Social Media for Authors and Planting a Story Seed. Slideshow fans, get ready to geek out.

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to have been invited to be a part of the 2012 Tallgrass Writing Workshop. This thing has been going on every year for the past 27 years; I definitely do not take lightly the privilege of being part of such a legacy.

Aside from participating in general camaraderie, I taught two sessions. Both of which seem to have been pretty successful (despite my habit of talking WAY too much).

For the benefit of those who were not able to attend my sessions (due to simultaneous, better sessions), I have uploaded my two original slideshows for the viewing pleasure of all. The social media one even has audio included. Neat!

Click the links below the images to access the slideshows.

Watch at Slideshare.net (with audio) | Watch using Google+

SURVIVING ONLINE: Why Social Media is Not a Waste of Time for Authors

Some writers claim that time spent engaging in social media is time wasted. But what is an author but a communicator of ideas, and what is social media but a platform for exchanging ideas (primarily by text, I might add). This session will focus on how the entrepreneurial author, even without a book yet to promote, can use social media not just for nurturing a potential readership but for nurturing story ideas as well.

Watch at Slideshare.net | Watch using Google+

PLANTING A STORY: How to Grow a Plot from a Single Seed

Author Stephen Graham Jones has said that many of his story ideas stem from misheard conversations. This session will explore the process of building an entire story from practically nothing, with special consideration given to dismantling the sham known as writer’s block.