Do you Feel Pushed Into Social Media?

Karen Gordon isn’t sure how comfortable she is with social media – but she knows it’s something she has to use for her career. How do you feel about social media? Read more from Karen on her blog, Joie De Mid Vivre.

I’m not sure if it’s a generational thing or an introvert thing, but I have to admit, I’m just not that into social media. There, I said it. I feel a little better already for confessing that I’m an introverted, 50-year-old library geek who loves to write and read books, but struggles to come up with one thing to say about them (even my own) when I’m on social media.

Even before I self-published I wasn’t exactly drawn to Facebook or Twitter. It wasn’t that I didn’t see the appeal for others or understand the potential reach of these sites. It was more a case of feeling like the fish out of water or the round peg in a world of square holes that kept me from joining in. For me, and other introverts, there is no notion of wanting to share the minutia of my day or invite people I’ve never met into my world. As an author this is doubly true because quite often my world is completely imaginary, all in my head, and subject to constant rearranging until I get a feel for a strong character or story that is ready to be typed into existence. I think all authors wonder if they would be committed if we were required to share what’s really going on in their heads.
Which brings me to my hairdresser (big leap, I know, but stay with me). Mid-coloring she shared that everyone in the shop was highly encouraged to use Instagram to build their clientele. We empathized about feeling awkward posting pictures of our pets and food or sharing details about our family life worldwide, but that’s the way it’s done now. Even employees who aren’t self-employed are being asked to open up and share with potential clients.
I want to tell the world about my books. I’m proud of my work. I’m just struggling with a way to do this that feel genuine and comfortable for me (and fits in my almost-nonexistent budget). I’m already starting to gravitate toward Pintrest and my natural love for it makes using it for my business so much easier. When I connect with someone on there it’s usually due to a genuine shared interest. Maybe this is due to the fact that I’m a pretty typical Pintrest user. According to both Ignite Social Media and Digital Marketing Ramblings the average pinner is a middle-income, very active mom (nailed me). It’s not as easy, but I’m finding my way on Twitter and Goodreads too.  Both feel like a version of LinkedIn for self-published authors, a place to go for tips and support, a hang-out for the less-corporate types.

The other ironic benefit of social media has been not feeling as alone in my alone-ness. Introverts find each other on social media by opening up and talking (and laughing) about how difficult and strange it feels to open up on social media. I would love to hear from more introvert entrepreneurs. I know it’s against your nature, but take a minute to comment and let me know you are out there and the social media that is working for you.