The final week of my reviews has arrived. Quill Shift Literary Agency with either disappointed once more or surprise me beyond belief. Let me give you a hint: I'm smiling. Quill Shift finally broke their radio silence. Though it is only two posts on Twitter, I am elated. The reemergence of the "useyourquill" hashtag makes my heart soar. In an early post - probably the first - I remarked how clever this was. The statement ties in writing and their company and has the potential to catch fire.
Though these occurrences do not represent a company that I would trust my book with - such as 3 Seas Literary Agency - this reinvigorates my hope ten-fold. Week by week, I was disappointed because I have been rooting for Quill Shift; the agency has an inclusive, personable premise that appeals to modern writers. If they began modeling 3 Seas Literary Agency's social media platform, surpassing through more quality posts, there is no telling what's in store for Quill Shift Literary Agency next. I cannot wait to tackle the possibilities in my campaign proposal!
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Despite myself, I hoped. I crossed my fingers for one, little tweet on Quill Shift Literary Agency's Twitter account as this project dies down. Next week will be my final review, and I would have liked to have more to shown for it.
But Quill Shift's decisions are out of my control. 3 Seas Literary unusually posted little this week with only one Twitter post and no Facebook posts. Additionally, the lone tweet did not connect with the agency or their authors, rather praising Netflix for one of their new shows. This week, 3 Seas Literary dropped the ball, but I can hardly penalize them when I remember that Quill Shift Literary Agency has not posted a single time since this assignment began in January. There will always be off-weeks, but off-months? Unacceptable. Another week with no social media activity on Quill Shift Literary Agency's three accounts. By now, I expect this, and I am no longer disappointed (ie. hopeful). Additionally, my emails have been left unanswered, and I believe I will never receive a reply, either. Now more than ever, I wonder if Quill Shift is even a business anymore. Of course, 3 Seas Literary has posted with six times on Twitter and twice on Facebook. This amount is low compared to previous weeks, but then I consider quality over quantity (which Quill Shift is failing at in both respects). Here are two screenshots from 3 Seas. 3 Seas promotes their brand while showing support to their authors. In the long run, this shows prospective authors that the company cares.
Quill Shift does none of this with their online presence(absence). There is no quality, because they have no quantity. Furthermore, in terms of building confidence within a prospective audience like 3 Seas Literary has done, they have utterly failed at it. I was perhaps one of their biggest supporters, but now, my hope has dried up. If Quill Shift did surprise me and replied positively to my internship application, I am not sure how I would respond. Would an internship with Quill Shift Literary Agency even be meaningful on a resume? Quill Shift Literary Agency continues its online absence, and I do not have the same hope - even as minuscule - as before. Additionally, both of my emails have gone unanswered. In contrast, 3 Seas Literary Agency is consistent as ever with four Facebook and eight Twitter posts in the last week. This number is fairly usual for them. I find myself comfortable with their social media activity compared to Quill Shift's. Here are a couple snapshots of 3 Seas activity. 3 Seas undoubtedly knows what it means to promote their authors. The audience can feel the excitement through the screen regarding Kerrelyn Sparks' new book; the full post is linked to their Facebook page, which is a smart social media marketing tactic that builds all of their platforms.
Quill Shift Literary Agency has quite a bit to learn from companies (competitors) like 3 Seas Literary Agency, whether it is in terms of simple social media activity or how to have an effective online presence. Once more, Quill Shift Literary Agency is nowhere to be found on any of their three social media accounts in the past week. They have officially passed the two month mark in their online absence, yet I am still hesitant to say that I have given up on them posting before this course project is up. I want to hope. I want to see them do well. I have followed them for more than six months now because I adored what they stood for from the get-go. Particularly, the meaning behind their name. While "Quill" represents "writing," "Shift" represents their understanding of the digital evolution occurring in the industry itself. There is a shift in writing - in how it is produced and published - so I fell in love with their innovative premise immediately. Which is why it saddens me so much to see them drop off the radar so suddenly. On the other end of the spectrum, 3 Seas Literary Agency continues to thrive with four Facebook posts and eight Twitter posts in the last week. In this small portion of their online activity, 3 Seas manages to promote two of their authors, mention / support one of their publishers (Sourcebooks), and announce their presence at an upcoming conference.
3 Seas Literary Agency has a phenomenal handle on what it means to be both active and effective online, and Quill Shift Literary Agency could learn quite a bit from them, even in simple consistency. |
AuthorAutumn Lala is an internationally published writer currently earning her dual-English degree at the University of Cincinnati. When she is not doing homework or writing, she is spending time with her loved ones or buying another cute mug she (supposedly) does not need. Archives
March 2017
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