Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Facebook Etiquette?

by C.L. Phillips

Dear Friends,

I have descended into that special hell reserved for teenagers, college students and shameless self promoters.  Facebook.  That's right, I now have a Facebook fan page.

Twitter I pretend to understand.  With a 140 character limit, there's only so much trouble a person can get themselves into.  Unless you are Alec Baldwin.  I like twitter because it makes me funny.  As I shave letters and even words from my messages, they become sharper and more amusing that I can ever be in person.

But this Facebook thing?  No limits?  You gotta be kidding me.   What do you write about?  What is worthy of a status update?  I had to face the truth today.  Nothing I do is wall-worthy.  Even the snarky comments I self-sensor in my mind cannot pass my test.

I am powerless to understand this social media mega-tool.  So I ask you, my dear friends, just exactly what in the Sam-Hill-Do-You-Post-On-Your-Flipping-Wall?  How frequently?  Can anything fall into the Too Much Information category? 

Right now, I am teetering on updating my status every time I shove a piece of chocolate in my mouth.  But that seems like a cry for help.

Okay, Help. 

Your favorite facebook noobie.

p.s.  Will you friend or like my page?  Pretty please?

6 comments:

Joyce Tremel said...

I can't help you with this one. I don't have a Facebook page yet!

Patg said...

I like FB, but mostly for promoting. I do very little communicating with it. I contact friends and family in the good-old-fashion way--E Mail!
I do try to put in time at least once a week.
Patg

Ramona said...

I like FB, but then, I'm a Chatty Cathy. Yesterday I posted a recipe for knock-off Moose Munch. Most of the time I post goofy stuff because I am chained to a computer in a small room for the vast majority of the day, and we all need to get our kicks somehow.

I also post or share useful writing links if they come across my path. I get a fair amount of traffic to my personal blog via Facebook. I also post local events via local writing organization. It's fast and easy and doesn't require email.

I DON'T like it when an author posts a link to a new book or blog post or whatever, on my wall without my permission. This is a touchy subject with people. I am happy to help my author friends, but it's impolite to BSP all over someone else's personal space. That's what a FB Wall is to me--a person's virtual personal space.

Patg said...

Ramona, I so agree about others posting BSP to 'my' pages.
"Chained in a small room." I looked around and it was I.
Patg

C.L. Phillips said...

Ladies,

This is so very helpful. I never understood the concept of the Wall before Ramona explained. And yes, I too am chained in a room writing.

I am an email junkie, but when I write to friends, it's one-on-one.

I'm not sure how you do this one-to-many thing. Recipes sound great.

What are your thoughts about photos? And since this is an author fan page, how much of my Wall postings should be focused on my writing or mysteries (in general)?

Big hugs for all the advice!

Patg said...

I only do photos of cons where I am promoting my book. I don't do family photos at all. I may do a photo for Christmas of a funny hat I got as a white elephant, but only if the person who took it can forward it to me.
Patg