Are your characters active on social networking sites?

Anyone have characters that use social networking within the novel itself? It just doesn't seem realistic to have YA characters who aren't on any sort of social site, so I'm thinking about going back and adding two scenes that involve it. So, I wonder, can you use names of real websites, like Facebook and such, in a novel? Or has anyone made up their own?

I personally avoiding mention of anything like names of social networks. I actually avoid a lot of brand names, because those things can date your book. Ten years from now, MySpace will likely be obsolete and chances are, Facebook will be, as well. And you want your readers to connect. When you read books written in the fifties, think how heavily your life differs and how disconnected that feels. In no way does this mean no one will want to read, but you don't want to inadvertently turn off readers, either.

If you really do feel like using them, because you're right in that the majority of teens at least HAVE a social network site (or two or three), I suggest making one up! Sarah Dessen has done this - in fact, one of her books features the creator of said site. Make one up, it leaves you more liberties as well.

Well, I know Sarah Dessen created a website called Ume.com which is like a Facebook. And it has a story behind it too, which is a double win in my eyes.

I personally don't think a social networking site is necessary unless there's some relevance in the story. So if you haven't used a social networking site, don't feel obligated to do so. It'll be realistic anyways. I've read tons of YA realistic fic where there was nothing brought up using social networking. Maybe phone calls, or texting, but not Facebook.

I'm using Facebook in my story and I'm not sure if there's a rule against using Facebook but I doubt such one exists. I just wrote an extensive paragraph about my MC changing his relationship status on it so...yeah.

Basically I needed word count, and I was thinking about the situation that my MC is in and how something like Facebook could affect him. So I have one scene where he hides his relationship status in order to be good to his closeted boyfriend, and then a second scene later where said boyfriend finally sends a relationship request and how proud that makes the MC feel.

For now, I'm just going to use Facebook, but I've been trying to come up with a fictional site that is basically the same type of thing. Probably by the time I get to editing and re-writes I'll have a good - fictional - one to switch to.

Mmm.... It depends. Most of my friends are on Facebook, but they don't really talk about it unless someone we never see (goes to a different school) says something huge. It's happened twice in the past 2 years I've known people with Facebook. Once, a friend was hit by a car. Once, an acquaintance switched schools. Although, if your main character is female and has a crush on someone... Then stalking people on Facebook is really common. Even if they don't have a Facebook themselves.

Personally in my story I am not using facebook my maincharacter does text, but she is not active on facebook at all, neither are any of the minor characters, because it just doesn't fit with this story...
Michelle~

Even before she was abducted into outer space, my MC wasn't allowed unrestricted computer access. ;)

My MC mentions facebook, but there aren't any scenes at least yet with him using it (or any other character), it just comes up in a conversation. I was also want to think of a fictional site, so just using facebook for the time being.

Yeah, I agree with the others that if it fits, use it. I'm trying to think of a fictional site for mine, as social networking features in--one of the characters hacks my MC's account and uses it to bully another student and a teacher, resulting in trouble for MC. But I don't feature a lot of scenes where they're on FB chat or whatever, that would be kinda boring.

I've mentioned them "going online", which I suppose could be anything from social networking to online shopping. In my head I know they're probably using Facebook or something, but for some reason I don't like mentioning the sites by name. I know they would actually use it much more than I've said though, I've only mentioned it a couple of times.

Yep. My story's center actually revolves around him keeping a blog called "Dear Sophee." He emails frequently, especially since it's a part of his job as well. He is very in tune with social networking.

Er, my characters are eleven and twelve. I don't know if they would be using them yet, but if they are it's not a major plot point in my book. They have so much going on in their lives, I don't think they have time to go on the computer and just chat. Plus, I do think it would date my book. I do have cell phones in my book, but only because they are necessary for the characters to have for safety reasons.

Yeah, I think it's important to include it for a story that takes place in vaguely modern times just because I remember it being such a part of my life at that age, and those were the early days of social networking. They don't talk about it explicitly with each other, but she uses it to keep track of old friends, get to better know new acquaintances, and occasionally plot points pop up in it.

I don't refer to any specific sort of website though, I stay intentionally vague and just use generic features all websites have - Find a Friend, Pictures, Profile pages, comments, friends/followers, stuff like that.

Here's a few instances:



For the next forty minutes or so, I decided to play the ever popular modern game known as ‘spying on your acquaintances through the Internet.’ I mean, sure, I’d been talking and texting to Teo for weeks now, but sometimes hour long conversations don’t tell you as much as a profile picture from two years ago does.

and later:


I opened up the internet and quickly tapped my way to Teo’s profile page. Now Teo was no Lola in terms of obsessive updating and commenting, but he was obviously the kind who logged on a couple of times a day to respond to comments and at least give updates from his phone.

Sure enough, there were a few new statuses from this morning: ‘Can West Hunt High handle this? We’ll see’, ‘In the middle of AP Chem! What a snore’ and a few more of those uninteresting types of updates that people who compulsively think you care will add nonstop through the day. Except then, all of a sudden, they stopped short. The last comment was ‘Better food, yum!’ with a picture of his lunch. After that, there wasn’t another note or word, despite the comments from his preppy Patterson friends asking him how the rest of the day had been.




But I'm not referring to any specific website, since what is popular can change so frequently.

I don't think it's a bad thing to "date" a book. If it's ever published there will always be the original publication year in the copy right information in the early pages anyway. The year will be known forever whether or not you mention facebook. There's easy ways to inform the audience what a cultural reference is too, even if in a few generations facebook isn't around anymore and kids don't know what it is. Just a few mentions in character or in narrative will do. I used facebook in my Morning Star novel for a character to come out on because he was too scared to say it in person to anyone. A useful tool ^^

Perhaps we should all develop a fictional social network and all our fictional youth could be on it together ;-)
I recently read "Mile 81" by Stephen King who had a police officer playing words with friends on his iPad while pretending to troll for traffic violators. Clearly dating his book for today. It is just one style, so go with what feels right, before sending your book off to publication, make sure you're cleared to use brand names. It doesn't hurt to contact the powers of Facebook, when the time comes, to be sure you're not violating their rules and regulations.

My MC doesn't go online much, as her parents monitor her usage. They won't let her have a cell phone, either, though that may change, because her parents are going through a divorce and she might be able to guilt them into buying her one.

I had mentioned that some friends are on Face Book (could change that later, but for NaNo, who cares?). But now that I am desperate for words, my characters are upping their use of You Tube and Face Book, mostly to harass each other.

My characters do not go on any social networking sites simply because when they were younger they were at a very poor orphanage which would not have had computers for the children to use and then they spent the next six years of their life almost entirely confined to a small cage similar to a prison cell so I doubt they even know what social networking sites are XD.

Absolutely.

My FMC doesn't use Facebook to avoid the contact with her classmates(they annoy her^^) but she uses Skype to talk to her best friend & boyfriend :)

I dunno, I just didn't even think about social networking. My tweens are too busy running away from foster homes and seeing ghosts/spirits to think about it right now. Maybe in the future they will. They have cell phones. Maybe they could have smartphones.