Writers, Please Eat a Snickers and Chill the Hell OUT—Sincerely, Readers

So today I am going to talk about something unpopular, but hey. Someone has to do it. I really like Facebook. Actually, probably like it a bit too much, LOL. But lately? I just don’t even want to sign on. The non-stop ranting is just too much. Seriously. And it used to just be during an election year but now it is just non-freaking-stop. Everyone has some new thing to be pissed off about.

It won’t matter who wins the election we will likely endure rants about the next topic and the next and ENOUGH.

I work from home, which means I am alone the entire day, every day. The only socialization I get is on-line and frankly? I am getting really tired of being constantly poked with a stick. I am going to just throw this out there….

It actually IS possible to like and love people who are not just like us.

Just to be clear. I am friends with all kinds of people. All ages, races, political views, gays, trans…doesn’t matter. I like people. But what has been happening on social media is that too many people are forgetting the social norms that guide these forums.

As writers using social media, we need to remember we are creating a brand when on-line. The point of a brand is creating a name with the power to drive sales. We aren’t Regular Joe who can post whatever thought flits through his head without consequence.

We are selling to human beings who have real feelings and we are wise to consider that especially since we work a job that is 100% commission in a market that is ridiculously over saturated.

Readers are human beings. Humans are not rational creatures, especially when they are attacked. Have an opinion. Have a belief. We are writers, not Pod People. But carefully articulating an opinion is NOT what I am talking about.

It is the non-stop hateful memes, the ranting, the “If you like puppies better than kittens then just unfriend me now!” We are wordsmiths. Writers are powerful. Show me a sweeping social change, and I will show you the book that started it.

Never in the history of ever did calling someone stupid make them suddenly change their world view.

Avoid the Extremes

Any time I mention that bad behavior on-line will cost sales I immediately get attacked (ironically). Writers scream I am censoring them, that they don’t want to be whitewashed. But please calm down. This is not an all or nothing game. Just because I am calling for civility, manners and some BALANCE in no way means that I am calling for writers to hang up their beliefs.

By being on-line we are hoping to forge relationships and whether we like it or not, relationships have rules. Does it mean we never mention something we find upsetting or worrisome? No. Does it mean we don’t have thoughtful discussions or debate issues? No.

I am simply asking for folks to stop camping out in Negativity Land.

This happens in life. Do we want to hang around people who do nothing but complain? I have people I know in person who I won’t talk to because they do nothing but bitch and moan.

I hate my job. I had a bad day. My roof fell in. My dog died. My boss is mean. My coworker yelled at me. My neighbor is a jerk.

So I avoid their calls. I just don’t want to be depressed all the time.

There are a lot of writers doing this on-line. Their posts are just a nonstop barrage of complaining and being outraged. They are lacking any balance. It isn’t one post out of twenty mentions the election or birth control or rape culture or bathrooms or race issues. It is EVERY post.

Thus, I am pointing out the obvious. Yes, we have a right to camp in Negativity Land, but that comes at a cost. If every time readers check into Facebook we leave them upset or in tears? Doesn’t inspire them to buy our books.

Political Ranting WILL Cost Sales

Again, let’s be clear. Having an opinion is vastly different from non-stop ranting, name-calling, berating and bullying. Yet, whenever I say political ranting is going to cost sales, I get howls of protest.

That’s not fair! 

No, it isn’t. But life isn’t fair and fair is a weather condition. This is just common sense here.

If we make a habit of constantly stomping on people, guess what? While we have a right to spout off every opinion, others also reserve the right to buy from authors who don’t constantly berate them and put them on the defense.

If we acted this way in a workplace? We’d be written up and fired for creating a hostile working environment.

Do I mind a post here and there about politics? Even those I disagree with? Even inflammatory ones? Of course not. But think of Facebook (or any social site) like a cocktail party. There is a difference between mentioning a subject or discussing a belief or even having a spirited debate versus cornering someone and going for their throat.

It is called courtesy.

Please appreciate that no matter what view we hold, at least 50% of the population will disagree and they have a right to. So when we draw that line in the sand and force people to choose sides—If you don’t agree with me we can’t be friends—that just cut potential readership in half. Additionally, since most artists lean the same way? Now a LOT of authors are trying to get the same readers from half the available pie in a grossly over saturated marketplace.

My political views actually don’t impact me enjoying a good romance, zombie book, science fiction or whatever and I actually want to sell books to all kinds of people, not just clones of myself. Conversely, I buy and read books from authors who are different from me too!

Imagine that