Everyone knows how much I love social media! It’s no secret that I lurk around on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram at various times throughout the day.
However, I have a manuscript to edit, and a deadline.
I watch in awe as fellow writers sign off their Facebook account with a ‘love you guys, but I’ve got to write this book/edit this draft/plot my next bestseller’, and they do it! They disappear from the public eye for so many days or weeks and return fresh-faced and another book better off.
So, I’ve decided to adopt their methods. I have some fabulous content scheduled for my blog and will happily share these posts, I will also pop over to see my favourite bloggers and catch up on their posts and help promote them, I may even post a few dragon pics on my YA Facebook page! All of this should take me an hour a day, after that, I will shackle myself to my desk with a red pen in hand.
I’d be so interested to hear how other writers’ deal with their promotion work and marketing while writing, or re-writing, their work in progress. Do you adopt the radio silence approach, or perhaps you hire your teenager/partner/cat to act as admin for a few weeks? I’d love to know so please add a comment below.
In the meantime, if you don’t see me lurking in my usual spots, panic not, normal service will resume shortly!
Shelley Wilson Author 
Good luck with your social media break! It’s something I’m tempted to try, as fitting everything in can be very tough!
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Thanks, Barbara. The extra hours are certainly better spent on the to-do list. I often wonder if there is a ‘social media anonymous’ group that can help you to take a step back – maybe this is where a VA, PA, or Hootsuite come in! 🙂
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I’m fascinated by this. I’ve been told that I should ‘engage’ more on social media, but I don’t know how you can possibly do this without being on it often. Especially with Twitter, if someone comments and you don’t reply in the next hour I’m not sure it’s worth replying at all, as Twitter attention span seems to be about ten minutes. So after I post, I’m checking back to see if there is any response and bang goes most of my day. I definitely get a lot more written on the days I’m not on social media.
It’s a top-of-mind issue with me at the moment. I blogged on it myself last week. http://thewhiterajah.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/social-media-and-other-random-thoughts.html
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Thanks for your input, Tom. In our busy day to day lives I don’t think there is a time limit on responses for twitter, FB, or blog comments. I’ve commented on many posts and received a response hours, days, and sometimes weeks later. It’s not a problem, in fact, it’s a nice reminder of the post and why I liked it. Twitter is the same. If you are able to respond asap and can start a conversation then great, that’s what ‘social’ media is all about, but a delayed response shouldn’t matter (and if it does then maybe we need to unfollow!) I believe that the ‘engage’ part is to be honest, genuine, and supportive of others. This is how we promote ourselves without being ‘in your face’. It’s all about balance. Thanks for sharing your link, I’ll pop over and take a look (after my editing day!) 😉
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Tom, I only go on Twitter once a day, and so read my comments from my ‘mentions’ the next morning – yes, you should always, always reply. Otherwise it looks as though you can’t be bothered, or don’t care what the other person had to say – I suppose it’s the virtual version of blanking someone!!
I do spend too much time on Twit, but consider it to be a necessary part of my working day, without which no-one would read my books or blog posts. However, I’ve built up a fairly strong online presence over the years (and it HAS taken years, it didn’t happen overnight), so once I’ve finished the initial promotion of the new book (out tomorrow, folks!), I’ve decided on no Twit, FB or email chatting on Thursday and Saturday, so I can get properly stuck into the new book.
Shelley, what I normally do is get up, look at and answer blog comments first, then emails, then ‘do’ Twitter – post a new pinned tweet for the day, note down people to RT back, answer comments, post stuff from other people. Takes me anything from 45 minutes to a couple of hours. Okay, or 3, sometimes, which is why I am making the cutting back decision! I also won’t be writing any time-sucking-up blog posts for a bit. I rarely go back onto Twitter after that, unless I have something big to promote, like a new book!!!!! In which case I might have an evening session too, but generally I like to get it all done and out of the way first thing.
I think that’s the key – do your stuff, then turn off the internet and leave it off!
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That’s great advice, Terry. I am up and about around 6am so I do quite a bit of my retweets, emails, etc before I hit the gym at 8am. Fortunately, my kids are all big enough to sort themselves out every morning so I’m not tied to a breakfast/school run routine any more. I love the idea of having a couple of days off a week – I think I’m going to adopt that.
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I don’t think timing always matters either Twitter particularly is about sharing and the spider web effect of spreading that info on and on.. Happy editing Shelley.
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Thanks for that, Rosie. I love the phrase ‘spider web effect’, that’s exactly what it is – over time I’ve noticed how older tweets/posts are shared as that effect takes hold.
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Good luck Shelley and see you on the other side x
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Thank you, Linda x
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Good luck with the editing and the social media break, Shelley. I keep telling myself to limit my time to an hour a day in the morning then get on with my own writing/editing with maybe another check into social media sites in the evening. It never happens. I had a break while I was on holiday recently and didn’t comment on blogs or look at Facebook and it freed up so much time – but it was holiday time, not writing time.
I have a deadline looming, too, so I really should bite the bullet. I think it’s the fear that everyone will forget I exist that stops me. Sad, isn’t it?
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I can totally relate to that feeling, Mary. You work so hard to build up your platform and then fear that a day off will send your hard work spiralling into the social media abyss! Getting over that fear is often harder than the editing!! Good luck with your deadline x
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I’d be interested to know how you get on, Shelley. I’ve never quite dared shun social media for longish lengths of time – I’ve tried to limit it to ‘necessary only’ during tight deadlines, but I’m always scared I’ll offend someone by not responding! But then it’s so easy to get sucked in, even if you’ve promised yourself you’ll only do a quick catch-up, and then it’s time for coffee, and then maybe a bit of fresh air wouldn’t go amiss . . . Procrastination Central!
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Oh, I totally understand, Helen. In fact, I said something similar in my reply to Mary’s comment. I doubt many of our ‘followers’ even worry about our lack of response/share/comment as they are too busy surviving their own social media onslaught. When we do find the time to respond it’s often met with a positive reaction. Now, what’s this fresh air thing you speak of? 😉
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I have no answers for you as I struggle with this as well. Good luck. 🍀Keep that pencil in hand, Spongebob! (Hadn’t thought of hiring a cat. I bet cats are awesome at social media.)
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Haha, couldn’t resist a SpongeBob meme! 😉
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I think of it as taking a holiday, although it’s felt more like a gap year lately. But when you’re back, you feel much more willing to engage. So enjoy (if that’s the right word) the break, and we’ll see you on the other side.
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Thanks, Graeme. I think you’re right about enjoying the break. My brain is so full of rewrites, cutting scenes (sucks in deep breath!), and tightening up my plot that I don’t have space for anything else – even a cute cat meme! I believe that a social media break is good for soul, creativity, and our emotional wellbeing.
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Sometimes you have to rearrange priorities so you can get things done. While I’m not writing a book, I’ve had to put the blog to the side several times this fall. It’s great to get back to it and you will feel that way too when you’re finished with your book!
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That makes so much sense, Barbara. I’ve struggled to find content for my blog as my mind is full of book stuff. Prioritising is definitely the way to go.
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I recently took a blog break and it was so worthwhile. I got so much done. My advice is if you are going to take one, then take one. Don’t be tempted to post anything or read and comment on other blogs while you are away. If you do, then you’ll start to see answering and responding to comments taking up your writing and editing time. Then, you’ll probably start tweeting, check Facebook, etc. Of course, if you have the willpower to turn everything off after an hour, then it won’t be a problem. I soon learned that I did not have the willpower, so I came away from it and got on with the job. It worked for me, but I realise it won’t work for everyone.
Enjoy the break, Shelley.
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Thanks for that, Hugh. Your advice is practical and sensible. A complete break away has to be more beneficial than a reduced social media schedule – for mind, body, and soul! My willpower is actually pretty good but even just popping on to send a few tweets can manifest into a two hour binge regardless of my determination.
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And I’m very pleased to see you didn’t respond to my comment straight away. You must have been taking that break. It’s all about making life easier for ourselves. When we get to the point of shouting and screaming at someone because we can’t get on with what we want to do, we somethings have to look at ourselves and ask “what am I doing wrong?”. The answers are there if you’re prepared to look for them instead of getting angry about it.
Keep up the good work, Shelley. 👍
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Glad to hear it, I always feel so guilty if I can’t read blogs of a week or if I take forever to reply but actually this is meant to be fun, not a chore. Fastest way for me to get stuff done is switch off the wireless on my laptop and turn my phone face down so I can’t see notifications. it gets stuff done twice as fast as normal. It’s actually shocking how distracted I can get just by going to google a word!
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