The Fear Factor

Another new toy on the Internet?  Yikes.

The first time I visited Pinterest.com, I knew better than to stay.  Pinterest is the definition of a detour on the highway of life.  All those gorgeous images?  I knew I could lose my way for hours.  It was time to pack up and go home.

The second time, motivated by social media gurus, I realized I had to join in.  Besides, what a great way to share the inspiration behind my upcoming series of novels, Goddesses Anonymous, which debuts in August.  As I found interesting facts and photos, I could add them with one click.  Keeping everything in one place is a challenge, and Pinterest would help.

The Whys and Wherefores

I began a journey into the how-tos.  First I learned Pinterest likes users to invite other users, so after a mention on my Facebook page, I was granted three immediate invitations.  I was in. 

Now what to do?  Pinterest gives choices of people to follow, but I quickly deleted most when I realized our interests were different.  I created some boards the site suggested as starters and added a few of my own.  Hmmm. . .  I downloaded the “Pin It” button to my IE Favorites Bar and suddenly  it was intoxicatingly easy to add anything I wanted to keep or show off.  

Addiction in Progress

As I began to understand, I looked for boards with interests like mine.  I found some about Asheville, the setting for my series. I created my own Asheville board and added a photo or two.  I went to the website of a restaurant mentioned in One Mountain Away, the series debut novel, and pinned a photo to the board.  Wow, I was having fun.

Although cottages have nothing to do with my writing, I am about to renovate an old Victorian era lake cottage in Western NY, so I checked out cottage boards and found charming ideas.  Plus I was able to pin some Better Homes and Gardens photos I’d fallen in love with so I could view them often.  I was beginning to really understand.  Suddenly the world opened up to me.  Quilts, knitting, home decor, and recipes! Somebody stop me.

I’m still a new Pinterest user, which you will discover if you go to my fledgling boards.  But I can testify to the addiction factor.  When I visited this morning to take a screen shot for this blog, I was so distracted that an hour later, when I finally wrenched myself away, I found I’d forgotten the screen shot. 

It’s Popular Why?

Social media began with blogging, moved to Facebook with shorter messages, then to Twitter with its short-short messages, and now to images.  We’re all busy.  We all have access to so much wonderful Internet content, we can’t spend too much time anywhere.  Enter Pinterest, with its instant visual punch.

New and Better Fears

I still worry about copyright.  I can’t quite figure out why it’s okay to pin photos I find on the Internet on my Pinterest board, and not okay to use them to illustrate my blogs.  If photos are properly attributed, Pinterest should be a publicity boost to any website, and the site links to sources, so we can trace photos back to the copyright holder.  But still, the subtle difference eludes me.

Pack Your Bags

Come visit me and see Pinterest for yourself.  If you need an invitation, visit my website and ask for one.  I’m happy to oblige.  But pack whatever you’ll need for a good long stay.  And don’t say I didn’t warn you.