I have looooved not being on social media. Every time I walk away from it, I always feel better. Lighter. I suddenly find all this time to be productive. And even more time to peruse Pinterest and online shop. But, alas, I have been confronted with the reality I try so desperately to deny. I kind of have to be here.
I just can’t quit you.
I’m finally making some headway with my next book and I really, really believe in it. And if I want to give this little slice of my soul any shot at getting read, I need to find an agent to sell it to a publisher. Being that I’m writing a work of nonfiction, that publisher is going to want to know that enough people are going to want to buy that book. And the best way to prove that, is to show them I have a large enough platform with a large enough audience who cares about what I have to say.
I have scoured the internet searching for any shred of eveidence to prove otherwise, but demz da facts. If I want to give myself a shot at publishing another book and having people actually read it, I need to make a concerted effort to build up my audience.
The problem is, I don’t waaaant to (cue whiny kid voice). I really don’t want to hang out online. And I especially don’t want to turn my life into content. That used to be fun when I was sharing pictures of my laptop, blogging from a coffee shop. Or fun pictures of my vacations. But ever since I became a mom, I have felt a very distinct NO when it comes to sharing online.
I’ve tried to make it work. But it just ain’t me. I’m not an influencer. I’m not getting paid to post pictures of my kids. I don’t want to share pictures and videos of my personal life and use them to build an audience. But I do want sell a book full of words about my personal life!
So, I’m thinking of turning my social media platform into a place where I share my words and other things that inspire me. I’ll serve as a place to share my writing process and what I’m uncovering as I write this book.
Right now I have about 100+ pages of words and I’m sitting down every day to dig through them and find that specific thread that’s weaving them all together. I know it’s in there. I can see it. I just need to gently tug at it until it unravels and presents itself.
My social media content will no longer be that of a psuedo mommy lifestyle blogger. Because that’s just not what my content is. My content, my words, is whatever insights come to mind and get strung along into sentences. I write before I think and then filter through it later. Maybe my social media content can serve as that filtering process. Maybe enough eye balls will care to follow along. Maybe they won’t. But I have to do what feels authentic and natural. And sharing pictures of my kids and the food I’m eating just ain’t me.
My plan is to post what inspires me. That could mean pretty pictures, things around me that are sparking joy or lines from my very rough first draft that I’m particularly stoked about. Maybe I’ll even pop on and show my face every now and then. In the meantime, I’ll be hyper-focused on creating more blog content and building up my audience here, as well.
So, yeah. That’s where I’m at.