Take Your Author Website to the Next Level made me laugh in the first part. It says you should have familiar terms on your webpage such as “portfolio” instead of “library.” Looking at my weebly page I have violated that to the most extreme! However, this is strictly for my PWA class and after picking the background I wanted a medieval/fantasy theme to stick with. Which is why you’ll find the tab “Carrier Pigeon” and not “Contact Me.” I do agree with the article. Content is definitely the key to a website as well as presentation. For our generation, it’s easier for us because we can figure out the technology a lot better if we don’t know what we’re doing at first. We grew up with the internet for the most part, even if we did have AOL dial-up at first! It’s good to start off slow, right?!
I don’t know what to say for “What Employers Look For in Your Online Profiles” since I already knew that they do that. However, I don’t believe they can judge me on how I will fit in with a company if they’re looking at my PERSONAL website where I post about what I did this week. Granted, I don’t go out to bars and get drunk, so I don’t have to worry about embarrassing drunk photos too often. Who are they to deny me a job because I posted about how my car needs an oil change and I’m too poor to pay $30 to get one (not really an actual post, but close enough)? I’m sure they’d have personal information on their personal website, but I can’t look at theirs. What if I don’t want to work with someone who talks about golf all the time? I can’t accept or deny their job offer because I haven’t looked at their page, but they can deny me? It’s a bunch of bull hockey. My personal life has no reflection on my work ethic. End of story.
“Social Networking for Authors & Overcoming the Rejection Slip” was a very helpful article for me. I had checked out Writer’s Bloq when signing up for social media sights. It confused me and so I put it off for later (as well as LinkedIn). I signed up for Writer’s Café and Writer’s Network which seem like a big mistake. They’re geared to high school writers who think their work is perfect, in my opinion. I’m afraid to post anything in fear that some of my work may get stolen or in the fanfiction term “flamed.” Maybe my work isn’t all that great. Maybe I’m the next Stephanie Meyer or E.L. James (gag!). I’d hope not! But I know that my work receives good reviews in college courses which I think is an accomplishment in and of itself. I am now more interested in Writer’s Bloq.
“How to Keep your Online Reputation in Check” had me indecisive. I’m sure that it is a great way to get your name out there and noticed, but I still don’t believe in branding myself. I don’t think changing my pen name for different genre counts as being “me.” I had a conversation with a few friends the other night and we all agreed, if we like an author’s work so much, we’d give any book they write a chance no matter what genre it was. I think if you’re a genre writer your books become bland over time. How many romance scenarios can you do before someone realizes it’s the same book with different characters? I love Anne Rice’s work with the vampire collection. She hooked me. I read half of the first book of the Sleeping Beauty series. Not my genre at all, but still drew me in because of her writing. I had to put the book down because of school work and just haven’t picked it up again because like I said, it isn’t my genre, but I gave it a try. Would I read the books she wrote about the life of Jesus? I might give it a chance since her writing is amazing. Most likely I won’t, but I would recommend her book to those looking for that. I think branding yourself hurts you instead of helps you. If other people brand me, fine, but I won’t brand myself if I can help it.
When I read “5 Ways to Build Strong Networking Connections,” I didn’t see how it pertained to me. Sure in the future it might, but right now I don’t know anyone in the business other than a few self-published authors. I still keep in touch with them because we were friend before their book came out. I do think handwritten correspondence is underrated in today’s society. I would love to pick up a pen and paper and write a letter, but with texting and social media, everything you say is about 2-5 days late. I would love to meet people in my future career field and connect with them. I would love to stay in touch and make an impression, but the only people I know are the kids in my classes who are in the same boat as I am.
I don’t know what to say for “What Employers Look For in Your Online Profiles” since I already knew that they do that. However, I don’t believe they can judge me on how I will fit in with a company if they’re looking at my PERSONAL website where I post about what I did this week. Granted, I don’t go out to bars and get drunk, so I don’t have to worry about embarrassing drunk photos too often. Who are they to deny me a job because I posted about how my car needs an oil change and I’m too poor to pay $30 to get one (not really an actual post, but close enough)? I’m sure they’d have personal information on their personal website, but I can’t look at theirs. What if I don’t want to work with someone who talks about golf all the time? I can’t accept or deny their job offer because I haven’t looked at their page, but they can deny me? It’s a bunch of bull hockey. My personal life has no reflection on my work ethic. End of story.
“Social Networking for Authors & Overcoming the Rejection Slip” was a very helpful article for me. I had checked out Writer’s Bloq when signing up for social media sights. It confused me and so I put it off for later (as well as LinkedIn). I signed up for Writer’s Café and Writer’s Network which seem like a big mistake. They’re geared to high school writers who think their work is perfect, in my opinion. I’m afraid to post anything in fear that some of my work may get stolen or in the fanfiction term “flamed.” Maybe my work isn’t all that great. Maybe I’m the next Stephanie Meyer or E.L. James (gag!). I’d hope not! But I know that my work receives good reviews in college courses which I think is an accomplishment in and of itself. I am now more interested in Writer’s Bloq.
“How to Keep your Online Reputation in Check” had me indecisive. I’m sure that it is a great way to get your name out there and noticed, but I still don’t believe in branding myself. I don’t think changing my pen name for different genre counts as being “me.” I had a conversation with a few friends the other night and we all agreed, if we like an author’s work so much, we’d give any book they write a chance no matter what genre it was. I think if you’re a genre writer your books become bland over time. How many romance scenarios can you do before someone realizes it’s the same book with different characters? I love Anne Rice’s work with the vampire collection. She hooked me. I read half of the first book of the Sleeping Beauty series. Not my genre at all, but still drew me in because of her writing. I had to put the book down because of school work and just haven’t picked it up again because like I said, it isn’t my genre, but I gave it a try. Would I read the books she wrote about the life of Jesus? I might give it a chance since her writing is amazing. Most likely I won’t, but I would recommend her book to those looking for that. I think branding yourself hurts you instead of helps you. If other people brand me, fine, but I won’t brand myself if I can help it.
When I read “5 Ways to Build Strong Networking Connections,” I didn’t see how it pertained to me. Sure in the future it might, but right now I don’t know anyone in the business other than a few self-published authors. I still keep in touch with them because we were friend before their book came out. I do think handwritten correspondence is underrated in today’s society. I would love to pick up a pen and paper and write a letter, but with texting and social media, everything you say is about 2-5 days late. I would love to meet people in my future career field and connect with them. I would love to stay in touch and make an impression, but the only people I know are the kids in my classes who are in the same boat as I am.
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