Blogging for Writers

TypeTwitFaceMashUp

Learning to utilize other social media platforms with my blog means figuring out how to connect the dots from one service to another, with minimal duplication of work.  Tyepad, Twitter and Facebook are all social media, but they serve different purposes, just as various types of print media do.

So, how do I make them work together?

Here's my "map" for now:

(Read to the tune of "The hip bone's connected to the leg bone, the leg bone's connected to the ankle bone...)

A new post in Typepad shows up on Facebook and on Twitter with a shortened url link. Configure it through the Share Button on the Settings Tab in Typepad.

A new Tweet shows up as a Facebook status update. Instructions are here.

A new FB update is just on FB. 

Here's the guy version:

Typepad to FB and Twitter.    

Twitter to FB.

FB to FB. 

Each platform can reach different audiences. Using all the services together can broaden your reach.

Now, go get your BlogTwitFace on.

Update: It seems if the tweet has already gone to FB, deleting it from Twitter will not erase it from FB. Not that I want it to, I'm just sayin'.

How to Start a Blog, Advice from Michael Hyatt & ProBlogger.net

Over the past few weeks a few friends have asked about starting a blog. A similar, but much different, situation prompted Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing, to write a post about How to Start a Blog . Instead of reinventing the wheel, I'll just point my friends to his post via my blog.

If you spend some time on Michael's blog you'll have enough info to get you going. At the bottom of his post is a list of related posts.

If you devour information like I do, you can also check out Darren Rowse's Blogging Tips for Beginners at ProBlogger.net.  

The bottom line is to jump in and give it a try. Remember, your blog doesn't need a bunch of bells and whistles (widgets, etc.). Focus on your content. Write about your passion. Be real.

Now, go get your blog on.

Amazon for Authors

If you're a published author in Amazon's catalog, take advantage of their marketing option, Author Central. It's created to help "authors to reach more readers, promote books, and help build a better Amazon bookstore."

Per the Author Central page "Author Central also helps you to enroll your books in programs like Search Inside the Book and Kindle so that they are readily available for any customer to browse and buy."

I looked at their example, Nora Roberts' author page, and found it includes a bio w/pic, links & pic of products and place for a blog (her last update was 2007). 

I also checked out the pages of two of my virtual writing role models, Barbara Curtis and Susan Wittig Albert.

On Barbara Curtis' Amazon page I found the same as Nora Roberts, down to the last blog update in 2007. Barbara focuses her online presence time at MommyLife.net.

Susan Wittig Albert's Amazon page has the same as the other two, but she has managed to keep her blog updated. Her last entry was July 23, 2009 with content from her Lifescapes blog. She's able to fill two blogs with one post by adding an RSS Feed from Lifescapes blog to Amazon. Sounds scary, but it's not. Here's how from the  Amazon Author Central FAQ:

How can I display my blog on an Author Page?
Once your Author Central account has been activated, you can add a personal blog to an Author Page in just a few steps. Click on the Blog tab and, if you are already blogging, simply follow the instructions to add an RSS feed. Your blog posts will appear on your Author Page in just a few hours and subsequent posts you make to your blog will automatically appear on the Author Page.

If you are not yet blogging, you can either start a new one using any of the free blogging platforms (such as Blogger, Livejournal or TypePad) or use our simple blogging tools. To access these tools, click on "Create New Post”. New posts will appear on your Author Page within an hour.

Since I haven't used Author Connect, I wanted to find a review of it. Tony Eldridge at Marketing Tips for Authors gives some feedback in his post Amazon Connect Becomes Author Central. Read the comments for a discussion about the terms of use for Author Central.

If you're an Amazon visitor reading the entry for a book, click on the author's name to view their Author Central page. If you're an Amazon author, sign up for Author Central and take advantage of the free publicity.

Now go get your blog on.

Why Authors Need a Platform from Michael Hyatt, Thomas Nelson CEO

"If you can bring to the table, not only great content, but an established platform, you will have agents and publishers lined up to sign you." - Michael Hyatt, Thomas Nelson CEO, July 15, 2009 blog post "The Importance of Building Your Platform"

Michael sums up his address at the Music City Media Mixer luncheon in this post, addressing three reasons why authors need a platform and fours ways how authors can build a platform. Blogging is a natural fit for the how aspect. 

In the comments (Yes, he responds to comments.) Michael suggests about 700-1000 unique visitors a day is a good goal to shoot for. That will take some doing, but it's not impossible. In the same comment he says the total number of visitors per month is a better metric because it more accurately shows the size of your audience. He recommends Google Analytics for this. 

There are other valuable takeaways from the comments section, another benefit of a blog, so don't forget to read those. 

Now go get your blog on.