We need to talk. Before my thoughts on this subject solidify.
On Facebook, two or three of my friends tend to post or share pictures eight or ten times quickly within half an hour or so. On Twitter, there are people who tweet twelve or fifteen times a day.
“Bling!” “Bling!” If my phone makes a noise announcing a text message, I pay attention. It could be a family member who needs help. It could be a witty friend inviting me for a chat and a glass or three of wine. It could be my agent announcing a movie deal! Most likely: it’s another writer tweeting to announce a new blog post. Sometimes, it all seems like a bit much.
I agree wholeheartedly that we all need to take full advantage of the opportunities available from sites like Facebook and Twitter. I have a feeling I don’t do enough. You may feel the same. Like most of the writers I know well, I am more or less desperate to attract attention to my work. I am not at all above using shameless self-promotion. Look what I am doing right now, for instance. And yes, I will FB and tweet links to this rant. This is all true. But that said, I for one will benefit from some discussion of the question “How much is too much?” Is all this social media stuff something to do while procrastinating about getting on with the next book?
Getting a substantive conversation going on a blog is a tricky business, but I hold out hope that you will weigh in on this. How much is just enough when it comes to these sorts of communications? And how many tweets or postings a day would you say are too many? How should we space them out? And how would you politely tell that wonderful writer whose work you so admire that telling everyone on FB every time her cat sneezes is not going to get us to like her more?
Annamaria Alfieri
