Is there anything more narcissistic that an author page on Facebook? (Of course there is, but we’re talking about writing and self-promoting here.) I have an author page on Facebook, but I prefer my blog for communicating. To kill two birds with one stone, I now link my blog to my author page.
Truthfully, I’m not a big fan of conducting business on Facebook. The problem for me is that I consider a social network to be just that – social. Being social means that I’m supposed to be all warm and friendly and… sharing. That also puts it on a more personal level. All that interaction is just a little creepy and stalkerish. (I’m not sure that’s a word – but it fits!) What kind of damn nut job wants to know that much about my personal life?
My private life isn’t all that interesting, and I don’t really think you need to know (and can’t imagine why you would care) what Lynne Scott is eating for dinner or watching on television.
Mostly, I find myself wondering just how much of the crap I see is made up to make the fan/reader believe the author is as interesting as their character. When I start reading about someone’s fabulous life, travels, possessions, etc., my first thought (cynical loser that I am) is, “How much of this is bull?”
How many people want you to believe they live the life of their character? After all, a hot bodyguard is much more exciting than being… me. I’m just skeptical about some of the stuff that I run into.
I’m really put off by an author page full of happy sayings, downloaded pics of hot bodies, constant babbling about the latest brand of [pick your personal poison] booze, clothing, shoes, or politician, and not a darn thing about their chosen profession of writing.
Is this a place to interact and share? Or a place to display and sell your wares? I get that it’s an easy way to communicate with your fans. I’m all for that. But I didn’t come to your author page to find out that you have spent your day in scrap-booking class, doing Pilates, having dinner with your four best gal pals, or hitting the latest shoe sale. I came to your author page to find out if you were writing another damn book because I liked your last one.
So, you are unlikely to see much about what I eat on my author page. I’m not sure how much I will actually share on there – it’s too new and a little weird for me at this point. My “friends” are the people that I’ve known for years and they know the real things that matter to me. There’s not much more that I am willing to share beyond what’s up on this website and a few other tidbits. I like guns, muscle cars, men who aren’t intimidated by a woman who can shoot, and people who have common sense. Which could be why I don’t have that many damn friends.
If I won’t discuss politics and religion on my blog, you can bet I won’t on my author page. And don’t expect me to give you a whole bunch of crap about women’s equality and rights. If you want to be equal – ACT FUCKING EQUAL! Do your damn job and don’t expect everyone to change how they do theirs or kiss your ass just because you showed up. Sorry… I got distracted.
I will also occasionally share with you when a friend of mine has published a new book. However, I will never tell you it’s great if I haven’t actually read it and don’t believe that to be true!
What I most want you to know on a regular basis is that I am alive and writing! Anything else will show up here in the blog – not on my social networking page.
See, I told you that I suck at this self-promotion thing.
