DYI: Leaving a Virtual Footprint

So you have a book coming out soon or one that’s just been published. Everywhere you turn, you’re advised to “build an author platform” and “increase your online presence.” You have a Facebook account and you like to pop in once in a while and see what your friends are posting. What next? Do you need an author website? A Facebook fan page? What about Twitter? And just how many hours in the day can you expect to spend increasing your presence online and thereby, decreasing your writing output? In this workshop, I’ll talk about several initial things you can do to start leaving a virtual footprint, both before publication and after, and how you can participate on social media sites, find promotional opportunities, and still leave time for everything else. If you have suggestions for helpful websites or ideas for attracting readers online, feel free to bring them and share.