THIS!! This is perfect timing, and just what I was thinking about this week. The illusion of control that social media gives us. I've been taking steps and making plans to get rid of both. The illusion and the social media addiction.
Basically what you're doing here, in terms of strategy. Taking apps off my phone and only spending a set short amount of time on them a day.
My other strategy has been a mental one. I'm honestly so tired of authors talking about writing lol. I feel bad admitting that, but it's true. And I feel like my attempts at that get lost in the noise. So I've been focusing on thinking of things like Instagram and TikTok as their own creative publishing platforms. It's mostly just a mental shift, but ends up affecting the content I make and how much fun I get out of it. Basically I end up doing a lot of drawing and poems on Instagram, and a lot of silly songs or cat stories on my TikTok. Things I'd be interested in creating even off social media. Then they just happen to be the place I put them. It's not the most algorithmically efficient method, but it sure makes it more fun.
You're actually hitting on something I have in an upcoming newsletter -- about social media, understanding the limitations of it, and posting things you like, not things you think the algo will reward. (Because the algorithm will generally *not* reward.) It does require a mental shift, but it's very freeing once you're there!
Honestly, it's so interesting to me that so many writers are looking at social media these days and saying . . . eh not for me anymore. I'm out. And I love that for us.
Ooooh I'm keeping both eyes open for that newsletter! (I do interviews on mine and might be reaching out to you in the new year about that, if that's alright?)
And yep I totally agree. It's so much more fun and freeing. And yes to all of us leaving!! In a lot of ways Substack has opened that door for me. Because it still feels like I'm doing *something* for the platform/marketing side of my career, and it's actually more effective and less soul sucking.
I'd love to do an interview with you! My email is jodi.meadows at gmail :)
I'm happy with having more focus on my newsletter, too. I get to do the work I'm passionate about -- helping authors understand the publishing industry, talking about writing, etc -- and I'm not limited to a few hundred characters. People actually see it! And if the platform ever betrays me in some way, I'll take all the addresses (I save them weekly) to a new service. It feels so much better in so many ways.
“achievable, not aspirational” THIS!!! If our goals are things outside our control, we can potentially set ourselves up for failure. (And in publishing, many of our goals/dreams are just that. Like, you can do the achievable thing of writing a book and revising the ms, but snagging a book deal is out of our control. It’s the aspirational dream.)
And to achieve my achievable goals, I have to stop letting other things have any control over my thoughts and feelings. Some things . . . I don't know if I'll be able to get rid of. Publishing is just like that. But the way that social media has dominated my brain power -- well that I can free myself from. And all that energy can go into the writing.
Yes. It’s no surprise to me that when I’m at my lowest mental health points, that’s when I find myself scrolling aimlessly, which only exacerbates the feelings of worthlessness. 🙃🫠
Yes! I somehow think it's going to make me feel better or more informed to scroll, but it never does. Ever. I always end up feeling even *more* mentally sluggish and scattered.
How are you dealing with social media in the new year? Are you sticking with it?
I haven’t fully decided. I have some influencer obligations still, for some bookish companies I love, so I “can’t” quit entirely. But it does feel like pointlessly screaming into a void, when I have nothing to say, nothing to show for my decade+ of writing.
It's definitely worth keeping your word on the influencer obligations. But I hope, for your own sake, that you can reach a point where you feel like what you're doing is worthwhile -- that you do feel like you have something to show for all this work you've done. <3
Stepping back from social media has been one of the best decisions I've ever made! But it was SO hard at first. I love seeing so many authors talking openly about how much of a negative impact it has on the *actual writing.* Best of luck for your year ahead!
Yes! I've been hearing it from friends for years, but I'm glad it's more openly talked about now. And it's *easier* to talk about how destructive it is to our focus now that it's obviously just . . . not even selling books. Most of us have the data to prove it at this point.
I build in flexibility for blah days too. It helps me not to feel guilty when the blah days roll around! Congratulations on stepping back from social media, I can imagine that was hard.
THIS!! This is perfect timing, and just what I was thinking about this week. The illusion of control that social media gives us. I've been taking steps and making plans to get rid of both. The illusion and the social media addiction.
Free yourself, Sarah!
What steps are you taking? If you've got something smart that I'm not doing, I want to add it!
Basically what you're doing here, in terms of strategy. Taking apps off my phone and only spending a set short amount of time on them a day.
My other strategy has been a mental one. I'm honestly so tired of authors talking about writing lol. I feel bad admitting that, but it's true. And I feel like my attempts at that get lost in the noise. So I've been focusing on thinking of things like Instagram and TikTok as their own creative publishing platforms. It's mostly just a mental shift, but ends up affecting the content I make and how much fun I get out of it. Basically I end up doing a lot of drawing and poems on Instagram, and a lot of silly songs or cat stories on my TikTok. Things I'd be interested in creating even off social media. Then they just happen to be the place I put them. It's not the most algorithmically efficient method, but it sure makes it more fun.
You're actually hitting on something I have in an upcoming newsletter -- about social media, understanding the limitations of it, and posting things you like, not things you think the algo will reward. (Because the algorithm will generally *not* reward.) It does require a mental shift, but it's very freeing once you're there!
Honestly, it's so interesting to me that so many writers are looking at social media these days and saying . . . eh not for me anymore. I'm out. And I love that for us.
Ooooh I'm keeping both eyes open for that newsletter! (I do interviews on mine and might be reaching out to you in the new year about that, if that's alright?)
And yep I totally agree. It's so much more fun and freeing. And yes to all of us leaving!! In a lot of ways Substack has opened that door for me. Because it still feels like I'm doing *something* for the platform/marketing side of my career, and it's actually more effective and less soul sucking.
I'd love to do an interview with you! My email is jodi.meadows at gmail :)
I'm happy with having more focus on my newsletter, too. I get to do the work I'm passionate about -- helping authors understand the publishing industry, talking about writing, etc -- and I'm not limited to a few hundred characters. People actually see it! And if the platform ever betrays me in some way, I'll take all the addresses (I save them weekly) to a new service. It feels so much better in so many ways.
Yaaay excellent! I'll definitely be reaching out.
And saving addresses is so smart! I think I need to start doing that.
“achievable, not aspirational” THIS!!! If our goals are things outside our control, we can potentially set ourselves up for failure. (And in publishing, many of our goals/dreams are just that. Like, you can do the achievable thing of writing a book and revising the ms, but snagging a book deal is out of our control. It’s the aspirational dream.)
Yes!! Exactly!
And to achieve my achievable goals, I have to stop letting other things have any control over my thoughts and feelings. Some things . . . I don't know if I'll be able to get rid of. Publishing is just like that. But the way that social media has dominated my brain power -- well that I can free myself from. And all that energy can go into the writing.
Yes. It’s no surprise to me that when I’m at my lowest mental health points, that’s when I find myself scrolling aimlessly, which only exacerbates the feelings of worthlessness. 🙃🫠
Yes! I somehow think it's going to make me feel better or more informed to scroll, but it never does. Ever. I always end up feeling even *more* mentally sluggish and scattered.
How are you dealing with social media in the new year? Are you sticking with it?
I haven’t fully decided. I have some influencer obligations still, for some bookish companies I love, so I “can’t” quit entirely. But it does feel like pointlessly screaming into a void, when I have nothing to say, nothing to show for my decade+ of writing.
It's definitely worth keeping your word on the influencer obligations. But I hope, for your own sake, that you can reach a point where you feel like what you're doing is worthwhile -- that you do feel like you have something to show for all this work you've done. <3
Stepping back from social media has been one of the best decisions I've ever made! But it was SO hard at first. I love seeing so many authors talking openly about how much of a negative impact it has on the *actual writing.* Best of luck for your year ahead!
Yes! I've been hearing it from friends for years, but I'm glad it's more openly talked about now. And it's *easier* to talk about how destructive it is to our focus now that it's obviously just . . . not even selling books. Most of us have the data to prove it at this point.
I'm glad you were able to step back, too!
I build in flexibility for blah days too. It helps me not to feel guilty when the blah days roll around! Congratulations on stepping back from social media, I can imagine that was hard.
Oh I'm glad to hear others plan for blah days, too. I don't like having them, but powering through them just doesn't work long term!
Those burnout gremlins are relentless.
Thank you so much for this post!