arts4every1 writers' workshop: 20th september 2015
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Words4Every1 Writers’ Group:September 19th
Introduction
Words4Every1 Writers’ Group: September 19th
TIMINGS:
- 3:00 PM: Intro/meet and greet
- 3:10 PM: An introduction to social networking
- 3:45 PM: Writing Activities
- 4:15 PM: Editing Workshops
- 4:45 PM: Guest Speaker: J. G. Clay
Introduction
Words4Every1 Writers’ Group: August 22ndTIMINGS:
- 5:15 PM: Break/Networking
- 5:30 PM: Readings/Performances
- 6:00 PM: Pub!
Introduction
Your Host
Hi, I’m Dane
- Social media marketing specialist of four years
- Author, poet and musician
- Debut novella – No Rest for the Wicked – available now
- Industry speaker/commentator
- General Arts4Every1 busybody
Introduction
Introduction to Social Networking
Introduction to Social Networking
Last Time- In the last session, we talked about content marketing
- Centres around creating a website for your writing…
- …and then driving traffic to it!
- Social networking is a great way to drive traffic to your website
- Also shows that you’re currently active
- Particularly useful if you’re only writing to share with family/friends
Introduction to Social Networking
Why Social?- Reach a new audience through shares and exposure
- Connect with your readers in real-time
- Ask for advice from other writers
- Network with peers
- Show you’re currently active
- Connect with brands (i.e. @Arts4Every1 or @PenguinUK)
Introduction to Social Networking
Most Common Goals:Social networking can help you in many ways, but most brands aim for:
- Sales- Customer Service- Branding- Advertising- Research / QA- Competitor Analysis
Let’s consider how each of these can apply to writers…
Introduction to Social Networking
Sites We’ll Talk About Today- There are literally tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of social networking sites
- Today, we’re looking at the most important/most relevant:
- Facebook- Twitter- LinkedIn- YouTube- Instagram- Goodreads- Pinterest- SoundCloud
The World’s Biggest Social Network:
- We’ll dwell a little longer on Facebook than other sites, because it’s the most popular
- Images and videos do well- Quality over quantity- Let me quickly explain what EdgeRank is- How to reach more people:
- #1: Use adverts- #2: Post better stuff
Profiles
- A PROFILE is what you’re probably most used to
- This is the thing you log into and use to post personal updates
- Only profiles can add someone as a friend
- Great for networking with other authors
- However, DON’T use your profile to promote your work
- Limitations: 5,000 friends, lack of ads, looking like a massive tool, etc.
Pages
- A PAGE is a public-facing ‘business page’ that anyone can create
- Best option: No 5,000 follower limit, plus you won’t get banned
- Use this to share writing and your profile to befriend other writers
- Extra functionality on offer: Ads, analytics, etc.
- Also prevents people you don’t know from adding you!
- Every writer in this room should have a page as well as a profile
Groups
- A group allows multiple different Facebook users to discuss a common topic
- You wouldn’t create a group solely for your writing, but…
- …you may join a group of like-minded writers and share your work there
- For example: WE HAVE A WORDS4EVERY1 FACEBOOK GROUP!
- Please speak to me about joining the group if you’re not a member already
- This will allow you to share your work with other attendees between sessions
Great for Real-Time Communication- It’s easier to use than you might think
- Great way to interact with the brands and writers you love, as well as your readers
- More public than Facebook = added discoverability
- Unless you don’t want anyone to read your writing, you need to be there
- @mention people, but not at the start of a tweet
- Use hashtags!
Hashtags- Hashtags are effectively words with a hash symbol in front of them, like #this
- Allows similar posts to be grouped – i.e. #writing is full of tweets by/for writers
- Makes it much more likely that your tweets will be seen, but…
- …#DontUseHashtagsLikeThisBecauseNoOneWillEverSearchForIt
- Good hashtags to use: #JournoRequest #AmWriting #AmReading #[GENRE]
- Also good for location-specific stuff, like #Wycombe and #Bucks
Twitter Dashboards- Such as Hootsuite or TweetDeck
- Allows real-time monitoring (especially of hashtags)
- Another option is to search for tweets containing ‘Need Freelance Writer’
- Great for managing multiple accounts
- These are usually free to use
The Professional Social Network
- For semi-professional or professional writers
- Can be a good source of freelance work
- Two new members join every second
- Becoming more and more of a media and content site
- Has groups, similar to Facebook
Tips and Tricks:
- Use a high-quality, professional headshot
- Endorsements/recommendations
- Consider LinkedIn Premium’s different options
- Embed a Slideshare presentation (perhaps a writing sample?)
- Publish (unique) articles and aim to be featured in Pulse
- Making connections: Dane’s quick guide
YouTube
Start Shooting Video!- You can do it easily enough using just a smartphone (but keep it
landscape)
- Audio quality and lighting is more important than video resolution
- YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world
- Video results are also featured prominently in search engine results
- Perfect for writers doing readings
- Create a channel and/or book trailer
YouTube
YouTube Tips and Tricks- Playlists
- Annotations
- Custom Thumbnails
- Video Descriptions
- Title Optimisation
- Collaborations
Perfect for Images- Particularly popular amongst younger people (16-24)
- Ideal for images and short (15 second) videos
- Use hashtags (like Twitter) – more hashtags = more likes
- You could even make your own!
- An easy way to take attractive photography with no ability whatsoever
- Take photos at events (like this one!)
Instagram Tips and Tricks- Involve your readers: i.e. The Gallery of the Wicked
- Good hashtags: #Books #AmReading #AmEditing
- Link it to your Twitter and Facebook profile
- Consider tagging other users
- You could even get your best photos printed!
Goodreads
Meet Your Readers
- Allows you to log the books that you’ve been reading
- Gives your own readers an insight into your reading habits
- Suggests books that you might be interested in
- As it’s a book site, it offers additional support to writers
- Basically, it’s Facebook for books
Goodreads
Tips and Tricks:
- As with Facebook, have a profile and a page
- Run book giveaways
- Update your profile with the books that you’re reading
- Make it clear in your profile copy that you’re a writer as well as a reader
- Review other writers’ books, but do it HONESTLY
Your Virtual Pinboard- It’s literally a virtual version of a real pinboard
- Particularly popular with women
- Use it to collect images from across the web
- Post a mixture of third-party and original imagery
- Drives traffic and sales through websites
- And it’s easy to use!
Pinterest Tips and Tricks- Install the ‘Pin-It Button’- Consider changing the web address that your pins point to- Use boards to showcase your personality:
- Covers I Love- Book Quotes- Awesome Reading Spaces- Books I Want- Badass Authors- Cool Illustrations
SoundCloud
Store Your Audio
- The YouTube of sound
- Great for musicians and spoken word artists
- A paid option is available if needed
- Allows you to follow and be followed
SoundCloud
Tips and Tricks:
- Consider creating a podcast
- Embed tracks into blog posts
- Leave timestamped comments
- Create playlists
- Always add an ‘album cover’, tags and a description
QUESTIONS?
Activity
Writing Challenge: Found Writing- Step #1: Check out the book exchange and pick out 1-3 books
- Step #2: Get a feel for them – check the cover, read the blurb, flip through at random
- Step #3: Start taking notes – words, ideas or concepts that you can use
- Step #4: Start to write a short piece that incorporates these elements
- Step #5: Find someone else with interesting book choices and swap your work
EDITING WORKSHOP
S
GUEST SPEAKER:J. G. Clay
J.G Clay is definitely a Man of Horror. He was born on
Halloween night. By a quirk of fate, it was also a full moon that
night. Co-incidence? Maybe. Maybe not. The 41 year old hails from the Midlands, and is married with one step child and two dogs.
Creating Carnage
The Two Natural States of a Writer
Inspiration can be found anywhere
For me, it’s a matter of asking one small question…
What if?
The first of many…
(Hopefully)
Originally a self published collection of
seven short stories, tales was re-written and re-released in July 2015
The oldest story in the collection (On the Beach)
was spawned in 1998. The Inspiration? New
Order.
Extensively Rewritten for the new version, ‘The Writer’s Friend’ came about from the
combination of a hangover, writer’s block and a dead
slug.
‘One Night In Mumbai’ is a collision
between Lovecraft and Indian politics.
There’s a few nods to my own upbringing
and cultural heritage.
The Smiling men were inspired by
the 1966 iteration of the classic Doctor who Monster
The Cybermen
GUEST SPEAKER:J. G. Clay
J.G Clay is definitely a Man of Horror. He was born on
Halloween night. By a quirk of fate, it was also a full moon that
night. Co-incidence? Maybe. Maybe not. The 41 year old hails from the Midlands, and is married with one step child and two dogs.
BREAK:Please speak to Dane if you’d like to do a reading!
Homework
Get This Done Before Next Time:- Create a Facebook page and a Twitter account
- Commit to posting regularly 2-3 times per week (pre-set in bulk if needed)
- Sign up for one of the niche sites that we talked about
- Experiment with video blogging using a smartphone
- E-mail dane.cobain@booktrope.com for access to the Words4Every1 Facebook group
READINGS:Next Workshop:
3 PM – 6 PM On Saturday 10th October
Guest Speaker:Saqib Desmukh
THANKS FOR
COMING
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