Your Home Base Online

Your Home Base Online Ah, got a little push back from last weeks post about how writers shouldnt post articles or try to sell books without an online presence. I love pushing those buttons. Some thought writing was about the creativity, not necessarily about the sales. They purported the webpage as almost selling out, and that the artist need not tie himself to an online page. Others just did not feel techie enough to have a site, but they felt okay enough to submit to others. Sorry, but you cant USE the Internet to support yourself then state you dont need it. These days, if you use it, you best have a link to where people can learn more. Otherwise, you wasted your effort. Not having a link means you write for you and nobody else. You want the satisfaction of seeing your work in print, but you dont want to connect with the reader. I wrote an eleven minute podcast on that topic this week, entitled Face-to-Face? Or Face-to-Screen? chopeclark.com/blog Whether you need a home base online is not up for discussion. But you have options if you are HTML/CSS phobic. Lets look at where you can find a home base online. Blogger.com A very simple blog platform that can be used as a simple website. Wordpress.com Same as Blogger with a tad more of a learning curve. Facebook Yes, a fan page can be your home page if you keep it professional. Tumblr If youre a picture fan and prefer brief comments, this is your ba LinkedIn For your resume and experience. Its becoming quite interactive. AboutMe A one-page info sheet about you with a cool way to insert pics. Weebly.com Simple website, but try to avoid making it look like a 1999 template. And heres one you probably never thought of: Pubslush.com. Its a crowdfunding program but also a homebase program if you choose to use that side of the house. Its where you can plant yourself as well as sell your books. I once landed a $750 opportunity because I had my resume online. Someone Googled me and found I was qualified for her magazines assignment. It happens. Not having an online address is like not having a mailing address. When people cannot find you in this technical time and age, they assume you dont need work, dont care to work, or dont have respect for your work. Show them otherwise, and plant yourself a flag on some page online, then tell everyone where you can be found.