Thursday, July 15, 2010

Will these shoes ever be mine?????

Probably not, because they are the shoes of the fabulous Shelli Johannes-Wells. She kindly agreed to an interview on my blog back in October, and I'm reposting that interview one question a day this week. Shelli writes children's, tween, and young adult, and is represented by Alyssa Eisner Henkin of Trident Media. She is also a marketing consultant for several large, well known businesses in the United States. To learn more about her, please visit her web site or her blog. So, one thing I think about a lot is whether or not this whole blogging thing is worth it for the YA author. I mean, seriously, what teens read blogs? Well, I'm easy to prove wrong. Here's what Shelli had to say about that. (Again, I apologize for the formatting. Blogger is just not cooperating with me on this one.) 4. Since teenagers don't typically blog, how effective is blogging as a marketing tool for the YA author? Wait - who says teens don't blog??? According to Pew studies, in 2008, more than half (58%) of all teens maintain a profile on a social networking site such as Facebook or MySpace, 27% have an online journal or blog, and 11% maintain a personal website. Girls dominate the teen blogosphere and social networks. 66% of girls have a profile (compared with 50% of boys), and 34% of those girls (versus 20% of boys) keep an online journal or blog. A lot of teens also review books on their blogs. I follow a few, and they are amazingly knowledgeable about authors and books. Therefore, I say blogging is effective - if you do it well and often. Now are you blogging for the teen audience prior to being published? Probably not. In the beginning, your blog targets other writers, bloggers, editors and agents. But later, when you are published, that audience may change, and teens may follow. Just look at Meg Cabot's following! So, for all you YA authors out there, you may not have a teen following now, but eventually you will. Isn't that something to think about? I know it is for me. It makes me want to crank some Lady GaGa, put on my pink Converse, and take a picture of my feet. Come to think of it, maybe I should. You know, for the future when I'm published and all.

11 comments:

Corey Schwartz said...

When is blogging going to catch on with the preschool crowd? :)

Suzanne Casamento said...

Pink Converse rock.

I can't wait to have a teen following. It will be so much fun!

K. M. Walton said...

Ahhh...to have a following. How dreamy...

Anonymous said...

I've often wondered if teens blog, and now I know! I'd like to start following teen bloggers to discover what they are reading. Cliche, but their voice is the future!

Diane said...

I've even seen 10 year olds with their own blog with parental direction. Interesting stats! :O)

Carolyn V. said...

Wow, I didn't know that about the numbers of teens that blog. They are one step ahead of me. =)

Tamika: said...

Who wouldn't love to sport a pair of pink Converse!

Tana said...

I'm glad to hear blogging is effective. Now to contend with the well and often part... I'm trying. Honest, I am.

Jill Kemerer said...

I do have teen followers, and I am so impressed with their blogs. I mean, at fifteen or sixteen, I wouldn't have had the courage to blog like they do! They're the movers and shakers of the next generation.

Warren Baldwin said...

I'm enjoying reading through this reposting of your interview with Shelli. Very informative. Thanks. wb

Dayana Stockdale said...

I think its important to know our goals for blogging. I like your idea that it can change. Right now, I like to chat with other writers. Hopefully someday this blog will help me take over the world...or maybe just the publishing industry...or maybe just some space on some shelves in some bookstores...all over the world!