I’ve had a funny old relationship with Twitter. Scratch that – I’ve had a funny old relationship with all forms of social media.
As with most people my age, my journey began with MySpace.
Ah MySpace. Ranking your friends in terms of how much you liked them (never an issue). Profile songs and custom designs. Tom. It was a much simpler time when social media was just finding its feet. A time when the social part of social media truly meant something. I have no doubt there were issues – MySpace was a fledgling concept.
I never used Snapchat. It seemed like a silly idea to me. Likewise, Tumblr never snagged my attention. I think I set up a Blogger account at one point, but as with many, it was left to drift aimlessly in blog purgatory, unused and unloved.
Then came the big guns. My Facebook account is the only one that has stood the test of time. As a result, I have memories from over fifteen years ago. It is disconcerting when gawky teenage Mark pops up on my screen in the form of ‘Memories.’ I often wonder how I had any friends back then.
But with longevity comes affection. Facebook’s slow and sadistic mutation into Meta and all its foibles notwithstanding, my Facebook account is a nice thing to have.
Instagram is a different story altogether. I am not one for photos. I always found the concept of Instagram somewhat self-centred and narcissistic and, more than any of its rivals, an unrealistic presentation of true life. A like-driven economy that drains self-esteem is not one that I had any interest in taking part in.
And then there’s Twitter.
The consensus seems to be that Twitter has traditionally been the best place to market books. Targeted hashtags, pin-for-pins and daily challenges all contribute to building an audience. And seeing so many indie writers with follow counts numbering the thousands is testament that the strategy has worked. Whether this has converted into book sales is a different story.
But what if, like me, you’re starting from scratch?
What if, like me, you’re attempting to build a following from nothing during a time when Twitter is at its most tumultuous?
Word on the grapevine is that engagement is down, retweets are down, and it is becoming increasingly unpredictable as to whether you even see the thoughts of the people you want to hear from thanks to the nebulous algorithm. Some of the most reliable hashtags are being muted by many as they’ve turned into little more than lazy outlets to plug a writer’s own work without any desire to give back to the community or contribute in any meaningful way.
Then there was the recently announced decision to restrict the ‘For You’ tab to only those who have paid the Twitter toll, thereby severely hampering any chance of coming across people who I don’t follow. And if I can’t see them, then they won’t ever see me.
So what can I do about it?
Potentially, not a lot. See every like and new follow as a victory. Make sure that every tweet gives some sort of added value to the reader. Avoid too much empty self-promo driven by writer’s lifts. Don’t get disheartened. Champion those who give so much to the writing community. Get plenty of good sleep.
And speaking of champions. . .
Some of those in particular who have been fantastic throughout my fledgling Twitter journey include @ChesneyInfalt and @LydiaVRussell who commit their time and energy to #FantasyIndies each month. This has been my go-to resource when tweeting has been tricky. Then there’s @lhallwriter who continuously gives lifts and advice on everything related to the self-publishing industry.
Dom @dominish_books presents a monthly showcase of indie authors via his YouTube channel which is fantastic for giving smaller authors a much-needed boost in exposure. And then there are the amazing indie reviewers like @lucyturnspages who do everything they can to give indie books a fighting chance.
So perhaps it isn’t all quite doom and gloom yet. As long as you steer clear of the nonsense and the divisive vitriol that Twitter has now become synonymous with, it is still a great place to be.
And if all else fails, there’s always TikTok (more on that in a future post).
Thanks for stopping by and giving this post a read. My debut book, Quin of Light, is available for e-book pre-order and will be releasing on 30 June. And if you’ve stumbled across this post from the ether, be sure to check out my obligatory introduction post where you can find out a little bit more about me. Alternatively, hit me up on Twitter or Goodreads and let’s converse.
Most interesting points, Mark. However, I must disagree with your point on Instagram; I find it a useful and engaging platform to connect with my grandson, Cornelius (BA Hons) while he studies for his Masters degree at Cambridge University. Did you go to university, Mark?
I, for one, think Tolkien (the Godfather of Fantasy) would have enjoyed uploading his cartography and drawings of elven runes on Instagram. Oh, how I would’ve loved to have witnessed that!
Godspeed,
Christine
Thank you for the comment Christine. I did indeed go to University to study Creative Writing and Drama, though to this day I’m not completely convinced what I got out of it other than the social life!
I think Tolkien would’ve loved platforms to showcase his work. But I’m not sure what he’d make of the general discourse/drama that occurs on social media daily!
Thanks for the reply, Mark! In fact, it reminds me of a rather weird dream I had involving Tolkien just the other night…
I was my teenage self once again and was walking through a local meadow that we actually nicknamed The Shire. This was partially because of its beautiful, rolling hills but, rather crucially, the land was also owned by a family of farming dwarves (are you allowed to say that these days?). Either way, the farmers were very little and lived in a hilly, rural village. And, if political correctness has a problem with that, then maybe it truly has gone mad.
Anyway, the dream came to an abrupt end while I was speaking to Gandalf, who tasked me with destroying The One Ring. I can remember turning to him and simply saying, “Destroy the ring, Mithrandir? There’s only one ring I want to be destroyed” before awaking in a sweat.
A weird dream, I think you’ll agree. I’m a firm believer that our dreams hold deeper meanings, but all I can take from that is that I’m a dirty b***h!
Anyway, I hope this message finds you well. And I’m sure your upcoming novel will vindicate your time spent in University.
Godspeed,
Christine