Friends With Benefits

When you're a writer, you often find yourself incredibly alone. Most of us have friends and a community of peers we can rely on when we're low, but it's still a lonely profession.

Over the years, I've noticed some writers have friends with benefits. These are generally people of influence: big name authors, editors, agents, and mega-star bloggers whose every word is tweeted like Gospel. 

I read those posts with envy because unlike most of us, these writers bask in the limelight by virtue of the company they keep. I don't blame them for using that leverage. I'd take advantage of it too if I knew someone with that kind of tipping point. 

But it got me to thinking that even if we don't rub shoulders with the movers and shakers of publishing, we are all friends with benefits. Every time you link to someone, every time you tweet a blog post or retweet a clever remark, you are benefiting your friends and peers.

It's a pretty awesome superpower. We, in our own small way are making a difference for someone else. Think about it. Whether you have twenty-five followers or twenty-five hundred, one single mention could put your friend on the map.

I'd like to share some tips on how to best serve your friends and colleagues.

• Always link using the person's full name or blog name (depending on what they go by). 

This does two things: It helps search engines find them easier, and if he has an Alert on his name, it lets the person know that you mentioned them. (This way they can visit you and thank you properly.)

• Link to the specific landing page so your reader can find it right away.

• If it's good information, spread the word. Not only does it make you look smart, but it elevates the search engine standing for both you and the person you mentioned.

• Cross-link. For example if you're mentioning someone's book, link to the book and the person's web site or blog.

***

In an effort to put friends with benefits into practice, I'd like all of you to do me a favor. Will you stop by this blog and leave a comment? It is the blog of LD Masterson.

Some of you already know her as Linda Leszczuk.

Why am I asking?

Because Linda has decided to change her name and she desperately needs her NEW name to be seen by the major search engines. If you've ever had to change your name, you know what a nightmare this can be.

So...

1. Go to her blog and leave a comment. Just say: Hi, Maria sent me. She said there'd be cookies. :o)
2. Add yourself to her follower list. This is really important. She lost ALL her followers trying to transfer her old blog to the new one. Be good pals and add yourself to her follower list. I know Linda would be glad to return the favor.
3. If you're on Twitter or FB, invite your followers to try out a brand new blog.
4. And the next time you post on your blog, maybe you can also add a quick mention and a link to LD Masterson. 

With any luck, we should be able to reintegrate her into the system so that Google and the other big search engines will find her.

Congratulations. You have now become a friend with benefits. Who knows, next time you might be the one who needs a friend with benefits. And lucky dog, you happen to be friends with me and Linda.

Karma. It's a good thing.