2018 Dublin Writers' Conference

Back in Dublin! From arriving at the airport, riding into the city from the airport and stepping down from the bus in O’Connell Street, there was something rather familiar.

Once again, I’d been invited by Laurence O’Bryan who heads up the Books Go Social group to speak at this very friendly festival. Although I’m waving […]

GDPR and my blogs - keeping a level head

You’ve probably been getting a load of ‘We’re changing our privacy setting/terms of service‘ type emails recently as today, 25 May 2018, is the deadline for the new EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) coming into force. Some organisations ask you to re-subscribe, some ask for confirmation, some advise you of the new regulations and […]

Social media and freelancers

With Jane Corry of Freelance Media Group in the library at the University Women’s Club

Yesterday, I went to speak to the Freelance Media Group about social media, specifically Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Of course, we ran out of time; this is a massive subject. I gave everybody a six-side handout to take […]

To DM or not to DM?

The Scream, Edvard Munch, 1893

When I read yet another ‘buy my book’ direct message on Facebook Messenger this morning, I screeched out loud. I’m surprised it wasn’t heard from one end of Europe to the other.

Direct messaging (DM) or private messaging (PM) is a utility on social media, in particular Twitter […]

Achieving the private/public balance of being an author

Is an author who publishes books, by whatever route, entitled to a fully private life? Yes, and no.

Publishing a work – fiction, non-fiction, academic – makes that work and its author’s name available to the public. A fiction writer may use a pseudonym, of course. Readers will read the work – let’s call it […]