Everything Else | From the Writer's Desk

Is This the End of Social Media?

Social media has cerainly changed a lot, especially in the past few months, but I’m not sure if it’s for the better.

Twitter

Back when I first started writing books, one of my author friends told me about Twitter. Twitter was a relatively new platform at the time. It took me awhile to wrap my brain around it, but I soon discovered that my friend was right. Twitter was the perfect place to post links to my blogs. I especially liked the hashtags. I used them as keywords to guide readers to specific posts. The hashtags helped me build a following as well. Likewise, if there was a topic of interest to me, all I had to do was type a few hashtags into a search and presto. I could easily find what I was looking for.

Twitter, unfortunately, had a downside. They started censoring people. Granted, none of my blogs are about politics or other controversial subjects. I write contemporary romance novels. The last thing I want to do was risk alienating half of my readers by posting about politics. However, as a writer and an artist, I firmly believe that people should be able express themselves freely, as long as they don’t threaten or bully others.

From Twitter to X

As we all know, Elon Musk bought Twitter a few years ago. The first thing he announced was no more censorship. I applauded this. People on both sides of the argument have the right to state their beliefs. Unfortunately, Elon also said no more hashtags. This was very disappointing. Hashtags were a means for people to have a more personalized Twitter experience.

Before Elon, I’d get a bump in blog traffic whenever I posted a link on Twitter. I also posted links to free samples from my books. I typically posted them on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. As a result, I’d see a bump in sales. Now it’s all changed. My Twitter feed is nothing but politics. Rarely do I see a tweet about someone’s book launch or their newest book cover. Nor am I getting the bumps from my Tweets that I used to get. So, I’ve stopped posting on Twitter. Nowadays it’s just politics, politics, and more politics, Some of us are interested in things besides politics.

Facebook

I’ve been on Facebook for over a decade. It used to be a lot of fun. People shared photos of their kids or grandkids. They shared their vacations, family weddings, graduations, new babies, and so forth. I also reconnected with old friends and relatives I hadn’t heard from in years. Then Facebook came up with it’s own means of censorship. Facebook jail.

If you so much as said so much as boo to someone, Facebook jail. Did you share your latest blog post about your favorite hobby to all your groups about the same hobby? Uh-oh! Facebook jail. Facebook “community standards” were constantly changing. What was okay to post two years ago isn’t okay to post today. This means that humor meme you shared two years ago, which met community standards at the time it was posted and hasn’t been seen by anyone in two years, suddenly landed you inFacebook jail. And how did Facebook know it was there? Some Facebook censor, with too much time on their hands, went on a fishing expedition. This is the kind of crap that turns users off, so they close out their accounts and leave.

From Facebook to Adbook

Then came Facebook ads. At first they were few and far between. Most advertisers were small, mom and pop businesses. Sometimes I’d buy a t-shirt, or a piece of costume jewelry. I also believe in supporting small businesses whenever possible. Unfortunately, big corporations have all discovered Facebook, and they’ve taken over the platform. My feed used to be my friends’ posts. Now it’s ad after ad after ad, or posts from business pages I don’t follow. Where are the posts from the pages I chose to follow? Why am I not seeing their posts? It’s a mystery to me.

I used to post several times a day on Facebook. Then I dropped down to one or two posts a day. Now I rarely post at all. Today all I’m seeing in my feed is stuff I don’t want to see. I want to see my friends’ posts, but they’re hidden among all the ads. As a result, I’m spending less time on Facebook. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’m spending more of my time to doing productive things. Apparently, I’m not the only one. Many of the people I know off Facebook are telling me they’re spending less time there as well.

Final Thoughts

Social media was a way for the average person to have a voice and connect with people with similar interests. Now it’s been hijacked by big corporations. As a result, the average user is leaving. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before the big corporations start noticing that fewer eyes are looking at all their ads. Hopefully, they’ll get a clue and quietly disappear, but I’m not holding my breath. After all, Zuckerberg has to pay for that multi-million dollar mansion in Maui. I’ll keep using social media to share my blog posts, but I’m using Instant Messenger more frequently to keep in touch with my Facebook friends. I also have a newsletter so I can keep in touch with my readers.

I tried Instagram a few years ago to promote my art photography. I didn’t much care for it. Instagram was mostly kids, sharing silly stuff. My target audience is adult women who are avid readers. Somehow I can’t see serious book lovers on such a platform. It’s also owned by Meta. If Meta allowed big corporations to hijack Facebook, then I have no doubt that they’ve taken over Instagram as well. While I don’t see and end to social media, I am of the belief that social media, as we used to know it, is fading away, and we’ll be spending our time someplace else. Like doing things with family and friends, the way we used to do, back in the day.

Gayle Martin

From the Writer’s Desk does not include AI (Artificial Intelligence) generated content. It is written and edited by a real human being. No part of this blog may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form, or used in any matter by AI, without the express written consent Good Oak Press, LLC. Requests for permission must be addressed to Good Oak Press, LLC, P.O. Box 51244, Denton, TX 76206-1244

Yes, Authors Need to Have Websites

Not too long ago a prospective author posted an interesting question on an online forum. He wanted to know why he had to have a website, as he didn’t see the need for one.

His question received many responses. Everyone who posted a reply recommended that he have a website, including yours truly. Websites are an invaluable tool for helping authors build their brands and market their books.

What to Include on Your Website

Obviously, your website should include information about your book. Your home page should have a warm welcoming message along with your book cover. You’ll also need an author bio page. Typically called an About the Author page, it should include a good headshot photo. If you write nonfiction, your bio should emphasize your expertise on the subject matter. If you write fiction, your bio can be about what motivated you to start writing. In my author bio, I talk about how I wrote a cookbook and later ended up writing contemporary romance.

You may also want to include a blog on your website. Blogs are a great way to talk directly to your readers. Your readers want to get to know you as a person, so your blog is a great place to talk in detail about the story behind your book or what it’s like to be an author. If you write fiction, you can post character bios as well as excerpts from your novels. Most importantly, you want to include links to where readers can buy your books.

Your website needs to be visually appealing. Along with your book cover on your home page, you should also include at least one photo in each of your blog posts as a good photo will help entice the viewer to read the post. Keep in mind, however, that using someone else’s photo without their permission could create some serious legal issues. I either use my own photos, or I purchase them from a stock photo company. I really like Pond5. They have plenty to pick and choose from, but be sure to read the licensing agreement before you make your purchase. Some photos are for editorial use only, so be make sure it includes commercial use. If possible, credit the photographer in the caption.

If you plan on advertising your book on social media you’ll probably need a privacy policy page. My webmaster wrote my privacy policy copy, however, you can find suggested privacy policy text online. You may also want to include a Q & A page. Think of the questions people typically ask you in person. If you have a newsletter, be sure to include a sign up form on your home page.

Your website should look as professional as possible. Some website hosts offer do it yourself website templates, but they have limitations so you may not be able to create the look you want. For best results I recommend hiring a professional website designer. They know html coding far better than most of us do, and they can also recommend the best website hosts. The more professional your website, the more likely visitors will take you seriously as an author.

Gayle Martin

From the Writer’s Desk does not include AI generated content of any kind. No part of this blog may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form without the express written consent Good Oak Press, LLC. Requests for permission must be addressed to Good Oak Press, LLC, P.O. Box 51244, Denton, TX 76206-1244

What it Means to Support the Arts

There are times when I may ruffle a few feathers, but so be it. Some things simply have to be said.

Those who regularly read this blog know I write novels, mostly as Marina Martindale. I’m also an art photographer, and I use social media to promote my books and my photography.

I was on Facebook the other day and came across a post about supporting the arts. It had plenty of likes, but there was a problem. The people creating the posts, and hitting the like button, may have thought they were supporting the arts, but they actually weren’t. Why? Because they weren’t telling their friends to BUY the art!

Hitting the like button doesn’t mean a damn thing

Whenever I post about my books and photography, I always include a link to a website where you can purchase the book or photograph. The posts will always get plenty of likes as well as comments such as, “Nice photo” or “I like really your book cover.” On rare occasions someone may say, “I’ve read her books and she’s great.” That’s the kind of a comment I live for! Sadly, those comments are too few and far between.

Unfortunately, hitting the like button doesn’t help me pay my bills. So if you really want to support my art, (or another artist’s work), please buy a photo or a book.

No, it isn’t a hobby

I’ve never understood why so many people think of the arts as just a hobby. Colleges and universities offer advanced degrees in the arts. Film and television production is a multi-million dollar industry. Does any of this sound like a hobby to you?

Artists, writers and musicians work damn hard, and they spend many years learning their craft. If you ever took music lessons when you were a kid you probably remember just how hard it was, and most of you gave up long before you mastered the instrument. Now think of what it took for a professional musician to reach that skill level. Does that sound like just a hobby to you? Do you really think hitting a like button on social media is all you have to do to “support” this artist? Seriously?

If you really want to support the arts then put your money where your mouth is

If you really want to support a musician then go to their gig and order a meal while you’re there. The venues who hire musicians do so to attract more paying customers. I realize some venues may be pricey, however the appetizers are usually less expensive. Trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of chicken quesadillas at friends’ gigs.

If you really want to support an artist then buy their art. Most authors have their books available for the Amazon Kindle, and you can download a copy for a few dollars. You can also get a Kindle app for free for your phone or tablet. Books make great gifts too, so if their writing genre isn’t your thing, you can still buy a copy for someone else.

You can also share their posts with a click of a mouse. Word of mouth and organic reach really are a thing, and it really does help get the artist’s name out there. Best of all, it only takes a few seconds of your time, and it doesn’t cost a thing.

Same goes for visual artists. How hard it is to share a post or click on a website link? You just hit the like button, so you obviously like their art. Visiting their websites helps improve their Google rankings, and many artists have their work reasonably priced.

Can’t afford to buy a framed print? Then you can probably buy the same photo on a coffee mug. You certainly can on my website. It only costs a few dollars, and it really does help support the artist. It will also be very much appreciated. Having someone tell me how much they enjoyed reading my book, or how much they like having a piece of my art in their home, means more to me than you could possibly imagine.

Gayle Martin

To learn more about my books please visit my website at martinamartindale.com.

To see my photography please visit my website at gaylemartinphotography.com.

It May Be Well Meaning But No

Sometimes well-meaning things people say to writers which really aren’t the best things to say. They’re not doing it to be insensitive. At least I hope they’re not. They simply don’t realize it’s inappropriate.

A few years ago I was going through a difficult time. I’d ended a friendship with someone who had been my best friend for ten years because it had become toxic. Ending a relationship with a close friend is similar to ending a romantic relationship. It’s a painful experience to go through.

What anyone in my position wants to hear are words of support. Unfortunately, because I’m a novel writer, what I got instead was, “Gee, you should write a book about this.”

I’m sure everyone who said it thought it was well meaning, or even cool for them to say. However, it wasn’t cool at at all. It was insensitive, and it came across as glib.

Writers are people too. We experience the same disappointments everyone else experiences, and when bad things happen, we feel the same pain everyone else feels. What we need are the same words of support others get. I don’t know of any writer, myself included, who goes out and deliberately creates drama in their life just so they can write a book about it.

How we handle this would depend on the situation and the individuals involved. However, we are certainly within our rights if we choose to speak up about it. When bad things happen, we deserve the same dignity, respect and compassion, as anyone else.

Gayle Martin

Making Promises You Can’t Deliver

Years ago, a fellow writer contacted me about including me in a book she was writing. I’d met her at a few events where I was promoting my Luke and Jenny book series. Her book was about honoring people who helped to preserve the history or promote the culture of the old west. It would feature many prominent Arizonans, as well as a few Hollywood actors.

Needless to say, I felt both honored and excited to be included in this very distinguished group. One member had been the host of a kid’s TV show in Phoenix which ran for over thirty-five years. He may not have been as famous as the Hollywood actors, but I grew up watching him on TV. I was especially excited to be in the same group as him, and I really looked forward to reading her book once it was published.

A few years went by. I checked her website from time to time. There was no new information, but I wasn’t concerned. Writing a book doesn’t happen overnight, so this was not uncommon.

It’s now been more than a decade since she first contacted me, and her website has since been taken down. It wasn’t a good sign, so I wondered if something might have happened to her. A number of people she included in her book have since passed away, including the kid’s TV show host. Then the other day I saw one of her posts on Facebook. It was the first I’d seen or heard of her in years.

I commented on her post and asked how she was doing. I also asked her about her book. Her response was totally unexpected. She had changed her mind and wasn’t going to do her book after all. It was too much work and she just didn’t have the time. Seriously?

We’ve all had ideas for books which we may have started, but, for whatever reason, were unable to finish. The issue is her having contacted and interviewed people before she changed her mind. At the very least, she should have reached out us, along with the families of those who had passed away, to thank us for our time and apologize for not being able to complete the book. It would have also been nice if she had returned whatever materials I may have sent to her. Where I come from this is called common courtesy.

Things happen, but it never ends well when you don’t deliver on the promises you make. I honestly feel like I’ve been duped, and whatever respect I may have had for her evaporated the minute I read her comment. I take my profession seriously. I’ve worked hard to build a good reputation. If something beyond my control comes up and prevents me from keeping a promise, I let the other party know, as soon as I possibly can. Not only is it common courtesy, it’s also good karma.

Gayle Martin

I Have This Really Great Idea

“I have this really great idea for a book that I think you should write.”

This has to be the most infuriating thing anyone could ever say to an author. While the person saying it may have thought they meant well, they’ve just told you how to do your job. Then there’s the other implication. Somehow you’re not capable of coming up with your own ideas for your books. Good grief! I never thought that I would actually hear this, but sure enough, someone said this to me. It was a real jaw dropping moment.

My response was firm, but polite. I told him I write contemporary romance novels, and that I ONLY write contemporary romance novels. Period. In other words, I set my boundaries before the conversation went any further. Had he said, “Yes, I know. I just wanted to tell you about my crazy ex girlfriend,” I would have listened. When he finished his story, I would have thanked him for his time time. I would have also let him know that I couldn’t guarantee I would ever use his story for a future book.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with people sharing their stories. Other people’s stories can be great inspiration for a novel, and oftentimes they are. However, adding the words, “I really think you should write this,” changes the dynamics of the conversation rather quickly, and not in a good way. I don’t need you to tell me how to do my job. Any decision to use anyone’s story, whether it’s yours or someone else’s, is mine and mine alone, and it’s subject to my own interpretation.

Once I firmly set my boundaries the gentleman didn’t elaborate any further. I had a funny feeling that romance novels weren’t his thing. He never got around to telling me what his great idea was, and I didn’t ask.

Gayle Martin

Learn to Set Your Boundaries

If I’ve learned one thing as a writer working from home, it’s this. I have to set my boundaries.

Working at home is certainly convenient. The commute time is less than a minute. You don’t have to worry about who used the restroom before you. You can work in your sweats, assuming you don’t have a Zoom meeting. If you do, then wear a nice top with your slippers and sweatpants. Going to lunch is easy too. It’s only a short walk to the kitchen.

Convenience, however, has it’s drawbacks. You miss out on watercooler conversations. There’s no coworker saying it’s five o’clock so let’s go grab a beer. It gets lonely at times, and you can easily put in sixty or eighty hours a week. Sometimes it’s necessary. Especially when you have a deadline. However, if you’re not careful, you could easily burn out. And for creative people, burnout can be a career killer.

If took me a while to figure it out, but I eventually came to realize that I had to set boundaries for myself.

Learn to Set Boundaries

Family time, and time for yourself, is as important as the time you put into your work. Perhaps even more so. Kids grow up fast. You don’t want to miss school plays or soccer games or other family time because you were too busy working. You also need to give your creative mind time to recharge itself.

I set my first boundary when I decided to get my nails done every week. A little pampering does wonders for your self-esteem, and a manicure isn’t that expensive. Now every Wednesday afternoon is my time for me, and in spite of it all, I still get things done.

Another boundary is ending my workday at five o’clock. I define a workday as doing paying gigs and activities related marketing and promoting my creative work. However, writing contemporary romance novels is one of my greatest joys in life. I live for my creative writing time, so I don’t set time limits on that.

Weekends are another boundary. I don’t open my business email account on weekends or holidays. If brick and mortar offices are closed on weekends and holidays, then my home office can be closed on weekends and holidays as well.

How and when to set your boundaries is entirely up to you. What’s matters is keeping things in balance, and making the time to do the things you enjoy doing.

Gayle Martin

From the Writer’s Desk is written, edited, and maintained by a real human being. It does not include content generated by AI (Artificial Intelligence) software of any kind.

No part of this blog may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form, or used in any matter by AI, without the express written consent Good Oak Press, LLC. Requests for permission must be addressed to Good Oak Press, LLC, P.O. Box 51244, Denton, TX 76206-1244

Pirating Really is Stealing

Every once in awhile I’ll come across someone who thinks intellectual property should never be copyrighted. Or they believe that everything on the Internet is public domain. Most of them understand copyright law. They just think they’re entitled. According to them, the movie studios, record companies and book publishers have plenty of money. Therefore, they shouldn’t have to pay for the music or book, and they see nothing wrong with pirating an artist’s work.

No matter how many times you try to explain to these people that pirating an artist’s work is actually stealing from the artist, they don’t care. Their argument is that books, music, and other creative works are merely ideas and nothing more. To them, it’s simply wrong to put a copyright on an idea. Creative works, however, are more than just an idea. They are the result of someone’s unique interpretation of an idea, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into creating it. This is why creative works are considered intellectual property.

I’m not an attorney, nor am I giving legal advice. However, it’s common knowledge that a creative work belongs to the person, or persons, who created it. I’m also going to explain, in layman’s terms, what pirating, and plagiarism actually are.

Pirating

Pirating means you are obtaining a copy of someone else’s creative work in such a way as to circumvent having to pay for it. A perfect example would be borrowing a friend’s CD and copying the music onto your computer. And yes, pirating is also illegal. Making copies of someone else’s creative work without their permission is illegal too. This is why, for example, a church cannot photocopy songs from a single songbook so that each choir member has a copy. If they were to get caught they could end up with a hefty fine. They would, instead, have to provide a songbook to each choir member.

Regardless of how the work is pirated, the end result is the artist who created the work it isn’t paid by the person using it. Pirating is stealing. Period.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is another way of stealing. It’s taking someone else’s work, putting your name on it, and then claiming the work as your own. This is why scholarly works include footnotes and bibliographies. It’s also why our teachers and professors would gave us failing grades on term papers if we didn’t properly credit our sources. There have also been cases of plagiarism in music when a riff used in one song may have sounded too much like a riff used in another published song.

For more specific information on copyrights, fair use, and other intellectual property law, or if someone has used your work without your authorization, please consult a copyright attorney.

Gayle Martin

Are You Posting Your Politics?

Nowadays many people like to express their political views on social media, regardless of whether or not an election is coming up. I understand freedom of speech, and you certainly have the right to express yourself. However, if you’re an author, there may be some unintended consequences.

Why political posts on social media is a bad idea for novel writers

Social media is an invaluable marketing tool for authors. It’s the best platform we have for driving traffic to our websites and blogs, and building our brands. It takes a lot of time and effort to build a following, as in months, or even years. So why, after doing all this hard work, would you want to risk alienating your fans and followers?

If you’re a political writer you’re the exception. Political topics are what your readers expect. However, many of us are not political writers. If you write novels, short stories or other creative fiction, and your sole purpose is to entertain you reader, then you may want to think twice about posting your politics on social media.

The risk you take

I make no claims of being mathematician or a statistician. That said, I think it’s a safe bet to say that roughly half your fans and followers don’t share your political views. It doesn’t matter if you’re a conservative or liberal. They don’t share your views. Nor will you get them to change their minds.

If you’re all over social media bashing people for their political views, you may very well be alienating roughly half your fan base as well. No doubt many of these fans will take offense and unfollow you on social media. They may also unsubscribe to your blogs and newsletters. Most importantly, they may stop buying your books. And if you made them angry enough they may even leave scathing reviews. So, before writing a political post, ask yourself this question. “Do I really want to lose half my fans?”

I’m sure some of you are so passionate about your beliefs that you don’t want people who disagree with you buying your book in the first place. If so, it’s certainly your prerogative. However, I think most of us don’t want to lose any of our fan base. I know I don’t.

Yes, they will unfriend you

I’ve unfriended many people on Facebook because of their political posts. This includes unfriending fellow authors. Some of their posts were so hateful it was shocking. Others were people I’ve known for years, and unfriending them made me feel truly sad. However, I’m tired of all the hate. I’m tired of all the negativity, Most of all, I’m tired of all the mean spiritedness and the divisiveness. It’s put me in a place where I’m seriously reevaluating some of my friendships.

I guess I must be old school. I’ve always subscribed to the notion that who I vote for is for me to know, and the rest of you to wonder about.

Gayle Martin

Gayle Martin does not include AI (artificial intelligence) generated content of any kind in her blogs. No part of this blog may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form without the express written consent Good Oak Press, LLC. Requests for permission must be addressed to Good Oak Press, LLC, P.O. Box 51244, Denton, TX 76206-1244

Category: Everything Else

Yes, Authors Need to Have Websites

What to Include on Your Website

It May Be Well Meaning But No

Making Promises You Can’t Deliver

I Have This Really Great Idea

“I have this really great idea for a book that I think you should write.”

Learn to Set Your Boundaries

Learn to Set Boundaries

Pirating Really is Stealing

Pirating

Plagiarism

Tax Tips for Authors and Writers

Other potential deductions

Travel expenses

Is it a business or a hobby?