New Literary and Arts Publication : PCR

There's a new publication in town. Well, and beyond - it's not limited to just Portland, OR.

Port Cities Review

You can sign up to be one of the first on the list of updates. They are also now open for submissions.

Click on the PCR Facebook page link to read more about them the publication.

It looks like a great lineup behind this venture and I'm looking forward to the first issue. And the second, and so on.

Who knows, I may even find something to submit!

Check it out and and sign up to be there for its launch.

Broadcasting Myself

I wonder about my blog.

I wonder about my website, which is primarily my blog at this point, with a calendar of calls for submissions, a "store," an outdated workshops page. I have hopes of developing my website into so much more. I have dreams of a beautiful, functional, fun, informational website.

I wonder about my Facebook profile, er, presence. I have thoughts of what I want to do there, as well, but I also want at least an outline of a plan. Because being an author requires a platform, requires a presence, and I don't want it to start badly. I mean, I have a profile - but not yet a page/group/fan site or whatever the current need is called. I will!

I wonder about Twitter. Yeah. I'm there, too. As just me. And I'm still in the flirting stages with Twitter; have been for three years now. Though maybe we have made it to first base together. Useful? I think so. Overwhelming when I'm busy? In the blink of the eye of that great watcher in the sky way - absolutely. Now, if only I could read as fast as my new Blackberry Bold can scroll : no overwhelmed, for sure. Right?

And I do have Google+. That's the newest social gadget (or one of the newest, there have probably been two more appear since I've been typing this) and I'm still trying to remember to check there. And determine its usefulness - which I'm sure it is, but it's still growing and I'm still growing my presence/platform/circles.

Hootsuite? Twitterdeck?

Oh, I forgot Linked In. No, really, I forgot to link in on Linked In. I'm not there. Yet?

Platform. Profile. Who am I?

Public me.......Private me
..........Online me............
................Me.................
As a person...As a Writer
...........I'm Still Me..........
..............Right?..............
.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

article sharing: defining your brand

.
I stumbled across this series of articles about social media for writers. Looks like some great information - and this first one is information for writers on defining your brand. Writers, social media, platform, branding.

There are links at the end of this article to others.

Social Media for Writers, Part 1: Define Your Brand

You’ve found this blog, so you have at least a working knowledge of the online world. Maybe you have a Facebook account or you send out the occasional tweet. But are you diving into social media in particular to sell yourself as a writer?

Whether you want to find writing assignments or become a staff writer, social media can help you get noticed and meet your goals. Today, we’ll look at building a brand. Next time, we’ll look closer at the tools and how to use them. In a future post, we’ll take these lessons and apply them to selling your writing directly to readers.

Define Brand You...

.

Networking versus Marketing

.
These are my thoughts in process.

I should probably think more and edit before I post them - but I'm not going to. I am curious what other writers think, how they are negotiating the tools or using them, or not, and why.

As I move closer to publication of one book, with another antsy to return in to active editing mode, one awaiting completion - the issues are coming up again:

Twitter

Facebook

Linked-In

..and a fourth one whose name escapes me right now..

[See, I said I should wait. I should get my facts. I should make up my mind -maybe.]

I'm on Facebook. I have a Twitter account. I've had several invitations to Linked-In but I'm not there (yet).

These started out (as fas as I knew) as Social Networking Sites/Tools/Communities. They quickly started being used as political action venues (yay - overall). And tools to get out the word on all types of things. Then companies joined in. And now it seems that almost every business - restaurants, clothing companies, adventure outfitters, organizations, non-profits, entertainers, on and on and on - are there. Fine. Okay.

But now there is this expectation that we, as authors, artists, dress makers, dancers, and so on, must be there and must sell our wares/products/selves. And that what was a social network is now a selling network. I'm not sure I like it.

Honest: I don't like it. I know I can opt out of 'fan pages' or groups or 'likes' and so on on Facebook. I can not follow people or not be followed on Twitter. And it's harder to block the forwards/shares/retweets from people I do want to communicate with because, well, they are the reason I'm there.

I'm not saying it's *wrong.*

It is what it is and it won't go back. And I see good uses and reasons - And. Well.

Is there anywhere left where we can just be friends? Share information? A laugh? Resources?

Is everything a sales platform?

What are your thoughts on the social/selling networks/markets?

How do you use them?

I honestly want to know!
Tweet
.