Monday, November 22, 2010

Do You Twitter?

I do!

and Facebook
and a Fan Page
and My Space
and Linkedin
and Goodreads

So – please – follow me, friend me, like me, and link me. We are all judged now by our Facebook numbers.

How many of you find all this social networking overwhelming?

I see a lot of nodding heads and raised hands out there.

Oh, I’m not complaining. Or maybe I am.

I do remember the old days, before the internet, when writing was a truly lonely life. I would never want to go back to that. Not in a million years. As the popularity and presence of the internet expanded through the 90s, my career expanded, too. Through listservs, ezines, Inkspot, and Writing World, I connected with a world of writers. It was an exhilarating time – and still is. Although the internet has evolved.

Social networking is a whole different beast. A fast-paced time-eater. I do discipline myself with rules. Absolutely no games. Then I worry friends think I’m stuck up when I don’t respond to their game invitations. But it’s easy to see how I could become obsessed with Farmville, like a drug.

I keep my personal life out of it. Then I worry I might seem too aloof. But I have a stalker – and he lives in my neighborhood. So it’s complicated. I got a permanent restraining order to keep him away from me physically. I know he still stalks me online which has forced me to re-think my whole approach to blogging and social networking. I am much more cautious about sharing my personal activities. I’d have to be insane to do foursquare.

My biggest worry is that I don’t tweet or update my status daily. Does that mean I’m falling behind somehow? But I set aside a certain number of hours each day to write and I won’t give that up. Social networking is still pretty low on my priorities list. To come to terms with my conflicted feelings I’ve decided it’s a whole comfort zone thing. I do what feels comfortable for me.

I enjoy blogging. Social networking is fun. Writing is my true love. Everything else has to fall in line behind that.

Oh wait … someone just sent me a message on Facebook. Did you see that funny video? I should tweet that. And I better check and see how many fans I have today …

Peggy Tibbetts

My books

My blogs:
Advice from a Caterpillar
From the Styx

9 comments:

  1. I'm there too!

    I'm ixtumea at Twitter.
    I'm on Facebook as Kim Baccellia.
    I'm also at YALITCHAT.

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  2. I can't find you at twitter, can you post a link?

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  3. http://twitter.com/#!/ixtumea
    My site is private but just request to friend me and I'll ok it!

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  4. I don't have the slightest idea how to twitter. On facebook as Janet Lane Walters. If we're not friends, just ask.

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  5. I'm on all of them, but writing is my priority, so I do that first and then indulge in the others.
    http://twitter.com/beverlymcclure
    www.facebook.com/beverlysmcclure

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  6. I wish I were as disciplined as you all! I am on FaceBook and Twitter academically. Actually being ON them is another matter altogether. I know I need to do more but am still trying to figure out how to do it. Hey, does it really affect your sales? For real?

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  7. I think it's more exposure than anything. I've connected with other authors, editors, and others involved with this biz through Twittering. Facebook not as much. I admit, I'm on Twitter TONS. Dh laughs at me.

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  8. I'm on Facebook, but not Twitter. I agree, it's more of a comfort zone thing when trying to figure out how much social networking to do.

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  9. I'm a bit of a Luddite. I do have a website, and just recently started a blog, but no Twitter or Facebook. But I visit as many blogs and sites as I can each week. Baby steps, don't you know...
    I'm with Beverly: writing comes first, THEN oxygen, THEN food & water.

    www.darbykarchut.com
    http://darbykarchut.blogspot.com
    (aka Writing Uphill)

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