Armchair BEA Day Three: Networking


Todays post is all about Networking.  Both online and off, how do you do it?

Offline, it's a bit difficult for me.  My kids and other commitments keep me very busy and I often don't have the time to get out there and attend lots of opportunities for meeting face to face.  I know that there is a very large book blogger community in my fabulous city of Toronto and I do hope to meet up with some of the book bloggers one day.

I do try to attend Word on the Street, a yearly book festival here in the city.  It's an awesome opportunity to get out and celebrate books with other book lovers.  And I recently attended an author talk, with Malcolm Gladwell, and I hope to attend many more in the future.

I have struck up lots of conversations with people through books because I always have one on me when I go out.  I talk to people at the park, on the bus, at the doctors office because they see me reading books.  And I have had a lot of interesting conversations because of them.  I love that books have the power to bring people of all walks of life together.

Online, I network through memes, giveaways, twitter and participating in readathons and other fantastic opportunities like Armchair BEA.  In the beginning of blogging I wasn't sure how much I wanted to get out involved in these things, how much time I had to do so, but the more I network the more I realize what a fabulous community is out there and I thoroughly enjoy being a part of it.

Comments

  1. Kailia SageJune 6, 2012 at 2:35 PM

    I've never met an author in person but I hope to change that soon! Twitter is a great way to get online networking and making friendships and then people can come together in real life! I just love it!

    ~Kailia

    ReplyDelete
  2. Felicia the Geeky BloggerJune 6, 2012 at 3:13 PM

    Hey I think the bulk of "networking" are random strangers I chat to about book either in the coffee shop or book stores. I think those are the best kind of opportunities to open up people to reading new things :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Perpetually AnnoyedJune 6, 2012 at 4:09 PM

    twitter is an awesome tool for networking! And with the lists it's great being able to organise everyone!
    Chelle

    ReplyDelete
  4. ★Leila | The Fiction PixieJune 6, 2012 at 8:04 PM

    I have found that if you read in random places you are likely to get attention and someone will come up interested in what you are reading but most people EXPECT you to read in a library/book store and just leave you to it. At least that is the vibe I get here in my town. We are one of the most E-literate cities in America but it doesn't seem to spark a lot of interaction. I wish you the best in your networking endeavors!

    Leila | The Fiction Pixie

    ReplyDelete
  5. EvangelineJune 7, 2012 at 2:56 AM

    You're the fourth or fifth book blogger I've come across today who mentions the use of Twitter in their Networking post. :) I'm definitely going to do more networking in Twitter. I've been using Twitter for more than a year, but haven't really used it to networking with readers and authors.

    ReplyDelete
  6. KarenJune 7, 2012 at 3:09 PM

    This has also been my experience. It's easier to network online when "real" life gets so hectic. Love word on the street! T.O. great place for the bookish.

    ReplyDelete

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