What’s been rolling around in my brain recently? An article I read in the New York Times. The title of the article is “Confessions of a Tweeter”. With a title like that, I couldn’t pass it up. If you tweet or blog, I recommend reading it.
I’m not a prolific tweeter as most of my followers know. I’m more of a voyeur because it’s hard to be interesting all of the time. When I first opened my Twitter account, I tried it and just couldn’t manage being quippy and funny even 5 times a day (unlike the 20-30 times a day like Mr. Carlat). I think too much and mull things over too long.
What kind of pressure would feel if you had 25,000 followers? I would feel a huge burden to be entertaining all of the time and could see how that could turn into an addiction.
As I was reading the article, I was thinking about my blog. When I first started it, I tried to blog every day or every other day. It was exhilarating when someone would visit my blog and better yet, leave a comment! “Wow, someone wants to know what I have to say!”
Validation and adulation from strangers! It’s like a drug. I was checking my site stats every day and thinking about my blog all of the time. “What should I write about today?” “Should it be funny or serious, tame or controversial?”
It had begun to consume me. It wasn’t earning me any income, making me any healthier or contributing to my family’s well-being in any way. I actually did have a life, a job, a family. . . the people in my life still needed me to do the things that made their worlds go around. This tug between my new obsession and my life was causing my blog to become a burden, another item on my To Do list.
That’s not what I wanted because I really enjoy blogging. So, now I blog when something strikes me. Sometimes two or three weeks can go by before I feel driven to write. It’s hard to admit, but I can’t be fabulous and compelling all of time!
I’ve struck a balance between my blog and the rest of my life so I’m not ready to give it up cold turkey like the author of the article. I know intermittent posting is not a WordPress recommended way of garnering subscribers, but I’m okay with that. I’m not sure I could I handle 25,000 subscribers!
Has social media hijacked your time? What did you think of the article?
The Engledow Chronicles 
For some reason my computer won’t let me click on the link to the article. I guess it doesn’t want me to read it. Probably wants me to think up another post instead, lol. I have been kind of hijacked. I’m not only writing my blog but also blogging for the studio city patch which is a local online paper. I’m trying to gather more and more followers so that when I publish my first novel, “Searching For My Wand” someone will buy it. It is definitly not easy, but since I am hopeful that it will one day pay off financially, I don’t have much choice. The numbers are addicting though as are the comments. I LOVE the comments!
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Type in the title of the article in your search engine. You may be able to find it that way. It’s interesting.
I think it’s different for writers – I can see the need to get out there. I’m not a serious writer just a dabbler.
Good luck with your book!
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I’d have to go along with with you one this subject. Which is not something I usually do! I enjoy reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to speak my mind!
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I read that same article when it first came out. It reminded me a lot of myself. Oops. I’m sure my wife would agree.
To me, the point is be yourself. 150 followers or 25,000. (The latter I can only imagine.) If I offend some or drive them away, whatever, there isn’t enough time in the day for me to worry about.
Of my followers who are actual people (not spam, not robots) I truly appreciate the opportunity to interact with them. It’s always an opportunity to bring something to my existence that might not otherwise have happened. I truly value that. When I real person follows me I consider that a precious gift. It’s the sort I don’t get much in real life.
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