Okay, so a certain friend of mine has been razzing me about my reluctance to join the current milennium, by which I mean joining Facebook. When my women's fiction novel Necessary Arrangements came out in 2007, my publisher asked if I had a MySpace page. Truthfully, I didn't think I had the time for one and wasn't sure most of my audience even used MySpace. My friend and I had a similar conversation about Facebook a few months ago as we anticipated the release of my novel Baggage Claim (which hits stores on May 5!) Well, she called me last week to say, "You know how we doubted many of your target readers were on Facebook? We were wrong--everyone's on Facebook." So last Friday, I bit the bullet.
I spent time inputting info, searching my computer for photos to upload, then friending people, then looking through all their photos and info. I read through the list of people who were in my high school graduating class (nearly 300 of the 400+ grads). There were a few things I had (and still have difficulty) figuring out, but my friends were in double digits by the end of the first day. And then I began getting requests from people I've never heard of--which is in no way a bad thing, but I realized just how quickly and exponentially my little personal community could grown. A weird little personal community. I mean, some of the funny, saavy authors I've met in my decade in RWA write erotica for a living. So they're posting their bookcovers and comments on my wall. Meanwhile, I have a young niece friended and a cousin who's fourteen. Er... Is it really good to have a community that includes your favorite drinking buddy from college and your pastor? Your husband and an old college boyfriend? (These are hypthetical examples, mind you.) It's fascinating and addictive, but also time consuming. If I don't have time to update my own websites and blog, do I have time to receive constant updates like "I am now stuck in traffic on my way to the store." "I am currently at the store and can't remember what I came to get." "I'm in the check out now and, oy!, prices today."
So what about you? Have a facebook page? What do you think the pros and cons are?
Monday, May 04, 2009
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2 comments:
Hey Tanya,
Well, first--friend me! I'm under author elaine on facebook.
I check that and myspace several times per week. Definite pros are finding high school buddies you've lost touch with. Cons are the time involved, and the wall being taken up with games, requests, and surveys.
I've heard some writers keep personal and professional pages separate, though that seems too time consuming.
I like myspace more, I think. If you're on there too, look me up! It's under thewriterscanvas.
Glad you joined-hope to see you next wkd at the GRW mtg.
Elaine
Elaine, I haven't braved myspace--can barely keep up with FB so far! I will not be at GRW because of my daughter's recital...but I will have adorable ballet pics to show next time I see you :-)
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