Social Sheila Video: HootSuite for absolute beginners

HootSuite is a social media management platform that can save you huge amounts of time in monitoring and interacting with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and more. In this post, Sheila Averbuch shows you how to set up and use this application effectively.




The secret of Hootsuite's success is that it allows you to manage multiple accounts from one master dashboard. If you're a complete HootSuite beginner, this video will walk you through how to set up a free account, import and start using a handful of your social media identities.

I particularly appreciate the way HootSuite makes it easier for me to see my re-tweets, which can often be missed when I'm using the normal Twitter application. But the best value of all comes from eliminating the need to log into and interact with more than one application on my phone or desktop computer for these social networks.

The secret of Hootsuite's success is that it allows you to manage multiple accounts from one master dashboard.

There are a couple drawbacks to HootSuite you should be aware of: the app version for mobile phones can act a little oddly at times (giving me information I don't want, such as repeating old notifications about who has followed me). Additionally, "mentions" (where you'd like to tag someone in your post so they receive an alert that you're talking about them) are a bit more manual in HootSuite than they are in the native applications for Facebook and Twitter.

But these are minor issues – all in all, HootSuite is a tremendous timesaver for me. Social networking can be a time sink and HootSuite is a good way to help me get in, interact with the content and people I need to, and get out again, so I can go back to working on my writing.

Are there other social media how-to videos you'd like to see? Please leave a comment below. You can also view a full list of Social Sheila videos here.




Don't forget to click the "bull's-eye" icon below if you'd like to view this video in full resolution.

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Sheila writes middle-grade science-fiction and blogs at www.spacekidsbooks.com. She holds an MA in journalism from Stanford University and a BA from Harvard University in American History & Literature. Alongside Louise Kelly, Sheila also co-ordinates the SCBWI network for Southeast Scotland – contact southeastscotland@britishscbwi.org for details on member meetups

Social Sheila Video: What's okay to say to an agent on Twitter?

Sheila Averbuch

Have you ever wanted to chat with an agent or publisher on Twitter, but haven't felt confident enough?

This month, our resident social media expert, Sheila Averbuch, shows you how to communicate with the professionals without breaching etiquette.




You might've heard that one reason writers and illustrators should use Twitter is that agents and publishers are on there.

But what should you say to them?

It's hard to be breezy when you feel like all the power is in the other person's hands. I thought it would be useful to zip through a few of the conversations going on out there, to help you develop a sense of what's considered acceptable conversation with an agent or publisher on Twitter. The three sample conversations I'll take you through in this video fall into the following categories:

Confident approach
Friendly follow-up
Praise

Social media is of course no substitute for doing your homework: do figure out which publishers and agents are likely to be interested in your work and genre, information which is readily available in resources like the Children's Writers and Artists Yearbook.

Don't forget to hit the "bull's-eye" icon below to view the video in full screen.



Are there more social media opportunities you'd like to see? Just drop me a line at sheila@spacekidsbooks.com

 Teddy image by Chris Blakeley on Flickr

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@spacekidsbooks

Sheila Averbuch lives in East Lothian in Scotland and is currently working on SPACE KIDS AND THE SPY FROM PLANET 12, a sci-fi adventure for 9-11's. She holds an MA in journalism from Stanford University and a BA from Harvard University in American History & Literature. Sheila is managing director of the content services and social media training agency ENNclick and blogs at www.spacekidsbooks.com

Social Sheila Video: watch those Twitter mentions

By Sheila Averbuch

In my latest installment of how-to videos for writers new to Twitter, I'm looking at "mentions."

A mention is any tweet that includes another person's Twitter identity, and is a good way for you to start building relationships on this social media platform.

A few things to remember about mentions:

• Twitter will not automatically e-mail you whenever you are mentioned
• There is a dedicated part of the Twitter website that lets you keep an eye on mentions
• Mentions may even help bring you to the attention of influencers (writers, publishers, agents), but don't overdo it 

Mentions may even help bring you to the attention of influencers (writers, publishers, agents), but don't overdo it 

Click the bull's-eye icon below to view this video in full size. Thanks to Celia Rees for being an unwitting guinea pig in my video today!


Do you have a suggestion for another social media how-to video you'd like to see? Just email me at sheila@spacekidsbooks.com

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@spacekidsbooks

Sheila Averbuch lives in East Lothian in Scotland and is currently working on SPACE KIDS AND THE SPY FROM PLANET 12, a sci-fi adventure for 9-11's. She holds an MA in journalism from Stanford University and a BA from Harvard University in American History & Literature. Sheila is managing director of the content services and social media training agency ENNclick and blogs at www.spacekidsbooks.com

Social Sheila Video: get your head around hashtags

By Sheila Averbuch 

If you're new to Twitter, hashtags (the # symbols) can be one of the most off-putting idiosyncracies. But once you understand that the symbols merely flag up an important concept in the tweet, you'll realise how helpful they can be in building your network and deepening your understanding of the industry.



Twitter, of course, only gives you a brief sentence or two to express yourself. Hashtags mark a certain word in your sentence as the key topic, to make it easier for other Twitter users to find and read tweets on a common subject. It's interesting to note that it was the people using Twitter, not the company itself, who first started to use the # symbol.

"Hashtags mark a certain word in your sentence as the key topic"

These days, you'll see hashtags appearing everywhere from the opening credits of television shows to websites promoting conferences. In this how-to video (click the bullseye icon in the video frame to watch it full-screen), I'll show you how to search Twitter for relevant hashtags, and how to go a step further and track down the most influential Twitter users chatting on hot topics, using Hootsuite.

"I recommend you limit yourself to a single hashtag per tweet"

If you want to start using relevant hashtags such as #kidlit, I recommend you limit yourself to a single hashtag per tweet; otherwise your tweets may drift into the realm of illegibility. For those of you who already use hashtags regularly, we love it if you could share useful search terms in the comments section below.



If you would like to see other how-to videos, email me at sheila@spacekidsbooks.com

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@spacekidsbooks

Sheila Averbuch lives in East Lothian in Scotland and is currently working on SPACE KIDS AND THE SPY FROM PLANET 12, a sci-fi adventure for 9-11's. She holds an MA in journalism from Stanford University and a BA from Harvard University in American History & Literature. Sheila is managing director of the content services and social media training agency ENNclick and blogs at www.spacekidsbooks.com


 

Another Top Week for Tips

It’s been a top week for tips, from K.M. Lockwood’s for Authors Working in Public and School Libraries (part 1) on Monday to Ten Top Tips and Techniques for Illustrators from Paul Morton on Friday, with Rosemary Bird-Hawkins' feature on writing workshops for kids the week before, we’re building a great resource.


All this talk of tips reminded me of my childhood Best Christmas Present Ever – a tin of Caran d’Ache 'fibralo' - felt tips. I loved everything about it – from the opening click of the tin, the rainbow inside, the smell and the feel of each pen, to the way they’d glide across the paper soaking it with colour. Lots of kids love to draw and colour and I was no exception. I'd spend hours copying Arthur Rackham’s fairy pictures or covering the page in psychadelic swirling paisley patterns, very seventies. I have one colour left from my tin. Sadly it’s not my favourite indigo blue, but the 41 year old felt tip does still work...

Another Top Tip

...just.

With the London Book Fair about to kick off, I was glad Network News this week was from London. The officially lovely Anita Loughrey has so much going on. My hope for Network News is that each region will be inspired by what the others are doing. The London goal setting brunch definitely looks like an idea that will travel.

@Words8Pictures

Have you spotted our Twitter feed? We're using it as a cheeky way of importing Industry News onto the blog. I already have two noble volunteers who will 'Twitter hover' to keep the feed updated  but if you're a SCBWI British Isles member and you think that retweeting for Words & Pictures could fit into your daily schedule do get in touch or leave me a comment below.


I'm very excited that we could have our very own UK Query Sharks. Really, there is only one, and that is the esteemed Janet Reid. So what personae are The Bent Agency's Gemma Cooper and Molly Ker Hawn going to adopt? Suggestions so far are: Query Eagle, Query Vulture, Query Kitties and Query Goldfish (I have to own the last two.)  I’ll leave the decision about branding to Gemma and Molly but I hope lots of you will send them your questions, and query letters for honest but 'gentle' critique. 

Did you enjoy Rowena House’s cracking interview with Imogen Cooper? Imogen is such a good egg to be so generous with her knowledge and the academy deserves every success in their efforts to incubate shiny new writing talent. If you're unpublished, feel you're almost there,  and  haven't already, The Golden Egg Academy is well worth checking out. 

Our other big feature for the week was Sam Hawksmoor’s So You Want to Write for a Living. We worried that Sam’s honest take on the subject, might be depressing – we didn’t need to, W&P readers are a realistic bunch. I think our eyes wide-open attitude to our craft has some part to play in the SCBWI successes we celebrate every Saturday. Sam’s article is a zippy read from the heart, sobering yet highlighting the very positive advantages of keeping the day job, which aren't all financial.

Next week, as well as the usual, news, celebrations, and Nick's Ten Minute Blog Break, we have Library Tips (part 2), we welcome our first Author Guest Blogger, Bryony Pearce, and we’re having a laugh with Celia Anderson – what do kids think is funny?

Finally, on Friday, Gillian McClure will be celebrating the life and work of Jan Ormerod, sadly lost to us earlier this year. The Guardian said that Jan "brought a fresh vision to children's picturebooks with her luminous images, storytelling genius and understanding of how children behave." Words & Pictures is privileged to have a tribute feature from those that knew her.

Thank you so much for reading and I do hope there's something here that will bring you back next week!

Jan Carr

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Jan Carr is the editor of Words & Pictures. Her fiction is older middle grade, she blogs occasionally and loves to write in magenta.

Sheila's Videos - How to Find People to Follow on Twitter

This first post in our series of social media how-to videos, brought to you by Sheila Averbuch, focuses on how to find the right people to follow on Twitter

Twitter is free to join, and allows you to listen to the tweets of any other member -- unlike Facebook, you don't have to be "friends" with somebody to hear what they're saying. That gives you a great opportunity to eavesdrop on what agents, publishers, literary magazines, and fellow writers and illustrators are tweeting about, from interesting upcoming events and competitions to promising new talent.

Even if you're an old hand at Twitter, I hope you'll find something of use in this video, which is aimed at helping you make better use of your limited time and ensure that this social network doesn't become a time sink.

If you have suggestions for more social media videos, leave a comment here, or visit spacekidsbooks.com, where I'll post other social media videos on a monthly basis.



Sheila Averbuch lives in East Lothian in Scotland and is currently working on SPACE KIDS AND THE SPY FROM PLANET 12, a sci-fi adventure for 9-11's. She holds an MA in journalism from Stanford University and a BA from Harvard University in American History & Literature. Sheila is managing director of the content services and social media training agency ENNclick and blogs at www.spacekidsbooks.com. Picture: Smashing Magazine