We're Everywhere (Almost)

I came across this excellent post listing all sorts of Social Media sites and their various uses. A common misconception about SM is that all of the facilitation platforms are the same and can achieve the same functions. This is a definite myth. There are many sites that can be used for various functions, and can often even compliment each other. Jeanne and I use Twitter religiously, and it facilitates traffic to this blog, we've also started a network on NING, which you should all join! Many bloggers use flickr to show off their photos. Experimenting with the different formats of Social Media can be time consuming, but its like unlocking trophies on your PS3, it feels SO good.

In addition to this blog, you can currently find us on:

Twitter
NING
Facebook

..and eventually many more!

Be Your Own Brand - But Tell Us About It!

Once I was once just a voice in the crowd. Now I am my own brand.

This is the power of Twitter and social media. It used to be that branding oneself was done in a boardroom full of high powered executives with all the money, all the resources and all the Armani this side of the Atlantic. Your brand was chosen for you based on what would sell, and how easily you could slither into those leather pants in that high powered Cola-sponsorship ad.

Well my friends, the times they are a-changing.

It is no longer just pop stars and fast cars that have the accessibility to brand themselves. Thanks to social media, we all have that choice. It may take a lot of leg work and a little pizazz, but each of us now has access to a platform which allows us to choose how we present ourselves to the world. As a writer, I now have the opportunity to show you who I am, allow you some insight into my world, or tell you a story. Not only can I brand myself any way that I choose, I can create a new brand if I don't like any of the existing products!

Perhaps I'm waxing philosophical here, so I'll try to bring it in. What I'm getting at is that we are interested in hearing your Social Media love stories. How has Social Media changed your life? How has Twitter provided direct success? Motivation? Community? We want to to hear your firecracker of a story, your fail-whale of a tale. Tell us how you fell in love with Twitter, or what Social Media has done for you lately. Tell us what your dreams are for the future.

If you would like to write a guest post for this blog on how Social Media has changed your life, please email us at SMwriters@gmail.com we can provide you with a topic to write about, or if you have an amazing tale that is dancing on the tip of your tongue, let us know. We can't wait to hear from you!

Social Media and the Creatives by David Spies

If you’re one of the millions navigating the social media highway, there’s no definitive route. Social media is ever-expanding. Think the “Big Bang Theory” with a bazillion “1’s” and “0’s”.

Now think about the content you have to offer your potential audience... It can get a little overwhelming. That’s why it is best to have a social media plan to help you navigate the many different media outlets that are available. Have you claimed your handle (company name/personal name) on various social networks? Here’s a great tool (NameChk) that lets you see if your name is available.

It’s definitely a good idea to secure your name/company brand name on the various social networks that are currently available. This will ensure that you have a wide-ranging platform to get your message out there.

Social media and the ever-expanding list of social media platforms lend itself to creative entrepreneurs searching for the audience they deserve. Writers, screenwriters, filmmakers and authors around the world are embracing social media for the outlet that it provides. Social media sites allow millions of people from all backgrounds the access to present and share their work with the world. People can connect with individuals, sign up in groups with a similar interest of study, and join discussions to share ideas. The possibilities are limitless.

If you’re an individual that likes to take charge and have basic knowledge of websites/html, a blog is another great way of sharing your ideas and talent with the world. In addition to providing updated posts to your own blog, many bloggers welcome feedback and comments on their posts as well. When it comes to sharing ideas of inspiration and knowledge, it’s a two-way street. If you find that someone has taken the time to not only read your material, but has also provided feedback or a comment, it’s a social media common courtesy to reciprocate with some form of communication.

Whether you’re ramping up a social media platform for a new book, a screenplay, or you just finished a short movie, you’ll have to apply your brand image into your communications. Once you start communicating material to your audience, you’ll want to ensure that your messages are clear and concise.

Think of social media as your neighbor. You may see them every day, or even better, they may see you. My point is you don’t necessarily have to have a strategy plan to execute every single piece of information. Just be yourself. Being able to recognize the long-term value in relationships is the key to securing a good name for yourself in the social network you create.

Social media provides people the opportunity to connect with individuals they never would have if it were not for the Internet. You may find yourself conversing with many different people from all backgrounds and skill sets. You may even receive praise or a note of encouragement from a celebrity. Believe me, this does happen. One thing that you want to always practice is professionalism. Treat others how you would like to be treated, with respect.

It’s been almost a year since I started my twitter account. In this last year, I’ve made numerous contacts in the writing community, the film industry and various other industries across the globe. It has been a wonderful, learning and growing experience.


In the last two years, I’ve written two feature-length screenplays and one sitcom pilot. This year I decided to enter a couple of screenwriting contests. I’ve entered my recently completed feature-length comedy (Film Festival) into Scriptapalooza and after a careful and calculated rewrite; I’ve also entered my horror screenplay (Sasquatch the Movie) in the BlueCat Screenplay competition. In addition to being a practicing screenwriter, I’ve built and maintain a screenwriting blog at: http://davidspies.wordpress.com/

I enjoy sharing my knowledge and the articles I write with other writers and the many creative’s that visit my blog. I’ll continue to dedicate the time I have to write and share my inspiration and thoughts with the world.  


What social media means to me: connecting with people, forging friendships, helping others.

-       

      David L. Spies (@davidspies) 

Twittastic! The Evolution of a Love Language.

Since I became a Twitter junkie a little over a year ago, I've had to learn yet another new language. Technically, I'm mono-lingual in the traditional sense. Yes, I can ask where the bathroom is in both French and Spanish, but conversationally I only speak English without embarrassing myself. In the online world, however, where I can exist with my avatars as a reflection my residual self-image (thank you Morpheus), I speak several languages, and Twitter is one of them.

With the rise in popularity of social media, almost everybody knows the common words and phrases. "Status Update" "follower" "tweet" but once you truly immerse yourself in the culture of the social media forum of your choice, you begin to notice common trends, abbreviations, words, and even punctuation that can nuance 140 characters with all manner of meanings and subtext. One of my favourite trends is that of hashtagging for emphasis. If you've checked out either mine or Jeanne's feeds, you will notice we both make use of this device frequently. The original purpose of a hashtag was to create an instant link that can be used to follow a topic. For example, if I were to tweet this:

"I'm so excited to watch #TeamCanada play in the #Olympics today"

You would be able to click on both "TeamCanada" and "Olympics" and bring up all tweets that have those words tagged with a #. A few of us have chosen to take this idea a little bit further, using a hashtag to emphasize even the most obscure word combinations, in order to prove a point. For example:

"I've been working on this scene for six hours. #NewbieWriterFAIL."

Technically this defeats the purpose of tagging a common thread and adding your thoughts to the collective. It does, however, create a cheeky way to add a subtext to an otherwise boring tweet, and if you use Twitter like I do, to ask your community for assistance without having to phrase a direct question. If I were to tweet this, I could guarantee I'd get at least two or three replies and possibly a direct message from my writing community asking what I was struggling with and if they could help.

My point is, don't be afraid to immerse yourself in a culture even if you don't understand it right off the bat. If you can handle yourself with an open mind, it will always be worth your while. If there are any questions regarding Twitter Lingo in the future, I'm sure Jeanne and myself would be happy to translate wherever possible.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet

Upon hearing the word “Twitter,” I recoiled.  What is a tweet?   Who has time to tweet?  Why would a serious writer ever participate in such nonsense?  I had to find out.

Last July, I started my Twitter account, and my life as a writer has forever changed.   My name is Jeanne, and I’m a tweetaholic. 

What is Twitter? Simply put, it’s a worldwide network.   We writers are often quarantined, hunkering down in cluttered home offices, strumming away on our keyboards, not seeing another human, or shower, for days.  Twitter brings a support system right to your computer screen.  Luckily, they can’t see your dirty hair.

There I was with a grungy mane and a shiny new Twitter account.  I timidly poked around.  One of my first finds was a writing chat, called WriteChat.  Here, I met a gaggle of writers who held my newbie hand.  Their support was astounding.   No longer was I alone at my isolated desk in the country.

A tweet is similar to a text message.  People connect by the voice expressed in 140 characters.  Certainly, some judge by the profile picture, but most writers associate with the voice.  The character limitation has challenges, but it’s a lesson for writers in editing.  Be effective in fewer words.  I can hear editors applauding.

Chats are only part of the value.  People tweet links to informative articles and blogs.  Editors, publishers, and agents post their tips throughout the day.   Rachelle Gardner was the first literary agent I met on Twitter and has a blog offering endless advice for writers.   True, some agents aren’t as gracious, but even that has value.   Seeing an agent’s personality, allows us to find a better fit for our own.  It’s easier to query an agent you’ve seen as a person, not just a gatekeeper.  This kind of access is priceless, yet on Twitter, it’s free.

Not sold yet?

On Twitter, I’ve met writers who have gotten contracts with agents, invitations to participate in anthologies, found editors-for-hire, and even a Dutch writer, posting her blog in English to share with her Twitter community.   We read each other’s work and provide feedback with encouragement.  Let’s be honest: often our own families can’t supply that. 

Generosity is abundant.  I’ve witnessed writers recommend others to their agents for representation.  Even smaller gestures make a difference though.  One of my followers encouraged me to stop procrastinating and start a blog.   With his advice, and one short day, my blog went live.  He tweeted my link as a high-five of support.   When one of us succeeds, we all have hope.

Tweets aren’t solely professional.  Followers become friends.  One day, I posted my sorrow regarding a friend who died.  The outpouring of love and support took my breath away.  Later, when I blogged about my friend’s death, Best Selling author, J.T. Ellison, stumbled upon it.  As a thank you, she mailed the first three novels in her series.  We became fast friends. 

Another highlight has been the creation of ScriptChat, a chat for screenwriters.  Jamie Livingston, Zac Sanford, Kim Garland, Mina Zaher and I are the founders.  The chat’s success has been astounding.  One of our regular participants, Clive Davies-Frayne, is adapting his screenplay, SMOKE, as a novel, sharing his journey.  As a result, many novelists are now trying their hand at screenwriting.

Script Magazine’s West Coast Editor, Joshua Stecker, found Scriptchat and offered to give free subscriptions as prizes.  Joshua also joined my writing partner, Douglas Blackmon, and me for lunch to discuss our adaptation.  You can’t imagine our surprise when he asked if we’d consider guest blogging on the magazine’s site.  The opportunities for connections via Twitter are endless, as are the success stories.

However, not all people succeed on Twitter.  Some use it as a procrastination tool.  Others get too social and forget they came to network.  Yet, with a few simple guidelines, you can develop a community of talented, helpful writers to nurture you and your craft.

Do’s and Don’ts:

1. Show your personality, not just your projects.  People want to work with someone they like.

2. Tweet helpful advice, articles and websites.

3. Interact with people, including the professionals.  Pretend you’re at a cocktail party with conversations going on around you.  Join in. 

4. Pimp your fellow writer, meaning tell your followers about them.  Read their blog. Comment.  Tweet it out. 

5. Have a website or blog linked to your profile to show your voice beyond 140 characters.

6. Be creative in your bio.  Don’t simply put “writer.”  Show your layers.

7. Join Twitter writer chats.  Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s site has a complete list: http://www.inkygirl.com/twitter-chats-for-writers/ 

8. Attend agent chats and follow topics where agents, editors, and publishers offer advice.

9. If you have a question or a new blog post, tweet it at different times of day to catch more people online.

10. View Twitter as a part-time job. Dedicate one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening to start your following.  You get out what you put in.

In case you still aren’t convinced of Twitter’s value, Writer’s Digest publisher, Jane Friedman, met me on Twitter, invited me to a Writer’s Digest party, and asked me to write an article on Twitter's value.  If that doesn’t prove Twitter’s worth, I don’t know what will.

The writer’s quarantine of solitude is lifted.  Twitter is your water cooler.