SOCIAL MEDIA TRUISM FOR AUTHOR ME
You know when you hear or read something and your brain buzzes with excitement, it’s a truism moment for you? Well, I’ve just had one of those.
I watched a reel on TikTok, thank you Susan diRende, and synapsis buzzed, connections clicked, and understanding pinged. I do have quite a noisy brain.
The truism for me?…I’ve been trying too hard, again.
Yep, the story of my life, trying too hard to be what I think I need to be rather than being me. Every time I think I’ve got this under control something comes along to remind me that this trait permeates throughout my life in all sorts of different situations.
This time it relates to social media and the author part of me.
I’ve been seeing social media as a marketing tool as so many Indie author blogs and podcasts advise, which is good, because it is.
But setting goals for my social media marketing, such as a goal of selling books, finding my readers, getting website subscribers etc could set me up for a spiral of despair.
If it doesn’t reach the goals I set, even if this is caused by a technology blip or life circumstances, then I will be disappointed, feel like I’ve failed, and then I’ll lose interest, because that what I do.
It’s weird because I quite like the idea of having goals, of having something to aim for and I do have some smart goals related to my books, but I know what I’m like. I’ll be all in for a while and then I’ll get bored and say, ‘well I tried but it didn’t work for me’ and ‘I must be such a crap writer because no one buys my books,’ not the ones that cost anyway, and then I will spiral down into ‘what’s the point in writing if no-one reads it’ and ‘am I wasting my time?’
However, it’s not that simple because I don’t just post about writing, for I am a creative and I do loads of creative things. I enjoy sharing my creativity and I don’t spend ages thinking of what to say about some flower cards I’ve painted, or something I’ve crocheted or carved. None of these have smart goaIs. I post these things just because I want to, with no purpose in mind other than sharing my love of creativity, but for writing I try too hard.
So, should I do more of my other creative endeavours and forget about writing? Am I wasting my precious time and life writing when I could be doing something else?
The thought of not writing is like standing on the brink of a deep dark hole, and I worry that the characters who are politely waiting their turn to be released onto paper will protest a little too loudly and drown out the world for me. And then I will be that crazy woman who talks to herself…oh, I may be that already. Oops.
From this gut reaction to the thought of not writing, I conclude that I’m not wasting my time in writing because writing gives me pleasure, satisfaction, and joy. I only have one life and it needs to be full of those things for it to be a good life. Therefore, I need to find a way of sharing my love of writing in the same casual way I share my other creativeness.
I need to adjust my thinking, not stop using social media, but change my view and stop seeing social media as a tool. I need to view social media as a process not a means to an end as such. I need to enjoy it, not see it as a chore, a must do, a goal driven action. I have been putting too much weight on the outcome and not on the fun of the process.
The daft thing is, I know this from being a primary school teacher. Where I was a big believer in process and not end product for learning and life. Observing how a child solved a problem was more insightful than seeing what they made. I encouraged children to see this, to experience this, and to discuss this, even the four-year-olds. And yet I’ve not allowed myself to do the same.
And it is the same for me. I am learning all the time, we all are, every reaction, question, step along life’s path we take is learning, so why am I not using this fundamental principle of learning, or life, in my author life.
I think my excuse is that it’s hard with writing a novel not to look at the end product, because there is a very visible end product. But that is not a valid excuse, so I’m throwing it in the bin and taking a step on a different pathway.
I am now seeing social media as just another way in which to express my crazily creative self. It will then not be a waste of time, I’ll not be so frustrated, or false, or trying to get it right, I’ll just enjoy it, like writing blogs, which I’ve been very lax of late. I stopped last September when life took a wobbly turn and as they were not getting many views I didn’t bother to start again ….yes you see? They were becoming a means to an end rather than a creative expression for me.
I like writing blogs about things that matter to me, and I’ve missed writing them. They are part of my process, part of my learning about writing, part of my introverted way to reach out and connect with people. It doesn’t matter if people don’t connect back or read my blogs, they are essentially for me, and if they touch a chord, help someone to look at their life in a different, more satisfying way, give enjoyment…well then, that’s a bonus.
And I want to say that I have nothing against smart goals, and if that works for you then go for it. We are all individuals and have our own ways of living. I am keeping the smart goals I wrote for my books, with their proposed outcomes, but not making that the important part. I am going to enjoy the process.
Phew, it’s amazing how one tiny comment from a total stranger on social media can propel me forwards, open my eyes, set my feet on a new pathway.
Have you heard or seen a truism for you recently? If so, do share in the comments.
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