I've gotten out of the habit of regular blog posts. I tell myself that's mostly because very few people read them, and that my time would be better spent on social media. But I've been doing less of that too. I can't bring myself to share memes or others' posts very often, just to increase engagement. Not that engagement isn't a worthy goal, but as a writer first and foremost I prefer that my posts have some sort of worthy, original content. And, all too often, I find my creative tank is empty.
Some of my fellow indie authors do an amazing job on Facebook and/or Tiktok - the two platforms on which I have a presence as an author. Whether it's clever use of templates, adept use of image and video creation tools like Canva and BookBrush, or compelling calls to action, many enjoy deserved success with their brand. I'm happy for them, and will celebrate their successes. But I'm also, frankly, intimidated. I tell myself I don't have the time, nor am I sufficiently creative, but really I'm just terrified of putting out content that I think pales in comparison to others. It's a form of imposter syndrome.
It took me a long time to write and publish my first book. Hopefully it won't take quite as long for my second - I'm still targeting early 2024 - but my process is slow and deliberate. Whether or not readers enjoy the premise and story, I want to take the time to make it as good as I can. With social media, I feel a tension between posting many quick and (hopefully) evocative posts and taking the time to craft impressive visual promotional material. The end result, I fear, is that I languish somewhere in between.
So, now that I've wallowed in the reasons for my less-than-effective social media (and general self-promotion) strategy, what should I do about it? Yes, I need a second book to crow about, but most of those who have read the first one have enjoyed the story, so I need to find creative ways to tell others about it. I need to take the time and overcome my fear of falling short of others' high standards. I'm not an imposter. I can do this.