Why I’m Minimizing My Online Presence

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No, I’m not announcing a hiatus or something like that. By this title, I’m strictly discussing my choice not to use certain types of social media and how much energy I expend on particular sorts of networking.

And there are very good reasons for this.

I am not starting an account on Instagram, Wattpad, Tumblr, or any additional websites on which I do not already exist in some capacity. There are simply not enough hours in the day, sir, ma’am, to throw more into my current schedule, shake it up, and hope that the result is not a hot mess of epic proportions.

While I am aware of the possible benefits to my advertising and marketing that expanding my social media platforms might produce, I am also painfully aware that doing so would require more effort and brainpower on my part. I am not a robot, I cannot come up with amazing content every single day. Hence I don’t want to put myself under that sort of pressure.

Not having my head explode is a bit more important than learning to use my son’s camera or push people to stalk websites hunting down my account.

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I’m not going to fret over the number of Tweets I post per week, how many Facebook things I liked last month, or panic because it’s been 23 minutes since my Goodreads update and no one seems to have noticed. Not freaking out over the fact that you’re not the next internet celebrity is important to maintaining a good self-image. Just because we don’t have 1500 subscribers does not mean we aren’t valuable or worthwhile beings that have beautiful contributions to make to the world.

In some ways, numbers matter. Like, when it comes to book sales. It matters at least a little. Especially when you’re trying to make money. #thestruggleisreal  But it truly is not the end of everything if you never make the NYTimes Bestseller List.

Building a community of readers, supporters, and minions makes life as a self-published author a lot easier. Though we need to keep the crux of the biscuit in main focus as we create our masterpieces — that our sales total cannot qualify the emotional effect our writing may have had on our fans. #drinkingthetearsofmyreaders

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Speaking of writing — I need to concentrate on that more than being on the internet. This is something that all indie authors have issues with: We’re honestly trying to make our word count or page goal for that day. We hit a slight wall (maybe it’s constructed of tin foil?), and decide to take a break. 10 minutes to check our notifications, we firmly proclaim. 35 minutes later…and we’re still on Pinterest.

Sometimes this is all right. Seriously, no one can work ALL the time. However, if this becomes a habit, then it turns bad. Eventually we’ll fall behind on our weekly plans, then we end up pushing back a whole project, and then we’re setting a precedent that could snowball into unfinished works, ignoring deadlines, and just turning our back on something we may regret not finishing.

Anyway, although I am honestly smacking the tin foil wall right now when it comes to completing Volume 2, I am not going to sit around feeling sorry for myself for an indeterminate amount of time. I’m developing a set deadline for being done with the revisions and moving on to the edits, and then to starting a new project.

Because, remember, I have a fear of dying without having written all of my series.

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Unfortunately, there is a lot of negativity around online, and too much of it in my personal space stresses me out. Luckily, I haven’t been the direct target of true nastiness. But some of us have, and we know how ugly it can get. And it makes us want to run and hide (and yes, we are adults). It reminds me of the whole reason I use a pen name and don’t tell anyone exactly where I’m from and indicate that I am actually a Warriors cat in disguise.

Even when I’m not the target, it worries me to see how terrible people can be with each other — when one of the great things about the internet is the chance to connect with one another. Connect, folks, not attack. Aren’t we supposed to be growing in tolerance and awareness? Hint: Yes, we are.

Anyway, I’m trying to avoid unnecessary stressors in my life, and this falls under that.

In short: I have enough on my plate. I should finish my current works in progress. I don’t accept that the haters are gonna hate, and I’d like to be nowhere near it.

Here’s to achieving at least some of this.

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