Using MySpace to promote writing
Finding new and unique ways of promoting yourself as a writer is always a challenge. However, it appears that more and more writers are starting to take a lesson from indie musicians and other artists by creating a MySpace page.
I began to wonder if this is really an effective tool. There’s been a lot of negative press about the popular social networking site, mainly dealing with child predators. On the other hand, like musicians, writers are artists who need to promote their work in order to get noticed and sell books.
On a personal note, I used to have a MySpace account, but have since deleted it. My main reason for doing so was because I was getting swamped with friend’s requests from people I didn’t even know. It was kinda scary. However, my profile was just a personal one, and I never intended to use it as a way of promoting myself. But I was getting (and denying) requests to be “friends” from teens – and I’m in my twenties.
Using your MySpace profile to promote your writing, however, is a different beast. You are targeting a different audience (a pretty specific one), and the “friends” that you make as a result are potential consumers of your work. For example, if you have a new book coming out and you have 1,000 MySpace friends who stay current on your writing career, that is 1,000 potential buyers for your book. And if that book is self-published, you’re off to a good start.
Here are a few ways to use MySpace to maximize your publicity:
1. Promote your books/other writing. This goes without saying. Whether you have a chapbook of poetry being released or an article in a magazine, you can let your “friends” know about it.
2. Promote book signings and other public appearances. Nowadays, staying in the public eye is a must for writers – if they want their work to sell. If you’re going to be doing a book signing, giving a reading, a lecture or whatever the case may be, you can let everyone in your MySpace network know about it. There’s nothing worse than being the only one to show up at your own book signing!
3. Network with others in your field. Aside from building your own audience, you can find others in your field. Look for like-minded poets and/or other writers who you can build a relationship with. Just a word of caution: make sure your relationship is not one-sided, meaning you’re always asking for favors, but never returning them.
4. Promote your website. You do have your own website with your own domain, right? Make sure your MySpace friends know about it (without spamming them, of course). MySpace should be used as a supplemental marketing tool, not your main one.
5. Post samples of your work. This lets your friends know that you really can write! Post a sample chapter of your book or the first few paragraphs of a short story. Maybe even a poem or two. This also will give people a “taste” of what you can do and should leave them wanting more.
This is just a short list and I’m sure many of you out there could think of more ways to utilize your MySpace page. The key is to be creative, but not being too aggressive about it, this can really turn people off.
But my one big beef with MySpace, aside from child predators using it, is the fact that it’s owned by NewsCorp – the same company that owns Fox News and other right-wing media. I don’t like supporting them, and by creating a MySpace page, you’re in a small way indirectly supporting them. I guess in an age of large corporations with numerous smaller divisions, it’s probably impossible not to do business with a company you don’t like.
So my question to all you writers out there: do you use MySpace to promote your writing? If yes, has it worked well for you? Let us know you’re experience from the trenches!
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