Open Mouth, Insert Keyboard

 

Christina Hamlett is my Guest Blogger today. She has some valuable information that all writers who either are, or hope to be, published should heed. I am most grateful that Christina chooses to share her knowledge with us. 

OPEN MOUTH, INSERT KEYBOARD

By Christina Hamlett

Are Social Media Missteps Secretly Hurting You?

Prior to the internet, the only thing agents and publishers knew about us was what we disclosed in cover letters, CVs and clips of our work. Such inquires required a laser-beam focus. To make a smart impression, it was as crucial to not waste words as it was to keep to the code of professional relevance. It was also a time when many people kept diaries and locked away their most private thoughts from prying eyes. Fast forward to the electronic Age of TMI (too much information) and the fact on any given day we’re providing strangers with keys to learn everything about us, sometimes without our even knowing it.

Are you using Facebook as a way to share news and photos with friends or as a way to promote your projects and published works? Unless you want to maintain two separate pages to distinguish personal vs. business, there’s frequently an overlap in content and agents per se don’t have a problem with this. As more and more of them request links to websites and social media as a virtual snapshot of who you are, their curiosity is primarily driven by (1) are you an interesting person doing interesting things, (2) do you know how to market yourself, and (3) do your passions embrace a watchable work/life balance.

HAVE I SAID TOO MUCH?

Unfortunately, not all passions are ready for prime time. A case in point is a referral I did a few months ago for an author whose novel had themes I believed would resonate with a particular agent. Although the latter liked the writing, she ultimately declined. As a professional courtesy she circled back to tell me why she felt uncomfortable offering representation. A review of the author’s Facebook pages revealed she has been venting her political spleen for the past two years with cartoons, vitriolic posts, conspiracy theories and links to Fox News broadcasts. While it’s hard not to get caught up in today’s divisive headlines, the agent felt that readers who might potentially become fans of the author’s work would be turned off by the rabid content she posts and that none of it reveals anything about her hobbies, interests or how she even approaches the craft of writing.

In concert with this are authors who share a tad too much about their struggles with mental health, substance abuse and addictions, failed relationships, etc. Catharsis may be good for the soul but unless the filters you set are only reaching a select handful of trusted friends, that messaging is going out globally to people you don’t even know along with those who could use that same intel against you; i.e., “Why should I hire this person when s/he engages in risky behaviors, admits to being a flake and has a history of bad decision-making?”

WHAT KIND OF POTATO ARE YOU?

Who among us hasn’t enjoyed occasional bits of brain floss with Facebook quizzes such as, “What would you look like as a gnome?” “Who is your celebrity double?” “What traits do people most admire about you?” “What will you look like at 75?” They all seem harmless enough except for two things: (1) Those which ask for a headshot to manipulate can subsequently use it for facial recognition platforms that could violate your privacy rights and jeopardize personal data; (2) Many of them include the oft-not-read small print that participating in the game is granting your permission for access to your Facebook page and Friends list.

Another popular phishing scheme is seemingly innocent and puts forth “fun” questions such as: “What was the top song the month and year you were born?” “What’s the name of your first grade teacher?” “What was your first car?” “How far do you live from where you were born?” “What was your first pet’s name?” “What elementary school did you attend?” The answers to many of these come easily to most people because they’re frequently used as their own security questions for banking, credit cards and online accounts. Questions pertaining to geography and timelines help narrow down a profile of where you hail from and your age—useful data for future identity theft.

YOUR MONEY IS NO ONE’S BUSINESS BUT YOURS

When friends and clients win a writing competition, sell a new play or sign a publishing contract, I thoroughly encourage them to toot their own horns in social media. What I don’t encourage them to do is scan the acceptance letter or, worse, the check itself and post it on Facebook. It’s a “Look at me! Look at me!” moment which not only demonstrates the author is needy for attention (the amounts are usually under $50) but—unless it’s redacted—also gives away information such as the recipient’s home address. Simply share the gist of your success story and let everyone congratulate you.

AUTHOR, PROMOTE THYSELF

Lastly, let’s not forget that a truly positive aspect of social media for today’s authors is being able to hype new projects before they’re officially on the market. Teasers and excerpts are a great way to whet the appetites of your future readers. Along with this are anecdotes about what inspired the work, what you’ve learned along the way and insights on your process for bringing characters and settings to life. Many authors going the self-publishing route are also using Facebook to conduct surveys on which cover designs are the most appealing and intriguing. Likewise, it can be a smart tool to provide links to your interviews and to published articles which demonstrate your scope of knowledge and affirm your qualifications to create those books and scripts in the first place!

Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is an award-winning author whose credits to date include 44 books, 257 stage plays and squillions of articles. She is also a script consultant for stage and screen and a professional ghostwriter. www.authorhamlett.com.