This is a quick check-in because – between US elections and Twitter’s nonsense – this week is a little chaotic on the communications front. For 13 years Twitter has been my major social media platform because it’s quick, easy, and doesn’t require me to follow people back. Authors need platforms where they can release news without seeing every review, reader complaint, or anything else from readers. It’s the only way authors can stay neutral (-ish) and not get obsessed over reviews.
Which, you know, we need. Reviews are for readers, not authors. By the time a reader gets a book it’s far, far too late for changes. The book is printed, it’s STET, it’s done. Everyone involved has moved on to the new project.
And, maybe, that’s some advice the new owner of Twitter should have heeded. Creation and ownership do not need to be an open dialogue with the users. There’s always room for content moderation, feedback, and improvement… but when you are working on a multi-person project like a book (or an multi-billion dollar international platform) you need to talk to your team first. You release announcements, you don’t crowdsource recommendations for the ending of the book.
I don’t know what’s going to happen with Twitter any more than I know what’s likely to happen with the US elections. I have hopes for both. I have preferred outcomes for both. I know that means very little in the long run.
To that end I am reviving some dusty account and expanding to new ones.
At this point I don’t love Mastodon or Counter Social. I’m trying to navigate them and finding their major selling points are actually not ideal for how I use social media. Counter Socials dark mode-only is particularly frustrating, but probably, ultimately, fixable. Mastodon’s diversified servers are going to take some work to navigate and seem unhelpful, but we’ll see.
I’m going to keep my Twitter account open as long as feasible (or safe, depending on how things shake out). I’ll try to work around the others and see what I can do with them as time permits. If you’re there, come say hi! If everything falls apart I have the website and Tumblr, clinging to life like the last cockroach in the social media landscape.
Later this month I’m going to give Patreon it’s 2023 overhaul, announce the changes that come from me being in Korea, and probably consider maybe starting a monthly newsletter. Maybe.
In the meantime, this is a great time to order holiday books or leave book reviews for your favorite authors. #SubtleHintsRUs