Thoughts on Pinterest and Row80 check in
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So we’re half way through A Round of Words in 80 Days Writing Challenge and thankfully I made my weekly word count goal, just surpassing the 5,000 mark. I only wrote three evenings this week though so it still feels like I slacked off. I came down with a cold on Thursday so I sort of have an excuse unlike usual, but it seems to be that I can easily commit to writing three nights a week on my WIP, spending Saturdays and Sundays writing blog posts and then I have Friday and one other day of the week off. I’m not sure if that’s too much time off, but for now it seems to be working so that I don’t put myself under too much pressure. I do keep up with reading craft books and fiction books on my nights off though.
So far, I’m still on schedule for finishing my novel by the end of this round of ROW80. The blogging genre series is going well, this week Marcia Richards let us know how to put the “story” in Historical Fiction.
One of my other goals this round was to keep up with social media. I’ve been doing well with blogging so far, but I tend to fall by the wayside when it comes to Twitter (not enough retweeting) and Facebook. There’s also Triberr which is still new to me and I really have to dedicate some time to learn the lingo and find my way around there. AND I’ve also been considering Pinterest. Its another platform that I would probably end up spending a lot of time on because I know I would find loads of pictures to re-post and I like pretty things and being creative. My only question is: does Pinterest give too much information about you to strangers?
If you think about it, if someone follows you on Twitter, reads your blog, is perhaps friends with you on Facebook, checks out your Linkedin profile and then sees a whole social network dedicated to things you like from pets, home decor, food, travel destinations and whatever else, then what does that make your life? An open e-book. Basically they could write your whole biography just by looking at the information you willingly provide. A bit scary I think, which is why I’m hesitant to join Pinterest because pictures are worth thousands of words.
Have you joined Pinterest? What are your thoughts? How many social media platforms is too much?
I share the same thoughts as you. It took some time for me to get used to Facebook and Twitter and they do help when you promote your blog. Triberr is like a mistery to me and Pinterest… Well, I do have an account now, but I am not quite sure what I am supposed to do with it…
Everything also depends on how much you want to share. I have stopped putting personal pictures on FB, because I felt I was sharing too much.
Oh yeah, I haven’t put any photos of myself on Facebook in years. lol. So much to do, so little time.
I dig the thought of Pinterest, but more as a marketing tool and a stress relief than a this-is-my-whole-life kind of thing.
BTW, I think you’re rocking your goals. I’ve written 5K in a week like almost never!! Two days a week off is going to help you stay fresh and feel like you’re living a more balanced life. I say, keep doing what you’re doing. 🙂
On the Triberr front, I haven’t seen you join the More Cowbell tribe yet…did you get your invite? Tweet me and let me know if I need to re-send.
Let me know if you join Pinterest, I’d love to see what you do with it. I heard of other writers using Pinterest as an “inspiration board” or posting pics that relate to their books. I kind of like this idea because its more about the story rather than the author themselves.
I think I’ve found a good balance now so I try to maintain for the rest of this round and see what I can produce.
On the Triberr front, I did join the same day you sent me the link. I think I just don’t know my way around yet. I’ll have to refer back to your blog posts to set myself up. 🙂
Pinterest was addictive at first, have to say I always had a tab opened on Pinterest… Now I go there once in a while when I need to search for some inspiration. Twitter is also a platform I use, more for writing down thoughts and pieces of mind, whenever I have no other way of putting them.
I have a feeling I would spend a long time on Pinterest. I like your way of using Twitter. I never thought of that. 🙂
I think there is a limit. We need one network to rule them all (which is what facebook wants to be, but just can’t).
Congrats on your goals and good luck on finishing on time. If you do, I shall be quite envious!
lol. One social media to rule them all, I’m pretty sure that’s a line from a TV show? no? Anyways, that would be nice.
I just joined pinterest yesterday. So, far I’ve pinned one recipe, some crafts I’m planning on making in the next weeks, I think one craft idea for the kids, and a picture of the setting for my current WIP. I can see it being a total time suck though, so I’m going to have to watch how much time I spend there. My facebook is mostly just for my friends & family(although I am in the Row80 group and finally got my writer page up) while Twitter(when I actually get on there) is more for my writing
Great job on your goals!
Yes, each social media platform tends to have its own purpose. I’m kind of the same way where I keep each platform for something specific. Thanks for the comment.
I think Pinterest is a great tool to market a book … when you are getting close to launching and when you manage to find the time. As a social media site on its own, I question the value at this point.
I could definitely see the use of it for authors as a visual to go along with the book. It will be interesting to see if that trend develops.
Great job this week and if you get everything you want to get done done, then I say two days off (in which you read) works great for you! Well done on reaching the 5,000 mark, so exciting to think you are so close to finishing your WIP!!!
Pininterest is a mystery to me and not something I have looked into really. I only know of it from @laurengarafalo! May look into it some time. Hope to make a sprint this week!
Thanks for the cheering Em. Always makes me feel like I’m working towards something. 🙂 Lauren sure does make it look/sound appealing.
Lovely job on breaking 5,000, even with feeling under the weather for a few days. Your schedule sounds like a dream! Definitely sounds balanced and like it’s working for you – I think that’s important.
You all know I love Pinterest, but it’s because I think someone went inside my brain when they thought of this. I make inspiration books or sheets when I work on any creative project be it redecorating my house, planning new and healthier food, writing, making videos, etc. It’s part of the process in nearly everything I do. I tried to use Tumblr to do this digitally since usually I have to find things I like online, print, and then somehow attach to something. Pinterest is basically like Tumblr, but ORGANIZED! And that makes me so happy lol. The tags on Tumblr never really worked when I wanted to see what was for a specific project, so now my Tumblr is more just pretty things to look at.
The security aspect doesn’t bother me with Pinterest. I find that FB and Twitter probably reveal far more about me than a bunch of pictures of stuff I like, recipes I may try, and pictures that somehow inspire my writing. I look at it like bookmarking things I want to remember, but also share with anyone else who might find them cool, pretty, inspiring, helpful. I see that there may be social networking/marketing perks to it, but I’ll probably never knowingly use it for that purpose. I just like to save things and have them be organized and visual.
I’m loving your genre series. It’s been wonderful so far and can’t wait for the next one! You have some amazing people lined up. Have a great week and see you soon 😀
You and Marcia and all the other peeps out there using Pinterest makes me wanna join in a second, but I’m trying to keep my WIP in mind. Maybe that could be my reward at the end if I finish. I get to play with pretty pictures. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your take on it.
I keep reading about Pinterest, but I haven’t even looked at it. I’ve read it can be a huge time-suck, and I have enough of those already! It sounds like it could be an interesting tool for pre-writing, if you’re into collaging (doesn’t work for me), or maybe for a behind-the-scenes look at a book for someone who has a reader base. But for me, Facebook and Twitter are already time-suck enough, so until I see it as some concrete use in promo, I think I’ll just leave it alone.
Congrats on getting your 5k words! It sounds like you’ve come up with a schedule that works for you.
Yeah, I think like many others before me have said, its good to stick to the platforms you like and can get the most use of. Thanks for the comment.
I think Pinterest is a blast. I see it as an extension of my blog. As such, I do only pin/share things on it that I want the world to know. Yes, someone looking at all of it might know some things about me. But no more than a person at a cocktail party would. If there’s something about me I don’t want the world to know I don’t put it out there…anywhere. I haven’t looked at Triberr yet. There’s just so many outlets! Hard to keep up with them all.
Great job on the word count! Have a happy writing week!
I considered doing the same thing, but I read in a few places where people recommend that you don’t pin only your own stuff, but that the social network is for sharing other people’s photos. I’m not so sure on the logic behind this one, but its interesting. Maybe its safer to take a backseat and see what other people are doing there first.
I just did a post on Pinterest Friday…http://marcia-richards.com/2012/02/17/16-reasons-pinterest-is-worth-your-time/ with all the info you need to get started, Nicole. It’s fun and creative and you do have to watch your time spent there, but it’s awesome for promoting yourself. Read my post and you’ll get the idea.
Congrats on meeting your goals! Your schedule sounds perfect for you…time to relax and just read good for refreshing the creative flow. Have a good week!
Thanks Marcia. I think I missed your post because I was sick. But I’ve read it now and you do make it sound intriguing. Love your “boards” or whatever they are called. Not sure on the Pinterest lingo yet.
Hi,
Well done on your goals. You did really well. A cold is an excellent excuse not to want to do anything.
I’ve not heard of Pinterest. I may have to check it out. I am on Facebook and Twitter and I was using Path until the news article about them harvesting address books plus it didn’t seem popular with anyone I interact with and it’s no good without them.
Keep going with the goals and have a good week. xxx
Pinterest seems to be picking up steam. I’ll definitely be watching to see what happens there. Thanks Laura.
I’ve been considering signing up for Pinterest but a lot like what you said, I feel a bit overwhelmed with the Social Media circle of things. I have my main site WordPress, I have Tumblr which targets another type of community for form of ‘expression’ then there’s Twitter . Thank goodness I only use Facebook for my very personal friends otherwise I would be knee deep in social media madness. Keep up the great work!!!
I like how you put it “deep in social media madness”. I think I’m about knee deep right now. Pinterest might bring the level up a bit. Thanks for the comment.
Congrats on keeping up with your goals.
As for Pinterest, I’m still wary. Plus, it’s gonna be one more social media taking up my precious time. And I don’t like the open-as-a-book kinda aspect of it. Let’s see. I can change my mind at any moment.
Have a great week!
I was hoping I’m not the only one who thinks that Pinterest could say quite a bit about a person. I’ll have to look into it more closely to see what other’s are “saying” about themselves.
Well you are doing fantastic Nicole! You’re doing a lot of writing and isn’t that the point?
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about Pinterest and Triberr. I’m lost with both of them so it made me feel so not alone. Have a great week Nicole! 🙂
Nice to know I’m not the only one. I could be doing more writing so maybe I’ll hold off on the new social media platforms for a while. Thanks Karen.
5k a week…oh I think you just started a little dream bud in me 🙂 I see your balance and I like it, a lot!!
I see your point with pinterest, but like most things it is up to you as to what level you take it
Some folks like being an open book, me not so much. I’m finding mainly two things there: recipes and story board ideas- can never really have enough of either probably.
I’ve found my balance for what’s working for now. Maybe I can increase the workload eventually and maybe even fit in MORE social media. 🙂
It sounds like you’re doing a great job on your word count. Good luck getting your novel out by the end of this round!
As far as Pinterest goes, I just look at it sometimes and get ideas and recipes. I don’t know if I have time to join one more thing! LOL
That’s a nice idea. Taking a gander at Pinterest for inspiration. Hmmm….I might just do that for now. Thanks Lauralynn.
Nice job on your goals, Nicole. I’ve looked at Pinterest and surely heard a great deal about it, especially over the past week and you make a valid point that I hadn’t considered. It is not difficult to find out a great deal about those of us that roam the world of social media, however, there are and should be limits to how much we expose, especially in the modern era.
By the way, I’m still totally lost on Triberr as well and not sure I have the time to learn the platform to the degree I should.
Have a great coming week and I hope you get an upper hand on the cold 🙂
I try to set some limits, especially with Facebook since it seems to be less “privacy-friendly” but still people can gather a lot of information even with the basics on each platform. Thank you for being lost in Triberr, its like we are out in the forest lost together looking for the other campers and trying to find our way to the bonfires. Thanks Gene, hopefully I will be on full form this week.
The whole social media thing is hard for me to get a handle on. I follow other writers on Twitter and learn a lot but I still don’t find that I have a ton of things to say myself. As for Facebook, I only use that for family and friends – people that I actually know. I have no real interest in trying Pinterest – I looked it up but don’t really get the point and I find I spend enough time looking at FB and Twitter that I don’t need any other diversions.
Keep up with the goals – you are doing fabulously!!
Great job with the word count, Nicole! I’m not interested thus far in Pinterest — maybe because I’m not decor or craft or cooking savvy, maybe because I’m not particularly visual, maybe because my plate is already full. For whatever reason, I haven’t jumped in. I do know people who absolutely love it, though. I think people have to find the social media platform that fits them best. I enjoy Twitter and blogging, but I don’t check into my Facebook page often enough. Have a great week!
Amazing progress on your goals – you are knocking it out of the park girl! Luv it. Your schedule is fantastic and an amazing way to balance and juggle all your goals. So inspiring.
I haven’t checked out Pinterest yet but I hear it’s addictive. I am going to read Marcia’s post as well and get up to speed.
I don’t think there’s such a thing as “too many” social media things as long as you are enjoying them and have time for each. That’s where the real balancing act comes in, eh?!
You’ll have to keep us posted if you sign up for it if you like it and how useful you find it. I’d be interested to hear. 🙂
Here’s to another FAB week ahead girl!
Great job with the word count, Nicole! You’re doing amazing on your goals. I just got my invite to Pinterest, and I’m going to check it out this week. I think we need to figure out the social media sites that work best for us, so I’m willing to try most of them and see what happens. Good luck this week!
I’m not on Twitter, my FB profile is private and my Pinterest is public. There is a lot of info about what I read on there, some pics of inspiration for my writing, and a lot of recipes that I have actually tried. 🙂 No crafts, no home decor, and no clothing to be found. (There might be a cute pair of leg warmers on there, though.)
Good luck considering which social media sites to plug into!
You know, I’ve never thought about Pinterest that way! I think it’s because I use it a little differently — most of everything I post are the photos that inspire my writing. I’ve got a couple of style boards, but I don’t mind those so much, especially because I don’t think it’s anything different from what I share publicly on FB and my blog. Still, I think you make a good point about social media in general. What’s the cut-off point when it comes to sharing?
Get better soon!
I get a lot of hits on my Tech Teacher blog (Ask a Tech Teacher) through Pinterest from people looking for resources. In the past 30 days, it’s #3 in bringing hits in–all new visitors I presume because I’ve seen a demonstrable uptick in traffic (I also have noticed lots of visitors through Scoop.it–I get Scooped several times a day). I see nothing on my writer’s blog, WordDreams. As a result, Pinterest doesn’t even hit my radar as a tool for expanding my writerly reach.
Good post with great comments from your readers.