Posted by Nancy J. Cohen on February 22, 2012
Here’s another promotional tool that will drive you crazy. I’ve recently joined Pinterest, where you pin up pictures online that can relate to any themes you choose, such as your books, your characters, the locations in your story, or your life in general. This acts as an online pinboard collection that other folks can follow. If someone spots a photo on my board they like, they can share it. You tell what the picture means and people can comment on it. You create your boards and give each one a name. It’s good to check out the boards of someone you know first to get an idea of how it works and what themes might appeal to you.
When you install the Pin It button on your browser, it allows you to pin a picture whenever you go to a website with pin-able photos. The program automatically attributes the source. Still, I think you should be wary of copyright issues. It may not be okay to just lift any photos you like and stick them on your boards.
Here’s one tip for writers that’s been useful. Instead of uploading your book cover photos from your computer (like I did for my first two), go to the buy page at an online bookstore and use that photo. Then the attributable link will take people there.
Learning how to use Pinterest is definitely a time sink. But with nearly five million users, it can be a great promotional opportunity. People seem to get hooked on it once they get started. It’s a way to let readers into your life and to showcase those things you find meaningful and fun. Oh, and you have to request an invitation to join or ask a friend who’s a member to invite you. Then you register using your Facebook or Twitter account.
Check out these sites for more information:
http://writetype.blogspot.com/2012/02/pinterest-5-best-practices-for-writers.html
http://www.authormedia.com/2012/02/01/3-ways-authors-can-use-pinterest-guilt-free/
http://www.authormedia.com/2012/02/02/set-up-your-author-pinterest-profile-in-10-easy-steps/
http://www.authorems.com/2012/pinterest/
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/how-can-pinterest-increase-your-book-sales/
http://www.copyblogger.com/pinterest-marketing/
http://greekgeek.hubpages.com/hub/Is-Pinterest-a-Haven-for-Copyright-Violations
http://blog.hubpages.com/2012/02/using-pinterest-for-hubpages/
http://blog.verticalresponse.com/verticalresponse_blog/2012/02/like-it-pin-it-sell-it-why-pinterest-matters-for-your-business.html
So do any of you already participate in Pinterest? Or would you do it now that you’re aware of this site?
Allison Chase said
I find Pinterest fun but I’m still wary of the time invested vs. productivity ratio. Plus it’s that much more time spent online when I could be writing or giving my poor, tired eyes a rest. I don’t know. Lately I’ve been thinking the more time spent on social media means less time in the real world. And maybe life is too short… Sorry! Being introspecitve today, I guess.
Nancy Cohen said
You’re absolutely right. Some days I enjoy being on the the social nets and other days I feel like avoiding the computer and going out to play. So I say, if you want to do it, go ahead. If not, take a break. Life is short, but keep in mind that by being here, you’re sharing your life with others in a small way.
Diane Schultz said
I joined recently and do not know how to use it nor do I try. My sister-in-law, her sister, a daughter of a close friend, and someone I went to high school with, are all on Pinterest. I have followed links to FOOD, but haven’t tracked down pictures yet. I worry on the time sink as well, my own “distract me!” nature which almost seems like an addiction in itself, and that someone I might like and save there could be gone tomorrow at the discretion (or whoops) of someone other than me. I am using OneNote by microsoft and finding I can pin (right click, “save to One Note”) just about anything to a whole filing system, and move things, click on them again, and find them again. I can see how Pinterest might show where the general crowd’s thoughts are going, though, and that might be informative in guiding our novels in some way; maybe some characterizations…?
Nancy Cohen said
Diane, you’ve given this a lot more thought than me! I still have a lot of exploring to do on Pinterest but not much time to do it right now.