We all do it. Sit for hours in front of our computers posting on Facebook, Twitter, My Space, Ning, and other social media networks. Face it; it is the best way to keep tabs on all your friends, family, and fans. But do you find yourself playing the tug-a-war game everyday?
I know for me as a writer it is important to have a cyber-face present at all times. Social media is the new way of marketing. I teach this in my workshop, How to Sell Yourself. As a writer, you must have a website, you should join social networks, consider a blog and newsletter. However, finding the time to keep up on it all can be a bit much.
The biggest thing I noticed was when I had a few minutes after putting my two month old down I would do the should I clean or should I hop on the computer just to check this or that. I bet you can guess the answer. I, of course, hopped on the computer to just check email and would end up spending more than a few minutes. Let’s say my couple of minutes normally turned into an hour or two. I wouldn’t even notice until my five year old would come into my office saying, “Mommy, can you make me lunch?” or the baby monitor would go off letting me know my two month old was now awake.
I’m not the only one who experiences this problem. I have a couple of friends who finally closed down their Facebook pages because they spent hours everyday just trying to keep up on all the postings from friends, family, and fans. One friend even told me she had not written in weeks because of the time she was spending on social sites.
So what do I suggest? Well, I’ll be honest . . . I was a social media junkie a few months back. I had profiles on My Space, Facebook, Twitter, Jacketflap, a few different Ning networks, Shout, etc. You name it and I was most likely on it. But I could not keep it up once Sabrina came into the picture. A new baby really makes you stop and relook at your time. Before Sabrina, I would spend hours everyday just trying. It cut into my writing time, my personal time, and most importantly … my kid’s time with me. I had to cut back, make choices, and really look at which internet outlets were performing over the ones that were not. I finally choose the ones I found to work best for my now extremely busy schedule and me.
I have cut my social sites down to Facebook, Twitter, Jacketflap, and two Ning networks (Utah Writing and Kids Stories Online). I still have my author website, my company website, blogs and magazine site. It is still a lot to handle, but it’s manageable. The best part is . . .
Now I have more time to do what I love best . . . raising my children and writing.
Follow Me on my Social Networks:
I’m on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/people/Virginia-S-Grenier/1199014654
Catch me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VSGrenier
See what I’m up to on Jacketflap at http://www.jacketflap.com/index.asp
Judy Snider , Joan’s sister lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband, Gil, and two silly cats. She is the author of the CWA award-winning children’s picture book, Goldy’s Baby Socks , and on a team of authors of The Scared Purse . The Writing Mama Interview with author Judy Snider VS: What do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Judy: It is easier now that my kids are in their 20’s and out of the home. I get up very early, and some of the best writing I do is in a sunny place with a glass of water or coffee and my silly cats nearby. When my oldest was a baby, I took a write-away-course, and would write when he took his naps. Some of my best writing was at a table while I waited in those days for them at parties, video arcades, etc. I work out of my home on projects, so working with my sister on our latest book, and the phone usually did Cady Driver, our illustrator. VS: How long have you been writing? Judy: I wrote my...