Author Insight: Social Media

Social media can be a distraction for writers, but what's its biggest benefit?

"I just love being able to interact with readers and fans, because it wasn’t that long ago that I was the reader and fan (and still am … Stephanie Perkins? Meg Cabot? Sarah Dessen? Let’s be friends!). The readers are the whole reason I do this, and socially media helps me stay connected to them and remember that. I’m writing for them!" - Lauren Morrill, author of Meant to Be.

"It’s funny, and anything that makes a dark fantasy writer LOL is a good thing. And it shows you stuff you’d never find yourself in a million hours of Internet trawling." - Margo Lanagan, author of The Brides of Rollrock Island. 

"Connecting with readers is fantastic. But even that doesn’t negate the massive time sink social media is for a writer. The internet kills productivity." - Dan Krokos, author of False Memory. 

"Writing is a solitary task. Social media by definition is the opposite. It's nice to know we're not alone in this adventure. Before I let myself write (I used to work in a big company), social media was just starting. There was this site called Six Degrees. I joined because I was curious and because it was my job to know about such things. But I never wanted to give enough information so that I'd join 'the cloud,' which is what they called the links to other people. Before I was doing what I really wanted to do—write—I didn't have that interest in connection. I think I knew I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing with my life, and I didn't want to broadcast that inauthenticity." - Martha Brockenbrough, author of Devine Intervention. 

"Connection: with readers, writers, bloggers, industry folks. I love the idea of a community of literacy and social media helps create this. I began my writing career without any huge platform: I wasn't famous; I didn't have 10,000 blog followers; I was not a ten year old prodigy or what have you.  I was not the lead title that year. But the internet is a great leveler. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the bloggers and readers who talked about my books and helped take me to where I am today. Plus it's just plain fun to talk about books with people all over the world." - Joy Peble, author of Anastasia Forever. 

"The biggest benefit is the business and social knowledge base it provides – no longer do writers toil away in isolation, not knowing what’s going on in the greater world of publishing and with their peers.  Besides, it’s fun to talk to others bout their creative processes and the idiosyncrasies of their publishers." - Greg Leitich Smith, author of Chronal Engine. 

"The friendships, for sure. Friendships with people all over the country and the world. I've made all my best writing friends via social media." - Kirsten Hubbard, author of Wanderlove.

"I was able to correspond with the author of my absolute favorite writing book and tell her what a huge impact it had on me as a child." - Cyn Balog, author of Touched. 

"Having access to readers. Hearing that someone loved or is excited about my work can inspire me to keep slogging through a tough writing or revision day. Social media also allows me to connect with others writers. Writing is a solitary, lonely occupation, but Twitter and Facebook give me twenty-four hour access to a creative community." - Dayna Lorentz, author of No Safety in Numbers. 

"Social media does not help the actual writing, and I think that’s where our energy should go. That said, I think you have to be yourself, figure out what feels right for you, and act accordingly. If you are a networker, go for it." - James Preller, author of Before You Go. 

"The fun and friendship! When my plot or characters become too frustrating or too heart-wrenching for me to handle, I love joking around with my friends on Twitter and Facebook." - Katie McGarry, author of Pushing the Limits. 

"Connecting with readers. Sometimes writing can feel like a solitary endeavor, so hearing from readers is a worthwhile distraction." - Sarah Tregay, author of Love and Leftovers. 

"By far its biggest benefit for us is that it puts us in touch with the people who are reading and selling our books, which is something that was hard to do before social media came along. We now can chat with a reader, a blogger or a bookseller anywhere in the world through Facebook or Twitter, and it makes the writing process so much more intimate and satisfying. Of course, social media helps to spread the word as well, which is particularly helpful with young adult literature because there are so few channels to publicize our work." - Stacy Kramer & Valerie Thomas, co-authors of From What I Remember. 

On Thursday, find out the rest of the authors' thoughts on social media. 
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