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Synergies in Social Networking: WANATribe

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Happy Sunday! I’ve had a busy week and I would apologize for only posting one blog entry but I suspect that you might be thanking me for not adding more items to your in-box. Several creative projects filled my time last week.  First, draft 2 of Ripple progresses.  To kick off Draft 2, I switched Chapter 4, my weakest chapter, with Chapter 2. Then I gutted it, and as petulant as I felt about tearing down the foundations, the end product pleases me.

In the new chapter 2, I introduce one of my main characters, Helen Thompson. She is a fun character to write:

“Holy fucking Christ,” thundered the voice as the glass door slammed shut, narrowly missing the young associate who scurried out of the hotel’s conference room.   Her voice echoed into the corridor behind him.

“I needed the witness list two hours ago!  The trial is in a week, Ashtray!  If you can’t get it to me in the next fifteen minutes, you might as well grab a fucking cab to the airport and catch the red eye back to D.C.”

Helen Thompson glowered around the room, imperious, her orange hair and bellowing tone resembling Queen Elizabeth I.  If Queen Elizabeth could make a man move before finishing a sentence, Helen could make him run.

In addition to rebuilding the opening chapters of Ripple, I became a part of an organization called Rebel Thriver. The concept behind Rebel Thriver is to thrive, rather than survive, despite your circumstances, and this reflects the theme of Ripple.  Helen, her daughter Phoebe, and Helen’s attorney Cassandra will push through great difficulties and by the end of the novel, they will have laid the foundations for a healthy and happy (albeit imperfect and uncertain) future.  I am proud of Helen, Phoebe and Cassandra, just as I am proud to be a part of Rebel Thriver.

Another topic, the business opportunities presented by the missteps of Facebook, dovetails nicely with Kristen Lamb’s new social media site: WANATribe.  I wrote about Facebook’s IPO a few weeks ago, and explained how Facebook’s need to maximize its stock price would lead to an increased advertising presence that would affect those of us with fan pages.  Little did I know how soon this would come to pass, or how deleterious of an effect it would have on my business model for Running from Hell with El.

Photo Credit Forbes

Facebook has always been free, and it has developed its revenue stream by seeking advertisers.  At $3 billion a year, their revenues come nowhere close to justifying their current stock price.  Facebook has never charged its 900 million users a fee to post status updates, but now it is.

What this means is that posts made by my Page, with its 5,500 fans, no longer reach the majority of those fans.  When I post something, Facebook limits my reach to 10-15% of the fan base I worked so hard to build.  My audience has been decimated, as has been the fan base of all Pages.  To reach 100% of my fans, I would have to pay $300 per each post.

Don’t get me wrong: Facebook is within its legal rights.  They own the website.  If they want to charge users, we may choose to pay or to find another social website.  Small businesses, artists, writers, creative people and charitable institutions cannot afford to use Facebook as a means of reaching an audience anymore.

That is where WANATribe fits into the picture.  Created by Kristen Lamb under the auspices of WANA International as a modern version of the old-fashioned salon, WANATribe brings together creative people from all disciplines in a collaborative social media network.  Graphic artists will meet writers.  Architects can talk with and be influenced by interior decorators.  Fiction writers will find playwrights and screenwriters. The salon known as WANATribe will provide fuel for synergistic artistic interaction.

How does this relate to Facebook?  Like all massive corporations, Facebook has lost sight of its initial mission: to unite friends via a free network.  It is never wise for a business to start charging for services it once gave away.  WANATribe for now is a niche for creative people but as it grows, so too can grow its user base.

Please stay tuned for future developments.  I should state for the record that I am not an official spokesperson for WANATribe.  I am, however, an enthusiastic ambassador for this exciting new network.

What are your thoughts about Facebook?  What would you like to see in a social media network?

26 Comments on “Synergies in Social Networking: WANATribe”

  2. Have a running hate with facebook except as a means to stay in contact with friends and family. I never worry about those sites where I ‘like’ I simply regularly visit, thus don’t worry if I get feeds from them. Building the user base, nice but harder than I want to stress over. Google fills a void and now new players will enter to fill what Facebook leaves on the table.

    Glad your edits are going well.

    • LOL Valentine–and my gosh, your comment on my comment on your blog the other night, my gosh, it was so, so kind!! I am scattered and I think I haven’t told you that yet and before I do forget, well–I am so grateful!!

      Google does fill a void. My problem with Google is that they are a massive conglomerate, almost a monopoly and more importantly they aren’t good about protecting our privacy–gah!

      And I love to be the new player taking on Goliath!

      Thank you re the edits (I will be whining about it soon).

      • Heroes don’t whine (not in public at least)

        I went to RebelThriver, it looks like a wonderfully supportive group. I am going to keep reading for a while. Right now I have one more to write of the Broken Chains series for this week (writing in threes helps).

        You are correct in your assessment of Google, but it is a decent source to move information through so long as you are careful. Like you the idea of Goliath being taken on by new players is an inspiring thought though.

  4. Okay. 1) How many more Ripple teases can this girl take?! 😉 And 2) Wow, I didn’t know that about Facebook, but, coincidentally was going to delete my li’l GoGuiltyPleasures account very soon anyway! (I don’t keep up with it and have decided if I’m going to half-butt it, it’s not worth it. Trying to get better with Twitter, though!) This is very cool about the WANATribe; I’m a relatively new Kristen Lamb follower, but definitely loving what I’ve seen so far!

    • LOL Jules!! You are the best! Thank you for making me feel special!

      Oh you’re deleting your lil’ page?

      I am trying to get better with Twitter but it makes my brain explode lol.

      Yep–I love the WANATribe! Are you there yet or do you need an invite?

      • El, you are! And yes, planning to make a couple of bloggy changes this weekend (*twists handlebar mustache*) 😉

        I just saw that it is invitation only! Well…does the tribe know I make really good carrot cake? Who do I start writing love letters to??

  5. I am intrigued by WANATribe, and look forward to learning more about it. I think it’s a great idea to create a space where people of like interests can connect.

    • Dawn: thank you–and I am really intrigued by it as well. I love how it offers the ability for creative people to link together. If you’d like me to send you an invite, please give me your e-mail address.

  8. Soo frustrated with Facebook! LOVE Kirsten Lamb. Try to be a creative type :). Oh, and I love you too (just for the record). I want in too, but I think I already posted that somewhere. I can’t keep track of myself any more.

  9. I’d join in a heart-beat! Count me in. I love these kinds of grass roots efforts!

  11. Thanks El! Great minds think a like. ‘Meaning we are all connected to the amazing all knowing, creative force and wisdom of the Universe. Especially, when we are expressing our ART in it’s various form. Synergy. Synergy. Synergy! Love it!!!

  12. I’m perplexed by Facebook, and try not to think too much about it. 😉 I use it, and feel it’s beneficial, but had no idea that our author pages had such limited reach, or that we may soon be required/requested to pay. It’ll be interesting to see how it all pans out… In the meantime, I’m incredibly grateful for WANA. I do hope all of your fans and MORE will follow you no matter where you go(—not in a stalker-y way!) I know I will.

  13. I missed this when you first posted it, El. Good for you for making so much progress in your writing, and expanding your circle of contacts. I’m thinking it’s time for me to step outside my safe little shell, but I’m a little intimidated by the thought.