Social Media, Pinterest and Me

We all have our favorites. Favorite color - purple, favorite fruit - blueberry, favorite fish - salmon. How about favorite social media? They are many. It's a maze. 

The question I hear many authors ask is - "Which social media is best for my writing career?" No idea. There are too many variables. Do you want to reach other authors, agents, or editors? Or do you want to reach readers? Or do you want to communicate only with family or friends on social media? 

Your ultimate goal determines which social media is best for you. Personally, I can't keep up with the latest and greatest. My theory is that when a new site overtakes the social media I am now on, I will look into it. Life is too short to chase social media to the detriment of writing time. 

Okay, that said, my super visual self loves Pinterest. (don't judge.) I have a children's writing account, Picbooksrock and a science/steampunk/ 3Dprinting/non-fiction account, Sciwhisperer account. These are relaxing, stimulating, and fantastically fun places to connect! Show and Tell for adults! 

On Pinterest, I don't have to stress about which demographic is interested in an awesome illustration, "The Blue Monster" by Christa Unzne or intricate 3D art by Kevin Mack, Steampunk story starter, "Modern Steam Monobike 1896" by Stefano Marchettiv or picture book video, Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. I just pin what strikes me and like-minded folks do the same. Perfect. 

Is is a time suck? Can be. Does it help me keep track of writing resources shared by others? Absolutely. Does it spark tons of creative ideas? Every day! But the best thing about Pinterest? It's FUN! and I am exposed to tons of many different people and their favorite things. 

Pinterest. Stop by and share a favorite. I will too. - Q

If You Were a Book...

You know how people always compare dogs and their owners? If you were a book, what would you be? Would you be a western? Science fiction? Paranormal? Fantasy? Mystery? How-to? Historical? Humor? Children's? Christian? Romance? Multicultural? Science? Or some combination of these? 

Iced in over the past 4 days, I have given this some thought. I love fantasy, historical, and science fiction. Throw in some humor and occasional romance for fun and that just about describes me. But like most people, I have different personas depending on the day. I have even written in several of these genres, but I always come back to picture books, my first writing love. 

How about you? At life's end, which best describes you? Are you disciplined enough to focus solely on one writing genre or do you combine one or more? Could you change? Tantalizing things to think about when digging through the freezer for something else to cook since you can't get to the store. -Q

Read, Read, Read

As we begin another writing and critiquing year, I am amazed at all the interesting ways children's writers tell stories. Take Lee Wardlaw's Won Ton - A Cat Tale Told in Haiku. As the title describes, the story is told via page after page of haiku. Clever!

Will I ever write a book in haiku? Who knows? But now I have a role model and trail blazer to look to in case I want to try it.

Or how about How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland that tells a historical story and slips in tons of science details. Super!

Will I be writing about dinosaurs soon. No, but thanks to this book, I have a excellent example of how interweaving science and history can be done. 

There are lots of other examples. I save mine at Picbooksrock on Pinterest. Then, I can go back and reference my favorites whenever I want.
-Q