Socializing
Hello friends! How are you today? I have had a good week. Life sometimes changes things up on you, and I am going with the flow. For those of you who don't know me very well, I am a decorative painter by trade. I work by contract and when work is slow I am happy to be the one cooking breakfast for my daughter in the mornings and taking trips to the park. I am also very grateful when my painting schedule fills up and I get to load up my ipod for a day of painting and podcast listening. I am all up to date on my "This American Life", so I have been searching for informative podcasts that inspire and expand my mind.
I had listened to one woman's podcast a few times, but hadn't really got into it until recently. Katie Davis's "Brain Burps About Books" is all about kidlit and the business of writing and illustrating children's literature. http://katiedavis.com/category/podcast/ This past week, I decided to start at the beginning with her episodes. Only just this week has she reached 100, but I am still in the 20's at this point. Long story, short, I am learning so much. One of the big themes so far has included the dual challenge of marketing yourself as a writer and/or illustrator and connecting on a personal level with your audience while doing so. I, frankly, am so grateful for the small audience of supporters that I have ,and I would love for you guys to challenge me to stay connected by letting me know you are out there.
Marketing these days is heavily influenced by Social Media. Facebook has been vital in me sharing this blog so far, though I still need to set up a professional Facebook page. I also use my Linked In account to share the news, but until recently that is as far as I dabble. It can definitely be a time sucker if I allow myself to just browse mindlessly. I discovered that when I set up my new Pinterest account. However, it can also be utterly inspiring. The ability to have others at your fingertips who share your passion or just believe you are worthy is priceless. So, I decided to take Ms. Katie Davis's advise and set up a twitter account @paintdrawlove. You should also be able to find me through my name.
Please, if you follow me, give me time to figure out the lingo. There is definitely a learning curve to this form of communication. After my family goes to bed and the house settles down, my computer comes to life.
I am also still working towards readying myself for August's conference. I have been going through my check list and when I start to feel stuck in one area I can always find something else with a different slant that needs my attention. Tonight I felt like drawing something and decided on my logo. I will be needing business cards to share with any new contacts. Please take a look at the sketch I came up with tonight. Thoughts? I would love to hear them.
Copyright Carrie Cartier 2012
Thank you for reading!
Carrie
I received some valuable comments about this post from a beloved and respected friend who just happens to work at Lonely Planet and knows her stuff. As this is about my journey and the intent is that others might learn right along with me, I will share her advice.
ReplyDelete"I just wanted to say that social media and marketing is a beast unto itself. People build entire careers trying to grapple with this beast that is our modern day, overcrowded, noisy, and constantly changing digital world. It takes a lot of thought, practice, and energy to build profiles and maintain posts on all these existing social media platforms, and that’s creative energy you are not spending on your writing and art. Maybe it’s none of my business (and feel free to tell me where to get off) but I think your time is better spent doing the thing you love!! Write, draw, paint. Market it later.
Or pick one platform (like your blog or facebook page) and just do that one as best you can. Don’t diffuse your energies."
Thank you, Avi. I truly appreciate your concern and will remember to stay focused on what is most important.