Snarled by Social Media

Sometimes, we get so excited about our writing, we forget to follow the rules about social media Thus was the case for me yesterday.

I have been sharing my new book, Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2013, with my social media friends and one of them didn't like it.

Photo by: carterse, courtesy of Flickr

I got a pretty specific "you are a snarl" type note about being removed from the group if I let it happen again. I went into the site, checked over the rules, and sure enough, I was a "snarl."

But I was still mad.

Didn't writers want to know about writing books? I wasn't promoting just "a book" I'd written, (you know a fictional tale) but something that could actually help another writer with their marketing.

But there it was in black and white.

"No personal promotion."

I had a choice to make. Since I am actively engaged in at least 20 social media groups; (like those on Facebook or Linkedin) who, by the way, have never discouraged me from sharing my work, especially when the book's just been released, I realized I had two choices. Either I could carry on with the group, trying to remember not to post any personal promotion, or I could drop the group.

I decided to drop the group. This wasn't because the group wasn't good, or I didn't like the people in it, or anything like that. I dropped it because it was far easier for me not to worry about the "one" group that didn't like what I was doing.

Since yesterday, I have thought a lot about joining social media groups, and I think it's important, first of all, to check them out before signing up. It's important to respect the rules that have been set up, or you might be apologizing and doing a Michael Jackson moonwalk like I was.
 

Photo by: _dChris, courtesy of Flickr

Two, if you're wanting to do some personal promotion of your own, make sure this isn't all you do. I guess I'd gotten a little, shall we say "excited" about my new book and I wanted everyone and their dog (snarl) to know about it. Make sure you ask questions of others and respond honestly to others' comments that are posted. Make some friends. Learn something new. And have fun!