Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Insecure Writer's Support Group: Are you a Luddite?

November 2, 2016

Disclaimer: Welcome to the holiday season! This is a recycle of an article I wrote, but never posted at Between the Keys.  

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

Luddite:
On who fears technology (or new technology, as they seem pleased with how things currently are (why can't everything just be the same?)

Social Media Maven:
An individual who identifies interesting or trending content and shares it with a large online network. The term social media maven is sometimes applied to people who are adept at using social media for commercial purposes, such as spreading a particular message about a product or service. As with mavens in other areas, social media mavens are seen as being more advanced in their understanding of social media than the average population.

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I'm not the least bit sure where I fall in between the Luddite and the Social Media Maven but I know I'm between the two. Some new tech I love and some I hate. Some social media, especially blogging, I like. Others, such as facebook, not so much.

For many years I've belonged to the Romance Writers of America. Its monthly magazine is full of social media "must do" items. I read them. They usually don't impress me much, but some things have sort of stuck with me - right along with the guilt.

Yep. Guilt. Guilt that I'm not doing enough on social media. Guilt that if I were serious about writing I'd do more. I'd stay up-to-date and never have time to do any writing. Or sleeping.

Guilt over social media is counterproductive. Social media is a tool to be used, not a lifestyle. Okay, so I'm a lazy blogger and tweeter. I do know why, and it's where the Luddite comes into play.

When I started out, the Yahoo and MSN groups were the thing. I learned them and they're basically deadwood now. Same thing for MySpace. I spent a lot of time learning how to maneuver those systems, and for what? The next best thing came along and I had to decide if I drove myself crazy learning it, or not. More importantly, do I have TIME to learn every blasted thing?

Once upon a year, I picked up a copy of "Marketing for Dummies" at the used bookstore. It didn't take me long to figure out why it was at the UBS. Paper, two-inches thick, and only one basic point: pick something and just do it. You can't control the outcome.

It's often been said the best advertising you can have for your book is the next book. I do believe that. (Another reason to keep my butt in gear.) It's also true that if no one hears about your book, they can't read it.

Bottom line: I think it's okay to carefully pick and choose where you spend your time, energy and money on social media. I also think the choice should be guilt-free. Be a Luddite with some things. Pick one social media such as twitter and become a twitter maven. Whatever you choose for yourself, because it's your choice, will be the right thing to do.

KC Kendricks

3 comments:

C.D. Gallant-King said...

I don't think I'm a luddite because I have a fair grasp of technology and try to keep up to date on new developments, but I'm definitely not a social media maven either. Social media changes constantly, and only people with the time (kids) or who really care about it (marketing people) can always stay on top of it. Did you know more people use SnapChat now than Twitter? Does anyone over the age of 18 even know what SnapChat is??

I understand the purpose of social media, how it works and the allure of it, but there's no way in hell I'm ever going to stay on top of it.

IWSG November

Diane Burton said...

Picking and choosing where to spend time, energy, and money. But the operative word is carefully. So true. I love technology--like talking face-to-face with my family 2,000 miles away. Best wishes.

Lisa said...

Wow, thank you for that perspective. I hadn't thought of my lack of knowledge or little bit of knowledge quite in that light before. Didn't register that it WAS guilt I was/am feeling. That is a true eye opener, for me at least. I also get angry because all of the "hype" doesn't seem to help when it comes to SM. Seems like that's all it is, hype, unless you're willing to pay someone to do it for you, or like you mentioned, spend your life doing that instead of writing...