I am in the process of extracting myself from all social engagements including social media and bid farewell (for now) to Facebook and tweet ups. Ahead of me lies the final stretch to the finish of my book the Rocliffe Notes. It got me thinking about the phrase about addiction and how it applies to social media - what a great servant social media is but what a terrible master it can be. I am also acutely aware that without social media, I would be without a book deal.
Interestly when I talked to Megan Holland, who looks after all of Rocliffe's social media, she asked could she write a blog about this. Megan Holland is a talented writer and a social media guru - she's the one who posts those wonderfully inspiring writing quotes - so here is her take on the action and distraction behind this medium.
ROCLIFFE NOTES ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WRITING BY MEGAN HOLLAND
There is a strange stigma when it comes to the
gap between social media and writing. I think that a lot of people see it as a
hindrance - and I can understand why. Imagine you’ve closed yourself off in your private writer’s study, phone is disconnected, fingers are
poised to write and suddenly - ‘I think I’ll just check Twitter.’ We’ve
all been there. I work in social media, so I’m there 90% of the time.
So that’s
why I decided it was time to create a comprehensive guide of using social media
to boost your writing and creativity.
Writing can be lonely. It is in itself an isolating art form, which is why so many people turn to collaboration. Twitter is a great place to combat isolation, allowing you to talk to other writers and draw strength from them. Caitlin Moran has spoken before about Twitter as a companion for a lonely day (as long as you don’t let it distract you!). Writers are so open to start a conversation, and are often full of great ideas. See social media as a gateway, allowing you to chat with writers from all over the world.
Sharing your work. I love to use my Twitter as a place to share my blog posts, and find that’s where a lot of my blog traffic comes from. It’s a great place to grow an audience. Nowadays breaking into writing (be it film, tv, stage, books) puts a lot of pressure on the writer to have a persona. If you can establish yourself on the internet, then that’s going to encourage an agent into understanding that you have the capability to publicise yourself - something that is really important.
Finding events and opportunities. There’s something to be said for using Facebook and Twitter to find open mic nights and create small communities of writers. I never thought that being a writer would involve standing on stage and reading a story out, but it’s an example of how much the role of a writer is developing. Keeping an eye on your twitter feed and interacting with people can be the perfect way to find yourself stood on the stage, feeling a little nervous and ready to welcome a world full of people to your writing.
A place to find great recommendations. When my book list is running low, or if I want to try a new film or TV series, I love to ask my followers for suggestions. You can find some absolute gems in there (in fact, one of my blog followers sent me a list of about 30 books the other day and I was absolutely over the moon).
Follow writing blogs and twitters. You’ll find that when you spend your day reading great quotes and opportunities, it’s hard not to want to write some more…
So at the end of the day, social media is a writer’s haven. It’s a safe place, as long as you remember to get out of there and actually do some writing. Speaking of which, Rocliffe has put out a call for Children’s TV writers - so get your pens at the ready and find out more information at www.rocliffe.com.
So at the end of the day, social media is a writer’s haven. It’s a safe place, as long as you remember to get out of there and actually do some writing. Speaking of which, Rocliffe has put out a call for Children’s TV writers - so get your pens at the ready and find out more information at www.rocliffe.com.
Like what Megan has to say - You can find her at her blog, or chatting away on twitter @miggysworld.
Writing Quote of the Week
Susan Cooper (@buzzedition) “Engage, Enlighten, Encourage and especially…just be yourself! Social media is a community effort, everyone is an asset.”
Keep Writing!
