Facebook can be a really effective method of getting yourself and your romance novels or manuscripts discovered on the Internet. It’s an easy place to connect with friends and familyfor updates on your romance writing adventures. Social networking is a fantastic learning and exposure medium for aspiring romance writers and published romance writers alike.

Many of you may already have a personal Facebook page, but are now wondering how you can create an author Like page, or what used to be known as a Fan page. They really serve the same purpose, but Facebook decided in April 2010 to change names around a bit.

If you’ve never been on Facebook before, simply click on the link and you’ll be greeted by the “Welcome” screen. Signing up is free, and quite easily done. Simply enter the primary details about yourself, such as your first and last name, as well as an email address you check frequently.Then you’re ready to start preparing your very own Facebook page.

For the sake of privacy issues, it’s recommended you don’t post your birthdate; even the month and date on your profile. With so many instances of identity theft, there are some areas where you need to be prudent. Another recommendation is to not include the names of your children with their pictures. For the security of everyone, it’s always safest to use your best judgment when including personal information on any Internet platform.

Writing your biography or Bio area is quite simple. This is where you can freely talk about yourself and your passion for romance writing. While you want to keep it relevant, it’s an area where you can discuss your different writing venues, your passions and any writing clubs, groups or associations you belong to. Your goal here is to give people an idea of who you, the author, really is, and what drives you.

Adding contact information is another area you may want to use with caution. It all depends on what exactly you intend on using this Facebook page for. If you don’t mind people interested in your writing contacting you by instant messenger, by all means put that in there. The same goes for your mobile phone. This is all a matter of preference for yourself and your needs. You are under no obligation whatsoever to include information you’re uncomfortable sharing.

One thing that is recommended, if you have a website dedicated to your romance writing, is you include it here. Many people will often click over to your website or blog just to try and get to know you a little better. Many good things can come from this.

An important step in the creation of your Facebook page is to take time to really sit down and think about your settings. Managing your page and settings from the beginning can save you many headaches in the future. Do you want just anyone to be able to comment on your posts? What about posting on your Wall? Do you want to be notified when people post on your Fan page so you can reply right away? That can be a very good practice, attracting valued respect from people checking out your page. If they see you interacting with the people who comment on your page, they’re more likely to want to connect with you as well.

Once you have all of your settings under control (most settings can be found by going to Account, Account Settings and Settings), it’s time to start finding Facebook pages or groups you want to connect with. Search out other authors, editors, or anyone else you may find interesting. You can, if you so desire, even connect with your family on your page. It doesn’t have to be all business, but remember your primary goal is to bring attention to your books and/or novels; not your cousin from Nebraska and his dog.

There’s a bit of social networking etiquette which should be followed when using any platform, and Facebook is no different. When you’re requesting to connect with someone, it’s always a best practice to let them know why first. By sending a simple message like, “I noticed you’re an author from Albuquerque too. Can we connect?” you may have just opened the door for yourself, making a new friend.

Last, but definitely not least would be posting messages to your page. While not every message needs to be focused on your next romance novel masterpiece, it’s important to keep the “noise” down on a page or business profile. Making regular posts keeps your page active, and keeps your readers coming back to see the newest tidbit of information you have to share. Posting on your Facebook page can normally be done between twice and four times a day. This keeps the noise down for those who get email updates every time you post, while allowing you to keep everyone in the loop.