I’ve reached a milestone, folks. Over the weekend, I surpassed the 10,000 follower mark on Twitter. swoon Yup, ten thousand people (10,538 as of this morning’s count) found me interesting enough–for whatever reason–to warrant following me…
Frankly, that just boggles my mind. It also makes me want to celebrate, because…well, such a grand number is worth celebrating, don’t you think? 🙂
But first, I’d like to share some of my earlier thoughts on social networking. This was originally posted just over a year ago at Dark Central Station–enjoy, and check out the giveaway details at the end!
THE SOCIAL SIDE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING
Confession time: When I began tweeting and blogging, it was because I knew I “should.” I had two books on the publishing horizon and, according to every source out there (including my tech-inclined husband), online marketing was the wave of the future and social networking was the key to it all. “Website,” they said. “And blog. And tweet.” Frankly, the very idea(s) terrified me.
I’m sure I’m not alone in admitting that, as an author, I tend toward being somewhat introverted. (You may ignore my husband’s claims that I am anti-social…I prefer to think of it as selectively so. :)) The notion of deliberately putting myself out there and connecting with people who don’t know or care about me, people I’ve never met and most likely never would meet–frankly, it was enough to give a poor introvert the heebie-jeebies.
But I had two books out there on the publishing horizon. My editor and agent expected a public presence. My publisher expected a public presence. Potential readers expected a public presence. And so…I joined the legions of others participating in things like Facebook, blogging, and Twitter. I moved slowly to begin with, in much the same fashion I might enter a swimming pool in May–half a toenail at a time.
Tweeting and blogging were about what I expected to begin with: awkward. Very awkward. And lonely, too. Much like the school dances I used to attend, where I would stand along the wall somewhere and wait for someone just to notice me, let alone ask me to dance. But in the name of marketing, for the sake of my books, I persevered. I learned to encapsulate my thoughts in 140 characters or less; I began responding to others’ comments; I began to participate.
I won’t lie. It was excruciating. Day after day I had to force myself back to the keyboard to add my 140-characters-or-less to the bazillions already out there in cyberspace. To begin with, most of my tweets went unanswered and my blog went unnoticed. The wallflower in me withered, just as it did at those damned dances. And still I persevered, and then…then something changed. A few comments got responses–even the occasional LOL. Sometimes they even triggered a whole exchange…a real conversation. Someone at the dance had noticed me.
Very slowly, I began to get to know the people behind the Twitter handles. I recognized which ones were funny, which were snarky (but still funny), which were dedicated and focused. I offered sympathy and cyberhugs to those having a bad day or week or life; I shared laughs with the wry observers; I celebrated others’ successes; and, at some point, I realized that social networking had become something far, far bigger than an online marketing tool. It had connected me to funny, gifted, sensitive, creative, brilliant, and just all-round wonderful people across the globe. It had expanded me, enlightened me, and gifted me with an entire world I would otherwise never have known.
I may have come for the networking, but I’m staying for the social…and I’m loving every minute of it. Oh, and I’m @lindapoitevin on Twitter or LindaPoitevin on Facebook if you’d like to say hi. 🙂
And now for the giveaway details! Since this is a celebration of my Twitter followers, I think it’s only fitting that the giveaway takes place there. (If you’re not on Twitter, there will be other giveaway opportunities right here in future, I promise. Or you could give in and join the fun on Twitter…just sayin’! ;)) So here’s what to do: Head over to Twitter and post a link to your favorite review (preferably a positive one! ;)) of either Sins of the Angels or Sins of the Son, OR just a link to my website. Be sure to INCLUDE THE HASHTAG #TeamGrigori so I can track your entries! The giveaway will run for the week, ending on Friday, August 3rd, 2012 at midnight EST. Five random winners per day will win one of my infamous bookmarks (signed, of course!), and one grand prize winner (also randomly selected) will receive signed copies of both Sins of the Angels and Sins of the Son plus a Grigori Legacy tote bag. This giveaway is open internationally.
Oh, and thank you all SO much for making this giveaway possible…Twitter followers rock! 🙂
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