Hello there!
Being very new to all this, I was just thinking about twitter....
And about how much people strategize with regard to who/how they follow...
Obviously everyone wants to be, and to appear to be, popular...
Especially if you have something to promote.
We are all trying to get more followers.
A few weeks ago, when I properly started trying to use Twitter effectively, I made a mistake, I now see.
I read somewere, afterwards, about how following loads of people all in one go is not the wisest move to make...
This is precisely what I'd just done. And I'd not just followed a load of random people...
With me being in the writing game, and developing a new online project that I was about to embark upon and start promoting, I started by searching for UK literay agents. I followed every single relevant one. Those I'd previously had dealings/contact with, those I'd simply heard of, and everyone in my genre in between. Then I turned to the publishers and did the same thing...
I thought that this was a very good move, a great way to start! A smart move, in fact. Knowing nothing of how Twitter really works, I had no idea whether anyone would follow me back. I didn't really think too much beyond networking and connecting with the right people straight off. I hadn't even got the new blog up and running at that point.
So, not very surprisingly, none of this group followed me back. :0(
But I continued to bide my time. I started tweeting and trying to raise my profile and to just get myself out there...
And people - writers, readers, promotors and businesses - started to follow me, very gradually.
Which was absolutely great. I was amazed at how it all works. How people find you! Suddenly it seemed to all be coming together....
I've since noticed though, that most of us (unless we are famous celebs) have roughly the same amount of followers to followings, and this seems to be about right, to be fair and to be understandable...
Not in my case though.
It seems that, because I followed SO many literay professionals who are not likely to follow me back (until/unless I manage to grow my blog fan-base beyond the scratosphere) my ratio will be severely unbalanced, left wanting.
This, then, makes me look unpopular.
It makes me look... what exactly? Well, this is what got me wondering about all this..
What do people think of twitter profiles who don't have much of a following? Or who have a number of followers that is significantly less than the number of people they follow?
Personally, I think people think there is something wrong with that person. That perhaps that person is strange or deranged or plain old boring. It's like being the misfit kid at school again, who doesn't get a partner for the barn-dance...
Is this what people think? Or is this just me being cynical? Am I thinking too deeply about it? What is the average number of new followers that people bag per week? I'd like to know if those with equal following/follower ratios attract more new followers than I do?!
How many of us would look through the unbalanced loser's following/followers listings to try and ascertain what their problem was? You might just think 'weirdo alert' - and leave them well alone.
And this is what I'm worried about. Because this is where I currently stand. And hardly anyone will read this post because I'm newly starting, I'm already in this negative-ratio-twitter-following dilemma and I don't yet have the readers to pull me out!
In a slight panic, about a week ago, I went through the list of people I was following and started unfollowing as many as I could reasonably do, to try and level out my numbers. Ridiculous? My dilemma also means that I've had to be far choosier about who I follow back, right now. (And I feel really crappy about that!) (I've kept a list of them and will follow them back when my ratio is equal :0)
But how f**king stupid is all this?!
Well, I just wanted to air this particular POV. Whilst also explaining to anyone who might listen/read that I am NOT a WEIRDO. I hope I'm not a bore either.
I'm a writer who has been striving for publication for far too long, and who is just trying to get her current Words Out There!
http://novel-by-sjs.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl
Thanks so much for reading!
Saturday, 1 September 2012
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Abnormal
Hi there!
Just to let you know that I've posted the 1st chapter of my online book on my other blog.
http://novel-by-sjs.blogspot.co.uk/
I'm hoping that the treasured members I've acquired will join my other blog too. :0)))
Please let me know what you think of the book so far, and like my facebook page too if you would?
http://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl
I'm pretending to be confident about all this when I'm actually crawling about on the floor.
Thank you!
xx
Just to let you know that I've posted the 1st chapter of my online book on my other blog.
http://novel-by-sjs.blogspot.co.uk/
I'm hoping that the treasured members I've acquired will join my other blog too. :0)))
Please let me know what you think of the book so far, and like my facebook page too if you would?
http://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl
I'm pretending to be confident about all this when I'm actually crawling about on the floor.
Thank you!
xx
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Hello there! Anybody hear me? SEX AND DRUGS?
Sorry, there's no sex or drugs here, someone advised me to say that to get readers...
But this blog is so miserably inactive that I don't get traffic let alone readers to it...
Anyway, that aside. It doesn't much matter now as I'm creating a brand new blog!...
I may still occasionally write on this one but, if past activity is an idicator, perhaps not...
But I WILL be writing my spiffing new novel, ABNORMAL, regularly on my new blog site...
Please look out for it although I will be announcing its presence on Twitter as soon as I've written the 1st chapter.
I need EVERYONE IN THE WORLD to read it. Is that too much to ask?
Otherwise, I might shrivel up and end up looking like this.
And you wouldn't want that now, would you?
xxx
Saturday, 18 June 2011
Chapter Two
Hello again! I wanted to say a few words on Insomnia. As you do.
I wouldn't say I'm debilitated by lack of sleep but I struggle with the journey getting there. I think it's maybe more common amongst women than men. In my unquantifiable experience of other sleepers, men tend to save their sleepless spells for the crack of dawn, as it were. No wonder they aint sleeping.
My problem is too much thinking, not enough switching off. If I could just smother myself (halfway) to induce unconsciousness (i.e get the timing just right) that would be good. Russell Brand, in his Autobiog Booky Wook, used a similar knock-out method but that involved half pounding himself to death with something else. Perhaps extremes are not the answer. But nor is the Good Sleep Guide from my doctor.
I recently read an article that quoted an old saying: "an hour in bed before midnight is worth two hours after" as being true. I'm buggered on that score. The article also mentioned a study of females monitored by the University of California that found: "those who slept between 6.5 and 7.5 hrs per night had longer lifespans." Hmm, buggered on that score too. I didn't mention the fact that because I struggle getting to sleep I tend to sleep longer (in the morning). In my case the shitty aspect thereby being not a lack of sleep, per se, but the bore of waiting for it. And now knowing that I'll probably die from too much sleep. Oh well.
My brother said something to me about his sleepless 'turning' which brought to mind my own; and the bizarre and ritualistic nature of said sleepless 'turning.' I tend to start off lying comfortably on my back. At this point feeling drowsily optimistic about the prospect of sleep (delusional.) I then turn onto my left side, away from Boyfriend, then onto my stomach. Then onto my right (favourite side but closer to Boyfriend's snoring) so I'm quickly back where I started. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Like a crocodile I seem to roll my Insomnia around and around, in a coiled deathtrap, splattering inane thoughts against the bedroom walls. I do have my best writing ideas at these times but that's beside by point.
Beer Count: about 25-30 halves, over four separate WHOLLY UNAVOIDABLE occasions. (Beer festivals, birthdays, Ladies Day, no less...) I was doing FINE until the end of May. But the significant thing is that I've only been drinking halves. Except for a couple of enforced pints of Guinness.
Word of the Blog: Lissom = Lithe, agile. Which isn't me yet.
News: I have RSI in my right arm so am tippy typing crappily with my left. Going to the Lowdham Book Festival this year, which begins/began already (depending on when I finish this bloody post.) Been cycling to work on sunny days (not much then.) Nearing the end of the first rewrite of my novel, feeling more positive. Going to Cornwall in a few weeks. I think I might go mad and post a picture too; need to find something nice. Camping for my birthday was good, maybe I'll stick that up.Tis Wetton, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire; a really pretty place.
Chow 4 Now. :0)
I wouldn't say I'm debilitated by lack of sleep but I struggle with the journey getting there. I think it's maybe more common amongst women than men. In my unquantifiable experience of other sleepers, men tend to save their sleepless spells for the crack of dawn, as it were. No wonder they aint sleeping.
My problem is too much thinking, not enough switching off. If I could just smother myself (halfway) to induce unconsciousness (i.e get the timing just right) that would be good. Russell Brand, in his Autobiog Booky Wook, used a similar knock-out method but that involved half pounding himself to death with something else. Perhaps extremes are not the answer. But nor is the Good Sleep Guide from my doctor.
I recently read an article that quoted an old saying: "an hour in bed before midnight is worth two hours after" as being true. I'm buggered on that score. The article also mentioned a study of females monitored by the University of California that found: "those who slept between 6.5 and 7.5 hrs per night had longer lifespans." Hmm, buggered on that score too. I didn't mention the fact that because I struggle getting to sleep I tend to sleep longer (in the morning). In my case the shitty aspect thereby being not a lack of sleep, per se, but the bore of waiting for it. And now knowing that I'll probably die from too much sleep. Oh well.
My brother said something to me about his sleepless 'turning' which brought to mind my own; and the bizarre and ritualistic nature of said sleepless 'turning.' I tend to start off lying comfortably on my back. At this point feeling drowsily optimistic about the prospect of sleep (delusional.) I then turn onto my left side, away from Boyfriend, then onto my stomach. Then onto my right (favourite side but closer to Boyfriend's snoring) so I'm quickly back where I started. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Like a crocodile I seem to roll my Insomnia around and around, in a coiled deathtrap, splattering inane thoughts against the bedroom walls. I do have my best writing ideas at these times but that's beside by point.
Beer Count: about 25-30 halves, over four separate WHOLLY UNAVOIDABLE occasions. (Beer festivals, birthdays, Ladies Day, no less...) I was doing FINE until the end of May. But the significant thing is that I've only been drinking halves. Except for a couple of enforced pints of Guinness.
Word of the Blog: Lissom = Lithe, agile. Which isn't me yet.
News: I have RSI in my right arm so am tippy typing crappily with my left. Going to the Lowdham Book Festival this year, which begins/began already (depending on when I finish this bloody post.) Been cycling to work on sunny days (not much then.) Nearing the end of the first rewrite of my novel, feeling more positive. Going to Cornwall in a few weeks. I think I might go mad and post a picture too; need to find something nice. Camping for my birthday was good, maybe I'll stick that up.Tis Wetton, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire; a really pretty place.
Chow 4 Now. :0)
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Chapter One
I'm going to try and keep all posts short. (I just edited this sentence already.)
I chose the title of my blog a little quickly; but, right now, this is why I chose it:
Boots - stands for boots as opposed to (sissy) shoes, which would be my feet's philosophy if they had one. It also stands for walking because I do a bit of this (although, strictly speaking, I prefer cycling. And now I've realised that I could've called this blog, more aptly, Bikes, Books and Beer, but no matter; I told you I chose too quickly. And I could change it but now I'm waffling...)
Books - stands for the obvious. I'm an aspiring writer and an avid reader. Spot the overused adjectives there. Okay, I'm a desperate-wannabe writer and a gloriously-indulgent reader, (in the bath for hours, no less.)
Beer - stands for the beautiful bane of my life. Always trying (and succeeding) to reel me in and trip me up. I love beer and I hate it. How slender I would be if it weren't for beer but how much less fun I might have had.
This year, so far, I've had NO BEER. But I'm not yet reformed. I'll be doing a beer count each blog; I don't yet know what form this will take. The last time I drank to excess was New Year's Eve; lots of beer with a champagne garnish. But I'm now fully immersed in my: as-long-as-it-lasts fitness regime; so beer is off the menu, along with other delights.
And that's it for now.
Oh yeah, I propose to have a Word Of the Day each time I post. It will either be an encountered word I've never heard of, an encountered word I - through senility or ignorance - don't know the meaning of or a bizarrely captivating word I've looked up especially for the purpose. But it's just a word.
And today's Word of the Blog is: intemperance, which means overindulgence.
Now be honest, did you know that? I was being honest in admitting that I didn't, even as I call myself a writer. (Probably I just forgot it though, eh?) But this isn't a test or a competition, it's just light-hearted vocab-enhancement.
Anyway, been nice chatting! Thanks for reading...
I chose the title of my blog a little quickly; but, right now, this is why I chose it:
Boots - stands for boots as opposed to (sissy) shoes, which would be my feet's philosophy if they had one. It also stands for walking because I do a bit of this (although, strictly speaking, I prefer cycling. And now I've realised that I could've called this blog, more aptly, Bikes, Books and Beer, but no matter; I told you I chose too quickly. And I could change it but now I'm waffling...)
Books - stands for the obvious. I'm an aspiring writer and an avid reader. Spot the overused adjectives there. Okay, I'm a desperate-wannabe writer and a gloriously-indulgent reader, (in the bath for hours, no less.)
Beer - stands for the beautiful bane of my life. Always trying (and succeeding) to reel me in and trip me up. I love beer and I hate it. How slender I would be if it weren't for beer but how much less fun I might have had.
This year, so far, I've had NO BEER. But I'm not yet reformed. I'll be doing a beer count each blog; I don't yet know what form this will take. The last time I drank to excess was New Year's Eve; lots of beer with a champagne garnish. But I'm now fully immersed in my: as-long-as-it-lasts fitness regime; so beer is off the menu, along with other delights.
And that's it for now.
Oh yeah, I propose to have a Word Of the Day each time I post. It will either be an encountered word I've never heard of, an encountered word I - through senility or ignorance - don't know the meaning of or a bizarrely captivating word I've looked up especially for the purpose. But it's just a word.
And today's Word of the Blog is: intemperance, which means overindulgence.
Now be honest, did you know that? I was being honest in admitting that I didn't, even as I call myself a writer. (Probably I just forgot it though, eh?) But this isn't a test or a competition, it's just light-hearted vocab-enhancement.
Anyway, been nice chatting! Thanks for reading...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)