Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Thu, Nov 11 2010
Everything isn't for sale, but if the only tool you carry around is a hammer...
I've been having a little social media crisis the last few days. Well, crisis is probably too strong a word. It's been more of a realization. Writing is often a rather solitary process and I find myself wanting to connect with other writers. But I think what often happens is that there is a tendency for some folks to think we're supposed to talk about writing and about the process of writing, when what I actually want is to connect with writers. The writing is part of who we are, so an in-depth discussion about the mechanics of writing can easily turn into one of those conversations that people have where they compoare aches and pains. I can chronicle the aches and pains of verb conjugation and outlining by myself. That isn't what I'm after when I used social media to talk to writers. I'm seeking like-minded people who are comrades who will discuss and connect on all the other levels besides word mechanics.
And then there's the problem of spam and those individuals who use social media only in the interest of selling us some tooth whitening magic or hypnotizing us with their secret version of marketing mojo. Many of them do nothing except broadcast one ad after another, turning social media into one big lie. If the people who just want to have conversations get fed up and move on it will be a real shame. I like to think writers can resist that sort of depravity. But spam is the reason I haven't turned on comments on this blog. So, we'll see. We'll see.
posted at: 21:20 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
I've been having a little social media crisis the last few days. Well, crisis is probably too strong a word. It's been more of a realization. Writing is often a rather solitary process and I find myself wanting to connect with other writers. But I think what often happens is that there is a tendency for some folks to think we're supposed to talk about writing and about the process of writing, when what I actually want is to connect with writers. The writing is part of who we are, so an in-depth discussion about the mechanics of writing can easily turn into one of those conversations that people have where they compoare aches and pains. I can chronicle the aches and pains of verb conjugation and outlining by myself. That isn't what I'm after when I used social media to talk to writers. I'm seeking like-minded people who are comrades who will discuss and connect on all the other levels besides word mechanics.
And then there's the problem of spam and those individuals who use social media only in the interest of selling us some tooth whitening magic or hypnotizing us with their secret version of marketing mojo. Many of them do nothing except broadcast one ad after another, turning social media into one big lie. If the people who just want to have conversations get fed up and move on it will be a real shame. I like to think writers can resist that sort of depravity. But spam is the reason I haven't turned on comments on this blog. So, we'll see. We'll see.
posted at: 21:20 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
