On Social Media

I’ve been thinking about social media.

I was one of the first women writers on the web, and already in writing groups on CompuServe in the pre-web days, so this is not about SM phobia. In fact, some writing friends made back in those days of no pix and chat are still among my closest. Yeah, we’re getting on, but still around. I also had a career in international telecoms just as the web came into being down the road from my office in Geneva. History, now. I toast you, Sir Tim!

I left Facebook in 2014, I think it was, not because I didn’t like it, but because I didn’t want to hurt people who had friended me in good faith., after I ‘d found that politics still played its insidious role in my after life of writing. I figured those who wanted to stay in touch would find a way. And, anyway, I was still on Twitter and LinkyDing, had my blog and was on email. This meant that I lost a couple of pages for my books, but Facebook wasn’t doing anything for them anyway. I’m cool with that.

On Twitter I stay in touch and follow whomever I think interesting and unfollow many of those I think just add me for their butterfly collections. It’s so difficult to keep up with what interesting people are saying, so no need to clog the arteries. Oh, and there is still a bit of politics, but that seems to be everywhere in different guises.

Years ago, a telco woman I knew personally, told me LinkyDing was for “professionals” and that I’d be better off on Fezbuk, meaning that I was not a “pro”. I’d just started preparing my writing life. This got me thinking about the woman thing and all the hype about womanpower, specifically in politics and business. Frankly, during my international telco career, only one woman gave me advice that helped me on my way. She said, “Get out.” When my then boss, number 1 in the outfit at the time, asked me why good women were leaving (she had just handed in her resignation), I said that maybe they had other stuff to do. And they do. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got nothing against women when they are persons. Then we’re all equal. The good, bad and the ugly, and they’re all out there. All sorts of people have helped me in my writing life and I’ve helped all sorts starting out, irrespective of gender. A marketing man on LinkyDing asked me how I used the place. Guess he saw I was in the 500+ range, but I’ve culled some connections since then. I said I wasn’t into marketing. That I was using LinkyDing to sensitise those in “positions”, still connected with me, to maybe think or do something. Shades of windmills, eh? Never got a reply. No worries. LinkyDing’s also a way to keep in touch with friends not on FB or riding the bird.

Now the bird’s looking at extending its reach beyond 140 characters. If it gets to that, then I may be outta there, too. We’ll see. There’s a certain discipline in writing meaningful short texts.

I’m a writer. Publishers say ya gotta have a platform. But writers don’t make money, so the platform isn’t for them, really, is it? Not with what they earn on royalties for the most part. OK, some self-publishers make money, but I’m not into the marketing thing. I write cos I want to, and because I can.

Well, that takes care of the big three. There’s still my blog where I can say what I like, and there’s my stories, of course, and the novel that’s nearing completion.

So, whoever you are and whatever you do, as long as you’re following your dream and investing your passion, and even if you’re just reading this blog, let me wish you a super 2016, and till next, onwards!