3 October

Facebook and this writer’s life

by Jon Katz
Fall, Big Barn

October 3, 2010- Beautiful Fall day, at last. Facebook is much in the news these days, for all sorts of reasons. Got me to thinking about the profound impact Facebook has had on my writing life, almost all of it positive. Publishing has changed, and writers are more responsible than ever for getting their messages out themselves.  Facebook is an experiment for me, especially in the publication of my first novel in a decade, “Rose In A Storm,” out Tuesday.

I have used Facebook in a variety of ways. Pre-orders for “Rose” are up very sharply from previous books, in part to my posting messages about pre-orders on Facebook.

During last year’s book tour, for “Soul Of A Dog,” more than half of the people coming to my book events said they learned of the readings on Facebook. Facebook has allowed dog and cat and animal lovers as well as people who just like my writing to find me easily.

I see my blog, bedlamfarm.com as a monologue. My message. I see Facebook as a dialogue. I have posted many queries and messages about animal grieving, dogs, rural life, family farms and other writing topics on my Facebook page and have learned a tremendous about these subjects. Facebook has become an invaluable research tool

The day when writers could hole up on farms or mountaintops and send their messages down the mountain are gone, and good riddance. Writers benefit from talking to readers, learning about how their writing is received, getting stories as well as sending them off. I have just finished a book, “Dancing Dogs,” a collection of short stories about the emotional connection between people and animals, and many of the stories were inspired by Facebook messages or posts and photos.

There are many real issues about Facebook – the use of it to sell things, invade privacy, project cruelty – but I have found it to be powerful and liberating tool. I don’t really know how “Rose In A Storm” is going to do. If it does well, I will have to concede that Facebook has been a significant part of that. I am always experimenting on Facebook. Tuesday, when “Rose In A Storm” comes out, Rose and I will be at the Barnes & Noble in Saratoga Springs at 5 p.m. to sign books. This is an unofficial event and I have only mentioned it on FB. So I want to see if anybody shows up at this odd time in this little-publicized way. Even a small number would be revealing. And I will of course, keep everybody posted. On Facebook. From my Ipad which I will bring to the store.

And I will see “Social Network” Monday with Maria and will watch it from many different perspectives and as one who has greatly benefited from it. I wish for all writers who need to get their messages out that they find a way to use these powerful new and sometimes disturbing technologies in useful ways, as I am learning to do.

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