Online Opportunities for Writers Are Popping Out All Over

Spring may be coming early for writers who want to try new online sites on which to promote their books or other writing.

While some of you may already be on these sites, many of you will find these sites to be green pastures for your online promotional efforts.

First, Pinterest.com, which reportedly at this time is the fastest growing social media site:

While it is about pins (a photo with a short description and a link) on boards (pins grouped under one theme, such as “My Books”), Pinterest offers some interesting opportunities for writers who are willing to be innovative in their social media activities.

Although you must be careful to respect other people’s copyright, you can be imaginative in your “pinning” (photos you have the right to use) in order to attract attention to your books.

Second, another site in beta (as is Pinterest at this writing) is Monkeybars.net:

Monkeybars is built on the concept that people who recommend books, for example, should be financially rewarded for these recommendations. Check out the site to learn how you can put your ebooks on the site and then how your book fans can benefit from recommending your books.

Third, if you also write screenplays, you can upload your screenplay to Amazon Studios, which is Amazon’s project to get into the film producing business.

Warning: You must read the agreement very carefully and be comfortable giving Amazon an 18-month free option to produce your screenplay. (You would get paid if the screenplay gets made.)

While I have uploaded one of my screenplays, I am not a lawyer and am NOT advising you to do this. I am suggesting you check out this potential opportunity. (Do, though, download a free copy of my screenplay if you like family comedies – see http://studios.amazon.com/projects/8259 )

An interesting aspect of uploading a screenplay is that Amazon offers you the opportunity to add a “cover” for the screenplay. My business partner Yael K. Miller created a cover for my screenplay.

And then I used that cover as the big photo at the top of my Facebook profile, which is now in the new timeline format. (See www.facebook.com/phylliszimblermiller for an example.)

The top photo option on the Facebook profile timeline is definitely another opportunity for authors to feature their books on Facebook.

Then there is a new publication – www.theindietimes.com – whose tagline is “your source for news in the world of independent artists.” You might discover information here that can help your book publishing career.

And if you have not spent much time on your LinkedIn account recently, you might want to check in and see what is new on this professional social media site.

In a February 29th interview published in The Wall Street Journal, LinkedIn’s co-founder Reid Hoffman talked about LinkedIn’s strategy now:

“Our goal isn’t to get you to spend more time. Our goal is to have you do more things effectively. We are trying to extend utility …”

Yes, the above are a lot of opportunities, and you are suppose to be writing besides doing numerous other things.

Do not let this list overwhelm you. But when you have a little time to try new things, consider doing so.

(c) 2012 Miller Mosaic LLC

Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller on Twitter and @ZimblerMiller on Pinterest) has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the online marketing company www.MillerMosaicLLC.com, which has just launched the innovative online program www.UnderstandFrenchLikeANative.com