"Build an online audience," they said. "Connect with other writers and share the experience," they said. "It'll be great!" they said.
I would like to have a word with "they".
I know, I know. Some of the online world is magnificent. There are great people to be found who you can learn from, connect with - even build a friendship. But that dark side makes Darth Vader look like a Care Bear. More on that in a minute.
Self-publishing and traditional publishing now share the burden of self-promotion. Back in the olden, golden days, the large publishing houses were on the hook for getting your book in front of readers. But now, with the advent of social media and self-publishing's online giant Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, the landscape has changed. The onus is now mainly on the writer to flash that cover at potential bibliophiles. And that requires time that would be better spent writing, to be honest. But here we are.
Self-promotion is not natural.
Go to the writing community on Twitter, (that's right, I still call it Twitter), and watch the never ending parade of writer's lifts. Those words to this day are the only words I have muted on that app. Had I not done that, I would have backed away from social media a lot sooner.
But I feel for these writers. If you're an introvert and not overly savvy in the marketing department, the only avenue they see for themselves is yelling out, "Let's do a writer's lift!" over and over and over again. They do not realise how many people get turned off by this.
Or the people who jump into your DM's immediately upon following, to try to chat you up for the sale.
Go to the writing community on TikTok. Agents and publishers are all over that app lately, trying to find the next video star. I mean author. It will only mean spending hours out of your day coming up with engaging content to appear like an incredible option for BookTok. But you're at the mercy of whether the powers that be in the algorithm world let that video be viewed.
Go to the writing community on Instagram. Where authors show great memes, book trailers, nature photos and copies of their tweets. Oftentimes, the captions don't even get read which is kind of sad considering they're writers.
Yet, there is support to be found everywhere even if support and follower numbers do not always translate into book sales. And there is always commiseration aplenty.
Building connections with people is the way. Spreading a little lightheartedness during these crazy times is the way. Handling the curveballs with humour is the way.
Until it proves impossible. And that brings me to the dark side of social media.
Misinformation, disinformation, anger. Fraud, manipulation, predators. Trolls. And I'm not talking Shrek. All of these are not only found on political threads, they run rampant in the writing community. I cannot tell you the number of followers I have whose bios claim to be bestselling authors, book promoters, writing services, and they are anything but. Add the sexual predators who attempt to manipulate along the way and you have a rancid stew of humanity.
What can you believe?
Is anything real on social media?
And when I found myself asking this question on a daily basis, this is when I slowly started stepping back. It is never pleasant mentally to be questioning everyone and everything.
We have to get our books out there somehow. I acknowledge that. But I highly recommend unplugging. Taking breaks. Even permanently walking away if it's a case of improving your own mental health. Social media can be an absolute beast.
I asked some people in their early 20's to describe the bigger social media apps, to see if they jive with my opinions. And they did. Here's what they said:
Twitter: Good for news until Elon f***ed it in the a$$.
Pornography.
Instagram: Flexing on a personal level and funny memes.
Showing that you're living your best life.
TikTok: We bring the BOOM.
Brain rot.
Facebook: Old people.
Stalking people's parents.
LinkedIn: Flexing on a professional level and funny memes.
A tool for future employers. Flexing in an embarrassing fashion.
Social media. Is it a necessary evil when it comes to promoting your books? Probably.
But for now, it can kiss my tush.
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