Social media can be a controversial subject, and for me, it’s no different. I am a writer- most of my career is about trying to get words to paper and off the screens, but lately, I’ve realized that there are aspects to social media that can bring us closer than ever before. I never realized the power of social media until I joined myself, and that power can be used for so much good.
There will always be sides to social media we don’t want to be a part of, but it also opens the door for me to talk to my readers in a way I never would be able to without it. Think about it, writing a letter to an author before, would have been sent to a mailbox that you might lucky if you heard back from her. Now, I have the chance to see your words right after you post them or send them to me. I can’t ignore the need for that connection with my readers.
The Positives of Social Media
There are so many positives to social media. Of course, I already mentioned the chance to hear from my readers firsthand and to be able to respond to readers right away. I also have the opportunity to see what other authors, book reviewers, and fans want to see in novels. When I’m working on the next clean romance fiction novel, I want to be writing stories that people love, and how am I able to do that if I’m not doing my part to hear what readers want?
So, instead of focusing on some of the negatives associated with social media, I’ve decided it needs to become a tool for me to connect with my readers even more. Think about the ways you can use social media to connect with like-minded people, as well as create a community where you can all support and encourage each other!
Stories are Meant to be Spread to the World: Social Media Can be a Tool for Us
This was a huge reason as to why I felt drawn to starting social media. I don’t know how many times I discover a book and I wish I had known about it years before, but its name just wasn’t on the shelves yet. Social media has helped me discover so many of these great books. Think about it– if books were published where we were, and then we didn’t have the internet to help spread the word and send it out around the world, how would any of us find these great stories?
We need to spread the word about great storytelling, and social media is a great resource. You never know who is searching for a story to escape into, and how great would it be to connect to those readers right on a shared platform in a split second?
Learning to Grow Past My Limits
Social media is another area where I had to challenge myself. I needed to learn how to use a new platform, and figure out how I could get my voice out to the people that meant the most to me– my readers. The thing about social media that’s daunting, is that it’s always growing and changing.
Even though social media has shifted and changed tremendously in the past ten years, we also need to be open to shifting ourselves. Growing is always uncomfortable at first, but I am clinging to the amazing opportunities social media is giving me to connect with my readers. Keeping our community at the forefront of what we do needs to be a top priority, and social media is one way that I can make sure I am doing that.
Let’s Connect & Let Social Media Bring Us Closer Than Ever
Come find me over on TikTok, Facebook, & even Pinterest! Send me a message. I would love to hear from you & find out what kind of story you’d love for me to write next! Expect to see me on even more platforms in the near future!!
Remember, we are meant to grow and learn new things every day! Social media can be a new thing to learn for a lot of people. For me, social media is something I want to continue to grow in and learn more about, but I will embrace all of the lessons because they bring me one step closer to having that personal connection with my readers. Don’t take that chance for a relationship for granted! Our readers are our family, and I am so thankful for each and every one of mine!
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