I’ve known about Pinterest for some time – watched others use it. I’ve had it on my to-do list for some time (I’m a social media coordinator, so it is my job to investigate such things.)

Pinterest is an online pinboard. That cork board you have behind your desk with a variety of pictures and notes stuck all over it? Now you can put it online and add things, share things and repost things that catch your eye.

(Yes, I hear the inner groan of some of you – another social network thingy?)

But, oh. The potential.

For writers:

– My dear friend and blogger extraordinnaire, Caitlin Muir, suggested to me one day that Pinterest could be used as an idea board for novel development. If you’re a writer, think about it. Images of your character. Ideas for settings. Cover possibilities.

– Get readers involved by sharing the creative process and how you visualize your book. It is another way to share who you are and what kind of an author you are.

– I use Evernote to keep track of photos, blogs, websites and ideas for stories – but what if we had that out for everyone to see and share? Obviously, you won’t post the details that Pulitzer-prize winning novel plot out there for the world to see, but bits and pieces – why not?

– I’ve started several boards including “BookPile” for covers of books I love/want to read. “ArabianHorseLegacies” that share some of the stories that influence my novel ideas. These all reflect my author brand and they are things I’d love to see of my favorite authors.

For businesses:

– Depending on the business, Pinterest is the place to be. Artists, visual sectors – with how easy it is to share things and comment…the possibilities are endless.

– Right now, Pinterest is in beta and ad-free. Perhaps that is the main draw for early “pinners” and that is liable to change. (Think, Facebook in 2004 vs Facebook in 2012)

– I see Pinterest as a natural fit for any lifestyle sort of business – the simplicity and the popularity of beautiful images or unique items is key here.

For consumers & readers: 

– Pinterest makes things incredibly easy to share.

– Blogger & social media specialist, Heather McLendon, wrote a post about the curate vs create atmosphere of Pinterest. Another article on Mashable I read stated that Americans are social media consumers, while in Asia there is far more creation on social media outlets. With Pinterest, will you be more of a “spectator” or a “creator”?

Time will tell.

You can check out my boards here – and if you want an invite, leave a comment and I’ll invite as many as I can!!