Today we are talking about creating your own social networking site through Ning...
What if you could create your very own Facebook? A social networking site that you run, based on your interests and whose members must abide by your vision, goals, and rules? There are drawbacks to be sure. T-I-M-E being chief among them. But if you have a special interest and haven’t found the perfect social site yet, Ning offers you the mechanism by which to create your very own social network.
Ning has other benefits, though – chief among them being numerous sites on all sorts of topics that may attract your target readers. Are there any circumstances under which you could see yourself creating your own social network? Take a spin around the Ning Directory just to see what else is out there. Much like blogs, you’ll find half-abandoned Ning sites (ahem … I have one of those) and thriving sites. Are you inspired? Could you find time to visit one or two in your genre just to see if hanging out might be worthwhile?
I tried to look past the time issue and give Ning a chance. So I visited the Ning Directory, and clicked on the Writers subgroup. There, I found a few groups. None of them had much activity and the most recent group was in November 2009.
If I had stumbled upon this site with my interests, I would have thought it was dying a slow death. I'm not a jump in and give it a go kind of person. I'm a thinker, constantly comparing the pros and cons of any decision.
Going with my gut on Ning... I don't think it's for me. But, I plan to go back over all the social media outlets mentioned during WABC and do some research. I'm sure I will decide to participate in some.
Since I plan on putting out a new book this year, I guess sooner will be better than later.
So to my author friends, if you could only use one social media site to sell books, which would it be? (outside of a blog)
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A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) Update
Only 8 more days to go this round... eek!
My update is short and sweet this week. I'm awaiting Chasing Memories edits back from the lovely Jo Michaels, who I sincerely hope is NOT pulling her hair out right now. SO excited to get back to work on it. In the meantime, I'm working on the Depression Cookies follow-up.
Switching back and forth between YA and women's fiction is a bit more difficult than I thought it would be, especially since I'm writing about a 17-year-old main character in both. They are SO different, though, so going back and forth leaves me feeling a bit discombobulated.
This week, while awaiting edits, my focus is to write several A to Z posts!
How's everybody else doing as Round 1 comes to a close?
6 comments:
I'm launching my book soon and I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket. I am going to use Twitter & LinkedIn. I just started a new FB page so I'm starting to post to that. I still see my blog as being a driver to my book.
Toni, I agree. Tried to comment on your blog today (but my computer & WP weren't being nice to each other).
Loved the bunny vlog. You make a great point about a schedule. I'm still finding mine. For almost a year, I published daily. But I burned out. I went to a MWF, but then I join these blogging challenges and throw it off again.
*sigh*
I don't think there is one perfect social media network for promoting one's writing, or for even hanging out on. I never did.
As for Ning... I like the idea, but the sign-in process was annoying (needing a separate password/sign-in setup for every little interest/group) got annoying, plus being enclosed the way each group was, it isolated people as much as helped them keep close contact. I was, for a time, involved with two groups that used it. And I never used either group to its fullest because of those limitations.
Glad to hear you're getting progress done, Tia. It's not "oh, darn, the ROWnd is almost over"; it's "Well, I'm gearing up for an even more awesome ROWnd next time".
Oh, and repeat after me--"I do not need to participate in every cool blogging challenge out there to be an awesome and appreciated writer. I already AM an awesome and appreciated writer."
:-D
Eden, Thanks for the input on Ning. My Round 1 started off so poorly, so I was reflecting on finally getting moving to see it end, but I'm definitely looking forward to a fresh start with R2.
For a long time, I did WAY too many challenges. Now, I only do the ones with people I enjoy hanging out with.
I agree with you on Ning. I will not be ninging. :) Chin up, there's a way to balance it, chicka! :) Loving the book and, no, not tearing out my hair... yet :) WRITE ON!
I think I have a ning page (is that what you call it?) somewhere? I went from rebook.com to ning to my own blog and never looked back. It didn't work for me. As for challenges - I do a few because when I don't I feel like I'm either missing out or letting people down. And well, I do enjoy them mostly.
All eggs in one basket is always a no-no though in my opinion. G+ is apparently the best place to hand out for writers, although I'm yet to dive in. X
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