Monday, September 9, 2013

The Joys of Social Media

I have to admit when I started using Facebook and Twitter properly I was nervous they would be a time suck. I saw it as a chore, something I had to do if I was going to be a writer. Yet I've been pleasantly surprised to find how much pleasure it can actually bring and how many new friends I've made. 
Being mostly homebound and fairly isolated socially I'd already experienced the joys of connecting with people online by finding the Minxes :-) My Minxy sisters have become very close friends as well as critique partners and an important part of my support structure. But now I've been making lots of new friends too and since the publication of 'Confessions of a Chalet Girl' I've found a lot of pleasure in the Facebook messages, especially the ones sent  from readers saying they couldn't put my book down and were waiting for the next in the series (always a fab pick-me-up on a Monday morning and a spur to keep writing!). 
I enjoy the random conversations on Twitter or the chance to take a peek into my favourite writers' worlds. I tend to only use social media during lunchtime or when I'm in bed so it doesn't really eat into my writing time.Now I know how much pleasure it brings I've started tweeting authors if I've particularly enjoyed their book.
There's so much attention given to trolls and the unpleasant, scary side of social media but rarely do people focus on the positives. Let's turn the tide and spread a little love today - if you've just finished or you're enjoying someone's book then tweet or Facebook message them to tell them so! :-)

I also wanted to share news about the end of summer sale currently running on Amazon UK - There are quite a few big titles as well as lots of lovely Harper Impusle titles at only 99p, including 'Confessions of a Chalet Girl'. 

Kindle BARGAIN!
'An End of Summer Affair' promotion running from 6th-19th September - all titles are £1.99 or less. All Harper Impulse Titles in the sale are 99p. 

Included in the sale are:
Lorraine Wilson 'Confessions of a Chalet Girl'
Rae Rivers The Keepers: Archer
Mandy Baggot 'Do You Remember?' 
Wendy Jones 'The Songbird and the Soldier'
Charlotte Phillips 'Your Room or Mine?'

4 comments:

Rosemary Gemmell said...

What a lovely, positive post about social media - I have to agree with you!

Lorraine said...

Thanks Rosemary :-) see, your positive comment made me smile

Jane said...

Hi Lorraine - I do feel social media is a time suck. But necessary for promoting yourself as a writer, and of course, for sniggering at silly stuff now and then. Very important, that!

Teresa F Morgan said...

I agree, too, Lorraine!

I do need to control how much I do on Facebook and Twitter. I do find myself addicted to it, and forgetting why I've actually sat in front of my PC. But I do love it.

There is a great positive to Facebook. I've kept in touch with friends this way.

With Twitter it's a leveller. You find yourself interacting with people you'd never get a chance to speak to.