http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html
The problem with being chronically insecure, and more than a wee bit neurotic, is that picking a topic each month can be difficult. There are too many!
But today I thought I'd wax neurotic about knowing when to change direction, or cut & run. Some back story about me, way back in the old days, when I was just starting to write, writing was far more solitary than it is now.
There was no internet.
Yes, you information addicts, let yourself imagine--no constant feed with opinions, decrees, ideas, and comparisons to drive you crazy as you constantly find yourself, and your writing, wanting.
It was actually wonderful. I wrote because I had stories I wanted to tell--ones I wanted to read. I went to writing conferences, read writing books, magazines, etc. But those didn't have the same pressure facing people now through social media.
Fast forward to now, ten books and a novella out in 4 years. I have way too many stories in my head still. But what sucks the soul out of my little world is social media. All the tips, tricks, ideas that at first sounded so amazing, are now overwhelming me. (Yes, I understand the irony of me stating a problem with social media--ON social media. ;))
So, I had a talk with myself, and we realized pulling back is the answer--focus on the writing. Not the promo. Stay in the place that is frustrating sometimes, but ultimately rewarding. I'm not going to vanish, I'll still do these blogs and stuff on my author FB page from time to time. But I've already snoozed most all of my FB writing groups.
Writing is an insanely creative endeavor, we need to make sure we do whatever needs to be done to KEEP doing it and KEEP loving it. That means knowing when to cut and run from whatever isn't working ;).
Have a great IWSG Day!!
knowing what's best for you is the most important step. I often step back from social media when it feels cloying. As an introvert, I need to protect my creative self.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
DeleteWow - ten books and a novella in four years! That's amazing! Social media can be such a time suck. Might not be a bad idea for me to take a social media break for a while and focus more on writing than reading about other people's writing.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Ellen
Thank you :).
DeleteYes, I'm withdrawing from social media as well--I like the connection, but not at the cost of my writing!
ReplyDeleteFinding the balance is really hard.
DeleteThat sounds wise to pull back from social media if it's interfering with your writing mojo. Writing and marketing are such different beasts--it's probably rare for one person to enjoy both.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I figured. And I'm at a good place now with the two series finished. So I can focus on writing more. THEN I'll get back into marketing.
DeleteSocial media can be time-consuming ... and emotionally draining at times. Of course, there are other times when it fills our wells as well. :) Hope you enjoy your step-back and get more words flowing!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI've had to cut back as well. When you're right, you're right. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
We have to do what we need to keep moving forward!
DeleteNow that I'm getting closer to finishing my book, I'm beginning to think about all these "other" things I'll need to do to promo it. Learning what I can manage and what I can't will be the hardest part, I think. Here's wishing you luck in cutting back.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I will say that for me I had to kind of do a lot of it (not just social media but stuff like swag, contests, etc) before I realized that's just not who I am. Good luck to you when you jump in!
DeleteSocial media is insidious, indeed. And it has some consequences we're just beginning to understand. I did some research on it if you're interested. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/writers-brain-catnip-c-lee-mckenzie/
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised. My degrees are in psychology and there's no way the amount of social media we currently have is mentally healthy.
DeleteWonderful advice but oh so hard to do.
ReplyDeleteWell, snoozing the groups has helped ;). Less engagement going on so I drift off to other things faster. But yeah, not going to be easy to get away from the feeling that there is SOMETHING I must be doing!
DeleteI dropped out of many critique groups because the feedback just got overwhelming. I felt like the "group" was writing the story, not me. I find it easier to just write it all, and get feedback after the second or third draft. I've still got crit partners that write the same way, and we exchange as needed.
ReplyDeleteI still get lost in the research rabbit hole though. Much better than Encyclopedia Brittanica, lol.