It’s been awhile since I, LDS Publisher, have actually written a post here. My day job is consuming me right now, so I do a lot of book posts and have a lot of guest posting. And this post really won’t be much different because I’m supplying some links to other bloggers who have already talked about Pinterest in depth.
But I feel I need to chime in here because a lot of my day-job clients are asking me how they should best use Pinterest to advance their writing career. And I figure if they’re bombarding me with questions, some of you might be interested in this as well.
This is the advice I give to all the authors I work with:
First. Remember that your main job is to write good stories. That is your focus. Protect it with a vengeance! Don’t dilute your writing time with social media, including Pinterest. Set a specific time of the day or week to deal with social media and stick to it. Otherwise, you’re going to get sucked into the great black hole of the Internet and your writing will suffer.
Second. Understand what Pinterest is and what it isn’t. It is NOT a giant ad for your book. It’s a way for readers to get to know you and the things you’re interested in, which should organically lead to interest in your book. Of course, you absolutely should have boards dedicated to your book(s) but that shouldn’t be all there is. Also, Pinterest isn’t the be all/end all of promotion but it can be a valuable support to the other social media and online marketing you’re already doing.
Third. Is it right for you? Only you can determine that. Do not be pushed into another social media mode that you’re not going to keep up with. Nothing is worse than setting up a Pinterest account and adding one or two pins to some of the default boards, and then never doing anything again. If you’re going to do it, do it right. And as with all social media, if you don’t want it spread all across the universe, DON’T pin it.
With that said, here are some links to really good blog posts about how authors can use Pinterest to their advantage:
- Don’t Think of Pinterest as Social Media by Erin MacPherson (READ this one and click on all the links.)
- 5 Ideas for Using Pinterest as an Author by Amanda Luedeke on JaneFriedman.com
- How Authors Can Use Pinterest to Sell Books (Interview with author Jody Hedlund) on Pinterest Savvy
- How Do I Use Pinterest as an Author? by Amanda Luedeke, literary agent on ChipMacGregor.com
Want more info? Google “how authors use pinterest” and browse.
Are you already using Pinterest? Leave a link to your boards in the comments and share what you feel are the best tips for authors who are just getting started.
I’ve been using Pinterest for over 2 1/2 years. I used to have a photography business and it was a great way to connect with other photographers. It also worked great to collect ideas in posing boards.
After I closed my business, I still kept my Pinterest account, mainly for personal reasons. I have boards for favorite movies, favorite books, recipes, etc.
When I started writing my current manuscript, I quickly realized how useful Pinterest could be to collect ideas and to spark ideas. I have a general quotes board, a board for quotes pertaining to writing, another for favorite books, and one for blog posts. My favorite is the inspiration board I started for my characters with quotes, pictures of the places and country, songs, etc. It’s currently set as a secret pinboard since I haven’t published my book yet. I plan to unveil when it gets closer to my publication date.
I love looking at other authors’ inspiration boards for their novels. It’s like a peek into their creation process, and into their characters.
For anyone just getting started, I’d recommend a board for their favorite books (with direct links to Amazon where they can be purchased), a board for favorite quotes, and another for favorite places. If they have published books, adding a general board with places and quotes is an idea to generate interest in readers. Or, if they’re brave, one board for each book, with more details. 😉
You can find me on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/cindywhitney/
You’re welcome to follow all of my boards or just the ones that interest you more.
I’m very interested in this topic right now and really like your take on it, especially the part about don’t do it unless you’re going to do it right and don’t think this is the magic formula to success. Like all social media, it should be fun, part of the writerly marketing routine and fit with one’s personality and goals. Now that I’m working on a recipe book, I think Pinterest might work for me. I’d love to post recipes and food photos and kind of go nuts with it, more than I’m doing on my website. But then again…..not sure I’m ready to take on something else online.
I’ll post this link to WiDo’s CeleryTree Facebook page, because I know a lot of writers can use this information. Wonder if the time will come if instead of posting a link to one’s FB page, it will be pinning it to a board on Pinterest? I’m sure that’s already happening, and I think it sounds like a really appealing alternative to busy, ad-infested Facebook.