Social Networking on the Internet

MySpace, Friendster, Gather.com, Facebook, Xanga.


Chances are you have heard of at least one of these or other online networking sites. Their growing popularity is really testament to their user-friendly qualities and the proven benefits of being engaged with others over the internet.


These sites allow for a unique, multimedia way to interact with readers and fellow writers. Many of these networks, among several other amenities, provide the user space for a personal profile which you can make as specific as you wish, or even create pseudonymously.



The way the online networks are set up, users (sometimes even non-network members) may browse the members' pages with the option of actions such as commenting on a photo or entry, emailing that member, seeing who else visits that page, and creating links from that page to other members' pages.



There are many online social networks to choose from with varying drawing points to each. Let me offer a very brief survey of the biggest social networks. MySpace attracts a variety of ages, but appeals strongly to a younger audience. MySpace offers plenty of space to upload material in a varitey of ways including video clips and sound files. Friendster also seems to have a user base similar to the MySpace population (generally ages 18-35) but has a slightly more refined search engine allowing members to search the pages for interesting contacts. Xanga (xanga.com) is unique in that it offers web-rings within a site through which people can sign up by invitation to read your work. Live Journal has a large number of members who write and an even larger number of those who read. In Live Journal, you can add a "tag" to your page that aids in directing to your site users searching for your topic. Gather.com is a community of people who generally fall into the 30-60 age range with a very strong writing focus. Gather offers space for posting your writing and gaining critiques from other writers.



Social networking sites generally have members who are very active on the internet, posting in web forums and blogs often. This means heightened exposure for you. The more people visit your site, the more connections you make, which translates ultimately into others stopping at your site to look around, read an excerpt, and buy your book.

To get your help with your personal online marketing plan visit www.millcitypress.net or click on the title of this entry.

The New Community: The Blog

Creating a personal blog to promote your book online is one of the best ways to market yourself and your work. Not only are most blog hosting sites free, they offer so much more than just space for information on the internet.

If you create a blog, you are automatically entered into an online community, a network of people all over the globe who will see your posts, photos, and whatever else you can imagine to enhance your blog space. With a variety of blogging hosts to choose from, you could enter a community of people of all ages and interests, or you can find one that is slightly more focused in what brings its users to the network. Being connected to others offers a wealth of advantages: think job opportunities, links on their blogs to yours, international interest, perhaps even helpful pointers from people who have been where you are in the book selling or publishing process.

For blog visitors, you have many options on how to entice them and keep them coming back for more. People who have really been captivated by a book usually want to find out more about the author, the book itself, or about other writings the author has done. A blog can keep organized and archive all of this and whatever other categories of information you wish to make available to your readers. Also, blogs that are updated frequently are more likely to be found by major search engines; it is fortunate that it is easy to compose and edit your posts, so that you may contribute as often as you like. As in many well-regarded journals and magazines, you could feature excerpts from your book serially to keep yourself posting regularly and to keep readers wanting more.

Other helpful features are things like visitor counters to monitor how much traffic your blog has received; the capacity to send and receive comments about a particular post; you can also set up a PayPal account to sell books personally through your blog rather than having a chunk of your profit taken through selling with an online retailer.

Blogs are a simple and very effective way to gain exposure to a wide audience.

If you have published through us, visit www.millcitypress.net to find out how we can help you set up a blog.

Have a Plan

As an author you spend months pouring over the computer screen perfecting every word. Every thought must be concise and directly related to the destination you want your reader to arrive at. You get ideas at the most inopportune of times and quickly jot down the contents of your mind on a cocktail napkin before rushing off to the comfort of your laptop. Nothing is calm until your thoughts are entirely spilled into the word processor! You fantasize about book sales and the distinguished "best selling author" title on your book. You are determined to create the perfect work of art.

Let me ask you this though, what good is that perfect accumulation of words and thoughts if nobody ever reads them? You need a plan.

Once your book is completed, who is going to read it? The more important question is, how are these people going to know your book even exists? The truth is that you will have to find them. You must make a name for your book and get the book "buzzed". There are several ways that you can do this simply from your own home and they include: blogs, social networking, internet advertising, and optimized websites. You can also look into submission into different online databases. The only limits are your creativity.

So you are thinking, okay, they all sound like good ideas but I am not internet savy. Maybe you have never posted a blog or have no idea how a social networking site could possibly increase your sales. I personally have no idea how to replace the spark-plugs in my car or how to perform my own knee surgery. I could certainly guess but what are the chances that I would do a good job? I choose to stick with the professionals. You could guess about how to promote your book but are you willing to live with the consequences?

I suggest consulting with a professional in the marketing industry. At the very least they can help you develop a plan to approach the sales and promotion of your book. The next task is to put this plan into action. If you choose to do this yourself or to enlist the help of a professional you will get exactly what you put into it. Time or money will be required to sell your book. The whole point is that first you need to have a plan. Then maybe you can continue your "best selling author" daydreams...

If you are interested in finding more information about where to find marketing plans or consultations please contact me at: karina@clickindustries.com or 612-455-2290 ext 204.

A Contest for a Publishing Contract?

We are a self-publishing company and believe it is possible to make money and yes, even become a bestselling author by self-publishing your work. Just look at Richard Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad. He started out by self-publishing and has been on the bestseller lists for 5 years running!

But, if your main aim of self-publishing is to attract a top literary agent, and in turn, a traditional publisher for your work, there is a site you should become familiar with. Gather, best described as a MySpace for grown-ups, is growing fast and declares to its users, "It's a place where you can contribute thought, art, commentary, or inspiration." Don't visit Gather expecting blasting music and girls in bikinis (although you may find some).

Gather is looking for you. Specifically, they are looking for you to write content, content that generates discussion. Based on the interest discussion, they will even share a small portion of their ad revenue in the form of GatherPointsTM. Could it get any better?

Yes, well, it can. The Gather First Chapters Writing Competition has just been announced. For novelists looking for their big break, winners receive the following:

• a publishing contract with Touchstone/Simon & Schuster

• a $5,000 cash prize from Gather.com

• promotion and distribution by Borders

Visit firstchapters.gather.com for more information on the contest, rules, and deadlines.