What Not To Do Wednesday on Over-Doing Social Doings (or Pardon Me, There's A Media Monkey on Your Back)

I watched one of those packaged specials on the news last night about people spending too much time on Facebook. Something like "Facebook Addiction--Where Will it Lead?" The piece had a rather ominous tone, I must say.

I suppose there are folks out there who can't do without their Facebook fix. Or Twitter tips, or listening in on LinkedIn, or connecting with any of a dozen other social media messaging. Whereas I can walk away anytime I want.

Sort of.

Here's the thing, grasshopper. From a business standpoint, social media has value. I think Twitter might be better for massive marketing, but I like Facebook for blogging connections. And I like Facebook for personal connections, too. So I want to stay social media savvy. But when I jump into Facebook or Twitter, or even blog surfing, I can easily use up hours.

HOURS. And though I come across tons of informative posts (because seriously, there are a ton of brilliant folks out there, sharing their expertise), I may get a teensy bit carried away, reading one post, zipping to another...then another...then another.

Until I look up and dang. It's lunchtime and I haven't written a single word (unless you count scathingly brilliant comments here and there. Which I'm counting. So there.).

But pithy comments do not a manuscript, essay, or short story make. And so I'm forced to face the ugly truth: I may...okay, okay, I have a social media problem. I usually deal with it by going cold turkey for a week or so. And then I ease back in, using moderation.

So don't over-do the social doings, grasshopper, at the expense of your writing. Write FIRST. Or if you need a little warm-up, set a limit for how much time you'll spend, media socializing. Then stick to it.

Because when you think about it, it's your brilliant writing that you're trying to promote and sell. Pour hours into that, grasshopper, and then use social media to tell the world.

(We shall discuss the proper way to exploit one's self, using humility, dignified grace, and monkey-mad media marketing skills at a later date.)

Starting the New Year with a B-B-B-Bang!

You know how I think of the most scathingly brilliant things in the shower? I just toweled off so fast, my hair is still dripping. BUT, I had to share my scathingly brilliant way to start 2011.

In checking my calendar of last year, I noticed an alarming trend. To wit, I start with a bang and fizzle out. So, I thought I'd capitalize on my Big Bang nature and bang out a couple of goals in the first few weeks!

Introducing the Big Bang B & N Followers Contest! Here's how it works: You tell your followers about Cathy C. 's Hall of Fame and her brilliant contest. They scurry over here and follow me, telling me who sent them (and leaving contact information). One lucky NEW follower will win a $20 gift card from Barnes and Noble! And there's more...the faithful follower who sent them ALSO wins a $20 gift card! YAY! I'm ending the contest on January 24th; new followers can post a comment on any post during that period, as long as they fill me in. So spread the word, my faithful friends and followers. I'm in a hurry to bang out my goal of getting over 100 followers. Because let's face it. By May, I'll be all "followers, schmollowers."

If you're like me, you start the year thinking of all the submissions that will fly out from your brain and into an editor's hand. Except that your brain's still in an eggnog-induced, turkey-overloaded fog. You need something short to get the old brain ball rolling. Here's TWO competitions, with NO entry fee, that just happen to begin with B. Brilliant!

For fun and games, try the Binnacle Ultra-Short Competition. Even if you don't win (Um, you should know that they get about a gazillion entries), you'll jumpstart those sluggish neurons, working on your 150 word poem or prose. And lots of folks get Honorable Mentions. Why not you?

The Bevel Summers Prize for the Short, Short Story is accepting stories of 1,000 words till March 31, 2011. Now, I know it's from Washington and Lee University and you're thinking it's all hoity-toidy (is that how you spell that?), but honestly. I know many of my followers are gifted short story writers who could win this competition and 250 bucks. So brush off your best short story and send it. I'm sending one of mine.

That's how you get to be a better writer-and how you eventually get published. Oh, and don't forget to send me your followers for a chance to win big bucks and bust my budget for the year. Now, let the New Year begin with a B-B-B-Bang-and let me go dry my hair.

P.S. Couldn't start the year without a word from Cathy-on-a-Stick. She says, "Hey."

What Not To Wednesday on Marketing and WIIFM

Yes, grasshopper, today we're talking about marketing. But don't think you can skip out because it's marketing. It's marketing having to do with writing. And I'll try to be quick about it.

A few years ago, when I first started column writing, I willingly, happily gave my columns to a regional magazine. For free. I needed to learn the ropes, and fortunately for me, a local rope dangled right there in front of me. I learned quite a bit about deadline writing, fitting in the word count, and being funny whether I felt funny or not. So, it was all good.

After a year or so, a new publisher bought the magazine and I worked out a compensation deal for the column. It was all, um, good-er. And then I thought, as Webster is my dictionary, I'll never write for free again!

Now, I can't tell you what to do, grasshopper (though that is kinda the point here at WNTD), but making absolute statements is not such a good idea. Like when it comes to writing for free. Sometimes, I'll write something for free. Because sometimes, I just want to lend a helping (writing) hand to a friend or colleague. But other times, I'll consider WIIFM.

I didn't know there was an actual acronym for "What's in it for me?" but you learn something every day. I learned that tidbit when I read Jane Friedman's spot-on post, "The Most Important Marketing Acronym: WIIFM." She makes a few excellent points on marketing. And you might want to read the comments, too. You'll find some excellent points among her readers' views.

I know what you're thinking, grasshopper. WIIFM has kind of a harsh ring to it. So maybe a new acronym, more polite-sounding, is needed (with the same sentiment). How about "PAPTDAFFYASMYCRTF."

Hmmm. My next What Not To Do will be on Southerners and why we shouldn't put them in charge of writing acronyms.

*Pleased As Punch To Do A Favor For You And Someday Maybe You Can Return The Favor

Finding Something Friday on Chicken Soup's Family Matters (and Tweeting Such)

Sometime this week, I found an email in my Inbox from the Chicken Soup folks. But I just got around to reading it today. Perfect for Finding Something Friday!

Apparently, people just love nutty family stories. You know what I mean: those knee-slapping tales about your mom or dad or cousins or sister-in-law doing those weird and wacky things that made you want to slap them smack in the...um, well, someday you'll laugh at those stories. Right now, other people will find them HI-larious. So, write them down, send them in to Chicken Soup, and make a bunch of money off Uncle Bob backing into your car so he wouldn't hit a pregnant squirrel. You won't make enough money to fix the car, but you can wave the check in Uncle Bob's face. Oh, and act fast. Deadline is February 28th.

I also found out that on this day in 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta. I got that factoid from the Atlanta History Center. Technically, I got that bit of info from a tweet, 'cause the Atlanta History Center is on Twitter. So, if you think Twitter is just 140 character lines about what's for dinner, it's time you checked out your museums, aquariums, news services, and even charities. Twitter's amazing. And okay, a little bit weird and wacky.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that the photo of the Beneficent Mr. Hall that goes along with this post in no way is meant to imply that he is weird and wacky. I can't help what you infer.

Thursday's Three: Blogs, Blogs, and Surprise! Blogs

So, here's the thing. It's a new year, a new day, a new feature here at the Hall of Fame: the Thursday's Three, where you'll find three sites to check out on a particular topic. Most likely, the topic will be writing-related. But I'm not making any major promises here.

(If I'm being perfectly honest, I'm only adding this feature so that I can read this stuff myself. Because I have this other thing. I bookmark stuff I want to read, and then never actually, um, read it. On the other hand, I hang out here at the Hall of Fame all the time, making a nuisance of myself. Might as well do something constructive while I'm here.)

Three Links to Bang-up Blogging Stuff:

Problogger's 13 Tutorials to Help You Grow Your Blog Readership Next Year

Retro Coolness's Try Using Google Adsense to Help You Monetize Your Blog

Copyblogger's The Best of Copyblogger 2009

Um, that's pretty much all there is to Thursday's Three. I've got a feeling it'll help tremendously if we actually read this stuff.

Finding Something Friday on Cup of Comfort Competition and Connections

So, let's say you have this GREAT story. A story that really happened, and maybe even changed your life. A story that grabs the heart strings and makes folks smile or gasp or take a hankie out. That's a story that could win the Cup of Comfort Reader's Choice Competition.

Finally, here's an opportunity for that GREAT story that didn't quite fit into any of the categories of Cup of Comfort books that were published (or to be published). Yes, there's an entry fee. But there's also some great prizes, including your story in the Cup of Comfort Reader's Choice Edition. And best of all, people vote. (Okay, I realize that editors are people, too. But editors can be the teensiest bit picky. Whereas reader people are just looking for a GREAT story.)

So, write that GREAT story, join the C of C community, and submit by January 15th. Read more details here to improve your chances. And when your story is chosen and people get to vote, let me know. Because I'm reader people, and I'd love to smile, gasp, or yes, grab a tissue or two and vote for your story.

Oh, and you can tell everyone about your GREAT story when you sign up with Networked Blogs. It's a Facebook application that allows you to network your blog all over the Facebook Kingdom. So, if you're already the social type, chatting up friends and family on FB, sign up your blog and get the message out. 'Cause you're writing GREAT stories every day. Might as well share the wealth!

Finding Something Friday on Meyers-Briggs and Blogs

Have you ever taken the Meyers-Briggs personality test? The one where you find out if you're extroverted, or introverted, thinking or feeling, and such? Way back in the day, when I was (apparently) a different personality, I took the test. I came out ENTJ, which was affectionately called "The Field Commandant." Hmph.

When I took the test (online) today, I came out ISFJ or ESFJ, depending on which test I want to believe. Either way, I've changed personalities. I suppose that's what thirty years of living with the Beneficent Mr. Hall will do to you. I've completely lost my bossing around skills. (Um, not even I believe that.)

Most writers tend to be introverted, I think. And probably most fiction writers will score higher on the sensing, feeling side of the test. We have to have that imagination factor in order to write spiffy stories. Blog writing, on the other hand is completely different. Maybe that's why my blog scored a different personality than me. (I don't want to get into a whole Frankenstein thing here, but it kinda weirds me out that I created this blog that's gone and developed its own personality.)

Try it yourself with this Meyers Brigg personality test for your blog. Turns out Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame is an ESFP, known as The Performers. We're fun and entertaining blogs. Maybe I'm not particularly fun or entertaining, but wheee! My blog is!

Of course, I had to check Cathy on a Stick's blog. That blog came out ESTP, The Doers. They're the active and playful types in the blog world. Now, that's just scary accurate, isn't it?

Many thanks to Shrinking Violet Promotions, which I found this week, for providing me with this info on the Typealyzer. If you're looking for a fascinating blog for the shy types, (or any types, really) Shrinking Violets is packed with promotional stuff for writing types .

Now, fly, fly my blog buddies, and find out what type blog you have! And maybe you could share your blog's personality with the rest of us. (I'm keeping an eye on the old Hall of Fame. It's already got a personality. Next, it'll go get a mind of it's own. Talk about scary!)

Tooting My Horn Tuesday for Branding (The Marketing Kind)

Okay, okay. I'm tooting Shelli's horn. And WOW! Women-on-writing's horn. But I asked the questions for the interview, so that ought to count for something.

When I heard Shelli Johannes-Wells talk at Springmingle (the SCBWI conference of the Southern Breeze region), I learned a few pointers about branding yourself in the writing world. And I laughed as I learned. I thought she'd make a fine interview for WOW's August issue on Self-Promotion. And I was right!

I could tell you all about branding. But Shelli does a slam-up job with it. So, check out the feature interview here and all those slam-up questions I asked. And while you're there, read all those other swell articles about promoting yourself. Before long, you'll be tootin' your horn like Louis Armstrong, blowin' your name all over the writing world.

Finding Something Friday Quick! An Elegant Contest and a Promotion Workshop

Quick! Check out the National Association of Baby Boomer Women! They're sponsoring a contest called "The Age of Elegance" and you could win $100 if you can write really fast!

Good news: It's only a 500 word essay about what you (the baby boomer woman, that is) considers her age of elegance. Easy, right? Unless you're like me and still waiting for your age of elegance...

Bad news: The deadline's May 31st. So, you really need to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and send that tasteful, elegant essay in!

Now, catch your breath. You have a week to sign up for Annette Fix's Online Author and Book Promotion Workshop. Of course, if you sign up, I guarantee that Annette will have you working double-time on promotion! She's the Senior Editor of WOW! Women on Writing ezine, but she's also an author who has mega-promoted her book, The Break-up Diet: A Memoir.

In fact, Annette's promoted her book all the way into an option for a cable TV series! Here's what she says about her six-week intensive workshop: "By the end of this class, you will have a viable online marketing plan for your book, a platform for building awareness of your expertise/products/writing services, and a working knowledge of the vast options for online marketing."

Whew! That's a bunch of promotion-working in six weeks, but if you've published a book, or more importantly, are working on a book, this workshop could be the make-or-break difference for your marketing plan. And just in case you're worried that it might be too technical for you, relax. Annette promises that you'll get the guidance you need to navigate the social networks.

The workshop starts Monday, June 8, and you can get more info or register if you visit Annette's site. Now, quick! Sign up- and start that essay, too. Time's a-wastin', writers!

Finding Something Friday on Bella Online

Oh, what I would do if time were like money in a bank. If all those days I frittered away (is that a real word-frittered? or a Southern thing?) could be withdrawn now and used in a more, uh, constructive manner.

But time isn't like that. And I have so many projects in the pan now that I haven't seen the light of day for weeks. I'm seriously taking on the pallor of the undead. But maybe you're looking for a project to get you started in your writing. Maybe Bella Online would be a good fit for you.

I stumbled across Bella Online when searching for an article and noticed they were looking for editors. It's a web-content rich site where each editor builds her section. I should say each female editor, because it's also an estrogen-rich site. Pay is tied in with advertising. If you have time to invest, you could really reap a big payoff.

These kinds of writing opportunities are geared to new writers with a need to establish a presence and experience. The site provides templates to work with and I had the impression, all the help you need. Take a look around, find out what editors Bella Online needs, and see what this site has to offer.

Lots of opportunities if you've got time on your hands. I've got to get back to work, but I plan to fritter away my Easter weekend...(Seriously, did I make up the verb "fritter"??? And thanks to Charkrem at flickr.com for the yummy apple fritters-which are real and delicious!)

Finding Something Friday Pushes YouTube (Like They Need A Push)

What I'm really pushing is you, I suppose, to get out there and explore YouTube. 'Cause I'm convinced that YouTube is the face of the future in marketing and promotion. Yes, even for writers.

This morning, I read in my PWDaily about a 91-year-old grandma, Clara Cannucciari, who's just garnered a book deal, thanks in large part to her YouTube and Facebook presence. Her grandson, Chris Cannucciari filmed her, cooking Depression-era dishes and talking about the lives and times of those difficult days. I couldn't believe what a great job this Italian grandmother did in this segment (see her Youtube video and be amazed!). And now the grandson's writing the book, Cooking With Clara.

I'm not very handy in the whole videocam world, but I think it's time to quit watching and start doing. My bud, Bill Elder, who has a terrific vlog (It's over there in my Favorite Detours), has snagged a ton of subscribers, and he's doing some slam-up promotion for his voiceover business. I need to apply what's left of my little gray cells and jump on that YouTube bandwagon. The sooner, the better. I ain't getting any younger, you know.

And for those of you who thought you might be too old for Facebook (Okay, I'm including myself), I have two (or four) words: 91-year-old Clara. Stand back, grandma, I'm jumping in!

Much To Do About Marketing, Writer Mama, and Cats and Dogs

Normally I'd wax poetic about the snow we had in Georgia because that's what Southerners do. But I've got too much writer-y stuff to catch up on, and too many interesting Things to Do for you.

Thanks to speaker Shelli Wells' tips at the Springmingle conference, I've got a few tweaking tasks, like my website and my kiddie lit blog. If there's one thing that everybody harped on all conference long, it was marketing yourself. You can check out Shelli's Market My Words and get a few of those tips for yourself. And read all about her "Comment Your Butt Off" Contest and how you can win a free website building consult from Shelli.

If you weren't the lucky winner in my Writer Mama Giveaway, you should scamper over to Christina's Writer Mama blog and find out where she's giving away a copy of her book today. Every day in March (Yes, every day) she's giving her book away on a different blog. Seriously, Christina Katz is a marketing machine.

And, finally, maybe you're like me and thinking about doing some actual, er, writing. I've got to get to work on my "what I learned from my dog and cat" stories for those Chicken Soup books (Stories due March 31st). It's going to take some serious thinking to come up with anything I learned from Sally the crazy dog. I mean, let's be honest. I already knew how to be crazy.

Okay, maybe I've got time for one snow picture. But no waxing poetic.

A Freelancer's Time and Money

When I first read Mr. Bob Bly's comments re: how a freelancer's time is divided, I thought that can't be right. Now I know better.

Mr. Bly, you may recall, is the freelance guy who makes mega-bucks in the industry. I'm reading his book, Getting Started as a Freelance Writer, trying to play a little catch-up in the freelance business. Anyway, according to Bly, a freelancer can expect to spend 25% of her time on business stuff (invoices, research, filing, mailing, and all those other jobs that eat up your hours). That seemed reasonable.

But 25% on marketing? Leaving only 50% for actual writing? Nahhhh, I said. I write more than that. And I do. But I write an awful lot of query letters, and cover letters, too, trying to get my articles and stories into new markets. Which is um, marketing.

Shazam! So Mr. Bly had a point. Since he also mentioned setting a financial goal of say $200, 000 (That's exactly what he nonchalantly threw out there), I thought why not set $200,000 as my financial goal? That's quite a Fortune, I know.

But hey, he was right about the time percentages.