Betty Blog Archives - Page 3 of 6

It’s OK to be anti-social

I’ve run across a few articles that permit writers to not tackle social media, well, at all really, and it’s given me a bit of breathing room. For years, all the advice was about building an audience and having a mailing list, and while I think we can all agree that those things can help you become financially successful as an author, I’m not sure how much help they can be for the actual writing.

A writing community, one that offers encouragement and support, is really useful, even for an introvert like myself. I have a few writer friends who I share pain and problems with, particularly the problem of getting started. We all seem to have great advice for each other, but then never seem to get around to taking it ourselves.

However, the draw of finding or creating an online community through social media has always felt daunting. In my real life, I started on Twitter while I was still heavily involved in the tech world and was able to build a bit of a community around that area. But, over the years, as my job and focus changed, I found it challenging to start over (with my pen name) and build a similar group of like-minded people. Starting from nothing was a lot of work (adding a second pen name into the mix and I was overwhelmed).

Won’t someone like me?

I also tried engaging in conversations, but found crickets most time, even when I felt like my take was, if not hot then at least kind of warm. This isn’t sour grapes, but more of a lack of desire to always be online. The persistent performance was unattractive to me, and, most importantly, the lack of interaction left me unmotivated to write.

If I couldn’t get followers on Instagram, who would ever read my stories?

I even entered February intending to post on Instagram every single day to see if being consistent would help me increase engagement. When I missed yesterday, I was disappointed. It ruined my morning when I realized my mistake.

But why? I hadn’t announced it. No one was looking for my posts. The only promise I broke was one to myself and one made without much seriousness, to be honest. I know me better than anyone else.

Rejecting rejection

So this morning I came to my task list, the one that breaks my projects down into bite-sized pieces and makes it appear manageable. I highlighted “29 days of social media” and hit DELETE. Buh-Bye.

I immediately started writing this blog post. Not because I needed to vent frustration, but because that simple click released any negative feelings I had about the trial and failure of it all. I am writing this to give you permission to just write.

Write a 500-word blog post and quickly, shortly, with little time investment, promote that instead. The blog post will be much more useful to you than a social media post done for marketing purposes. The blog post can help you tell yourself more about who you are as a writer.

And, more importantly, will help others give themselves permission to just write.

*swish* (⊃。•́‿•̀。)⊃━⭑・゚゚・*:༅。.。༅:*゚:*:✼✿

Image by 29458918 from Pixabay

Dear Kindle Vella: It’s not you, it’s me.

I fell in love with writing serially until I didn’t. For me, the lack of regular feedback made it difficult to feel motivated to post. But that’s my fault.

One of the first decisions I made this year (aside from my “Late Start” post) was to remove myself from Kindle Vella and admit that it’s not the right platform for me. I enjoy writing serial fiction. I loved discovery writing with it and coming up with interesting cliffhangers in each episode. The problem is that to make the platform viable, I need to be a much more consistent writer. And more prolific.

Perhaps I need to be a better writer, as well, with a better idea.

When I first started, I was surprised by the bonuses Amazon handed out, and for a couple of months, it felt like I was really earning some money with my writing. But I still didn’t keep up with the pace and found that with each episode that went without comments or feedback, without a sense of people actually reading my story, the little bit of bonus money wasn’t enough to keep me writing. I may have dreams of supporting myself with my writing, but money has never been the motivator for me.

I’m like an old Chevy in the winter, hard to start, but put me at the top of a hill and I’ll keep going.

So, my specific goals for January are: Getting the first Season of Wound revised and extended a bit to be published as the first novella in the series. Finishing up Art History and getting that ready to be published as well, because the sequel, Lacrossed Lovers is just itching to be written. Both of those titles will be released on Kindle Unlimited (at least at first). I’d like to finish up a couple of short stories and post here, and I need to hop into my new weekly flash fiction as well (I’m adding another tier just for that. Stay tuned!)

I have no idea what I’m going to do with Just a Blue Moon Phase. I like some of the characters, but first-person present is not something I enjoy writing.

In other words, I’m trying to align my practical goals with my year-long theme of “FINISHING!” I’m even writing this blog post nearly a week early! Go me!

How do you take your big ideas and break them down into workable goals? I could use all the suggestions!

*swish* (⊃｡•́‿•̀｡)⊃━⭑･ﾟﾟ･\*:༅｡.｡༅:\*ﾟ:\*:✼✿

Late Start

It’s the time of year when we make promises to ourselves and post them publicly, in the hope that it will keep us accountable.

There’s no real rule, nothing written in the universe, not even etched in the ancient ruins of past civilizations, that says you have to start anew on the 1st of January. Sure, there may be nods to a time of beginning, perhaps a cataclysmic ending that suggests a new start, but no one is going to put a ticket on your head for breaking the resolution rule. Resolutions are all about buying stuff anyway.

This year I am purposefully not buying stuff (aside from eBooks, which don’t take up room in my tiny space) because I have often begun anew with good intentions and grand designs and then wake up (usually within the first three weeks) to a stack of stuff that I’m ignoring and now have to make room for. In some places, it’s called the ADHD tax. I call it a pain.

I struggled with goal setting though, since there are actual things I’d like to and need to accomplish. I have bought and tried many systems and apps (I’ve discussed this before) but I never follow through. This is a song I’ve sung many Januarys. It’s my Auld Lang Syne.

In the past few years, I’ve seen people talk about a “word” of the year, and I think that’s part inspiring and comical. I thought about having the word “FINISH” as my word of the year for 2024, but I am acutely aware that the universe likes to take your wishes, twist them, hit you in the gut with the twist, and dare you not to say thank you. I’m not taking chances that the thing I end up finishing is myself.

Ultimately it’s a choice between whether I want to write or not write. Do I want to sit here, a year from now, and have the same conversation with myself (and then with you)? Or do I want to look back and think, that’s some stuff I got done? Go me.

I know, I know. But it’s January. Let me have my illusions.

*swish* (⊃｡•́‿•̀｡)⊃━⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿