To Tweet or not to Tweet that is the question I asked myself two years ago when my first novel, Guardian Spirit launched. Every week the marketing director at my former publishing company would meet with me via Skype. She?d instruct me on all the different ways I could promote my novel using Social Media. Honestly at the time I didn?t even know what Social Media was.
I was convinced that Facebook was a much-needed tool in my plight to get my new novel seen by thousands of people. I understood the concept of Facebook and there was not a maximum of 140-character count hanging over my head. I didn?t know how to Tweet. I only knew how to write stories and stories have about a zillion more characters than Twitter would allow.
I did however sign up for Twitter and I would occasionally tweet, but two years later I had less than one hundred followers. I didn?t think much about it. I had well over 2000 friends on Facebook, who needed Twitter?
After finishing Michael Hyatt?s book titled, Platform, Get Noticed In A Noisy World I realized I did need Twitter. I still don?t understand all there is to know about posting, retweeting, hashtags, landing pages and automating the delivery of my tweets, but I?m learning. And, I am really enjoying the experience.
Last week I diligently started tweeting at least a couple of times a day. I made a list of catchy little sayings and posted a few. Then I started reading other peoples tweets and responding to them. Before I knew it I had ten new people a day following me. Last week I added sixty-seven followers and I have Michael Hyatt to thank.
It?s really not that complicated. Simply tweet something useful, inspirational, funny or share a link. Be nice and reach out. If you tweet them, they will come.
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On a much more serious note I had a friend ask me last week if I?d write a children?s bedtime story that he could share with his adopted son. My friend has not told his four year old that he is adopted and is having a hard time trying to figure out how to do it. Someone suggested a story and that?s where I came in.
I wrote the first draft this weekend, but would love to have your input on this. If your child was adopted how did you tell them, and at what age?
I deal with adoption in my next novel, The Color of My Heart. My main character, forty-year-old Laura Carter has known all her life that she was adopted, and it was never a big deal because her adoptive parents smothered her in love and affection. I truly believe that my friend?s little boy will be fine once he?s told because I know he is loved very, very much.
If anyone would like to share his or her experience please contact me via my website: www.sarahmartinbyrd.com
Or email me at: sbyrd@embarqmail.com
An excerpt from, The Color of My Heart.
Laura knew she?d been adopted. Rusty and Clair Brown had never tried to keep it a secret, but they were not allowed to give Laura any details about her birth parents. That was part of the adoption agreement between herself and the Browns. She knew Laura had occasionally tried to find out about her biological parents, but Nelda would not let the authorities respond with any information. The girl was better off not knowing, wasn?t she?
As part of their agreement, the Browns sent Nelda pictures every year on Laura?s birthday. She had each one hidden in her room in the cedar trunk. She never showed them to anyone, not even Me-maw. She knew her grandmother hadn?t approved of her giving the baby up, so instead of sharing what little she knew of her daughter?s life, she kept it all to herself. She saw no use in dragging up a decision she made in the past. It would only upset Me-maw to see the pictures year after year.
What would Laura think now if Nelda contacted her? Would Laura hate her for giving her away? Or would she understand and be thankful? It was too much to think about. Maybe the right thing would be to just have her attorney contact Laura when Nelda was deceased. Me-maw would be settled in at the home by then. Laura could choose to get to know Me-maw or not. Either way, Me-maw would be taken care of, but would she be loved?
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“If you tweet them, they will come.” – love that Sarah! Thx! Makes me realize I need to continue our tweeting and renew efforts to improve!