Writing for Social Media: A Beginner’s Guide
Social networking on sites like Myspace and Facebook have reached almost full penetration among teens and tweens. 96% of 9 to 17 year olds (US) have used social networking technology. 71% of them say they use it weekly.
This is the demographic that studios produce movies for. It is also a very valuable demographic for advertisers so it will not be long before big wads of cash get thrown at people who know how to produce content in this space.What this means for screenwriters is that it is time to start talking to your audience where they are consuming their media rather than where they used to.
Social Media Storytelling: Kate Modern
Kate Modern is an excellent example of what social media storytelling (I probably can’t call it SMS, can I?) looks like when it is professionally produced.
Brought to us on Bebo by the guys who created lonelygirl15; Kate Modern is the fictional story of an artist living in London.
Why you should be interested in Kate Modern is because the creative team have advertiser backing and the full support of the site. This shows that social media storytelling -when done correctly- is a commercially viable medium.
So what is ‘correct’ social media storytelling?
3 Rules of Social Media Storytelling
1. Don’t lie
Do not pretend your story or your characters are real. This is known as ‘flogging’ (’fake’ blogging) and your users will never forgive you for it.
2. Don’t break the Fourth Wall
This one may sound difficult coming after the first rule but it is not really; especially if your story spills over into other media (TV, short film, etc). If you are writing exclusively in social media then perhaps provide a subtle link somewhere on each of the character pages to your company or group’s website.
All this means is that you can’t have a half-assed personal page that is both the character and the actress at the same time. (See if you can find Kate Modern’s real name anywhere on her page)
3. Don’t make it too difficult to follow
By the looks of it Kate Modern is going to be set almost entirely on Kate’s bebo page. This is clever. Anything else you want your audience to see or discover needs to be made clear to them; have your character point it out in a video or a blog. Provide a link.
Unlike being in a cinema, even a few seconds of boredom will see your audience click away. Social media storytelling is not the place to be tricky or obscure. Save that for those art house films you always promise yourself you are going to see.
3 Applications of Social Media Storytelling
1. Extend your story world
Have personal pages for each of your main characters. This allows them to post blogs, photos, thoughts etc. Consider giving this responsibility over to the actor; especially if these pages are supporting long form writing like a tv series or a play run.
2. Spinoffs
What about that supporting character that always seems to be far more popular than the main character? He or she could have their own blog or Social Media page. You can put the URL in play programmes, credits or even have it mentioned during the performance. This allows you to continue writing from their unique perspective after the events of the play/film have ended.
It could also be a great way to come up with new story ideas set in the same world.
3. Discover your characters
Who says you have to share your social media storytelling with the world? You can mark the pages as private and use them as devices to build a deeper understanding of your characters. Very handy for those early drafts.
Once you feel you are getting a handle on your character you can invite select friends, trusted colleagues, etc to view the pages. Just use placeholder images found on the web before the character is cast -or you could get a friend drunk and guilt him/her into posing for you.
Social Media Storytelling Checklist
1. Pick your site
Although Facebook is my favourite social network, you are restricted in your ability to personalize your pages with images, music and video (which is why I like it).
Globally, bebo attracts a younger crowd whereas Myspace runs across all ages and has a little bit more of a ‘wild west’ feel. Choose between these two depending on the type of story you are telling.
There are, of course, other social networks out there but you will want one that has already reached critical mass. It makes it that little bit easier for an audience to find your story.
2. Pick your tools
Are you going to have video blogging? Does this mean you need a separate camera or are you just going to use your webcam?
What about stills? Is your entire story going to be set in front of your character’s computer or is he/she going to be taking photos of things that happen to him/her?
If this is the case then you need to think about casting these other characters and whether or not they have their own social media pages. This has a lot of potential in it because you open up the events in your story to multiple interpretations. Your characters can comment on each other’s blogs agreeing/disagreeing over versions of events.
3. Pick your character
This is where classic screenwriting advice can lead you astray. You don’t actually have to focus on the main character. In fact, with social media’s fluidity of truth that comes from being based in opinions and personal expression, it might be much more interesting to have a multitude of supporting characters tell their versions of the main character.
Regardless of whether you stick with one person’s story or go with a multitude of characters, you need to sell your audience on exactly why this person is posting all this video comment.
It is no great shock that Kate Modern is a young art student rather than the breadwinner for a recently arrived Nigerian migrant family. We believe that an art student would be playing around with expression and digital media. The breadwinner would be much more concerned with -say- winning bread for his children.
Lonelygirl15 was trapped in her room because her parents were very religious and the internet was her only real form of communication with the outside world.
You cannot start with an ‘everyman’ and hope your story goes somewhere. People use social media for very specific reasons.
4. Choose an ending
Sound obvious? It isn’t. Selling an audience on why your character has stopped posting is even more difficult than selling them on why he or she started.
Did she die? Move? Go to prison?
The best way to find your ending is to think of social media storywriting like a one person play. Base it around one event or theme; the lead up to college graduation or the first two weeks following the break up of a marriage. Your character could be posting from a hospital room in the weeks leading up to a high-risk operation that will hopefully save his life.
Make whatever this event is clear. That way, when a user finds your social media piece weeks or months later they can follow the video or blog posts from beginning to end and get your entire story.
With a little forward planning, you can time your social media piece so that it finishes right before the events that happen in another story you have written; a play or film, for instance.
Conclusion
Social media offers some really exciting storytelling possibilities that -once you have an understanding of how users consume it- you can explore with almost zero start-up costs.
You can use social media as a standalone medium to tell your story or you can use it to complement and expand upon stories told in another medium. In fact, this is fast becoming de rigeur for any new film or theatre pieces. The only reason why you would elect to not have a social media presence for your writing is if you were actively trying not to reach young web users.
Give it a shot for yourselves and let me know what you come up with.
