I’ve had a whirlwind of a few weeks since the New Year turned over. I want to thank you all for the kind comments on last week's post. I'm truly humbled.
Since signing with my agent, Mary Sue Seymour, I’ve been really thinking about social media—promoting author friends, the craft, and myself. Up to this point in my writing journey, I really didn’t need to promote myself—just connect. As I take another step forward, I find that I must start considering all the options available to me.
Baby steps…baby steps.
Up to now, I didn’t feel that I needed an author Facebook page. Soon after I began blogging, I began to get requests on my personal fb page from fellow authors and followers. I had to politely decline the requests. The family rule was that my personal Facebook is for immediate friends and family only. I had promised my husband and kids that I wouldn’t allow everyone in on my personal page. They felt that if I did, they couldn’t be themselves with strangers looking in on our lives. I was worried to allow it because I’m a private person when it comes to my real life—and my kids.
Well, last night I finally did it. I now have a Facebook “author page” of my own. I don’t have to worry about my writing life mingling with my private life. It’s new and under construction, but it’s there—I know you can feel that shameless plug coming—wait for it…wait for it—I hope you will visit my brand new Facebook author page:
Loree Huebner, Author & click “like”.
I feel like I’m entering a new phase on my journey. There's so much to learn...
What do you think of having an author fb page? Do you have one? What do you like most about it? Do you have any great tips to offer me to get started on the page? If you don’t have one yet, are you considering it?
Between you, me and the gatepost,
Loree
29 comments:
Good luck Loree. Not being a "facebooker" I can't contribute on this subject.
Ooh, I have lots of tips. If you connect your personal page to your author page, you can "like" other author pages as your author page rather than your personal profile. However, if I like you as my page for example, I don't count as a fan. But you will appear on my author page as a page I like. You can see which "pages" have liked you by clicking on "insights" then "who likes this" then in the pop up box, use the toggle in the top left corner to switch between people and pages. One thing I've noticed is that depending on people's settings, if I comment or post to a page's wall as my page, it may only be visible to the page owner, which means if she's navigating FB as her personal profile even she might not see it! If you want to count as a fan, put your author profile in the info on your personal page so that people clicking back to you will know to go to it.
trout: Thanks for the good wishes.
Sandra: Thank you for the mountain of info! I might be emailing you. Awesome! Now I need to know how to link my fb to my blog?? baby steps..
trout and Sandra, thanks for stopping in. Your comments mean a lot to me.
I'm still trying to conquer FB. One media outlet a time, right, Loree?
Congratulations again, Loree! I will go ahead and like your FB page promptly.
I have an author page on FB, too, but I never quite figured out how to get it to work. May try to do that again soon, lol!
Just popped over there and "liked". :)
I haven't taken the plunge to set up a Facebook page yet. I'll admit I'm a little afraid of the extra time commitment. I'm thinking once I get that elusive contract, I'll dive in. :)
Hey Loree,
I'm heading over there now to "like" your page.
I have set up a page, but I haven't made it public yet. Similar to Sarah, I don't think I'm ready for the time commitment. Blessings on you and your writing.
Emily: Welcome here! I'm with you...one at at time.,
Brandi: Thank you!
Sarah: It is a whole new commitment!
Melanie: I wasn't going to go public, but it got away from me...haha!
Emily, Brandi, Sarah, and Melanie, and all my friends retweeting on twitter - Cynthia, Jill, and Jessica - thanks for your love and support. You guys rock!
Hi Loree! I'm excited about your facebook author page! I have a page that is seperate from my personal account ("Gwendolyn Gage" classed under "writer"). At the moment, I'm only using my writer page as a way for people to connect with my regular blog, and I do most of my facebooking from my personal account. :-)
I have an author page, but it's really just there as a placeholder to reserve it. I started out making updates every now and then, but I think there's little point doing anything with it until, as you say, I have something to promote. I think of Facebook as more what author fans would interact with, rather than trying to build writer friendships. I don't actually have a personal Facebook page, so I'll need to get my head around it if/when I finally have a need to get serious.
I liked your page. And good for you for taking this next step. I have a Facebook account, but it's for both personal and writing stuff. I was just talking with my hubby about whether or not I need to make a separate page further down the road. We'll see when I get there :)
I popped over to Facebook, and Liked your page. :)
Headed over there!
Loree, I liked it and tweeted it. So my question for you is, are you on Twitter? I was the biggest skeptic, but it's become a necessity in building relationships online.
Gwen: Thanks! I didn't know if the time was right. I started fooling with it and it just happened...lol.
Charlotte: You're right. There are two sides to this coin. Right now, I think it will be a nice way to link my blog to people on fb who don't blog - like my mother in law.
Cindy: Thanks for liking the page! I just promised my family not to open my personal fb page up to everyone...but I had to do something because I kept getting friend requests from writer and reader friends. I asked my hubby, and he said he thought it was time.
Susan: Thanks! You are a sweetie!
Gwen, Charlotte, Cindy, and Susan,
thanks for stopping in and commenting. You guys are awesome!
Rosslyn: Thank you!!! and thanks for the sweet tweet. Yes I'm on twitter @LoreeHuebner. I've been on twitter for a while now...very important in platform building.
Thanks so much for stopping in and your support, Rosslyn!
I don't have an author page yet, but probably will get one if I get an agent/publishing deal.
:-)
Ah, the baby steps, baby steps into social media. That's the only way to do it, Loree. Believe me, you'll never feel like you're doing enough --and if you're not careful, all your word count will be wasted on tweets and FB comments.
And, yes, I have both a personal and an author FB page -- but the author FB page is relatively new too.
;o)
You are entering a new phase! And it's such a good one! I'm headed to your facebook now:)
Congratulations on your new FB author page. I keep debating whether to do this. I created a FB page for each of my books, which has been great, but I wonder if creating an author page on top of these is overkill.
Just "liked" it! :) My author page is pretty new, so I'm still figuring it out.
Misha: and you WILL get that deal!
Beth: It is baby steps. One thing at a time. I'm so lucky to have such great support from other authors - like yourself - and the readers/followers, family, and friends. Love you guys!
Deana: Thanks Deana! I'm thinking good thoughts for you.
Cynthia: Thanks Cynthia! I don't know if it would be overkill. You should think on it.
Stacy: It's all new isn't it! Hubby and I liked your page.
Misha, Beth, Deana, Cynthia, and Stacy, as always, thanks for stopping in here, and thanks for your love and support!
Great idea to separate your writing FB with your personal FB. Right now I have friends on my personal FB along with my relatives, and it's confusing. LOL I will go off and Like your page, now!!
Ooh, I just saw your agency button on the side of your blog and got all excited again!
I've awarded you with "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award" over at my blog. Congrats!
Carol: A long time ago, my family said that we couldn't mix the two. We must keep personal from public. Hey thanks for the advice on the fb page. I did link it from the other one.
Gwen: AAAAAHHHH~YAY! another award! Thank you, Gwen!
Carol and Gwen, thanks for stopping in! You guys are awesome!
I "liked" you. Saw it on twitter and I also "liked" Brandi! I had no idea she had a fb page either!
I have a page and I upload my blogs on there and occasionally ask reader type questions or make comments. I'm not sure how to use it just yet without an actual book to promote. I do want to keep it reader/writer focused so I don't have to do that on my friend page!
Congrats, Loree. :)
Congrats, Loree! You are officially LIKED by me. Well, you have been liked as long as I've known you, but you know what I mean. :-)
Jessica: Great idea! I think it should be writer/reader focused.
Lynda: Thanks! I liked you too! haha.
Jess and Lynda, thanks for popping in. It's always a pleasure to see your comments.
Good for you, Loree.
Yes, I have an author page and a page for my book, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top.
I use my author page to post newsy items and questions pertaining to writing, and my book's page to post quotes from the book, and thoughts on grace.
I was sooo confused by Sandra's comment--I may have to email her, too!
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