Now, clearly, you don't have to use Facebook, Twitter or other social media sites, in order to be successful. I know many writers who've never tweeted and still have a thriving readership.
However, the benefits of social media are hard to deny. It can offer access to like-minded groups of people, can generate a fanbase and allow you to communicate directly with your readers. It's easy to get social media wrong, though and one of the most common pitfalls is inconsistency in your social media presence.
In 2012, the number of tweets sent per day reached a staggering 340 million - that number is continuing to rise, as Twitter adds to its 500 million users. And this, like all other forms of social media, makes for an extremely fast-paced existence. 
Interacting with your readers is not only useful in terms of building a dedicated readership, it can also enable you to get feedback in an instant and very frank way. People are often too busy or simply too lazy to leave a comment on a blog, or a review after they've purchased a book. But a quick tweet or a sentence via Facebook is easier and, somehow, less formal.
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Comments
Oh, well...That's my full-proof plan not seeming quite so full-proof any more. : ) Whatcha gonna do, indeed.
No, no, I don't think it's kids' fault that they don't have the attention span or will to read. It is, indeed, the environment of fast-paced visual stimulation they've been brought up with (it's made them lazy). I just think it's a shame that parents and teachers don't do more to encourage reading - the classic (good) literature is there for them just as it was for me and you. If/when I have children, that'll be something I'll try to instil early on.
Hello again, Catana. I have noticed more and more videos and/or slideshow images cropping up on some of the popular news sites. Like you, I find it a bit off-putting and, of course, with videos you inevitably get a 30sec advert before the actual piece begins to play.
It's a very sad state of affairs, we're cultivating a generation (or more) who are too lazy to read. And, as you rightly point out, if they don't read, they don't learn how to write properly either.
Hello, Catana. Great to hear from someone who's finding success without social media, I know it's possible. Thanks also for shining more light on the preference for images - I knew the use of images was prevalent in teaching nowadays, but didn't realize it's importance had usurped the written word. That's a great shame and, frankly, quite worrying.
Katie, you're absolutely right, of course, there does seem to be this swing among the younger generation towards Instagram over Facebook and Twitter. I have nothing against it, but I do worry that this obvious preference for images over words is not good for us writers. Then again, maybe that's always been the way - younger people have always and will always favour image-based stimulation. Just means we have to cater our work to the demographic of our likely audience. All the more reason to use social media to get to know them, I suppose.
You said a mouth full and yes social media moves at a very fast pace. The young teen and young adult set hardly ever use facebook at all now they use twitter a bit and yet mostly use instagram which is only for smart phones. NOw this apps social media thing is an up and coming branch of social media we must explore to stay a head of the pack. :)K
Oh, Angel, been there! And I still catch myself doing it sometimes - I'll get busy with a particular piece of work and realize it's been almost a week since I updated my blog, or posted something on Facebook or Twitter. Very much a work in progress!
I too need to work on this! Thanks for a great article reminding me of what needs to be done. I start writing and staying online then I go off and take a few college courses and completely ignore my online project....then I come back to it for awhile...then I get sidetracked with kids and their many to do's..... whew....I want so bad to make some extra money online but just can't seem to pull it together. I still have so much to learn as well... so I spend a lot of online time reading and taking notes when I should probably just write more put it out there.
Thanks, Sheila. Social media is one of those things I totally shied away from, then tried to use without much success. Have learned from my own mistakes and am now seeing better results. Importantly, now, I'm enjoying it, which I think is the key. If it's not a bind to have to tweet or Facebook (or whatever), then everything flows much more organically and followers and fans can sense that, I think.
Good tips, WiseFool. I have been guilty of half-hearted attempts at times, and I will try to keep your advice in mind.