Tag Archives: Social Media

Reading the Internet is Like Watching Cartoons

24 Friday Jun 2011

Posted by in Social Media, writing

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After listening to 10 interviews for the new editor position at work, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I do there, as well as the perceptions the interviewees have of the job, and of the company. And of the Internet. Many of the interviewees had a print background, or a journalism degree that left them without a job in their field. And when one candidate asked what my favorite part of the job was, I said something like, “I actually get paid to write.” It’s still kind of shocking. I also said, “the people I work with” (If any of you are reading this), but that’s not what this post is focusing on.

I think this post is about how the Internet format is changing how we gather, utilize, and enjoy information. How do we humans navigate the business of Google to get to our news and pleasure reading? Which comes first: the ad or the story? The whole business of the reading the Internet reminds me of when I was kid and I’d wake up early on Saturday morning to watch Scooby-Doo followed by He-Man followed by Super-friends, and ending with the Smurfs. It was so fun hanging out on my parents’ waterbed in my jammies, until noon, with my sister. Then one day, along comes my dad and says, “You know these shows are just long advertisements for toys.”

Wait, what? Then why are there commercials for Barbie’s purple corvette in between? Ha! So there! But, later, looking around my room at my collection of Smurfs, or eating out of my Scooby lunch box at school, I knew what my dad meant. And I felt a little sad. But I still loved watching my stories. Because that’s what I was in it for — the story.

I think that’s what reading the Internet is at the moment. Or, at least it’s how I think of my part in creating blog content for the Internet right now. Blog posts are like cartoons. There’s a story and there’s an underlying marketing strategy. It’s fun to read to blog posts and that’s what brings us to certain blogs. Or, there’s an answer to a question. Or, there’s news, gossip, or something at which to point and laugh.

We seem to be in an era of information where experts are no longer regarded. At least not as much. I no longer read the Hornbook to find out which young adult books librarians and reviewers are calling great. I go to Goodreads to see what my friends with similar tastes are reading. I can’t even personally name a reviewer of books.  I can however name several book bloggers. One in particular I remember once tweeted something like, I’m not a reviewer. I’m a blogger. It’s not my job to be expert in the quality of a book. I just write about how much I like them. Yet many publishers are sending this blogger books because she influences sales. Good for her. That’s awesome. I personally regard expert readers in my field as other authors, not reviewers. But it’s not like authors are trained in reading. Wrong or right, the untrained (whatever that means) reader’s opinion is well regarded. I have to think it’s in large part because access to so much information and opinion is at our fingertips. We no longer have to rely on print publications or professors to guide opinion.

So, I will argue that in general, blog readers don’t need or really want expert content. Maybe because we don’t know how to define it, who the experts really are. Maybe we trust Google too much; and that’s why we rarely dig deeper than the first page for information. But I don’t think it’s so much that as it is that we don’t care. Because most of the blog reading we do on the Internet is not for academic research. If it is, then what are you doing on a blog? I think if we’re on a blog, we mostly want our Saturday morning cartoons. We want interesting content. Thoughtful content. Nichey content. Relatable content. And who cares if it’s on a  site that happens to be an Amazon.com affiliate? And while many people (at work) go on and on and on about creating authoritative content on a blog, I’m inclined to roll my eyes at that. It’s great that anyone can be seen as an authority, but that’s a sub-point–an effect of the changing nature of how we now get our information. Going back to how I first understood the point of blogging: it was about creating a conversation. It was fresh content, immediately publishable, that engaged friends and people with common interests. I think that is still what’s at the heart of anyone who decides to start a blog, whether it’s personal or for business. Blogging is still about being invested in a story and/or a community. Just like being a kid who is invested in watching the smurfs outwitting Gargamel every Saturday morning.

Are Books Social Media?

14 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by in books, Social Media, writing

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This question came up yesterday during a social media presentation at work. It piqued my interest because it perfectly marries my interest in being a YA author with my day job as a social networker and SEO guru.

It made me stop and think for a minute. But the answer is actually a pretty simple no. Books are just plain media. The book is a one-way engagement with a reader. The discussion that follows after a reader (and/or author) engages with it, will hopefully become social media via Tweets, Facebook posts, school discussions, book clubs, and the conference scene. And authors put themselves in a better (and inexpensive) marketing position if they use that in some way. There is so much talk of social media these days, I’ve been avoiding blogging too much about it. But, as it is, I happen to have a paying job that encourages me to learn about social media and networking to my hearts content and beyond.

If there is one thing I ‘m learning as I go along my social networking way at work, it’s that much of what we do mimics what naturally happens in the online world. We just give that a big boost. And, what’s happening right now is that Google is measuring your online presence based on frequency of content and authority of content. My understanding is that some of that authority is based on how many people are “liking” and “tweeting” your content. Google is taking into consideration that it’s not just how many times you “tell” Google “I’m important” but rather it’s who is saying it and how often. And that my friends, means social networking is a dominating force. It’s no longer about simply having a website; it’s all about engaging. Just as writers are encouraged to meet and engage their readers in person, I’d say it’s just as important to meet and engage with Google. And I’m pretty sure Google is here to stay, at least for a huge portion of the years in which I’m building a career as an author. Because seriously, who still uses a phone book? Encyclopedias? Gets news from an actual paper?

So, while a book may not be social media, I think the author should definitely be engaged in social media. I think writers are sometimes resistant to this. And I get it. I told my dad in junior high that I didn’t need to learn to type. Where would I be now if I hadn’t have learned? It’s time for us all to accept that social media is around. I’m no expert, but I predict Facebook and Twitter are the typewriters of the social networking world. Who knows what the PC and MAC will turn out to be. But, they’re coming. Don’t be left behind. Oh, and P.S. I wouldn’t mind terribly if you clicked the tweet button at the bottom of this post.

 

Goodreads Is Good Good Good

01 Saturday May 2010

Posted by in books, Social Media, writing

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If you’re my Goodreads friend, then this may be repeat information. But, I wanted to get it out on my blog as well. I first learned about Goodreads from Christy Raedeke’s blog. You remember Christy, right? (giggles) Well, one day on her blog, she was saying how great Goodreads was. And I kind of thought to myself, do I really need another social media to deal with? But, I checked it out, and YES I DID!  Mostly, I love categorizing my books and seeing what I’ve read. But I also like the emails I receive that show me what others are reading and reviewing. I love marking books that I want to read and actually remembering, oh yeah, I want to read THAT. Also, it’s kind of cool to have author friends on there. Anyway–

Sometimes I get friend requests from people I don’t know. I always friend them because you never know what might come from an Internet connection with someone. So, I was friended by Sandra Alonzo. Didn’t know her. But I watched what she was reading and saw that we had similar reading lists, and her reviews were honest. So, I went to her profile page as discovered she was a YA author. When I read about her novel that was set to debut March 2010, I was interested. Usually, I skim blogs and find books that look interesting and then mark them over on Goodreads. I hadn’t heard of Riding Invisible or Sandra Alonzo. So, finding out about this book was via Goodreads was kind of cool.

Then I read the book and I was very impressed!  I don’t often talk about books specifically, on my blog. I try to keep that conversation over on Goodreads (unless I’m doing an interview). But, I want to talk about this one a little bit. There’s been a lot of blogging about bullying and abuse around the YA blogosphere due to the recent teen suicide that was in the news. I like that YA writers are buzzing about it, and asking themselves, “Hey, what can we do?”

One thing we can all do is read Riding Invisible and help get it into the hands of teens who are dealing with bullying and abuse. I’m partially hesitant to call on my community to read “a book about bullying and abuse” because I know it creates  a kind of skin around a book that makes it an “issue” book. But it’s not that. Specifically. It’s a story of someone suffering and trying to love and be loved at the same time. And have an adventure–a meaningful life. It’s the kind of book that tugs at you and makes you want to hug it when you’re done reading it. Also, it’s the kind of book that makes me want to be a better writer.

So, go read this book if it interests you and also, click that link over to the right and become my Goodreads friend.