Caroline Black is a
blogger for Culture Coverage, a website dedicated to a
all aspects of culture and entertainment in the digital age. She is
particularly interested in how technology and the internet have
impacted how we interact with each other plus how we enjoy and
discover books, films and music. Caroline has spent a lot of time
traveling the globe and also living in the Middle East, Europe and
Asia which has given her a unique insight into digital and online
culture worldwide.
For most of history, writers have been able to hide behind their words and only be judged on their merit and talent rather than impressions and appearances. Classic works such as “Jane Eyre” have only been able to rise to the top thanks to this possibly for anonymity.
Today,
however, things are very different. If you don’t have a website,
Twitter account and group of fans that have formed a small community,
then some will say you haven’t even begun to “make it” as a
writer. Now, an author’s online presence is almost equally as
important as the very words they commit to the page.
The
Culture of Modern Literature
We are living in a time of
celebrity with a culture of idols. The cult of the personality reigns
supreme. We don’t just want to laugh, cry and love along with the
characters in stories anymore, we want to know about the writer,
their life and the influence it’s had on the words.
When
once we would have been content to just fear J.K. Rowling’s
"Dementors," these days we’re more interested in how
they’re a clever representation of her depression.
While this isn’t
necessarily a bad thing, it does mean authors are having to
concentrate a little more than usual on how they present themselves
to the public.
Online Marketing
More authors are moving
into self-publishing and marketing. While this puts the power back
into the hands of up-and-coming and independent writers, it also
means that the reasonability of creating a promotional image for
themselves and their product is now on that shoulders.
Creating
a website that will not only encapsulate the ideas, themes and moods
of your writing while targeting and attracting the right audience
members can be tricky, but taking the time out to perfect this
element will have a dramatic impact on your sales and popularity.
Social Media
It’s not just the look
of your online marketing campaign that matters. The way you conduct
yourself online is probably even more important. As previously
mentioned, readers want to know the person behind the story. Social
media is probably the most powerful platform to make this
happen.
Unfortunately, when sharing, replying to comments and
messages, and posting opinions, it can be easy to get into murky
waters. We all have days when we make rash comments and have
emotional responses to critics, but sounding off about something
online means your words are immortalized forever.
Always
think twice before you post anywhere online and be sure to properly
check yourself when making comments in anger.
Cyber-Paranoia
Another unfortunate
side-effect of the expansion of the internet is that most people have
become extra cautious about potential threats. Website owners
(including authors) have to be extra careful about their internet
security. If they do fall victim to a hack or infection, all names
and domains associated with that business will be under threat and
might break ties.
Due to this, it’s important for authors
to take the steps necessary to properly protect all of their online
accounts and campaigns. Even if it’s something as simple as a rogue
advert attaching itself to your website, it’s going to lose you
fans and harm your reputation.
Thankfully, for those who
aren’t familiar with online security, you can easily protect
yourself with a few simple tools. A firewall and antivirus software
are your best first steps. Follow those up with getting a Virtual
Private Network (VPN). It is a tool that will encrypt information on
any network to keep information safe from interception and users
anonymous.
Being the face of your brand is now more
important than ever, and your online presence is the most important
part of this. Try to think about what you’re doing right now and
see if there are any improvements you could make.