Social Media: Needed? Necessary? Optional? Part 1

Pick one, two, ten?

There I was, staring aimlessly at the screen on my computer, thinking. No, that’s it. Just thinking. Nothing in particular. Okay, I cannot lie to you people. I feel we have become Friends. I was debating the necessary evil that is the unholy Social Media Machine.

Soon, swearing begat more swearing until pretty much my head was filled with one gigantic chain of expletives. Kinda like a long, intrusive run-on sentence.

I drank. Mind-altering hallucinogens took hold of my whiskey-soaked, expletive-filled head. I cried. I argued with myself over reality versus virtual reality. I became disorientated and perplexed. I was done.

Then—then It hit me. I made the leap. No, not from a tall building. My fingers! They pounded the keys faster than a two-pump chump for I JOINED THE SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION. Against my will, but I joined. All in. No turning back. Hasta la vista to sanity. Mierda! Puta boca! I became ensnared, birdlimed. Double dammit!

Do It!

I heard it all. “Now that you’ve written a book, you need to develop your online presence in Social Media.” So writing a book was the magical sequence to the time-sucking consequence of selling my soul to Social Media? Hmmm. Who knew? I hadn’t a clue.

I researched it. And, just like Cheech and Chong, I found some good shit.

Here Are Five Reasons Why Social Media Is Good For Writers:

1. Marketing: Gives writers a platform to build an audience, readership, and following. Allows us to promote ourselves and any upcoming books or work.

2. We Can Learn About The Publishing World: Literary agents, editors, authors, publishing, writing – it’s important for us to know.

3. Shared Knowledge: Writers can show their recent works, join online conversations about a certain topic, offer expertise in specific areas, or update people to what we are working on at a particular time.

4. Stay Connected: Respond, interact, and learn about readers, fans, other authors, or changes in the writing world.

5. Strengthen Connections: Maintain connections with others in the wonderful world of writing.

So, just before it passed, I grabbed onto the Social Media Bandwagon: Facebook author page – check. Google Plus – check. Twitter – check. LinkedIn – check.

Then I was told that my Facebook page needed Likes. Shit! It was like jumping through a time warp and being in third grade all over again. Likes. Likes!

At one time, I avoided all things Social Media like a good proctology exam. Wait, that didn’t make sense. A good proctology… Yeah. No! ANYWAY. I have now whored myself out. Caved in. Stopped the kicking and screaming that was my defense. I know beg and pander to be Liked, Followed, Plused, and Linked.

Is it now a perfect storm of depravity? Can there be such a thing?

So, check out my other online propaganda and tell me if my presence is befitting the era of Social Media or if I should hire a twenty-something to manage it for me. I look forward to your words of wisdom and ideas. Find me at Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, and LinkedIn.