Updates, Discounts, and a Question

Great news! We have now officially purchased the house I mentioned in last week’s blog. 2023 will be another hectic year but in a different way. As we won’t actually be moving until some time in the spring, I’ll be spending Jan. and Feb. sorting, recycling, and packing. As advised by a good friend, we also have the option of hiring help to do this, which we might do. I’ll still keep writing, but will put in far fewer hours. It’ll be a welcome break from the physical activity.

As also mentioned last week, A Gold Satin Murder is now on sale for $.99 until Dec. 31st. 25 authors are offering their completed crime novels or novellas at discounted prices on a variety of platforms. Please check the link HERE

For some time now, writers have been told that to help acquire a publisher or an agent, they should have a strong social media presence. Earlier this week, a writing colleague, who recently attending a local writers’ summit, learned that this might not be the case anymore. Apparently, lots of Facebook and Twitter followers isn’t as important to publishers as it was a couple of years ago. The reason given for the change of attitude is that readers aren’t as engaged with social media as they once were.

There might be something to that. Perhaps it’s due to Covid fatigue, where we had to sit in front of screens much more frequently to connect with friends and family or do our jobs. Perhaps it’s the rise of hate-filled rhetoric or misinformation out there. I suspect it’s a combination of all of the above and possibly more.

Personally, I haven’t changed my social media habits, but I will if things become too intense. I stick with writing communities, yet don’t join any Goodreads or Linkedin groups. Nor do I keep apps on my phone. With all the controversy surrounding Twitter lately, a number of writing colleagues have left and moved to Hive and Mastodon, neither of which I’ve investigated yet.

So, here’s what I’d like to know. Are you less engaged on social media than you were two or three years ago? Do you find it less valuable for connecting or promoting your books? Have you thought about leaving entirely? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Author: debrapurdykong

I'm a British Columbia author who's been writing for over 30 years. My volunteer experiences, criminology diploma, and security work inspired me to write the Casey Holland transit security novels set in Metro Vancouver. I'm also a part-time facilitator in Creative Writing Workshops through Port Moody's Recreation program. Feel free to contact me at dpurdykong@gmail.com

16 thoughts on “Updates, Discounts, and a Question”

  1. I haven’t really changed my social media habits but I don’t spend too much time on it. I don’t get involved in any political discussions and don’t have any show up on my feed. I spend most of my social media time on my blog and reading other blogs. It is time well spent. Congrats on buying the house you wanted. It will feel good to divest yourself of some of your “things”.

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    1. Thanks, Darlene! We’re quite happy about the house, needless to say. I think your approach to social media is wise. It allows you the energy and enthusiasm to keep going while not being bogged down by the negative or time-consuming aspects. That’s inspiring!

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  2. Congrats on the new digs! I mostly surf on social media, never getting too invested in it. I’ve got a handful of friends on Twitter and Facebook that I’d hate to lose if those platforms tanked, but I can’t say social media sells books.

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    1. Thanks, JP. Yes, sales have never been great for genre writers through social media, although I know writers who sell nonfiction that way. It’s good for increasing visibility and interacting with other writers on their posts, etc., I think.

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  5. Congratulations! That’s fantastic Debra. Social Media. I’m not crazy about it and have no idea whether it helps to sell books. I do stay connected with FB, and I enjoy Instagram because I’m visual, but that’s about it. I’ve met some very cool folks through Instagram too, and that is a pleasure.

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  6. I just checked my SM data–no change from last month. I repost my blog articles there, not much else. I’ve tried to move away from Twitter and FB, but the alternatives are even more political! Yikes!

    Congrats on the new home. I love the idea of someone helping to go through belongings. I look forward to hearing how that goes.

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  7. That’s good you have plenty of time before your big move. I cut down on social media long before. I didn’t want so much time gobbled up with sites when I could be writing/editing. I’m starting to even wonder about Instagram as it’s become so inundated with advertisements, is it even worth it?

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    1. I’m the wrong person to ask about instagram as my involvement is minimal, so I can’t honestly say. Ads are everywhere, but I long ago learned not to actually see them. It’s like using the word ‘said’ in dialogue. It’s there, but it just really register with readers.

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  8. Congratulations on the move. I hope you will consider hiring some extra hands. I definitely am less involved in social media and closed my twitter account completely. It had gotten weird after Musk moved in. I was getting strange invites and I disagreed with him considering taking Trump back. Enough was enough and I am glad I did. Sorry I am slow and miss some posts♥

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    1. No worries, Dave. I don’t expect anyone to respond right away, if at all. I know everyone’s busy and a little fatigued with social media. I’m still on the fence about Twitter and waiting to see what will happen. I stick to the writing community, for the most part, which has stayed sane so far, but we’ll see how things go.

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