I've just made a momentous decision. At least, I'm not sure I actually did, it just sort of happened after an afternoon with my publisher when somehow with tact, charm and drinks in Edinburgh's most elegant hotel, the Balmoral, she convinced me that twenty-first century technology wasn't all bad and that what I really wanted to do - indeed, was enthusiastic about doing — was to go on Twitter.
Yes, we agreed, we were both wistful about the days when what an author did was write books. I can still remember the joys of those early days when my editor would take me out in his blue Mercedes coupe for a very fancy lunch (however did he drive us back???) and I would just go away and send him my book when it was finished.
My problem with really working the internet to promote my books was that I was brought up to believe you just didn't do that sort of thing. I think I was probably a rather bumptious child and, 'No one likes a smartie' was one of my mother's favourite phrases (along with 'For a supposedly intelligent girl...' when she felt I'd done something particularity dumb). The Kardashians and their like have changed the game, though I was rather charmed today to hear of a school that was awarding a Humility prize, presumably to the least boastful child. It does, though, give me a vision of a whole classroom of little Uriah Heeps intent on winning it — and as someone pointed out, if you did, you couldn't really tell anyone you had without boasting.
Still, my publisher convinced me that it wasn't like that — just a regular sentence or two about what was going on in my life and I took the plunge. I'd been well chuffed (translation: really pleased) when a letter from a reader in Hoppers Creek, Australia arrived on my doormat, addressed to 'Aline Templeton, Edinburgh.' My first tweet.
It's a steep learning curve. I'm taking baby steps, and trying to work out how I get it up and running properly — and how to delete the profile of the MP for East Renfrewshire ( East Renfrewshire??) that fills up most of the screen whenever I click on twitter. Suggestions welcome.
I've been posting doggedly every day this week and if you'd like to join me and find out what happened to my Amaretto pannacotta at a lunch party this week I'd be thrilled. Onwards and upwards!
Twitter: @alinetempleton
6 comments:
Well, I'm a complete Twitter Luddite and it doesn't like me much, either.
I am very selective about who I follow, but I'll go with you, Aline. One smartie to another.
Have fun with it.
Oh thank you, Susan - how kind! It feels a bit lonely out there, shouting into a great silence!
I'm rather enjoying twitter though I don't post as often as some people have recommended. If I posted that much I'd unfollow me! I post some about my books and events, but also about art things I've seen online and decorative painting conferences since my main character is into that. (As am I.)
I have a Twitter account but have little clue what to do with it. I post infrequently about appearances and book news, but as you say, it's like shouting into the great void. It's interesting, however, how that tweet echoes back over and over as people retweet. So maybe that's the power of Twitter. I don't know who to follow and tend to ignore most of what others tweet, but I will track you down, Aline, and we can follow each other!
Thanks Barbara and Sybil. I'll get on to my account and do that now. I'm posting a lot a the moment to try and get things going, and I've been surprised already at where things have popped up. But I will ease off later - as you say, Sybil, I'm not convinced about inundating people with trivia.
I've noticed some of the "better" tweeters have links to articles written by really smart people. Why don't some of you write some really smart helpful articles and I'll tweet a link to them? While you all are writing articles, I'll write books.
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