So you Want to be a Social Media Expert?

Posted in Writings about Writing by storytellergirlgrace

I wrote this post for the blog at Helps2, the social media company that I work for. You can view the original post here.

Social media manager. Content creator. Platform consultant. Growth hacker. Yes, this is a thing now.

Ten years ago, social media as we know it today didn’t exist at all. So is there such a thing as an “expert” in a field that is not only brand new, but is changing on a daily basis? And if you’re not Mark Zuckerberg or a Google employee, can you actually become one of these people?

Yes, you can. While I may not be considered an “expert,” as compared to the real pros, I have learned a thing or two about the social media world and how to stand above the crowd. I’m still learning, growing, practicing, and adjusting, but I will share a few tips that can help you move out of the “newbie” realm and on towards “expert.”

It’s okay to try all the platforms till you find your niche. If you’re just starting out with social media, especially if you’re wanting to use it to represent and promote your career, business, organization, or other pursuit, just experiment. There are the big social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc – but there are dozens (no – probably hundreds) of others, too. Some platforms suit a specific niche or industry – like Flickr for photography, for example. Don’t be shy about trying a lot of social media sites for a little while so that you can narrow down your list of favorites where you want to focus your efforts. This not only lets you find the sites that you enjoy and where you can reach your audience, but it gives you experience with many different platforms. Knowledge and experience are part of becoming an expert.

Interaction is key. Social media is all about being social. If you don’t interact with your fans/followers/clients, they will be less inclined to follow you or to seek you out when they need your product, service, or advice. The ways of connecting with other users differs from platform to platform, but again, this is where experimentation can help you. Making the effort to learn how to communicate effectively on social media – whether it’s comment strings on Facebook or retweets on Twitter – helps you to stand out.

Study the pros. The old adage is true – find someone who has what you want in life, and learn what they did to achieve it. Most social media professionals share much of their knowledge freely through blogs, podcasts, and the like. Read articles about social media tips. Find people who you respect who are doing it right (whether they are social media professionals, or just using social media effectively). Interact with them, ask questions, read blogs. Also know that no matter how much you might learn about social media, because of its very nature, there’s always something new to learn. You don’t have to keep up with every single trend, but develop a passion for constant study.

Be consistent! Consistency is the glue that holds this all together, and in my opinion is one of the main ingredients in the making of an “expert.” No one wants an “on again, off again” professional in any field. Be consistent with your learning – social media changes every day, both from a technological side and in the way people are using it. Be consistent with your own social media, whether you have just a personal Facebook page or you’re managing a website and a presence on five other platforms. Be consistent with your updates and with your interactions. If you want to be on the road to “expert” status, then people need to see that you have both the knowledge and the discipline to keep going over the long haul.

So there you have it. These tips are things that I myself have done (and continue to do. Consistency, remember?) Whether I’m truly an expert or not isn’t important, really. I’m learning, applying what I learn, enjoying what I do, and becoming more effective every day. And you can do it, too!

30Jul2014

WorldWide Blog Hop

Posted in Writings about Writing by storytellergirlgrace

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done a blog hop, so I thought I’d participate in this one. I think these questions are the same as the ones I answered last time – but I’ve purposefully not looked at my previous entry, so that my answers for this one will be fresh and honest. So here goes.

First of all, I was nominated by my friend Bonnie Watson. She’s a writer of fantasy (as well as an artist and musician), and her work can be found here. Now, on to the blog hop questions:

1. What am I working on?

Still editing the first novel of a fantasy trilogy. I really hate editing and rewriting. I guess it’s the drudge work of being a writer. I much prefer first-draft writing. I’m doing a bit of that, too. I’m hoping to finish the first draft of book two of this trilogy by the end of October, because I want to start fresh with a new project for NaNoWriMo.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Mine is a cross-world fantasy, taking place in both the real world and a fantasy world. That’s not exactly unique, but I think that primary world fantasy is the most popular right now. It’s also inspired by Finnish mythology and folktales. Again, not a one-of-a-kind idea, but perhaps a bit less common than urban fantasy with vampires or Norse mythology fantasy.

3. Why do I write what I do?

Because the characters in my head tell me to! Seriously – I write because if I didn’t, I’d probably eventually go crazy. The ideas need an outlet.

4. How does my writing process work?

Slowly. Discipline is my main problem. I also have to fight against Shiny New Idea Syndrome, and stay mentally focused on the two or three projects I’m currently working on. As far as specific writing process, I’m more of a plotter than a pantser, and so if I come to a spot in my story that I haven’t plotted out well ahead of time, I get stuck. Usually for a long time (that part is just a discipline problem.) Having at least a loose outline helps keep me from dreading my work too much.

And now I’m tagging…every blogger out there! If you’re a blogger, and you enjoy reading my blog, then jump on board and post your own answers to these questions (and tag my blog, if you don’t mind!)

Keep writing!

23Jul2014

10 Quotes from Science-Fiction and Fantasy

Posted in Music, Movies, and other Muses by storytellergirlgrace

We can learn a lot from fantasy and sci-fi. Sometimes we need to hear a truth come from the mouth of the Other, or to see our situations mirrored in a fantasy world. So here are ten of my favorite quotes about life from fantasy and sci-fi books, TV shows, and movies.

Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny. –The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others. – The Wizard, The Wizard of Oz

Words are, in my not-so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. – Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Equality is the nullifier of individuality… Equality is the despot destroyer of self-worth. In a world of sameness, there can be no heroes. – The Watcher, “Earth X #3,” Marvel Comics

Who’s the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him? – Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: A New Hope

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. – Gimli, The Fellowship of the Ring

‘Impossible’ is a word that humans use far too often. – Seven of Nine, “Hope and Fear,” Star Trek: Voyager

You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you are. – Aslan, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

We all have a destiny. Sometimes we do not see it, because we have been taught to believe that we are not important. – Delenn, “Comes the Inquisitor,” Babylon 5

Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things – trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. … I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia. – Puddleglum, The Silver Chair

What is one of your favorite sci-fi or fantasy quotes about real life? Please share!

16Jul2014

A Traveler’s Moment of Reflection

Posted in Travel Writings by storytellergirlgrace

Sometimes it’s the little things that grab your attention.

There are the famous museums and the great monuments. Every city, town, and country road has its own uniqueness, its glamor both great and small. Sometimes those small bits of glamor capture your senses, and come to define a place in your mind long after you have left. When I went to Iceland I found such a moment – not in the vast verdant wilderness of the country, but behind a gas station in the middle of the city.

I passed by this gas station every evening on my way back to where I was staying. Behind the gas station and convenience store was a little garden. Beyond that, a walking trail led around a lake (or perhaps an inlet of the bay.) I never explored the extent of the trail, or even the depths of the garden, because I only ever came to this place in darkness or at sunset.

The statue of the boy in the garden was a dark silhouette against the sunset. I couldn’t read the Icelandic plaque, even if there had been enough light. I wondered how many lives passed through this garden every day – jogging on the trail along the water’s edge, or enjoying a snack from the gas station. I wondered whose life had inspired the statue.

Here, at this serene spot of glamor in the middle of a city, I found a sight that captured my mind. I had many wonderful experiences in Iceland, and I look forward to going there again for more. But this little stone boy at sunset will always be Iceland to me.

Found Words – Names and Places

I like words. Words are everywhere. We may ignore them – their placement, their meaning. We ignore their very presence. But every word that is placed somewhere, that is found, has a purpose and a meaning.

Everyone and every thing has a name. And every name a meaning.