You’re writing the best and brightest blogs ever seen on the Internet, or so your friends and followers (all twenty or so) tell you. Now what? You can stick with this level of exposure, especially if you personally promote your blog on every Yahoo group you belong to. Or, before your friends stop opening your e-mails, you can take another step into the world of extended connections. Which means Twitter and Triberr. But before you do any of this, you need to sit down and think about your privacy.
We all get into writing through a desire to share our thoughts and words with the world, but for the most part we want to do so from the privacy of our home, preferably while wearing our favorite ratty old sweats. When the big moment comes and we’re published or about to be published, one of several reactions can occur. Many of us take either the deer-in-a-headlights or the come-on-boys-let’s-party reaction. What happens next depends on how well we’ve prepared. I didn’t prepare as well as I should up front and I have to tell you the catch up has been murder.
Think about who you are, as both writer and non-writer. Do you have a family, do you live a private life, and do you want that life to remain private? Then consider not using the “where I am” function on your cell phone. When you set up your author Facebook page do not hand out your street address and telephone number, hoping friends you haven’t talked to for years will get in touch. If they really want to communicate, Facebook has a great message system.
You will want to set up a Facebook page of you as an author, whether you write under your name or an alter ego. On this page you will share writer stuff, not pictures of your latest rash, nor pictures of the front of your house complete with address. Yes, there are stalkers out there and they can find you no matter what. Still there’s no need to give them an engraved invitation.
We can share our lives without sharing our location.
You need to sign up to Twitter to take advantage of Triberr, which is the “casting your seed in fertile soil” step. Twitter is pretty self-explanatory, and has a good basic guide. MFRW has numerous files on using Twitter to help. Is Twitter a pain in the rear? Yeah, sometimes and I freely admit I don’t totally understand everything about it. I’m learning slowly, and next week we’ll do the dance of Tweet progression together. Think about your personal choices as far as privacy, and have a great week.
The insanity that is NaNo is coming up. You joining in?
Mona Karel Author 
Yes, I’m doing my dance of insanity for NaNo. 😉 It’s a fine and wonderful place to be.
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Wise words, Mon. I’m continually gobsmacked at some of the things people air publicly on FB or on their blogs. Folk should be aware that what goes on the net, stays on the net – even if you delete it, it’s still on a server somewhere. And yes, don’t plaster your address, phone number and your kids and grandkids all over the place. I’ll also say that especially now, with the ‘pay for publicity’ mentality now that FB is a public company, I’m not sure how valuable an author page on FB is anymore.
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I find I have Facebook more for the Monica side of me, with scads of dog pictures and those relationships, and the Mona side gets the short straw. Which is probably why Mona is for Blogs, Twitter and Triberr, and they share Pinterest. Yeah, nuts but I think it will work.
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For me, social media is my way to socially interact with friends, possible new friends and strangers. Anything of a more private nature is related through e-mails. Since I get thousands of Tweets a day, I don’t use Twitter for intimate stories or lifestyle sharing. I do that, but on a more private vs. public basis. I do check direct messages on Twitter and e-mail, so if an individual wants a one-on-one conversation with me, that is probably the best route to take–for me. Anything I put on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, etc. is meant for the whole world to see, enjoy and make a comment about if they wish to.
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You obviously understand Twitter MUCH better than I!
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I don’t think I’ll do NANO. I tried it one year….um….didn’t finish. I finally broke down and joined Twitter/Triberr this summer and for the most part I do enjoy it but I do try to keep my personal life seperate. I don’t have a personal Twitter at all.
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I’ve tried it a couple of times. Finished once, but it kick started me into writing again.
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Hi Mona, it has taken me almost a year to understand Twitter – mostly because I don’t think I really wanted to like it. But now, it’s really growing on me. I wish I had more time to spend on it, but the writing time has got to come from somewhere! Keep with it – it’ll click pretty soon! 😉
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I understand Triberr much better than Twitter, go figure! Yeah I’ll keep at it in my spare time. Insert hysterical laughter
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