1. Author promotion. (Facebook, twitter etc. Developing online contacts, making friends, becoming visible as a writer, author, blogger = Potential seller of books.)
2.Social media. (You know :-) facebook, blogging, twitter, Goodreads, Amazon forums etc.)
3.Politics
****
Unless you're building an audience while claiming your 15 minutes as an armchair pundit--or you have an online presence/ branding associated with politics? Guess what? Politics is the choice that does not belong.
I've recently noticed that a lot of my publishing industry contacts, followers...people, are getting political.
It's everyone's right, of course. And while I understand the passionate feelings behind.political posts, diatribe, and rants... this is not a good idea.
Use lists. Separate "professional" contacts from others. And please don't expose the professional contacts to your political ideology. Especially if once you get started, it is scathing, laced with profanity, and lacks any semblance to the facts. In either case, it really is best left private re: professional associates.
I don't have any data to back this up. It's all conjecture. But, I think you will alienate potential support people if you mix politics with publishing/writing.blogging/facebooking/tweeting.
These are my facts: I have begun to "unsubscribe" from professional contacts who insist on politicizing their posts and-- via comment, the posts of others. I might resubscribe after November--to some of them. Who cares? I know I'm just one person. It might not be a big loss to lose me as a subscriber or follower. But, I don't think I'm ringing the outer edge of the bell curve on this point.
~sigh~
Friends, dreamers, creative musketeers. I adore you all. But that doesn't mean I adore your politics
I just had a close personal friend leave a political message on my FB wall, which I deleted and had to unsubcribe from. :/ I won't tell them I did that, probably. Great Post!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya, Gossip Girl. I don't tell, either. The last thing I want is drama--especially with a "professional" contact. Now, lol, a contact who rants might not really be a "professional" in the truest sense of the word ;-)
DeleteThanks for visiting :-)
I've noticed the same thing recently, which makes me very uncomfortable because I disagree with more than half the comments made. I don't know if authors think that readers won't care about their stance so long as the book is good, but readers are people with passionate views on their 'right vs. wrong'.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you, Teresa!
Thanks, Marie. It not only disappoints me, but in some cases, it actually saddens me. I'm only human, and some of the posts have tainted my opinion of the writers. It is one thing to be passionate. A whole other thing to allow our passion to carry us to the irrational when making public posts. And, we've likely all been guilty of it at one time or another. I know I have. But to do it day after day during this election year? Yikes. Bad juju.
DeleteThanks for visiting and weighing in. :-)
Excellent post, Teresa!
ReplyDeleteI live with a very opinionated political guy! I have a hard time not commenting on some of the ridiculous political comments, but you're so right. As authors, we need to stay away from that kind of thing. I've found out the hard way one can't be too careful.
Have a good evening,
Marla
:-) Those very opinionated political guys can be a handful. ;-) Years ago, I used to foolishly engage him in political discourse. Hmm...lolol... the wisdom that comes with age can be a wonderful thing. ;-)
DeleteYepppers. I agree. We can't be too careful. Image is everything --online. And it is so easy to make a virtual faux pas, and then have it haunt us for a long time.
Thanks for visiting and weighing in. And thanks for the #RT. :-)