In “The buzz on social media“, Elfrieda Abbe discusses ways in which authors use
social media sites to promote their works. Abbe interviewed six authors to see
what they thought abbot these sites and how they used them to their advantage.
The majority of the authors have a personal social media account and another one
for their work. One author, David Farley, uses social media sites to post
historical facts regarding a concept he discusses in his book. Another
individual, Pamela Skillings, views social media as a great contribution to her success. According to Skillings “social media present amazing opportunities to connect with clients and influencers, who can help you build your business.” All of the authors agree that social media can definitely help a writer increase recognition and promote their work. An
interesting point that Skillings makes is that “success in social media requires
authenticity, but too much authenticity can compromise your brand as a
professional. You have to find the right balance.” This point is valid as social
media sites require a balance in various aspects. One must find a balance
between what to share and what not to share, and also how much to share wiu
individuals they may not know in real life. These authors work at finding that
balance by having 2 accounts, a personal one and an account geared toward self
promotion. An additional point David Farley makes is that overusing social media
can become negative. This goes along with the idea that social media requires a
balance and using it too much can cause consequences.
I found the authors’ use of social media very interesting. These individuals took advantage
of the opportunity of reaching more people and building their recognition by
using these sites. They even have found that this use has helped their profits
through more people finding their work and bonding with fellow writers. This
article demonstrates that if one takes control of their social media image, they
can promote their work and gain a profit.
