to your LinkedIn profile.

2. Begin to send connection requests to different people in publishing. These people could be book editors, literary agents, magazine editors, authors and many other roles. In some cases you will want to send them a little personalized message with your invitation. In other cases, you simply send out the generic invitation that you want to connect with the person.

For many years, I received LinkedIn invitations and ignored them. I had very few connections on LinkedIn. Then I began to look at the background of the person and for most people, I accepted their invitation to connect. My number of connections increased and my public profile says the common “over 500 connections.” The real number of my LinkedIn connections, as of this writing, is over 19,400. These connections are varied with many different roles (mostly within publishing) Here’s the critical reason you want to be connected: when I need to reach someone that I’ve not emailed or called in a long-time, I check their LinkedIn contact information.

While there is a lot of movement within the publishing community, when they change positions or companies or physical location, everyone takes their LinkedIn account with them. This account belongs to the individual and is a way to consistently keep up and reach them.

LinkedIn has a lot of other functions as well but being connected and maintaining those connections is one of the basics and best reasons to consistently use this network. Are we connected on LinkedIn? If not, send me an invitation and let’s get connected. 

How are you using LinkedIn? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

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W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

LinkedIn for Writers

"What social media platforms should I be on?"

I get that question a lot.

Want to know what I get even more often? Looks of surprise, when I say the first place you should be on is LinkedIn.

As an author, entrepreneur, or marketer, you really need to be where your people are. Your fans and followers may be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and/or YouTube.

Your associates, peers, mentors, potential partners, and other resources are definitely on LinkedIn.

Since LinkedIn is a business-focused network, it's frequently the first place someone looks for you when you meet, whether it's through a referral or at a live or virtual event. It gives you validity, as you showcase your specialty or expertise. It's also your hub of contacts. If you want to target a new connection - whether it's an agent, a source, or a service-provider - you can look to your network and see who can introduce you.

LinkedIn Basics

Whatever the primary function of your LinkedIn profile, you want to put your best foot forward to your connections.

Your LinkedIn profile offers a snapshot of who you are. It should include:

- Your Profile Photo. This should be a professional (or at least professional-looking) picture, so others have a face to put with a name. This also helps when you meet someone online leading up to a conference. You've already developed a familiarity, so when you meet in person, the connection is even stronger.

- Your Background or Header Image.  This visual branding should match your website/blog. In your header you may want to include images of your published books, your logo, your website, or perhaps a special offer.

- Your Headline. This is the first thing people read about you. It should reflect who you are, what you do, and how you help others. Even as a author of fiction author, you can find value to highlight, such as entertainment or education. If there's room, include a quirky or obscure detail about you. That makes you memorable.

- Featured Content. Under your summary section, as well as the work experiences, there's space to add links and multimedia documents. (There's also a section for Publications and another for Projects.) Any content you have that illustrates who you are, what you stand for, and some of the work you've done deserves to be highlighted. This is also an excellent place to feature your book trailer or any author readings.

- Work Experience. Highlight your job responsibilities and major accomplishments.

- Background and Accomplishments. This ranges from volunteering and education to language and certifications

- Skills. These keywords are what you want to be associated with. Find the best fit for what you are doing and what you want to be endorsed for.

- Updates. Post updates on a regular basis to stay top of mind. This can be general comments, replies, long-form, links, photo, or video. And some users already have the ability to go Live on LinkedIn.

You can post about:

- Your author journey

- Your favorite resources

- Upcoming events

Since LinkedIn is less cluttered that the other networks, there's a bonus reason to interact on the platform: your activity is more likely to be seen.

Other Sites

Beyond LinkedIn you should definitely have business personas on the primary social networks. That means a Facebook Page (and possibly Group), as well as Twitter and Instagram Profiles. If you are visually inclined, you may also want to try Pinterest. And for those into video, YouTube is a must!

The time and energy you put into those networks is an article for another time. What I will tell you is this: whether you're preparing to launch a new website, book, or article series, you need to have your branding on all the social platforms.

- Go to Namechk.com and search for profile names consistent with your company name or branding

- Create Pages/Profiles on each of the main networks.

- Choose one or two social networks to amp up; go into maintenance mode (weekly posting) on the others.

The aforementioned should be in tandem with your activities on Linkedn.

A social media plan helps readers know when to expect content and it helps you to put your best foot forward in the right place!

This is only the tip of the LinkedIn iceberg. Stay tuned for more articles on ways to make LinkedIn work for you as an author.

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How do you feel about LinkedIn? What tips do you have for making the most out of the network? Please share in the comments.

And connect with me on LinkedIn.

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Read last month's post on 5 networking goals you can pursue from home.

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Debra Eckerling is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals. A writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of the D*E*B METHOD and Write On Online, Deb works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages, host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat and #GoalChat Live on Facebook, and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

The Social Media Shuffle

You know how, try as you might, you can't do everything? The same applies to social media. Last month, I wrote about the power of saying no. This month, I'll share how you can say yes to stress-free social media.

A balanced social media strategy is like a going to a dance. You have a main partner - "the one who brung ya" - but you should also spend time with others. You want to hang out with your BFF of course, and then visit with friends and acquaintances whose company you enjoy.

The one must social media platform that everyone should be on - that one "partner" - is LinkedIn. 

Here's why:

- Great First Contact. Since it's a professional business network, when you meet new people, that's usually the first place they want to connect. 

- Made for Intros. If you want to get into a certain company - whether you are applying for a job or a want to submit business proposal - you can look to your contacts and get either a direct or secondary connection intro.

- Less Noise. Since fewer professionals are using LinkedIn to share their expertise, it's more likely others will see your posts and engage with you. Try posting several times a week, and you'll see what I mean.

Being on the platform is not enough. You also need to stand out. For your LinkedIn profile, use a recent picture, a branded background image, and an intro that shows your personality. And make sure your experience sections are filled out, complete with media and links. This will give others an fuller picture of who you are, how you can help, and why you would make a good friend, business partner, or connection.

Choose a Social Media BFF 

On which platform is your audience? Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube? Which interface is most appealing to your personality type. If you are not a fan of video, than YouTube should not be your secondary platform choice. 

The more you like a site, the more often you will engage, and others will engage with you. Choose a truly "social" media site to develop a community. And post on it regularly. 

Make Other Social Friends

Regardless of your favorites, you should have a presence on all of the other main social sites. These are "friends" you visit once or twice a week, sharing links, videos, images. You are basically reminding people you exist in case they need you, your product, or your services.

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In this day and age, social's the thing. But to be truly social. you need to enjoy it the way you would a party. Dance with your partner, catch up with your best friend, and have a quick visit with others. You will be happier than if you try to talk to everyone at the same time, while juggling a large plate of food and your dance partner.

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What is your favorite social media platform? Why? Please share in the comments.

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Debra Eckerling is a writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of The D*E*B Method: Goal Setting Simplified and Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. Like the Write On Online Facebook Page and join the Facebook Group.  Debra is the author of Your Goal Guide, being released by Mango in January 2020, as well as Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages. She is host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat and the Guided Goals Podcast, and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

Social Media SOS

Whether  you love social media - or you view it as a necessary evil to promote your business products and services - some times it takes on a life of its own. 

Take today, for example. Facebook and Instagram were down for most of the day. There was widespread panic on the social platforms. I do some work in social media, and have many friends in that realm, so I probably know more affected people than most. 

Here's the thing. Like any actual - or non-emergent - emergency, there are a few things you can do to stay calm and stay in touch with your clients and prospects in the event of a social media shutdown.

1. Don't panic. If social media management is your business, email or call your clients and let them know what's up. Being proactive - and reminding them that technology isn't always perfect and sometimes, there are glitches out of your control - is much better than ignoring the problem and hoping your clients don't notice. You may even want to remind them that it's likely everyone is affected - including their clients, prospects, readers - so you are all in this together. Treat yourself to a cup of coffee by facing the problem up front.

2. Be present on other social media networks. Seize this opportunity to step up your skills on other social media platforms. For instance, Facebook and Instagram may have had issues today, but Twitter and LinkedIn were doing just fine. A good social-media strategy is a well-balance social media strategy; that means utilizing multiple platforms. If you are not already posting on the main four, use this reminder to step up your game.

3. Unplug. Frustrated by social media? Walk away from it. The problem isn't going away quick enough, so move away from the problem. Here's an idea: Take the time away from social media to embrace being offline. Write an actual on-pen-and-paper thank you note to your clients, jot a note to an old friend. Use the time wisely and surprise someone with a thoughtful act of kindness.

For more on the power of social media platforms, check out the recap from my #GoalChat on this topic.

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How do you balance your social media efforts? Please share in the comments.

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Debra Eckerling is a writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of The D*E*B Method: Goal Setting Simplified and Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. Like the Write On Online Facebook Page and join the Facebook Group.  She is author of Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages, and host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat. Debra is an editor at Social Media Examiner and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

10 Ideas for Social Media Posts

Social media marketing is a must in this day and age. It's important to have an online presence in addition to your website to stay on top of the minds of your readers and clients.

I am frequently asked which are the best social media networks for writers. The easy answer is: whichever sites you are most active on. If you spend time on a social media platform personally, you are more likely to drive conversations on it professionally.

For those who want a tangible answer, I say, LinkedIn is a must, since it is a professional network. It's also less cluttered, so it's more likely your posts will be seen. Second is Facebook. It is hugely popular, continually evolving, and prioritizes the user experience.

Now that we have the where, here are 10 things you can post on social media.

Links:

1. To A Blog Post

2. To Relevant Industry News

3. To Media

4. To Your Upcoming Events

Images:

5. Where You Are and What You Are Doing

6. A Relevant Quote Graphic

Videos: 

7. A Quick Tip

8. A Live Video of You Speaking or Teaching

Text:

9. An Update of Your Latest Project

10. Questions for Your Audience.

Here are some author-friendly options:
- What are you reading (fiction, non-fiction, or both)?
- What are you writing?
- Where is your favorite place to read (or write)?
- How do you find inspiration?
- What is your favorite piece of advice?

Whether or not it's an question post, whenever you share something on social media, include a question at the bottom that encourages them to comment (see below).

One more thing. Unless you have a a huge news site (and unless you are referring to Twitter) you really don't want to publish on your social media platforms more than once or twice a day. The idea is to stay active, so you are on the minds and in the feeds of your friends and fans.

What do you think? Where do you posts and what do you post?Please share your thoughts in the comments. 

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Debra Eckerling is a writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. Like the Write On Online Facebook Page and join the Facebook Group. 

She is author of Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages and host of the Guided Goals Podcast.

Debra is an editor at Social Media Examiner and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

Social Networking the LinkedIn Way by Donna McDine

Social Networking the LinkedIn Way

By Donna M. McDine

I know I know I can hear your disgruntled gulp in your throat, “Yikes, another social network to participate in? No way, no how!” I too feel the same way at times, but definitely not with LinkedIn! I don’t want to bore you with boring statistics, but it’s important for you to know…

• There are over 150 million professionals on LinkedIn.*
• With over 1 million professionals joining each week, hence two professional join every second.*
• Members are 2X more confident with information shared on LinkedIn than any other social site.*
• Members use LinkedIn not only for networking, they are reading business news and studying trends.*

*2012 Social Media Examiner, Mario Sundar              

                                       

Please don’t fade away, these statistics matter to you. With the confidence level of information shared between members this provides an arena to build your expertise through varying networks. Oftentimes authors (as well as other professionals) fall into the rut of networking with only their peers, when we truly need to broaden our scope beyond our colleagues. LinkedIn if used correctly goes well beyond this and the thought process of only being an online resume.

First, if you haven’t already signup and setup your LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com. It’s easy and they provide step by step directions to provide your information. Once you have your profile setup follow these five points to engage with fellow LinkedIn members:

1. Seek new connections daily and send invites. LinkedIn has a fabulous Advanced People Search broken down into several different categories… keywords, title, location, company, school, first and last name, country, and postal code. (i.e., elementary school teachers, librarians, the list is endless).
2. Don’t forget to reply back directly to your new connection once confirmation is received (i.e., I’m delighted to connect with you at LinkedIn and look forward to learning more about you).
3. Research groups of interest the same way for people connections. Join and become active through conversations, questions and answers.
4. Update your status consistently with a course of action for visitors with either a question or interesting news article (i.e., “New Google table to go against Fire” by Michael Liedtke, Associated Press and include link).
5. Engage with fellow members by sharing and commenting on their status updates, send private emails, etc.).

Automating your blog and twitter handle feed is okay, but if you don’t engage personally connections will not feel compelled to engage with you. I know for myself, the constant automation of customer service lines, doctor offices, etc., frustrates me to no end. I want to talk to a live person that knows what they are talking about.

Don’t fall into robot automation. Let your personality shine through cyberspace through consistent engagement. I’m sure you will be pleased with your results. 

Until next time…

Donna M. McDine

Publicist & Award-winning Children's Author

Donna’s Website: http://www.donnamcdine.com
Write What Inspires You Blog: http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

Author PR Services: http://www.authorprservices.com