Riding Out Sandy & the Social Media Storm

Posted on October 29, 2012 by RoseAnn DeFranco

Hurricane Earl – Long Beach Island 2010

Many of us in the North East spent the weekend prepping for Sandy.  I have cooked, prepped the freezer, checked flashlights, staged candles and nagged the husband.  I’ve sent the poor man out for everything from a generator, to hummus, to a raincoat for the dog.  BTW…he was only successful in the hummus.  Apparently it was like War of the Worlds out there yesterday!  Like so many other writers in the region I have also made sure that I’m ready to roll, as in ready to write!  The laptop is fully charged.  Pads of paper and pen are at the ready, because baby, I plan to write my way through this storm!  In addition to the worry, this storm also means time off from work.  Hopefully that will mean time spent cuddling with my girl in front of a movie, catching up on a few shows with the husband and time spent devoted to developing my next manuscript.  Please note: I’m hoping that I will NOT spend time in the next few days on damage control, but you have to be prepared. 

The Social Media Consumer: My Experiences

The storm prep made me think of navigating the stormy seas of the Social Media Terrain.  A fellow writer recently posted the following article by M.J. Rose on Social Media Suicide as it relates to the role of self-promotion for authors.  For those of you who are not authors you may be unfamiliar with what this article addresses.  Here are some positive and potentially negative experiences I’ve had as a book consumer as a result of social media.  I’d been putting off joining Twitter because I feared that it would become a time killer.  As a full time working mom, I need to focus as much of my time on the actual business of writing.  In all honesty, it has been a time killer, but from a knowledge perspective regarding the industry it has been invaluable as well.  I have found many wonderful YA Blogs like Reader Girls Blog and Bookalicious.   Both phenomenal sources for great YA books.  Young Adult is a rapidly growing and exploding market. As a writer who is hoping to one day be published in this YA Market, it is important to understand what resonates with readers.  Had it not been for these blogs and Twitter I wouldn’t have read some fabulous YA books like Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris or Matched by Ally Condie, nor would I have added several additional books to my growing To Be Read pile.  I am proof that you can sell books via twitter.  But here’s the important part, none of the authors provided the promotion that led to my purchase of the books.  I was led there on the recommendation of a trusted third party.  On the flip side, there are authors who tweet non-stop about their books.  When I first joined Twitter I added one book to my Goodreads list as a result of an author’s self-promotional tweet.  It sounded really interesting to me, so I decided to check it out.  It is still on my TBR list and I will read it mainly because I find the premise very interesting.  The author however is becoming dangerously close to alienating me.  Every day, at least ten to twenty times a day, she tweets the exact same types of things that first drew me to her book.  I get it, I do.  Twitter is a fast medium.  You can post a tweet with a link to your blog and 30 seconds later you are out of the feed.  The reach is constantly changing, so I understand the repeated tweets to a certain extent. 

What is the elusive balance for authors? 

With social media, I think that it is important to remember what first drew us there in the first place.  I joined FaceBook a few years ago mainly to stay in touch with family.  95% of my family lives a long distance away.  From that perspective FB has been great.  I feel like I’m a part of the daily lives of family and friends.  I’m right there praying for those that are gunning for new jobs, and I cheer on and congratulate the announcements of good news.  I feel like I’ve met and know the babies of my cousins thousands of miles away.  FB is also a great medium for info sharing and communication among my mom groups.  From there, I branched out and it is now an equally beneficial medium to share information with writing friends near and far.  In short, it is a great way to stay connected, just like FB promotes. 

As authors we have to be smart about how we spend our time.  As of now, I don’t have a book to promote.  I only have a writing journey that I’ve invited my immediate and extended world to rally behind.  The blog has cultivated followers and new blogging friends beyond my immediate circle, for which I feel truly blessed, but isn’t the blog, the FB and the Twitter, to some extent preaching to the choir?  Aren’t these people already within my reach as potential readers of a hopefully published book? 

I’ve heard that the publishers want you to have that online presence.  They expect you to be out there stomping the keyboard, tweeting away, participating in blog tours, and kicking up a social media frenzy.  So, in our busy worlds, what in all this will really work?  How do we approach the tools available to us that don’t result with an in-your-face, BUY-MY-BOOK and potentially alienating rant?  For me, I’m more inclined to click on a link to either a blog post or an article in a tweet that provides some sort of useful information.  From there, if I find the article interesting enough, I’ll click on the person’s profile and if they sound like someone who shares interesting writing tips or world views, I’ll decide to follow them.  I’ll even go to their author page and check out their book page.  The other types of posts that capture my attention are those that provide me with some sort of entertainment; a video link, or a similar political view. 

I’m very curious to know, what resonates with you in social media?  Have you ever purchased a book based a tweet or a FB posting, and/or has an author ever turned you off from purchasing their book due to oversaturation of your newsfeed? 

Speaking of oversaturation, the yard is looking mighty wet at the moment due to Sandy.  The house is still running on all cylinders, so I best get back to the main form of promotion that is ingrained in every writer at every writing conference and workshop: write the best book I can!  🙂

Stay safe and dry during the storm!

Posted in Social Media, Writing, Young Adult | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

TURNING POINT #3: The Point of No Return

Posted on October 24, 2012 by RoseAnn DeFranco

There are times when I’m working on a blog post or even just in life in general that my Musical Theatre background jumps to the forefront and commands my attention.  Hey, remember me?  So, here we are at a very important moment in The Six Stage Plot Structure, Turning Point #3: The Point of No Return, and all I can hear and visualize in my mind is the song by that very name from Phantom of the Opera.  Sing it, Sara Brightman!  Turn up the volume, Michael Crawford!  And yes, I realize that I’m dating myself a little by giving kudos to the original Broadway Stars and not those from the movie.  You have to understand, the pursuit of Broadway and Musical Theatre was my life from the ages of 16 to 26.  An entire decade devoted to the stage and music.  It is fitting that I think back on that time when looking at this Turning Point, because the choices that I made then have helped to define who I am as a writer today. 

We generally reach Turning Point #3 mid-way through a story.  Up to this point the hero or heroine has had the option of giving up on their plan, and returning to the life they were living at the start of their journey.  But now, the hero declares their intentions and makes a full commitment to their goal.  There is no turning back.  In The Hunger Games, it is at this point that Katniss honors Rue in burial and raises her hand in a long forgotten salute to the people of Panem whom she knows are forced to watch the games.  Katniss is not only declaring her intentions to survive the games, she is proclaiming herself as a would-be rebel against a horrific institution. 

Towards the end of my Musical Theatre decade, I’d been dealing with a severe case of acid reflux which resulted in inconsistencies in my ability to sing.  I reached an emotional crossroads, and I made the decision to turn back.  I could have made the decision to work with doctors, etc. and continue my theatrical pursuits, but upon evaluation, I realized that I just didn’t want a life in the theatre enough.  Somewhere between 16 and 26, my life goals changed.  As a result, I changed my course and found the fulfilling life of wife, mother, and aspiring author instead.  I’m not one to promote quitting, but this was the right choice for me at that time. 

When it comes to my life as a writer, quitting is not an option.  As a full time working mom, dedicated wife and family member, finding those golden nuggets of time to write is hard, but the goal of publication is worth a few less hours of sleep per night.   I’ve faced the rejections and learned from them when I could have hung my head in defeat.  There is literally no turning back.  Writing is a part of my lifestyle now.  It is in the air I breathe.  It, in part, defines who I am as a person.  

Don’t get me wrong.  When our heroes in literature or film reach Turning Point #3, they must declare themselves as dedicated to their goals.  Full steam ahead is the only option.  In real life however, when faced with similar circumstances, it is possible that making a choice to alter your current life path is the only way to get on the right life path.

Posted in Facing Fears, The Hero's Journey | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Stage III: Stumbling in Progress

Posted on October 16, 2012 by RoseAnn DeFranco

Shortly after starting this blog project, I realized the insanity of it.  I’m not an authority on The Six Stage Plot Structure or The Hero’s Journey.  I’m just like so many other writers out there – a student of the industry and the craft.  I approach the draft of every one of these blog posts with apprehension.  What could I possibly have to say regarding this next step in a way that could make any sort of impact on the lives of writers, readers, movie goers, etc.?  However, it seems that every step of this journey touches me in a very profound way.  I can only hope that it resonates with you as well, and possibly adds an additional element of awareness to your daily experiences with the arts and in your lives.

Stage III finds our hero with a clearly established end goal.  He makes plans to take action, but obstacles are thrown in his way which causes him to vacillate between his Identity and Essence.  Is he going to sidestep, counter, and overcome these obstacles, or will he cut his losses and run right back into his safe yet unfulfilling Identity?  As an audience it gives us something to root for.  We want to see our hero pick himself up and dive right back into the fight. 

Life is filled with obstacles and conflicts.  We’d be bored and would feel no sense of accomplishment if everything came to us in an easy, effortless way. 

Recently things have been chugging along well in my writing world.  My current WIP, Forbidden Signs, was selected as a finalist in two writing competitions.  I also received requests from editors for a full manuscript for an older project, Second Hand Romance, that I thought was long dead.  I’ve been feeling pretty optimistic.  It’s important to note that these opportunities didn’t come without stomping the pavement or without risk.  When you put yourself and your work out there, you are sailing right into the throes of possible rejection.  

Photo by Evelyn Simak

These positives could be why a recent not-so-pleasant experience knocked me for a loop.  I had the opportunity to pitch to a literary agent at the recent NJRW conference.  I barely uttered the most basic concept of teenage elemental gods for Forbidden Signs when she shrugged her shoulders and said “not for me.”  She had absolutely no interest, and it hurt.  Could she have approached the conversation better?  Absolutely.  Could she have pretended interest and asked me a question about say, the plot, the goals, the motivation, the conflict?  Sure!  But in the end, she did me a favor.  She re-ignited the fire in my belly, and reminded me that not every opportunity is the right opportunity.  Most importantly, when faced with a bump in the road, I refuse to retreat into my previous identity of low self-worth.   I’m gunning for the end point people!  I hope that you, whatever your goals are in life, do the same!

Posted in Forbidden Signs, Inspiration, The Hero's Journey, Writing | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments