Why I’ve Gone from Reluctant Social Media Gal t Documenting My Digital Growing Pains
There is a specific brand of irony in being a writer who loves words but avoids the places where people actually read them. For a long time, I’ve treated social media like a loud, crowded party I wasn’t invited to. It’s the cool party that I didn’t want to attend anyway. I like my privacy, I value my data, and I find the pressure to post a daily photo of my avocado toast to be both exhausting and senseless. Yes, I’m still asking, “why are we doing this?”
But, I love writing. I love the craft, the sound of a good sentence, and the way a story can connect complete strangers. I want people to find their way here to both read my words and share their own, but as it turns out, "if you build it, they will come" isn’t actually a marketing strategy in a world saturated with digital content.
So, after I swallowed my pride, silenced my inner skeptic, and did the unthinkable: I joined Instagram, I also this week took another BIG step. I started a Substack.
The Strategy (and the Struggle)
I’m not tech-illiterate. Althogh, Substack is certainly challenging my ability to navigate a backend and optimize a site. There’s a learning curve that I didn’t anticipate. I naievely thought launching Instagram and Substack would be the easy parts, but I’m finding that Instagram is my personal Everest. Understanding how to use that space feels like I’m still trying to learn a clean and jerk while everyone else in class is writing their WOD scores on the white board.
I’ve realized that if I want to drive traffic to my work, I have to go where the eyes are, but I don’t know yet why any eyes would even glance at my Insta. I’m not very cool. Will I post for the sake of posting? I don’t know. Should I? Is that what grabs eyeballs? If I don’t build it, no one can get there.
The Goal: Meaningful Connection (Not Mindless Clutter)
The goal isn't glamour and spotlight, but to share my thoughts and engage with other humans. I want to find the people who care about the same things I do—books, writing, the future of humanity, celebrating personal successes. And, sure, I want to point them here, to this writing community.
It’s an experiment in growth while trying to maintain myvalues. Can you be on social media without letting it consume your life? Can you build an audience without sacrificing your privacy? If it all goes south, at least I’ll have some great material for my next memoir???