Abandoning Social Media. Well, Some Social Media

 Okay, so here's the deal: I'm on too much social media.

Welcome to just about everyone's life.

My theory going in was that, in addition to keeping track of friends and family, I could use the internet to promote my books. For those of you who haven't heard, I write books. In fear of losing out on a sale, I'd try new social media sites without abandoning the old ones.

I mean, I got rid of Friendster--let's not get silly. I even, many years after I should have, stopped using MySpace. Remember MySpace? I think I got up to 17 followers.

I still have a Tumbler account. Well, I think, hold on.

There it is, 44 followers. I started it in, oh, 1928; a couple of people liked a post of mine in 1954. On the other hand, I joined Substack a couple of years ago: Without really trying I have 273 followers already, and 36 subscribers. (There's a difference.)

 

The internet, like any other living thing, evolves.

I'm trying to put more time into writing and book promotion, and that means putting less time into other things. So, some places where some of you may see me, you soon may not.

For instance, I have two Twitter accounts, which (like everything on this list) seemed like a good idea at the time. One is my main account, and the second is dedicated to the Storm Chaser book series. Regardless of how you feel about Twit--I mean, X, it doesn't make sense to promote twelve books on one account, then have another where I promote four of them again.

Also, I like to have a little fun on social media, and I can't do that if I'm constantly dashing from site to site.

Something similar happened on Facebook. I have my main account, and an author page, and I also run a page for the Albion Volunteer Fire Department. Then I have one for my book Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights: A Century or So With the Albion Fire Department. One book. "It seemed like a good idea at the time" is my middle name. 

Then there are Facebook Groups. You can find an interest and get addicted, especially me. Marx Johnny West Collection action figures? Check. Military toys from our childhood? Another check. Most of my childhood toys were military related, and nostalgia runs strong in this one.
 

My childhood Thompson, just like Sergeants Rock and Fury carried.

 

What do I want to do when I see these childhood toys I loved and lost? Replace them. But I can't afford that, don't have a place to display them, and don't have time for online shopping. It's time for some of my FB groups to go. 

Whether you're a writer or not, it's dangerous to spread yourself too thin over the internet. No, I'm not slashing and burning--I still like to keep track of family, friends, and fellow authors. I'm just tightening my belt a little.

Isn't that worth it, to make the internet a little bit less about pulling your hair out? 

 

For now you can still find me and/or our books here:

·        Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

·        Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

·        Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter

·        Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/

·        Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/

·        Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/

·        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914

·        Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/

·        Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter

·        Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter

·        Substack:  https://substack.com/@markrhunter

·        Tumblr:  https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914

·        Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

·        Audible: https://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Mark+R.+Hunter&ref_pageloadid=4C1TS2KZGoOjloaJ&pf

TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mark.r..hunter

 

Remember: Even if you  totally forgot you had a Tumblr account, it's still there. 

Epic link fail

Okay, so, I'm on several social media sites, and I've been cross-posting by copying my original blog on Blogger, then pasting that onto places such as LiveJournal and others. I've just found out that when I do that, all the links to our books, the newsletter, our website, everything, changed into links that went right back to the blog.

For who knows how long. Which means either no one has been clicking on the links, or no one thought to tell me they were wrong. Either possibility makes me sad.

I might not have time or energy to see how far back this goes, but rest assured I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again. Meanwhile links on Blogger work fine, such as on this one about the Michigan magazine's profile of me:

https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/2022/09/michigan-features-me-well-michigan.html

But when I pasted that link onto, say, LiveJournal, all the links go back to the Blogger post, instead of where they say they go. I might be able to copy from LJ TO Blogger, instead of the other way around.

It's going to take some time and Tylenol to figure it all out, but rest assured, I'm going to be more careful in the future. Also, these are the CORRECT links to our website, Barnes and Noble author's page, and Amazon author's page:

http://markrhunter.com/

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

And to the newsletters are all here:

https://us10.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=02054e9863d409b2281390e3b&id=f39dd965f0

The Highlights of the Junk Mail Folder. Or Is That Lowlights?

Somebody must have signed me up for something, because I've been getting a lot more junk e-mails lately. The disadvantage: I have to go through and make sure there aren't any legitimate communications among the junk.

The advantage: I can make fun of them.

Sometimes it can be a little difficult to tell the difference between the real stuff and the scams. For instance, in the last batch I got a notification from Google Drive, which informed me a file had been successfully shared.

Yay! But wait ... I've never shared Google Drive files.

Pay no attention to the scam behind the e-mail.

That could be a clue. And sure enough, the return e-mail address has absolutely nothing to do with Google.

Another example is the survey I got from Netflix, which wants me to fill it out and enter a drawing. Yay!

But I don't subscribe the Netflix, and never have.

Of the 27 e-mails in the latest haul, exactly one was legitimate. And that one was from AARP, wanting to remind me I'm now old enough to get e-mails from AARP. I don't want the reminder.

Some of the e-mails look pretty boring at first glance. They're from Amy P., Julie L.,. Natalie, Kathleen, Stacy, Betsy, Kristina, and of course my favorite, Eleanor Gibbs. I just realized ... I should keep track of the ones that could make good character names for future novels. Eleanor Gibbs, Beverly Bailey, not to mention Vanda. How many Vandas do you know?

And they're all women. Where were all these women when I was single?

Of course, chances are they're a 55 year old Russian male who hasn't exercised since 1997, but hope springs eternal.

Hi, I'm Uri ... I mean, Amy. How about a chat?

They get more interesting when you see what the "women" have typed into the subject field of their e-mails.

"No questions or stories, just make me obey."

Yes, dear.

"I have crzy wishes."

I wish you could spell.

"I'm agile but fraagile so be nice ;0"

Brittle bone disease is a terrible thing for gymnasts.

"It was the best night ever!"

Sadly, I wasn't there.

"Video with me and you"

So, you were the one who photobombed me at Indiana Beach.

"Are you excited?"

Do you have chocolate?

"Should I send one more photo?"

Well, you haven't sent the first one yet, so ... (That one was from "Iowa". The entire state apparently thinks it sent me a photo.)

"Can I be useful for you? Pleeease!"

Okay, since you're so eager. We'll start in the bedroom ... then you can clean the kitchen.

"Are you excited?"

What, still? Now that someone else is cleaning the kitchen, yes.

"No panties video"

Sounds great, until you remember it was typed by a middle aged Russian couch potato.

"I am so disobedient at this video..."

That's okay, I can point you to the obedience school my dog went at.

Meanwhile, I also got e-mails from Flawless, PerfectLips, ColorfulDes'lres, Hedon1stlc, and, yes, CornLover. That last one, at least, was original. Cream or whole kernel?

By the way, Eleanor Gibbs sent me an e-mail with the headline, "I love to play with fire". This is not something firefighters generally want to hear.

Finally, the unoriginal ColorfulDes'lres also asked: "Are you excited?"

Well, I just wasted ten minutes that could have been used for writing fiction. Or looking at cute puppy videos. So no ... no, I'm not. But it's starting to remind me of the other question I've been hearing a lot lately: "Have you tested positive for COVID?"

I'm excited to say no.

Honey, look at this! A Nigerian Price wants to party with us.

http://markrhunter.com/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

 

My Times, They Are A-Changing

There are two things you need to know about writers:

1. They're excellent at organizing their time and their lives.

2. They lie. Often to themselves.

Well, not me so much, as I generally admit to being unorganized. Still, I'm working on it. Some stuff is going on in my life that might bring big changes. They might also bring more expenses; I didn't say they were all good changes. So I'm working on ways to, as they say, "monetize" my writing. One of the best ways to do this is to spend more time actually doing that writing (and that selling, and promoting, and so forth).

(Am I one of those people who'd write even if it didn't pay? Well, yeah--I've done that on and off for years. But I'd rather it paid.)

Now, over the years I've joined numerous social media sites, both to spread the word about the writing and to, well, socialize. Some don't seem to be working out too well. For instance, I went to Insanejournal when Livejournal started having problems, but seem to be the only person on Insanejournal. Anywhere.

When I first started getting published, Emily set up Facebook pages for each of my new books. Because, hey, when you've only got one or two books out ...

But now we have ten books out, and an eleventh on the way. I kept all the old pages, but just copied and pasted the same thing to those, for the most part. Copying and pasting doesn't take long once I get a post organized, but what's the point in places where no one is there, or only people who also are friends with me in other places?

So I'm deleting the Insanejournal page. I'm keeping Livejournal--I'm not insane.

And I'm deleting my Storm Chaser and Storm Chaser Shorts FB pages. For now I'll keep the Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights page and my main Facebook page, but for those of you who follow me for my writing, I ask you to join my FB author's page, at https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter/ 

 ... As I understand it, that's the best place on FB to be able to keep track of our writing news.

Later I'll decide other things. For instance ... MySpace? I still have a few friends on there, but haven't had any actual interactions for years.

There's also MeWe, which I went to because Facebook seems to hate its customers, and wish them all the failure in the world. But very few other people are going to MeWe, so is there a point?

Stuff like that. Come to think of it, I'm on too many Facebook groups, too.

Oddly enough, I'm not that much of a joiner in real life. But online I'm on Deviantart, Goodreads, Tumblr ... it gets to be too much. A writer should, I think, concentrate on a few places, rather than spreading themselves all over the internet.

We'll see.

How do you all feel on the issue? If you're selling something, do you have an honest to goodness online strategy? Or is it more like me, throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks?

(That's just figurative, by the way -- I don't throw crap at walls. Ick.)

Of course, you'll always be able to find me on:

Blogger:  https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
Our website:  http://markrhunter.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/ozma914
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter

And there's especially our newsletter ... you can access past issues and the signup page by going here:
https://us10.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=02054e9863d409b2281390e3b&id=f39dd965f0

I think you can. Because it's only been twenty years or so, and I'm not sure I have this internet thing down, yet.