Pinar Tarhan, Author at Addicted to Writing

How (Not) to Get Followed on Twitter: 13 Tips

Posted on March 27, 2018 Written by Pinar Tarhan

I’m not a celebrity. I’m, however, a social media enthusiast and expert. I’ve been experimenting with and reading about these things since 2007. Yes, that’s a very specific date: That’s when I started using Facebook. I remember because it was a year after my year abroad as a student. I was deeply missing my friends and being bored out of my mind at an internship. I had the technology, particularly no responsibilities (I tried to get them, believe me!) and tons of free time.

Then came blogging, Twitter and Linkedin.

Exceptions: We are friends offline, and I already know who you are. Then none of the below matters. For strangers, take note:

– Write your profile in another language. If I can’t understand what you say, I won’t follow. Simple. I’m trying to learn other languages, but English and Turkish are my only fluent ones at the moment.

– Treat it like content mills treated articles. Don’t make it a keyword dump. There should be some words without hashtags.

– Ignore all the logical advice I happily give.

– Have the picture of an egg.

– Just put a picture of you in your underwear. Really? Unless it’s the cover of erotica fiction you wrote, and it’s not your picture. Then it is fine. Still…do think twice.

– Tell me your marital status, number of kids, what sect of religion you belong to or which prophet you love before telling me what you do and who you are (and no, I don’t think “you” begin with your marital status, number of kids or religion). It’s okay to put them in your bio somewhere if you have to, but I really don’t think they should be the first things I should know about you.

– Don’t be genuine.

– Don’t give any links I can check out.

– Name all the brands you are endorsing.

– Just have an account to offer to get x number of Twitter and/or Instagram accounts for free. Anyone who has spent like a day or two learning about social media will know paid followers mean nothing.

– Follow me, get followed by me, and then drop me because…well, if you lose interest in my work or awesome personality, fine. But unless you are one of my favorite artists, writers or fantasy mentors, I will return the favor. I understand there’s a follower to following ratio. But if you sacrifice me, I’ll do the same. How do you think I remembered to add this here? I’ve just unfollowed people who unfollowed me after following me first.

– Don’t follow me. I’m a rational person. I don’t expect to be followed by Chris Evans, but if you are not him or you’re the editor of Cosmopolitan, I might unfollow you after a while. I’m just saying.

– Never post anything about you.

That’s it. It’s not that hard, but even marketing needs some personality. And believe it or not, you can be professional and personable at the same time. Try it, and you’ll have more followers that are human beings. Maybe one day they will even turn into fans. For more useful tips on social media, please check out my post Social Media Mistakes Writers Can Avoid on the awesome blog Write Naked by Tara Lynne Groth.

Update: My First Novel Has Arrived: Making A Difference (M.A.D.)

Posted on February 24, 2018 Written by Pinar Tarhan

I wrote this post before my novel’s launch. As I update this post, my book is now a little more than a year-old. You can check it out on Amazon or Smashwords.

February is almost over, and it kind of just went with the wind. Between colds and trying not to catch one in the consistently unstable weather and fighting against the dreary mood the grey skies cause, I’ve got to admit I haven’t been very productive.

It’s not to say I didn’t write, but you know how it is. The number of words on the page or the number of pitches sent is never up to your expectations.

But it is better to start late than never, so here comes my February post.

One reason for my lack of updates is that I wanted to publish my novel, Making A Difference – M.A.D. for short – I hired a cover designer (the lovely Michelle Fairbanks), and I also purchased a basic package from Mill City Press, a company that came recommended to me by a writer/editor/publisher I trust.

While I’ve enjoyed working with them so far, I realized the actual book launch will have to wait. My book is still being formatted and being prepared for the electronic shelves as we speak.

I’m not sure whether I’ll do a print version, but if I do, IngramSpark looks like the winning candidate.

Making A Difference is a contemporary romantic comedy-drama set in New York. It’s relatively short, under 60,000 words, so it makes it perfect for the beach, or even when you just want to cozy up to your blanket with a cup of coffee on a cold, rainy day.

So what the hell is this novel about? Below is your lovingly-crafted blurb:

Making A Difference (M.A.D.)

Everybody loves Jay Clark. He’s that weird PR guru who doesn’t live like the rich and runs a profitable company so that he’ll have more resources for humanitarian causes. He is obsessed with making the world a better place. He defines himself through how much he and his company have made a positive impact. He loves his family and friends, but work has always come first.

He is engaged to a gorgeous CEO whose purse collection alone could feed the homeless in NYC, but he’s only human. Besides, it’s a match made in workaholic heaven.

If anyone notices the irony, it’s Jay’s protégée/new partner Zoe Ellis. 10 years older than her, Jay has always been her idol. He is the reason she chose to study PR. She also wants to make a huge difference, and she’d much rather do it at Jay’s company. So when Jay’s business partner/best friend takes a less pressuring position, she’s delighted to return to the firm she interned for.

But Jay and Zoe have a big secret from everyone else: 5 years ago, they fell hard for each other. She was a student at NYU where Jay was a lecturer. To Jay, his legacy was everything, and he’d never risk tainting his reputation by dating a student/intern. Moreover, he’d die before he let Zoe ruin a career because of romance – something he never cared much for. While Zoe would never risk her dreams and goals for any other guy, she is furious he doesn’t take the risk for them. She leaves the country to get over him. 5 years is surely enough time to get over any love?

And now she’s happily coupled-up with lovely writer Colin. Apparently, her time away from the firm worked: Zoe and Jay are over each other. They must be.

Colin detests Jay, and he doesn’t even know the entire story. It doesn’t help matters even his friends think Jay’s dreamy. Zoe’s upset Colin’s turning into a whiny, insensitive jerk, but he’s the first guy she has felt strongly for in a long time. Also, she can’t dump a guy for being perceptive.

Jay can no longer dismiss his feelings as nostalgia, but Zoe is still furious at him. And the last time he tried to fix things, she left the company and the country. And now that the stakes are even higher: Zoe is no longer an intern, but a managing partner.

While Jay isn’t as predictable as everyone believes, will he be able to follow his heart even when improving the world seems easier?

<br />

4 Benefits of Watching Movies You Don’t Like

Posted on January 24, 2018 Written by Pinar Tarhan

Since the Oscar nominees were announced and there is always a lot of disagreement on who deserved what, let’s talk about movies we don’t like.

I just saw a critically acclaimed movie and was seriously disappointed. It has so many nominations, and no doubt, will win a bunch. (Some of the nominations, I believe it deserves, though.)

The trailer promised a magical time, but I was left bored and unfulfilled. And this is good news.

No, I don’t like torturing myself. And I do naturally prefer movies that show me a good time. But there are benefits to watching stuff that you don’t enjoy.

Let’s go:

1) You get to practice editing in your mind. I’ve got nothing against the movie’s plot or the genre. My biggest issue with the film was its runtime. A little over two hours, the movie got too relaxed at getting its point across. Had this film been about 90 minutes, I’d have probably enjoyed it as much as its trailer. While you think about what scenes that could have been left out, this is a visual addition to your editing instincts. A scene might make sense, look great or make you feel. But does it really push the story forward?

2) Critical sweethearts tend to have solid points going for them. In addition to a stellar cast, this movie boasts of gorgeous cinematography and set pieces. The movie can teach a thing or two about delivering on a limited budget.

3) You learn a thing or two about how you love your antagonists. Watching this movie made me realize I tend to like grey antagonists more. They don’t necessarily have to be relatable or misunderstood. They don’t have to be brilliant or have a wicked sense of humor. But a full-on psychopath with no admirable qualities? That is boring. And annoying. Picture this guy: He is a psychopath. He is a pervert. He is racist. He is not particularly eloquent. He is narcissistic. I didn’t have the best time with this villain even though he is portrayed by an actor I love.

4) We all have different tastes. A lot of people loved this movie. But a lot of people also didn’t. So it is likely that there is a market for your well-written story.

Even the movies or books you don’t like teach you things. Watching a movie is hardly ever an empty experience for a fiction writer.

What do you think? Have you seen or read something lately that let you down a bit? What did you take from it?

January – First Three Weeks: Resolutions Success Breakdown, and Self-Publishing News

Posted on January 22, 2018 Written by Pinar Tarhan

2017’s last post was aptly about resolutions. I’m here to hold myself (and you) accountable for resolutions. You can refresh your memory here: The 2018 Goals Post: Here’s to a Productive and All-Around Kick-Ass Year.

The post basically talked about goals in the areas of health and fitness, networking and socializing, organizing, and writing.

Health and fitness: I bought myself a cheap smartwatch, but I’m using it as a fitness tracker- I got it because it is hard to track your steps with a phone all the time, and seeing the number motivates me to walk more.

Still trying to figure out how certain functions work.

I’m aware the total number might be more than about 1000 than my actual number since it is on my wrist, and I move my hands a lot more than my feet. But I try to take it off if I’m sitting and writing a lot, and I consider how inactive/active I have been when noting the final number. Still, I’m happy to say it serves its purpose. I’m moving more. Can’t disappoint the watch, can you? Also, it is pink and really fun to look at.

Writing: I didn’t write any pages for the works in progress I talked about in my previous post. However I decided to self-publish my novel Making A Difference (M.A.D.). It is a small step for humanity, but a gigantic one for this writer. I’ve had the concept for so long. The only way to get closure on this story was to share it with the world. I’ll share the details on when it will be published, so keep an eye out. I’ll say this: I can promise a fun time for romantic comedy lovers.

Not the actual cover. Currently working with a designer to capture the tone and atmosphere of the story better. 🙂 This is me, learning and experimenting with design.

Networking and socializing: I’m afraid I’m failing in this department this month. I haven’t met anyone new except for online, but 3 weeks wasn’t enough time to get all my work done. I’m hoping to be more productive on this front from February and onward.

How are you faring compared to your resolutions? Share away in the comments.