1) How do you use social media?
I use social media to connect with friends and family, mostly. However, lately I've been talking more with authors of stories that I have read or wish to read. Most of the things that I glean from this is connected to their stories directly, but I also have added one of those authors on fanfiction.net, where she has the opportunity to read some of the stories that I have written and critique them. However, most of my 'social media' accounts are friends-only.
2) What is the place of social media in your writing life?
Social media hasn't really had a place in my writing life until recently. I have only started adding my favorite authors after I met one of them at the AWP conference in Boston this past March. Following her on Twitter (and subsequently other authors) helped me understand that authors are much more connected to their fans than I had previously realized. This gave me a burst of inspiration, because some of the authors are willing to read my things and give me feedback.
3) Benefits, disappointments, surprises?
Some benefits are that I get feedback on my writing that is from people who have had their stories published. They have given me pointers and tips on how they went about getting their stuff published, and I have also had opportunities to make connections by offering to promote their books. I have one author willing to give me free copies of her book simply for handing out postcards promoting her book.
Some disappointments are that it doesn't give as much as a face-to-face conversation would. The author I met gave me so many tips and pointers that the other authors may not feel comfortable sharing, due to the fact that it is not in a face-to-face setting.
Surprises? See the above two questions!
4) The financial benefit?
The financial benefit that I have found in my interactions is that I have had authors give me books for free, and most of them are signed. Lucy Christopher, author of Stolen, gave me her copy of the UK edition of Stolen, and it was signed. To get that particular book here in the US would have been even more pricey than the US version, and having met her (and, I admit, fangirling) made her want to give me her copy of the book. Yay, free books!
5) Where can you be found online?
I have a private Facebook, a non-private (but often fangirling) Twitter, a school Twitter, about 3 weeblys, a deviantart (which I haven't used in forever), and a fanfiction.net account that has 3 stories that are either in-progress or complete. (If anyone wishes to read [though I doubt you do] it can be found HERE.)
I use social media to connect with friends and family, mostly. However, lately I've been talking more with authors of stories that I have read or wish to read. Most of the things that I glean from this is connected to their stories directly, but I also have added one of those authors on fanfiction.net, where she has the opportunity to read some of the stories that I have written and critique them. However, most of my 'social media' accounts are friends-only.
2) What is the place of social media in your writing life?
Social media hasn't really had a place in my writing life until recently. I have only started adding my favorite authors after I met one of them at the AWP conference in Boston this past March. Following her on Twitter (and subsequently other authors) helped me understand that authors are much more connected to their fans than I had previously realized. This gave me a burst of inspiration, because some of the authors are willing to read my things and give me feedback.
3) Benefits, disappointments, surprises?
Some benefits are that I get feedback on my writing that is from people who have had their stories published. They have given me pointers and tips on how they went about getting their stuff published, and I have also had opportunities to make connections by offering to promote their books. I have one author willing to give me free copies of her book simply for handing out postcards promoting her book.
Some disappointments are that it doesn't give as much as a face-to-face conversation would. The author I met gave me so many tips and pointers that the other authors may not feel comfortable sharing, due to the fact that it is not in a face-to-face setting.
Surprises? See the above two questions!
4) The financial benefit?
The financial benefit that I have found in my interactions is that I have had authors give me books for free, and most of them are signed. Lucy Christopher, author of Stolen, gave me her copy of the UK edition of Stolen, and it was signed. To get that particular book here in the US would have been even more pricey than the US version, and having met her (and, I admit, fangirling) made her want to give me her copy of the book. Yay, free books!
5) Where can you be found online?
I have a private Facebook, a non-private (but often fangirling) Twitter, a school Twitter, about 3 weeblys, a deviantart (which I haven't used in forever), and a fanfiction.net account that has 3 stories that are either in-progress or complete. (If anyone wishes to read [though I doubt you do] it can be found HERE.)
