In this issue:

Facebook. Let's talk about it.

I already hear some of you shouting, "But wait - what about all the other social media platforms?" Yes, of course, there are other social media platforms, and we can talk about them separately...but for now, let's focus on the first one to surpass 1 billion users and - with 2.45 billion users currently - the one that's still the biggest on the planet.

I also want to talk about Facebook because it's been so much in the news lately. At the beginning of February, Stephen King tweeted about leaving the platform: "I'm quitting Facebook. Not comfortable with the flood of false information that's allowed in its political advertising, nor am I confident in its ability to protect its users' privacy" (and here's one of the most interesting answers to King's action that I've read). Others complain about the amount of vitriol on the site, the political arguments, or the ceaseless "Buy my book!" spam on the part of some authors.

Is Facebook worth the aggravation?

Yes.

I'm not saying this just because it can be a useful promotional tool, although that's true (as long as you use it well - see below for some tips). I've always thought of Facebook as an online cocktail party: you drop in, check out the various little groups, find the one with a discussion you enjoy, hang out for a while, work in a mention of your book if it's appropriate, then head home.

Here's the valuable part of Facebook: it's all about connection. It allows you to make (first) contact with readers and other writers. In addition to offering the possibility of exposing yourself to new fans, you can interact with authors you admire. Just this morning I exchanged lovely messages with Emil Ferris, the author/artist behind the brilliant graphic novel My Favorite Thing is Monsters.

There are a few key things that you, as an author on Facebook, would do well to remember. Here are my top five suggestions:

1. Don't friend someone and immediately invite them to like your author or book page. This is one of the top things I see established authors complain about, and many of them have a policy of blocking authors who engage in this practice.
2. Do engage with others on their posts. If you only wait for people to respond to your posts, they'll start to notice sooner or later. Respond positively to things your Facebook friends have said.
3. If you feel the need to post about a political topic or another discussion that might be controversial, be prepared to deal with splashback. We all get passionate about things that happen to us and things we believe, but not everyone is going to agree with you. In addition, there are trolls who will lurk until you post something they can pounce on, so just be prepared.
4. Don't post nothing but "Buy my book". Readers who find you on Facebook want to know more about you, not just your book. If you're going to post frequently about your own work, then make the posts entertaining in some other way - include a joke, a hat-tip to another author, a great photograph, a writing tip, whatever.
5. Try to double-check your posts for spelling and punctuation. Remember: you're an author, so your Facebook friends are watching things like this. If your posts are consistently filled with errors, readers (and editors, because they're on Facebook, too) may start to wonder about the quality of your prose.