Happy New Year!
As a writer, I'm expected to have a social media platform and, for what's it's worth, I do. However, my relationship with social media is love/hate at the best of times, just hate at the worst. *sigh* And, as all relationships do, the one I have with social media has changed over time.
Twitter friends were extremely helpful during the years I was coping with elder care and the eighteen months in which I was dealing with the deaths of my father, mother, and mother-in-law. Many of those friends are no longer on Twitter and I don't blame them. I spend little time on Twitter myself; it tends to be a very toxic place. My favorite social media platform has always been Facebook because there I could interact with people but sadly, that is no longer true. Facebook now actively hides the posts by pages such as mine in an effort to force us to pay to "boost" our posts. Honestly, if they'd let me pay a yearly or monthly fee just to ensure that the people who follow me actually see my posts, I'd probably do it. But pay just so a bunch of people that aren't interested in what I have to offer can see it? No thanks.
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| Me searching for my tribe |
However, while I've been unsuccessful in finding my tribe as a writer, I have found one as just me - a woman who loves video games. As me, not Izzy, I'm a member of a Facebook group for people who love the Mass Effect series of video games. So many gamer groups are toxic environments but this one is not. Is it perfect? No, but for the most part any disputes are handled well and the admins step in on the ones that threaten to get out of hand. For most of us, these games have helped us through the toughest times of our lives; when one of us makes a post to that effect no one mocks us because they understand. This group has evolved to become so much more. We share birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and births. (One member recently celebrated her 70th birthday!) People come looking for - and finding - support when they've lost their job, been diagnosed with COVID, or are just struggling with life during a pandemic. It's great to be a part of a community that cheers each other on, picks each other up, and just generally illustrates the best of what social media can be. So, on those days when I detest everything about social media, I just have to remember this group and the positivity it brings.
What sort of relationship do you have with social media?
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Isabella,
ReplyDeleteMostly, I have a constant hate/hate relationship with social media. I get along with Twitter pretty well. Facebook is the toxic one for me. Ugh. I'm with you on not paying to boost visibility. Not. Going. To. Happen. hahaha But I'd consider the yearly/monthly fee (subscription?) as you said.
It's nice that you've found an online group of friends with like-minded interests.
Hi Kaye, thanks for stopping by! I'm still hanging by a thread on Twitter; maybe someday I'll get it "tweaked" enough that it will feel like a safer place.
DeleteIsabella,
DeleteI do know what you mean by feeling safer there. I've been on Twitter since 2009, and I have blocked and muted so many accounts in order to enjoy (social media and enjoy...hmmm doesn't really fit together hahaha) reading the tweets that I want to read. I've had much the same blocking experience with Facebook and Instagram. ugh
Really, all social media has a toxicity level that makes me often question whether it's worth it to stay on any of the venues.
Mostly, I only use twitter to advocate animal rescue. I know some people really know how to make good use of Twitter, but that's not me. I still don't really know how to deal with hashtags and evil trollers who just like to start trouble.
ReplyDeleteFacebook is the most helpful for me. It's like a website without the cost of one. I have a website which costs me around $150 a year. Hardly anyone goes there. I keep it because having a website helps legitimize me and my work.
I understand how you feel about the toxicity out there in social media. Facebook even has a tutorial on how to deal with toxic people. It's like running a gauntlet of burning knives sometimes, but its still worth it to me. I don't post a lot of ads about my work because I just want people to know me and what I believe in and support.
I wish you all the best, Isabella.
Thanks Sarah. Facebook is where I get the most interaction as well. Maybe someday I'll get the hsng of all this, LOL.
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