I’m checking in this week to say ‘hello’ and to send an enormous round of thank-yous into the cybersphere. I’m incredibly grateful for the kindness and well wishes that came streaming in after my last post. Whatever is happening with my body still seems to be a bit of a mystery, but thanks to family, friends and the endless archive of vegan recipes available via Pinterest, I’m holding my own. So, to you and you and you, and yes, YOU – well, you’re all just the bees knees!

Between doctors appointments, medical tests, and learning much about the versatility of avocados, I’ve also been pondering my place on the Internet. Every so often, I make the effort to re-evaluate my online presence, and a recent request from the CBC Books portal “Canada Writes,” gave me the opportunity to do so again.

The CanadaWrites site is a terrific resource for those who wish to learn more about the craft and profession of writing, as well as for those who’d simply like an inside peek at the writing life. In an effort to address the questions that surround a writer’s relationship with the Internet, they’ve started a series called “Tweet your own horn.” The posts within the series come from authors, publishers, illustrators and other industry professionals, all posting their thoughts and advice when it comes to the ways in which they approach social media.

These are some of the questions I was asked to address…

How much work do you do to promote your writing?

Do you enjoy it?

Does it ever make you uncomfortable?

Is there a line when it comes to self promotion?

How do you know if you’re coming on too strong?

How do you feel about being so accessible to your readers?

What advice would you give to a first-time novelist entering the world of self-promotion?

How essential do you feel using social media is to the professional life of a writer?

I won’t go on too much more about here, except to say that keeping track of my online life has always been an interesting challenge for me. I take my contributions to the net and the relationships I’ve fostered there quite seriously. My hope for my participation on the net is much like my hope for all my work, that it might, in the end, contribute to a larger conversation.

I hope you’ll check out my post at CanadaWrites. (And, should you feel so inclined, please pop back here to share your thoughts on the subject. I’d love to know what you think!)

Also – In all the jabbering I do here on the blog, what topics or kinds of posts interest you the most?

Ami McKay’s TYOH at CBC’s Canada Writes