There was a time when social media was the last thing on my mind. In fact, seeking peaceful obscurity, I was publishing under a pseudonym. When my work was accepted by Novalis and Borealis Press, the editors of both houses insisted that, while anonymity may have worked in Victorian times, today’s readers prefer relating to real people.
Sometime later, I tried to create a website. Quickly conceding that I was quite clueless about the process, I hired a professional webmaster. Blogging, Facebook, Twitter and an eNewsletter were all components of the web package. Enthralled with the experience, I boldly joined GoodReads.
Then, while participating in a high school writing club, I became intrigued with the students’ interest in the fantasy genre. Ideas began spinning through my head until I envisioned an entire steampunk or urban fantasy series of my own. Furthermore, I would self-publish and promote it myself.
On a creative high, I left my professionally managed website for WordPress and called the new site Prosper Station. At the same time, I opened a Facebook Author page, naming it – drum roll – Prosper Station. For almost three years, I’ve been happily absorbed in the realm of fantasy. The Bells of Prosper Station already exists in paperback and eBook formats, and a follow-up novel, Black Springs Abbey, is … well, coming along.
But surprise! New ideas and characters began traipsing through my head a few months ago, and these did not belong to the fantasy genre. Whatever was I to do now with a website called Prosper Station and a Facebook bearing the same name? I would have to change the headings.
However, the reality of changing these – as anyone who’s tried this knows – was anything but simple. Renaming the website was one thing. Renaming the Facebook page proved impossible. And so I started a new Facebook Author page thereby forfeiting my Prosper Station “Likes” (sigh).
While in revision mode, I decided to downsize my Twitter account which, having passed the unbelievable 11.2K mark, had become a steady stream of meaningless tweets. After trying in vain to save some of the elements, I closed the account, losing all my Following, Followers and Lists. My new Twitter post is lean and clean. A bit quiet too, but I love it.
Some may think that the drastic paring I’ve performed is quite mad. But I’m convinced that, in this instance, and for me, less is more.
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