Category: Technology

Keeping up with Technology

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At YA Highway, Lee Bross has a great post about referencing technology and other modern details in YA novels. Should you mention iPads? Facebook? Texting? Will these be obsolete in the next five years? What about bands or actors, or particular brands?

I tend to shy away from very specific references. I mention cell phones and texting, but don’t dwell too long on them and don’t call out particular brands. So far I haven’t references any particular actor, movie, or band, just because they can all fade so quickly. But I think it’s safe enough to use brands or names that have existed for at least a decade. For the most part, I don’t think you need to reference anything to feel “current.” It’s one thing to completely avoid mentioning these things (is your character really going to send a carrier pigeon to get a message to his friend instead of texting?) but any references for the sake of making your character current will probably feel more false than not.

It can also be fun to invent stores/bands/websites instead of using ones that currently exist. That can keep your novel somewhat more current, since readers will be able to associate the fictional store/band/website with one he or she likes now.

What choices do you make when referencing modern life in your contemporary novels?

Social Butterflies

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At SCBWI, there was a lot of talk about how writers can/should engage in social media and marketing. At one point, I was talking with a couple of women who balked at the idea of having to tweet/blog/be on Facebook. One of them said she saw it as a fad and didn’t want to waste that much time on something that would be worthless eventually. At the time I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to argue, but I actually enjoy the social media aspect of being a writer. I was blogging/tweeting/tumbling before I thought about it as a “tool.” It’s a fun way to connect with readers, other writers, editors, librarians, and book-enthusiasts. And even if the next big thing comes along in ten years, it doesn’t mean that what you do now is useless. Maybe everyone you used to be friends with on MySpace (flashbacks?) is now friends with you on Facebook and will follow you to the next online forum.

My advice for writers leery of of social media:

  • Assuming that having an online presence is a necessity for writers, it’s important to make sure you’re doing what works for you. Don’t start a blog if you hate writing posts. Maybe Twitter would be a better option since it’s only 140 characters.
  • Don’t worry about posting brilliant and astoundingly original content, or having to share all the intimate details of your life. (In fact, you probably shouldn’t share the intimate details of your life.) A lot of the internet is just about sharing and getting in touch with people who have similar interests.
  • Don’t feel like you need to have a million followers or commenters at once. It’s like writing fiction–sure, you could assume that maybe no one will ever read your work or you won’t win any major awards, so you might as well stop. But if it’s something you care about, you’ll do it anyway.

For more advice from actual professionals, make sure to check out the blog posts from the SCBWI Marketing Intensive:

Also check out this interview with Laura Barnes, MG writer and marketing consultant. Some of Laura’s tips for effective blogging/author sites:

1. Have your name in your title. Even better, have it in your address. Next best would be to have it in your subtitle.
2. Include your contact information. You’d be surprised how many people have blogs with no means of contacting the owner.
3. Have a message or a mission statement. I don’t mean to post this for people to see, but know what you’re blog is about. Are you giving authors writing advice? Are you sharing your love of books through interviews and reviews? Are you rambling your way through life? All of those are okay as long as you are consistent. This can be a confusing concept to grasp because it doesn’t mean that your writer advice blog can’t contain an anecdote about your Thanksgiving Dinner. It just means that a new visitor should be able to read one or two posts and be able to get what you are about.

#3 is very good to think about in particular. I like to think my blog is focused on writing/reading YA lit (or fiction in general), with a little random fun thrown in there.

What are your favorite social media tools? Least favorite? Suggestions for newbie bloggers?

Keep Calm and Carry a Book

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In the ongoing debate about books vs. e-books, a little rationality:

“According to McKeown, the data, from Verso’s third annual survey, suggest that print and digital books will coexist for a long time. McKeown based that prediction on several trends: the number of readers who do not intend to buy a reading device seems to be solidifying at around half of all readers, and even among digital device owners the preference seems to be to buy both print and digital books. According to the survey, conducted November 30–December 4, 51.8% of book buyers said they are unlikely to buy a reading device, up from 49.0% in the 2010 survey and 40.2% in the 2009 survey. (In the most recent survey, 15.8% of book buyers already owned a reading device, up from 2.9% in 2009.)”

I consider myself in this group. I have an e-reader that I really enjoy for its convenience. I can pack it easily in most purses and enjoy several books if I’m traveling over a long period of time (ie, more than few days). But physically, I prefer the feel of a traditional book. I like being able to flip back easily or immediately see how much I have left to read. Both varieties of text offer me better ways to read. It’s not like the introduction of the CD or MP3, where I was getting a much better experience without any drawback. Even if e-readers take over eventually, I think it’s going to be a much longer haul.

Books and e-books unite!

Dark Sites Are Rising

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If you’re online at all today, you’ve probably noticed that some major sites, like Wikipedia, have gone dark to protest SOPA and PIPA. I stopped by Wikipedia this morning to look up some random bit of information and got their dark page instead. It was a good reminder that we rely on these tools to enhance our lives and our knowledge. In very short, legislation like SOPA and PIPA is harmful to most internet users while not efficiently stopping online piracy.

For more info on the protest, check out these articles and posts.

The Living Tree

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Confession: When I was little, The Giving Tree really upset me. The poor tree! The stupid boy! (Okay, so I’m still upset.) Even so, this animated version by Shel Silverstein is lovely in its simplicity. Plus it’s narrated by Silverstein as well.

Even though I still want to punch the boy, it is really cool to see such a classic children’s book come to life.

More Visits to the Library

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Another reason libraries are more important than ever:

“These are some of the findings of the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ report on the FY2009 Public Library Survey (PLS), a census of American public libraries.

The Institute’s analysis of the data showed that per capita visits to libraries rose by 24 percent in the century’s first decade, while circulation increased by 26 percent. In 2009, libraries were visited a record-breaking 1.59 billion times. Libraries have defied the conventional wisdom that Google, Wikipedia, and the like would make them obsolete. That’s because they’ve recognized and responded to the evolving ways in which people use libraries.

Those who prematurely announced the demise of libraries at the hands of the Internet failed to anticipate the symbiotic relationship that would develop between the two institutions. As revealed byInterconnections: The IMLS National Study on the Use of Libraries, Museums, and the Internet, Internet users are much more likely to visit public libraries than non-Internet users.”

The article goes on to talk about the important services libraries provide to people who are unemployed. Very much hoping that more studies like this one come out and throw support to public libraries.