Now more than ever, people are using social media to share their opinions and their anxieties. Sharing can be therapeutic and helpful. We all need to know we are not alone during this stressful time.
Yet, in the matter of business concerns, social media can cause undue and unwarranted anxiety.
When we represent you as an author, part of our job as your literary agent is to answer your questions. We offer you the best information we can to let you know our perspective based on years in this industry. Combined, our agents have over 80 years of industry experience. As we strive to offer you our best representation, we are mindful of making every effort to reflect our Lord.
Social media doesn’t offer the same assurance. Sensing the informality of the platforms, since they feel like a small gathering of friends instead of a place of international sharing, sincere Christians sometimes indulge in unhelpful outbursts and emotions.
The key is to distinguish helpful versus unhelpful words in all parts of life and to find the answers. Comments may seem beneficial at first blush, and being useful is most people’s intent. But if remarks cause you anxiety, follow your gut. Ask the person who is your special advocate – your agent – to get their take on business situations. Of course, your agent shouldn’t paint a picture that is too rosy just to assuage you. However, a balanced, thoughtful answer is what you need at this time. Plus, your agent can address your specific concerns privately, as news applies to you.
So please don’t stew about anything on social media. Come to us. Speaking for myself, feel free to come to me about personal concerns, too. I’m here for you. And I still especially want to know all about the shoe sales!
Your turn:
How has social media blessed you lately?
Have posts caused you anxiety? What did you do to alleviate that anxiety?
What tips can you offer?
April Fool’s Jokes for Writers
Social media has blessed me recently by the response I am receiving to a question I posed on Facebook. I asked people to share ways they are finding joy in this time of crisis. The responses have been amazing. People want to share joy. 🙂 That post was over a week ago and I am still receiving comments.
I have come across some who have been very helpful with different elements of writing. I’ve had a few that have followed me since my first draft and stuck around until the final product, encouraging me all along, and I met them on FB.
One women decided that she did not like me for something I said on a post on a different page, and she came onto my author page to say that I was a horrible writer, referencing the post on the other page. I had to delete my author page. Some people don’t care what damage they do to another. I was very anxious about that one. Otherwise, I have found some very good people, authors.
It is easy to fall in love with writing a novel, but for many, it is quite a struggle. If that is the case, start small. Write poetry, or short stories until you feel the confidence you need to tackle the big stuff.
Write things you can finish in a day or two, and then expand. I learned through writing poetry a couple decades ago, that every word matters, and how you say it matters. I became part of a writing community and we critiqued each others work and I learned praise, critizism, and confidence. I retired a couple years ago, so I had the time, and the confidence to write three novels, and am working on a book of short stories since. But, without taking up writing poetry years ago, I would never have considered my first novel.
In these days social media
brings starving stress, I know;
to find something that will feed you
seek out the best dog video.
Doggies chasing frisbees,
dogs having canine chats,
brave dogs making risky
overtures to hissing cats.
Dogs of great agility
sailing proudly through the air,
and those with less ability
come a-tumbling down the stair.
You’ll find that life cannot destroy
your life and faith, when you have joy.
Go immediately to the Dillard’s website and check out the shoe sales! Woohoo❤️
Thank you, Tamela. As usual helpful and encouraging.
Some more virusantidote, this giving equal time to cats.
Need a cure for virus-sorrow?
I think I have one that’s
guaranteed to bring a bright tomorrow:
go seek ye films of cats
fiercely chasing laser dots
or climbing shredded curtains,
sneaking up on sleeping Rotts
of whom they can be certain
they’ll outrun, and get away
while the Big Dog stumbles,
knowing it is all in play
(but still, pride hurt, he grumbles).
But for this last, don’t you fall;
no need to see coughed-up hairball.
Andrew,
For something that always gives you a laugh, watch a cat chasing its tail. My cat started doing that just a few days ago. Sometimes she even catches it–briefly!
I can NOT buy into the panic. We’ve had the Swine Flu, Bird Flu, SARS, etc. Plus, I’ve heard that there’s evidence that this is being used in a political way. Besides, if I truly believe that I’m in His holy hands and that He really does direct my steps, I purpose to a good steward of the info given and continue my agenda of seeking to have zero distance between my Lord and me. My 2020 goal of concentrating on Him and not myself all day long with worship and gratitude hasn’t altered one bit. I owe all that to Him, not self.
This post is so meaningful to me. While social media has kept me in touch with family and friends, especially those at high risk (like my doctor son with no masks), it’s also caused great delay in my writing goals. Two years ago, I stumbled upon the “You-can-do-this-and-here’s-how!” membership groups, webinars, author tips, etc, etc. I paid money, sometimes big money, to learn their “how.” I listened nonstop–until I shut down from confusing, conflicting, information overload. I finally stopped logging in and started hunkering down again with my Bible. That’s when I heard the Voice. You know, God’s voice. The one that said to me, “Haven’t I always made a way for you?” Just me, Jesus. Because he certainly had. Some twenty-five years ago, long before webinars, way back when humans taught us in person, I went to a Christian Writers’ weekend in San Diego. I attended workshops, one of which was led by Steve Laube. He laid it out quite simply. Here’s how to find out what the editors want. Here’s how to give it to them. I wrote it all down, went home, and did it. I emailed my first devotional–and soon got confirmation that it would be published. There were more devotionals, stories, inspirational pieces. As Jesus reminded me of all this, I realized I’d veered a bit into the social media storm. Now I’m back, asking HIM where to go, what voices to heed, which audience he will feed with HIS words through ME. There’s nothing wrong with social media if that’s where He tells me to listen. But I won’t get his message unless, like Huldah, I burrow into the Word and focus on Him!
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love sharing scripture every day and allowing people to see me as a real person, but I detest negative, ranting posts I see. I steer clear of politics and slander posts. I like fun and funny posts, great quotes and writing tips, and sayings that encourage others. It’s fun to see pictures of my friends that I wouldn’t otherwise get to see and hear what’s going on in their lives.