Social Media and Some Thoughts -- I'm Back!

I've been very busy--and I regret to say not necessarily with writing. Winter colds (dual meaning) and other things, plus work, make the perfect storm for not getting to what I really need to get to.

I'm still finishing off this short story I've been trying to complete, and it's not that easy to do without time. To say, "I'll work on it between work, during lunch, and when I get home," is easier said than done. There are a lot of things that get in the way. And then the drain from the day job. It's hard enough being in the real world, imaging having to go into another world, create it, characters and all, on a consistent basis. Which brings me to something I've been thinking about. How do writers find time to actually write? Especially writers who are published and have already made a name for themselves.

I mean the most obvious answer is they have someone tending to their social media accounts. But is that always the case? I think it's become an addiction to get on Twitter and Facebook and escape. Has books and stories turned into music? How new music pops out every day and is just a regurgitation of what came just before? Is self-publishing a good thing? In some cases, yes. Mostly, no. There is a great influx of content that probably shouldn't be out there. I'm not hating, just I've seen it first hand and it’s not pretty. The person I talk of was offered assistance from people, just simple edits, but didn't take it. You see it all the time on Amazon. You get that reader that says don't buy this, don't waste your money. You don't know the difference because the book cover created looks awesome. It has to be a good story. But I guess we go back to that old adage of don't judge a book by its cover.

So I just wanted to post something to show I'm still here. If writing is hard, imagine social media. I've never really been one to like that whole thing. Now I'm trying to post relevant posts, not too many personal posts.

From what I've read one has to post at least once a day to stay relevant--so it's hard to come up with new things every day and write and work etc. I get the frequent posting thing to keep relevant, but aren't writers here to write?

I also get the YouTube phenomenon, sort of, and I know that sometimes people become famous even before they are famous. And that's sort of cool, too, but the reason I'm on the social media thing and writing a blog is to sort of build up a resume of sorts. I haven't really even started the biggest part of my journey, barely. So how do writers find time between work and writing to post constantly on Twitter and other places? Guess that's what I'm here to figure out.

I've made a few acquaintances on Twitter that I appreciate a great deal. Wish I had more like that. It seems that Twitter is littered with spam follows. I try not to have too many of those, but you really can't help it on there. And Twitter seems to be the only one that has produced any fruit. Facebook is ok, but I don't really want family and personal acquaintances knowing too much until I make a name for myself. And Instagram has nothing. I'm not saying it's not useful for something, but I just don't get what it could do for a writer. But I read that those were the important three, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. So I have those. But Twitter seems the way to go. Maybe I just don't know how to use Facebook for this yet.

Until next time.  

WCM