Need Help with Twitter? Free Webinar!

Hi everyone, just wanted to briefly pop in and mention that I’d like to invite you to sign up for a free webinar that’s going to occur this Wednesday. The webinar, led by Eric Glazer from Marketing Studio with three other professionals, is about “Leveraging Twitter to Grow Your Small Business.”

We’ve already got quite a few attendees, and I’d really love it if you joined us. My portion of the panel will be for business-to-customer relationships, and I’ve got a lot to share with you. Also, I’d like to point out that there is a Q and A section at the end of the webinar.

Sign Up for the Free Small Business Twitter Webinar.

Thanks to Elliott over at Good Plum for recommending me to speak on this webinar geared toward small businesses.

Hope you can make it!

March 9, 2009
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Remember, Social Media is about Being Social

Twitter. Facebook. MySpace. Forums. Messengers. There are a ton of tools out there that fall within the purview of “social media,” and a glut of articles telling you how to use them and what the “rules” are. In one article you might read that you’re supposed to use Twitter this way; in another, you might learn that you should only use MySpace if you’re a musician or under twenty-five.

The one thing that all of these social media tools and platforms have in common is the ability to have good conversation. What is “good conversation”? Well, that’s really up to you to decide, but I can tell you what it isn’t. Conversation does not occur when you talk “at” someone, it occurs when you talk “with” someone. It’s not just about one person’s profile, it’s about sociology and how people interact with one another, which can be challenging to remember because you don’t “see” the person you’re conversing with. You just “see” their comments or their replies.

I know a lot of writers, business owners and other folk out there engage in social media because you have something to sell. That special “something” could be your expertise, your product or your services. I absolutely agree that promoting yourself using these free channels is a great idea, but I also think that the “selling” is a bit overused and the pitch is getting lost and ignored. Why? Because social media is getting over-saturated with promotions that don’t offer anything of value to the reader. Coupons, free trials and such are one thing, but asking people to “buy your book” or “friend me” without doing anything for that person in return gets to be a bit annoying after a while. (Cue *sound effect* thanks to @strangeshe.)

Think this might be you? Take a minute and look at the content you’ve provided in your tool of choice. Are you only promoting yourself? Are you asking people to promote you without asking anything in return? Or are you getting to know the people in your network by following the social “rules of engagement” on that platform?

Oh, no. You just realized that you’re one of those people? Don’t worry! If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, try engaging people in discussions about topics that have nothing to do with your work or what you’re selling. By establishing common ground with someone, your “followers” and “friends” will get to know you as you and will help you out when you least expect it on-or-offline.

So why not get started today and become your own social media expert. Get to know the people in your network. You never know what kind of conversation might turn up!

March 9, 2009
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Lessons in Personal Branding: Day Four

In today’s tips about nurturing your personal brand, I’d like to share with you some more tips that I hope you’ll find useful to your career as a writer.

16. Try Not to Hold a Grudge

Have you ever been in a situation where another writer said something nasty about you? What about a project that you’ve worked on for years but never got paid? It is extremely easy to get into situations where two people engage in grudge matches, especially when one (or the other) party ceases communication.

There is no magic bullet to avoiding a grudge with someone because sometimes, there is a legitimate reason why someone would feel the way they do. I try very hard to keep open lines of communication as much as possible and (while some people don’t) I do believe in resolving serious issues face-to-face or on the phone whenever possible. My philosophy is that life is way too short to be miserable. Grudges, unfortunately, affect more than just the two parties involved. Resolve your differences, even if you “agree to disagree” so you can remain a professional.

17. Engage in Friendly Competition

Writing can be very competitive, so why not turn that into a fun activity? Have a writing “word count” contest with your peers or generate some friendly “plot seed” competitions to spark your creativity. If you’re a very competitive person, sometimes the answer to satisfying your natural tendency is to look for healthy ways to compete with your peers in a friendly way rather than alienate them.

Unhealthy competition can be pretty dangerous because you can open yourself up to a lot of criticism — especially if you target other writers in your field. The thing to keep in mind about competition is that it’s natural to wonder if you’re “better” than another writer. That thought used to hit me when I was a lot younger, but I’ve since learned it’s pretty silly to think that way. There are PLENTY of writing opportunities to go around. Even if you wrote four books a year, think about how many are released through publishers every month!

18. Keep in Mind Editing is a Separate Skill

Did you know that there are as many forms of editing as there are writing styles? If you ask ten different people what editing is, they’ll probably tell you ten, different things. From content editing to proofreading, editing encompasses a broad range of skills that require a sharp eye.

I like to think about editing in this fashion: If a writer creates content, it’s an editor’s job to polish the content so it shines. It’s often very hard for a writer to edit his (or her) own work for that reason. Sometimes, you’re just too much in love with the words you’ve written to be able to see errors.

For more about editing, you can read these previous posts I had written:

19. Write What You Enjoy Writing

Have you ever gotten a gift that you absolutely hated? Were you enthusiastic about what you received? As any writer will tell you, sometimes it’s really hard to focus on assignments that are an absolute chore to complete. When you’re happy writing what you want to write, you’ll not only end up writing more than what you had originally intended, the quality will often be better as a result. That’s a product any writer can be proud of!

20. Read Blogs, Books by Other Writers

One of the ways that you can keep in touch with other writers is to support what they’re working on. From blogs to novels, I can’t stress enough how invaluable it is to read other publications. Staying on top of book trends or blogs can help foster discussion, provide you with a basis for better decision-making, help you brainstorm and more!

I find that reading books and blogs by other writers helps ensure that I have multiple perspectives on topics, which is essential to intelligent decision-making for anything I do in business. These multiple perspectives ensure that I’m optimistic and realistic about my writing and how I approach myself as a “brand.”

First Three Days in this Personal Branding Series for Writers

February 26, 2009
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Lessons in Personal Branding: Day Three

Welcome to Day Three in this series about how to develop your brand as a writer. I’ve added Day One and Two to the end of this post, just in case you missed reading them. Don’t forget, your comments are appreciated!

11. Be Kind to Other Writers

I can’t stress this point enough: Please, remember to be kind to other writers. The writer that you support today may turn into your friend, your editor or your biggest fan. The writer that you share a kind word with today may find the energy to keep their creative juices flowing, which is something that’s great for all writers and creative minds.

If you seek out other writers to share your positive thoughts, I firmly believe that you should do so because you want to do it and not because you expect other writers to turn around and help you. That old adage “do unto others as you would have done to you” has definitely proven to be true for me. I look at other writers as a means of support and community. Who understands the solitary craft of writing better than another writer? Who “gets” those little milestones better than someone else who is trying to succeed just like you are?

12. Take Care of Yourself

Whether I want to admit it or not, one of the things I’ve learned is that maintaining a professional appearance includes more than just developing a professional persona. It means that you’ll need to dress appropriately for an event and do what’s best for your health. This is a very sensitive topic for a lot of people, and I understand that everyone has very personal thoughts on this subject. I hope that you’ll take into consideration that your physical well-being can have an impact on your career.

I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that writer’s depression is a very real danger of the craft. Sometimes, being a writer means that you are so absorbed in your creative efforts that you forget the world around you. I strongly encourage you to temper those solitary experiences with group activities to ensure that you don’t fall prey to a bout of negativity.

13. Choose Your Battles Wisely

It is very easy to misread a comment sent over email, and it’s next-to-impossible to interpret people’s true intentions on forums where anonymity reigns. Consider choosing your battles wisely, because your efforts leave a “digital footprint” behind. Emails can be resent and forwarded to other people; forums can get really nasty but can remain indexable and searchable on the web for a really long time.

When I get upset, I find a way to get rid of those nasty feelings as quickly as possible. Usually, I rant for about five minutes and then move forward. (Admittedly, I’m not perfect!) I believe that nothing is worth engaging in an online battle of words that will end up getting archived or repeated later. When in doubt, find someone to help filter your thoughts in inflammatory situations to ensure you’re remaining professional.

14. Be Able to Take Criticism

Unfortunately, not every editor or reader will watch what they say about your work. Some people are very harsh critics while others are not. The trick to dealing with criticism and editors is to not take their words personally, even if they come across as abrasive and arrogant. When someone offers a critique about your writing, usually they are making suggestions based on what you’ve written — not your skill as a writer.

Learn to be gracious toward editors and readers regardless of whether or not you agree or disagree with their comments. It’s hard (believe me I know) but if you can master this skill it can really go a long way toward enhancing your reputation. I also believe that if you are receiving very harsh criticism from a fellow writer or other professional, if their comments are important to you don’t hesitate to ask them for clarification. This is a very challenging field to get involved with because many writers regard like-minded professionals as competition. When I first started writing professionally I used to be one of those writers, but I’ve since realized how destructive that attitude is.

15. Treat Every Fan With Respect

After going to multiple conventions over the years, I’ve seen my share of awkward moments. There’s been times where fans are so nervous they stand in front of their favorite writer like a deer in highlights. I’ve seen other moments where a writer stands in a large, empty room and only five fans have shown up because everyone is off engaging in another last-minute activity.

I’ve had my share of moments when I was a “fan” too, like when I met Timothy Zahn. At the time Mr. Zahn was the overseeing editor for over thirty novels written in the Star Wars extended universe. I was okay at first, but then when I realized that this one man was responsible for wrangling multiple writers in an ever-expanding universe that he had to track all of the details for? Let’s just say I didn’t walk away feeling as if I acted professionally.

When you meet someone that’s read your work, treat them with respect. They may ask you questions, they may giggle uncontrollably or they might want to take your picture with them. Whether you have an audience of one or a hundred, meeting your fans face-to-face is a HUGE deal and what you say will have a lasting impression on them.

Previous Lessons in My Personal Branding Series

February 25, 2009
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Lessons in Personal Branding: Day Two

Did you enjoy yesterday’s post where I introduced this week’s blog series on how to develop your personal brand as a writer? If you missed it, here’s the link: Lessons in Personal Branding for Writers: Day One.

Here are the next five tips in this series about nurturing your professional reputation and developing a professional brand:

6. Be Transparent

This tip goes hand-in-hand with developing a brand presence. From conventions to blogging, I’ve found it’s important to be transparent about your writing goals and intentions. As an online marketer, I can’t tell you how many examples I’ve seen where even the slightest “omission” of information has backfired on businesses.
You see, in today’s internet age it’s exceptionally difficult to be anything but yourself — especially if you’re using free tools to promote yourself and your writing.

I’ve found that being yourself both online and offline, you add a touch of personalization to your brand as an author. Being transparent does not necessarily mean that you should disclose everything to your fans and readers. What you offer them is definitely your choice and, as some notable writers have found out, you may want to think carefully before you post personal information or industry-facing discussions.

For me, I’m very careful about what I post online because I also have a “day job.” Everyone has their ups and downs, but blasting that information for all the world to see may work against you in today’s competitive environment. One way to ensure that you know how businesses perceive you online, is to set up a Google Alert. Not only is it free, it’s also a great way to stay on top of discussions and trends, too.

7. Follow-Through on Your Promises

It’s easy to make promises to people if you’re excited as I am about writing. Unfortunately, the road to procrastination and missing deadlines is paved with great intentions. Enthusiasm is great as long as you’re able to temper your excitement with a little touch of reality. If you promise to submit a story to an editor by a deadline or say that you’re going to review someone’s book, try to keep your promises.

Because I have a day job and other non-writing commitments, I used to misjudge how long it would take me to work on a project or do a favor for another writer pretty frequently. Once the holidays passed, I made it a goal to wrangle my commitments and make sure I followed through on the things that I said I was going to do. Now that I’ve been stuck inside for most of the harsh winter here, I’ve been able to get caught up on a number of projects so I can start writing what I want to write and helping out where I can. Following through on promises is a hard lesson for any writer to learn, and I have to say that it’s not easy. I’m not one hundred percent there yet — but I’ve made some serious headway.

8. Respond to Contacts in a Timely Manner

Are you blowing past a deadline? Committed to a short story you just can’t finish? Don’t want to work on a story but haven’t figured out a way to politely back out from your contract? When you get emails from publishers big or small, don’t forget to shoot an email back to them. Seriously. I don’t care if you’re as “famous” as Steven King or if you haven’t published anything before, burning bridges is not a good idea in any industry. In my experiences, there is no easier way to burn a bridge than to neglect your email correspondence, especially if you’re active in other public places online.

When I realized that I was falling behind on email, I took a day to get caught up. After going through 1,200 emails, I can’t tell you how upset I was when I realized I had blown people off accidentally. I used a variety of email filters to help tame my monstrous “in box.” I set these filters into two hierarchies based on action and subject matter. The actions help me respond when I need to; and the subjects help me keep topics of conversation straight.

For tips on how to turn down projects, read my post about sample phrases to politely turn down assignments. I also talked about how you can communicate more effectively when I outlined some new year’s resolutions for writers, too.

9. Don’t Expect Everyone Will Love Your Writing

Oh, this is a really hard lesson to learn. Just because you’ve successfully published something doesn’t mean that every reader out there will enjoy what you’ve written. If a reader enjoys reading fantasy books, it doesn’t mean that they will love every fantasy book on the market. When it comes to books, movies and other entertaining media, a fan’s preferences might be all over the board. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you didn’t do your job as a writer, it means that the reader just didn’t like it.

When I think about all the people who’ve read and commented on my writing, I’m thrilled to hear that some people love what I do. Of course, there are people that absolutely hate every word I write and admittedly that doesn’t make me very happy. My goal is to embrace the readers that are somewhere in the middle, without ignoring the other two groups.

10. Cherish Every Publishing Milestone

No matter what your publishing goals are, remember that in order to be a writer you have to learn patience. Many writers grow their career bit by bit, and rarely experience a surge of success all in one indescribable moment. Instead of getting upset because “you’re not there yet,” start celebrating what you do have. Do you have a blog? GREAT! Can we read your short stories in an anthology? WONDERFUL. Jump up and down for joy because each and every milestone is important!

I learned this lesson the hard way when I had a really tough time of things this past fall. After going through some professional rough spots, I chatted with some of my peers and received a big wake-up call. I realized that if I kept staring at that glass “half-empty” I’d cease to enjoy my writing. How great would my writing be if I didn’t love what I do?

Thanks for sticking with me in this series about developing your personal brand as a writer. I hope you’ll join me tomorrow for the next five tips.

Have a wonderful day!

February 24, 2009
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