Tuesday 26 June 2012

Charley In The Interwebz

Social media is, to me, one of those things - alongside Rubik's cubes and trigonometry - that I have extreme difficulty wrapping my head around. Probably because there's just so much of it. Seriously, there are more sites where I can tell people about my recently-purchased donut than I can shake the aforementioned pastry at.

Unfortunately, if I seek to become an author, a platform in social media is an adviseable place to start. Which means I need to stop chewing my knuckles and making iffy noises and get in there.

Luckily for me, despite being something of an under-rock-dweller when it comes to some forms of internet communication, I was born in the generation that finds their parents' slowness with computers an imponderable mystery. Having had a good rummage through the blogs of the authors that I follow (because, seriously, what don't these guys know?) , I have made myself a battle plan for lining up my platforms for the day when I will be besieged by hordes of hungry fans. Hopefully.

I've started at the top, and gone for the easy options. This blog is about two years old now, and while it started out as a somewhat childish board for me to test out my public writing skills, I have recently done some hacking and sleeked it out into the somewhat lopsided, HTML-eating source of merriment that you know and love today.

But, unfortunately, my innate powers of procrastination have slowed me up more than a bit. As if I didn't have real life to distract me, the prospect of managing multiple social media accounts is daunting for someone with limited internet access and a schedule that looks like it's trying to self-destruct from the inside.

Thankfully, I have wonderfully pushy friends to help me through the tricky bits. It is thanks to Miriam Joy that I have finally got around to the task (after battling extensively with Google, YouTube and a malfunctioning wrist)  of setting up my very own YouTube channel, CharleyRWriter - the link to which is now up there in the Links 'R' Us tab.

Also at Miriam's behest, I have finally got around to making myself an official authorly Facebook page - something that, with Miriam finally free of exams and St Mallory's nearing completion, was quite daft to be lacking.

From there, however, I find myself a bit stumped. I have no use for Twitter - I'd say that was more for celebrities who need to let their fans know tour dates, or comedians to entertain their adoring public than for teenage soon-to-be-undergraduates to mutter about conspiracies within UCAS and overcomplicated coursework instructions. Laziness also sets in a little - I can't be bothered with the upkeep of too many fortresses, lest the proverbial dragon creep up and bite me in the bottom on route between them.

However, I will say this: social media is awesome stuff. Not only can one keep track of one's friends, one's favourite authors, and all the new films one is itching to see, but from a more professional perspecive (not that I can talk yet *snort*) it's a great point for marketing. Surely the lofty universities will be just a little bit impressed when I tell them all about my writing-oriented blog, guest posts over at Mark Williams International, and how much all of you love me?

And, more than that, I get to meet wonderful people like you, my friends. I would probably still be scribbling half-finished stories on the back of my notebooks and never showing them to the world if meeting people like you hadn't inspired me to get up and go and do things and try things, and just "get out there" in general.

So now I turn the question over to you. What are your views on social media? Do any of you use Twitter, or have a YouTube channel? What about all those other imponderable pits of confusion, like LinkedIn and Reddit? Anyone want to enlighten me as to what in the name of biscuits those are about?

~ Charley R

13 comments:

  1. We have lured you into YouTube! Once you start vlogging, there's no going back... (If you want, I'll send you a link to a couple of other writers who vlog whose videos you might like to watch.)

    I have a Twitter account. I use it for taking to people, mostly, and sharing links. I have had interesting conversations with people. I also use it for research - i.e. tweeting Aberdeen University to find out what time their library shuts, because believe it or not that was a plot point :D

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    1. Haha, I'm going to try and make another vid now, as i have some time. It's a lot of fun to do xD

      Oh wow, that's impressive. I can't think I'd do anything like as useful as that xD

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  2. I don't have any social media affiliations other than my blog. I justify myself by calling anyone who does dabble in social media a "socialist". I don't want to be a socialist-- I don't have a Facebook account. Twitter is for twits. That is all.

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    1. Haha, as you please. Facebook is a pain sometimes - I use it mainly for keeping in touch with friends I can't see in real life (like those in Australia, or Canada, and stuff), and, as I said, twitter just doesn't compute for me. Our prime minister, David Cameron, said "Too much tweeting can make one a twat" sometime last year. I like that quote xD

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  3. Facebook D: I hate Facebook... but then again, I like Twitter... Yes, I am that weird! But to each their own XD

    Youtube. I got persuaded to create an account for that particular site, back in the first year of college. But it has like, maybe one video on it? Haha! It was mainly just for keeping track of favourite channels and videos. Another stalking method, some may say ;P but now you shall be added to my subscription list!

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    1. Haha, I haunt all sorts of places on YouTube - I think I'm more informal and me-like there, because I can be. iMovie enjoys making me look stupid though :P

      Hooray! I'm trying to upload a new vid now, but YouTube isn't playing the game. Later today, maybe. Pesky thing.

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  4. As you probably notice, I too have myself an author page on Face book. between that and my blog, I'm kaput. I tried twitter, but got brain fried. Though Mriam's use to tweet a university with an odd question or two, is intriguing...

    I'm on Linked in, but that was more for my day job career and the hubby told me to. I haven't really used it at all.

    As to Vlogging... I don't know if I'd like myself on viideo plus I have trouble just blogging once a week.

    I think even with out a day job eating up over 8 hours a week of my time away from home, I'd still stick to what I have for now: Facebook, Protagonize, and my Blog. - they take up enough of my free time as it is.

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    1. Heh, my vlogs aren't going to be uploaded much, and I doubt my author page will see much action until I get going properly. I've probably got a wee bit more free time than you do, as well, so that helps. :P

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  5. Haha, thanks very much! Unfortunately, I don't have much time al momento, and if I'm honest the awards take up far too much blog space. Thank you very much for nominating me though - I appreciate it very much :D

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  6. Charley, just to say that I have nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award :)
    http://eklobb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/liebster-blog-award.html

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    1. Aww, thank you very much! Unfortunately, I won't be doing the award - they take up too much time and space, and I'm just plain lazy - but I thank you very much for thinking of me :)

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  7. I love Twitter! It's like a giant conversation you can jump into anytime.

    I tried having a YouTube, but so far v-logging hasn't taken. Partly because my house is rather messy, so finding a way to film myself without lots of stuff in the background is difficult.

    Linkedin and Reddit, I don't even mess with. I've got enough to do with blogging, twitter, tumblr, pinterest, facebook and goodreads. :)

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    1. Hehe, I just can't make Twitter function. I'm just inept xD

      Ah, I supose that's a drawback. it's finding time to vlog that's my trouble - as my room is hardly the ideal venue and I always have people around interrupting me.

      Hmm hmm, probably a good strategy that xD

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