Social Media Rant Ahoy

[fabulousfrock]

A couple of weeks ago, jessica_shea noted that I'd really pulled back from social media these days, and asked if I was happier and did I miss it? And recently anywherebeyond posted about her social media hiatus and I left a big old comment there...big enough for a blog post

Comments

[sheela_chari]

I also miss the old LJ community. I have lamented about it before. I don't know the solution really - things have changed in my life for sure, and I don't have much time to give to blogging anymore. One thing I can say for certain, i couldn't have published my first book w/o LJ. it was enormous help - the support, the information, the handholding through all my disappointments. when i got my book deal - it was so great to announce it here, to share that with the friends i'd made here.

now - ironically, to write the next book(s), it has required me to go offline, b/c you're right about twitter and some of the new social media. it feels like a series of announcements and going-ons and friendships that seemingly have nothing to do with me, but only make me feel bad about my own progress, my own abilities.

very recently i formed a writing group with 3 other people, and i'm so happy i made this decision - it's given me people to talk to again, to share news with, but without having to go online. maybe you are not too far away from a handful of people that you could see in person. that might be the next step - to go back to real-life interactions, to meeting people in person and really having that cup of tea with each other. It takes longer to meet people in real life than it does online - although one of the people in my writing group was someone I met originally online.

in a way, being online was easier, and now it has become too easy, with less stakes involved in these little, quippy, meaningless pratter on social media; and so we have to look for our writing friends the old-fashioned way.

but i am still here, and still friends with you, jackie, and always happy to read your work or your blog. you are one of the meaningful people i love to read online still - not one of the pratterers (if that is a word).

[fabulousfrock]

I do feel like, for the most part, the people who were there for each other back in the best of the blogging years are still there for each other, even if we don't talk as much. You, and all the people who commented here, are certainly in that group. And of course I haven't had much time either. I keep intending to blog more but life just gets in the way.

I would like to have more real-life interaction, but I'm not sure where to find the people. The closest writer I know is 40 miles away. I thought it would be great to live closer to the DC writers, but I can't get over there that often and it's actually just made me feel more left out than ever because I'm technically close enough to go to stuff, but I really can't, and I'll never really be in the circle because I'm not THAT close.