Is Social Media Killing Your Creativity?

Last night as I lay in bed counting sheep, two questions continually swirled through my mind.

  • What has happened to my creative mojo?
  • Why do I perpetually feel rushed, unfocused and unable to finish what I start?

It seems like months since a rich and textured story has poured out of me with grace and fluidity (at least on my best writing days). Now it feels like each word, thought, and gesture is clumsy and forced—as if I’m madly paddling down a river on a clunky, handmade raft, bumping into rocks all along the way.

Some would chock this up to writer’s block. I would disagree.

I would hand this dubious honor to the curse (and blessing) of social media.

Huh?! Whatcha talkin’ about Willis?

How could Facebook, Twitter and the likes change the flow of one’s creativity?

Simple. There is so much information out there now that our senses are being dulled like stones being tumbled along the bottom of a raging river. As the current of news and ideas continually grows wider and more intense, we are unable to keep pace with the pummeling flow.

I read somewhere that 290 million Tweets are sent each day, over 200 billion videos are viewed each month, and an estimated 100 billion photographs are now shared on Facebook. That’s a whole lot of sharing, and that doesn’t even include blogs or other forms of social media like Digg, Delicious, Tumblr, Squidoo, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.

To switch metaphors (because, as I mentioned I’m struggling with focus), social networking is like standing in the middle of a massive cocktail party in which everyone is talking loudly–all at the same time. Everybody is sharing their latest exciting adventures as well as their greatest discoveries, their juiciest gossip, their funniest jokes, their most heart-warming stories, and their mountains of indispensable advice. The din is mesmerizing. The only problem is that it’s so noisy it’s often difficult to decipher what anybody is saying. It’s also nearly impossible to gather your thoughts to contribute to the conversation in any meaningful way.

After leaving the party, you likely feel dizzy and a tad unfulfilled as random bits of conversations still float through your head. When you get back home and try to write, you realize you’re suddenly nursing a hangover from this gathering. It wavers between a dull haze and a nagging headache. As you rub your temples and try to keep your mind from jumping from thought to thought, you attempt to settle into a creative writing rhythm. It doesn’t happen though, so what do you do? Check your email, of course. Responding to a friend’s or colleague’s message is much less taxing than creating an original thought on a blank screen. Then one thing leads to another and viola, you’re suddenly back in the middle of that noisy party again.

Some would say, “Get a grip, girlfriend. Just turn it off. Drop out. Get back to your creative center.

And they would be right.

Well, sort of.

As an author, social networking provides an important outlet for connecting with readers and like-minded writers. Since I joined the world of blogging and social media last year, I have met some truly phenomenal people—people like you—many of whom I never would have met otherwise. For that I am grateful. Your support, enthusiasm, and generosity have added value to my life in ways I never would have imagined. I genuinely enjoy connecting with you.

The problem is that because you have been so supportive and I’ve come to enjoy you so much, I want to reciprocate. I’m interested in what you’re up to and look forward to reading your latest book, blog post, and Facebook entry. I want to comment and share with others how talented you are. I want to send you a virtual high five for receiving a rave review or winning a much-deserved award. Most of all, I want to say, “thank you.”

But all of this takes time, and a different style of writing, which splinters my focus and makes me feel perpetually rushed and distracted. Instead of writing long, delicious prose, I’m focused on writing brief, clever comments, and communicating in 140 characters or less. I no longer lose myself in a story I’m writing, inhaling the details of the imagery, exhaling the textures of the characters and dialogue.

So what’s a girl to do to get her creative mojo back?

The obvious answer is to turn off and drop out, but that’s tough for somebody who likes to mix it up and party with talented people. Perhaps create first, party later? I know what else I must do. It’s what I always do when I need inspiration: read. Finding a calm eddy in the torrent of social media and immersing myself in the world of literary fiction will no doubt stir my creative soul once again.

So tell me, do you feel like social media is killing your creativity? What is your approach to it all? Are you able to participate in virtual social circles, then transition into a different way of thinking and being creative? Drop me a comment. I’d love to know what’s buzzing through your mind.

 

 

61 thoughts on “Is Social Media Killing Your Creativity?

  1. Well put! Hits me where I’m living right now. Always slightly panicked, not enough time, feeling like I’m way behind everyone else in all the social media sites, that I’m missing all this important information. But then my problem in life is about setting boundaries. So here we go again.

    • Thank you, Rossandra. Based on all the comments here, it seems we’re not alone. I’ve taken a step back from social media for a bit, and have found I’ve been much more productive, but it’s hard not to mingle at that great big “cocktail party” on the web. As you put it, it feels like we might miss out on some important information. Setting boundaries helps, but for me it’s even more important to set priorities. I think over time we’ll all start sorting this out so we find a balance. Thanks for taking the time to swing by my blog and leave a comment.

  2. Ah, you can’t tell me you’re writing has been effected, not with this blog. Perfect analogies–cocktail party, stones rubbing together. And look at the responses you’re receiving. Bing! Seems that self-discipline doesn’t always do the job in this case. As you know I tackled the same issue on my blog and the responses have rolled in also. What seems to be operating is something I mention in my post about “continuous partial attention.”
    My husband at Christmas gave me a magnet that says “multi-tasking is for sissies,” and that cracked me up! But now I’m seeing the effect on my writing, creating as you say that loud buzz of many voices all at once and where to turn?
    I’ll be posting in a few weeks with some responses from a few of my favorite writers about what they do to keep the creativity buzzing and the social media under control.
    Thanks for posting this! Keep writing.
    hugs,
    Val

    • Val, after writing my post (and reading yours), it’s now clear to me that MANY writers are grappling with social media and the new demands of being an author. Your post was fabulous–especially your description of “continuous partial attention.” I can’t wait to read your follow-up post. I tried to leave a comment on your blog, but kept getting kicked off. I’ll try again because I really appreciated your approach to it all.

      • Becky, thanks for responding to my blog via yours. (Yes, I have problems with people trying to publish comments on Blogger.)
        I can see by the many people who have responded to your entry and mine that we have hit a nerve.
        If you send me the comment you tried to post to my blog, I will post it for you. My email:
        vjbrooks51 (at) earthlink (dot) net

  3. Wow…You’re right on the money. By halfway through the morning, my head feels as if it could explode. I need to write first thing, before the social media temptations take over. I’ve been visiting some sites that provide prompts and starting that way to get the creative juices flowing. It’s been pretty productive. Short pieces have turned into longer pieces that way, but inevitably… Elayne Boosler wrote a very funny YouTube rap called “Facebook is a Clocksucker.” Ain’t that the truth.

    Very insightful and humorous piece. Now I think I’ll go write something.

    • Writing first is a great (and smart) way to get the day rolling. I’ll have to check out the YouTube piece…after I’m done writing, of course! :-) Thanks for swinging by and leaving a comment.

  4. Really good post….timely and right on. However, I doubt if you’ll have a meeting of the minds on this issue….and it is an issue…one that we as writers definitely have to grapple with.
    In response to the conclusion you drew from your cocktail party metaphor: “It’s also nearly impossible to gather your thoughts to contribute to the conversation in any meaningful way.”
    I am not sure that is the point of social media…I mean: responding to “…to a specific conversation…”
    to contribute…yes. In a meaningful way…yes. But trying to have a conversation with a teaming milieu of voices…..I don’t think so.
    I think the point is to let others see who you are, what you’re interested in, and where you’re “coming from” emotionally, mentally, psychologically, intellectually,
    and/or spiritually, etc. Then if they are attracted to or intrigued by what they see (over a period of time) they can go to your blog or website and find out more. Or message you privately. This works both ways, of course.
    Where this benefits writers is that a helluva lot of people can find out you write, what you write, and what you’ve published. They can then take it from there.
    As far as how much time you spend on SM depends on how valuable you believe it is to you. I value it highly and spend as much time as I can afford utilizing it, always remembering to balance it with my writing which usually 4-5 hours every day.
    And, yes, it can be addicting, but so can chocolate.

    • Nancy, I appreciate your thoughtful contribution to this conversation. It sounds like you’ve found a good balance and use the tools of social media to your best advantage. I agree with you about all the opportunities they afford. I’m just trying to figure out how to squeeze it all in, be a good mom, sleep every once in awhile, and keep my sanity in the process…and oh yeah, write! :-)

  5. Becky, I wouldn’t say killing, so much as slowing down my creativity. I am too easily distracted by social media, including email. When I’m writing I find I have to literally quit these items or my eye will gravitate every time a window pops up indicating I have a message or so-and-so just posted a new status–and forget the Tweet deck! So, close them and get back to writing. There’s a time for everything. And I guess the best thing to do is block out time for social media and keep yourself to that schedule, not a minute more.

    • Sound advice, Monica. Yep it’s all about discipline, focus, balance, and limits. Creating first, and “partying” later, and of course just plain telling yourself to GET BACK TO WORK! Which I’m about to do. Thanks for joining the conversation!

  6. I feel the same way, Becky. When it comes time to focus, I have to force it at times. I also unsubscribe from things a lot because I just don’t have the time to get through all the e-mails. Today, I was gone all day. I came home to 50 e-mails and 14 junk e-mails to go through and it’s taken me hours! And that’s doing very little networking, sharing, writing, commenting back, etc. I just have to pick and choose my priorities based on how much time I have. But I will not give up my relationships with great people I’ve met – like you and your blog. Not unsubscribing. No way! :o )

    • Ahhh, thanks, Cindy. I appreciate it! And yes, it’s all about priorities and doing what you can do, when you can do it.

      Now stop reading this comment and get back to work!

  7. I don’t even tweet regularly and I feel this way. I wonder what we would all be like at a conference with the tag line: “Focusing–for the over-social-mediatized writer?” Would we all be sitting in a room tweeting, checking FB to see who’s thinking about us, or reading our fellow authors’ posts? How about this? Let’s plan a conference in Hawaii, with the caveat being that we have a daily writing quota-words we would then entrust to a buddy for word-count verification that would then qualify us for white-water rafting, sunsets and Mai-Tais? Anyone in?

  8. Yep. Social media is overwhelming me. There are so many interesting articles, blog posts and videos shared that I may have to start avoiding FB and twitter altogether if I want to get some writing done.

  9. Yes, the obvious answer is to stop, and just write. But that’s unrealistic and blows the whole reason for connecting in the first place. I know for myself, it’s a matter of discipline. Lately, I’ve been writing new posts at night AFTER my day’s work. That helps.

    • Oh, that D word just keeps popping up everywhere in these comments! :-) Yes, discipline seems to be the key. It’s funny because that is usually something I have very little problem with in other areas of my life (marathon running will do that to you). Okay, must be disciplined now and get back to writing! Thanks for your comment, Catherine.

  10. Becky, Wonderful post. The whole time I was reading it, I was nodding my head. Yep, that’s me!

    I find myself getting really anxious, with scattered attention, when I spend a lot of time on social media. Yet, part of the joy of blogging for me is to be a part of the community, to read others’ blogs and comment. I also want to respond to each comment on my blog, because that’s where the conversation is.

    But I’m losing sleep and not spending time on my memoir and essay writing. I’m not taking time for the writing sessions that put me in the place where I can make progress on those projects.

    So what to do? I am working on disciplining myself, and I think the best way for me to do it is to come up with a routine that works for me and allows me to give my attention to my priorities. That doesn’t exclude social media; it just puts it in a suitable (for me) space.

    Sitting and reading help me, too, as does meditation.

    Thanks for writing this–you resonated with lots of others!!

    • Thanks for sharing your two cents, Tina. It sounds like you work best in a more linear way, which I can relate to, big time. Social media operates in just about every way but that, so it’s challenging. Add sleep deprivation to it all, and we have a crazy recipe for getting overwhelmed, and/or losing our mojo. I’ve decided I’m going to try taking my laptop to the beach every once in awhile where I don’t have wi-fi and where the blue sky and the sound of waves crashing stirs up a whole like of creativity. We’ll see how that works. If nothing else, it will give me a fresh perspective. Happy weekend to you!

  11. Hi,I hear ya! a couple of weeks ago I wrote about going to Facebook Anonymous meetings because it is cutting into time that could find me working on my art and writing. But, without FB – I wouldn’t have met so many woderful and talented people and I can’t give them up. but I like create and then party! elizabeth

    • Facebook Anonymous. I like that! Perhaps in this recovery program, the first tenant should be, “Create first. Party later.” Based on all the comments here, I think it could be a very popular support group. Thanks for your comment, Elizabeth!

  12. Wow! Look at all the comments! I really don’t seem to have you particular problem with social media, in fact it spurs my creativity on, but I have noticed that I often get so many ideas that I never do much at all, like a deer caught in the headlights sort of thing-for a metaphor!
    I would think that people who share your similar situation with socal media are simply sensitive and yesm it would have to be balanced out and will have to find the happy medium betweem what is too much and whats ok. I really felt your mood with this though which really means you are particularly good with description. SO great article! And keep your balance. :)

    • Samantha, of all the people I “see” online–especially at SheWrites, you amaze me most. I always wonder where you find the time to be so engaged. Do you sleep? And yes, of course it’s balance, like so many people have reminded me. Having said that, it’s time for me to get some exercise, then get to my writing. Thanks for swinging by and leaving a comment!

  13. You can’t possibly respond to all the comments you’re going to get on this one. ;-) . I love the image of being at a cocktail party, bombarded by voices (which perhaps a martini takes the edge off). I think you’re right — the overload threatens to dull the senses, making it all the more difficult to do one’s work. I remember a post you wrote recommending about a half-hour of social media in the a.m. and p.m. Doesn’t quite work for me — I need snippets when I take a break from writing, etc. The point being that when I’m really immersed in what I’m working on, social media takes a back seat. It’s when the work is less than fully compelling that I struggle most with the boundary between the creative tug and the social one. And, of course, there are days when the balance shifts and all I want to do is read, comment, follow fascinating links, share. Off to tweet this terrific post.

    • Maybe that’s what I need to do, mix up some martinis to take the edge off! :-) More likely, I need to follow my own advice and get back to that half hour limit in the morning and evening. I think the tricky part is the immediate nature of social media, and the urgency it creates. I always feel like I should respond to people right away–especially to those who have been supportive and generous with their time for me. It is an interesting phenomenon, the creative tug vs. the social tug. I wonder if people in other art forms feel the same or if it’s especially challenging for writers?

  14. That’s right Becky! The conundrum of social media, it has nearly become a necessity to authors to build a readership. Expected by publishing houses, crucial for independents.

    Professional writers know they need to to show up for work, put in their hours and produce work. Writer, know-they-self is critical. If you can’t check in with twitter, or your email without being pulled into the web of distraction, disciplining yourself to put your work first is your only option.

    I too love the camaraderie I’ve found online and would loathe giving it up. As strict as I am with myself, I still slip into responding a little too much, and reading too many articles and blogs. I, for one, need copious amount of time to think without distraction. If I spend too many hours online, that needed time gets siphoned away from a peaceful nights rest. My mind won’t shut down at night throwing my whole world out of whack, physically and mentally, from lack of sleep.

    I dream of an escape—a month long writing retreat would be ideal. I wish all writers could get away from their lives and live in creative immersion for a while.

    Great analogy Julie. The internet can be a sugary/salty addictive treat that when over-dosed on can make you fat and lazy! Guess I need to go for a walk too.

    • I love your idea of a month long writing retreat and getting away to immerse ourselves in creativity. Unfortunately I don’t think I could pull that off with my family. :-) And sleep…oh sleep. LIke many of us, it seems to be getting more and more elusive as we try to squeeze in more things. But once again, it’s about discipline, balance and prioritizing (which so many people have reinforced here in the comments).

  15. Very true. A very 21st century dilemma!

    But then there are distractions around us all the time. I curse the day job at times, but – like the great people I meet on social media – it’s stimulating and I learn so much from it. It’s life. The other extreme is to be so shut away in our own worlds we forget the life around us – which is the basis of all stories, after all.

    I’m struggling with getting the balance right, too. I’m trying to treat it like all of the other distractions and make a space where I can just crawl inside myself and be the creative me.

    Still working on that one …

    • Indeed, it is a 21st century dilemma. And like many of our other modern issues, it comes down to excess. Everything is Super Sized these days and if we don’t reign it in and keep perspective, we get weighed down by it all. Thanks for comment, Juliet. I appreciate you taking the time to swing by and share your thoughts.

  16. Becky, you’re right. Social media gobbles up our time. But on the other hand, we learn there: from the other writers’ personal experience and from the blogs they read. For me, it’s been a snowball of learning. Since I started reading others’ blogs, I’ve learned so much! About publishing, about writing, about living. I’ve met so many fascinating people on their blogs and networking websites, I don’t begrudge the time I spend there.

    • Olga, I agree about learning from others and meeting fascinating people. I just need to work on finding a balance that stirs my creative soul rather than overwhelms it. Thanks for your comment. It’s always great to hear your thoughts.

  17. It’s hard to find the balance. I write more than one blog, handle 2 twitter, 2 facebook, google+,and 1 linkdin accounts. My husband is a sculptor, and I do beadwork, and also make jewelry. Social media is like the dragon that has to be slayed, everyday. I update twitter and facebook sporadically throughout the day, plus I also have to write blog posts. I enjoy creating and I try to carve out the time most days to do it.
    It seems like you have to dedicate some time to social media or you risk falling off the radar.
    We are leaving tomorrow for a couple weeks and we will be off grid for part of this time. It will be nice and drive me nuts all at the same time.

    • Whew, what am I whining about?! You have your hands full! Enjoy your time off the grid, even if it does make you a little nutty.

  18. Hi Becky,
    I loved the way you tackled this issue in your post today and to me it seems like your creative mojo was in full force for this piece. Many of the issues you raised hit a nerve for me. As we have talked about before, I have struggled with the whole social media thing. I am not convinced that it is a good avenue for everyone. And the jury is still out for whether it works for me and my blog @AfricaInside.Org. I started the site to post the stories about Africa which will be in my book, but I felt compelled to blog just because I had a blog site. I am rethinking this whole thing to make sure the sight works for what I want. When I feel captive to my site, and not the other way around, I loose my creativity too.

    • Thanks, Lori. I’m glad this resonated with you. On one hand I completely see the need for, and opportunities with, social media–especially for indie authors, but like you said, when you begin to feel captive to it, it strangles the creativity right out of you.

      I think, as many people have mentioned here, it’s all about finding the right balance for ourselves. Clearly we are still “works-in-progress.” :-)

  19. I could’ve written this post myself (though not nearly as eloquently :) ), and judging from the comments you have received, there are many people out there who agree with you……..when my involvement in social media becomes a chore instead of a joy, I know I’m in trouble……….the trick for me is to find the right balance with my own writing and other creative pursuits. I’m still working on that

    • Your comment makes me smile. It seems a lot of us struggle with this issue, especially since most of us have a hard time squeezing out enough hours in the day just to write, let alone promote and connect.

      Like you, I’m working on getting the right balance, and making sure I stay healthy and fit in the process. For me that means moving my body, which requires stepping away from my computer for good chunks of time.

      Thanks for your comment, Janet!

  20. So, I am on the opposite end of the social networking spectrum. Being on dial-up here at home is limiting to my time and patience. Really not a bad thing ( I have yet to figure out what tweeting is ). We make choices every minute of the day about where to poke our interest and even without all the interference of social media, I can find lots of things to distract me from my intent of being creative, inspired and/or purposeful throughout my day. Life just seems to get in the way sometimes.
    I would like to say, however, that your post was so very honest, creative and inspired. So perhaps you are more inspired than you really know or believe. And it was, as always, beautifully written. Just keep on posting what is relevant in that very creative mind of yours. It is always wonderful to read. Thank you.

    • Chris, I love your perspective. I’m so glad you shared it. Your comment about dial-up inspired me to ditch my computer for a couple hours, take a printed version of the story I’m working on and head to the beach. I edited with my toes in the sand using a good old fashioned pencil, and I was remarkably productive.

      And you couldn’t be more right about the limitless possibilities of distractions in life, and about the need to make choices. “Focus, focus, focus,” I keep telling myself, “and the mojo will return!”

  21. Oh, this rings painfully true for me, Becky. My challenge this morning is to write an especially emotional post, and when the words weren’t coming quickly enough, what did I do? Skipped right on over to my email – where I found this post of yours. :) And I absolutely agree with you on the gifts of the community we all form out here, how thankful I am to learn from yours and others’ experiences and observations, and what a struggle it is to re-route my creative mind. Thanks for this one, Becky – clearly, we’re all in this together!

    • Well said, Tele. It is a strong community we share. And yes, we are all in this together. I hope you were able to redirect your creative mind after playing hooky reading my blog, and get your post done today! :-) Thanks for stopping by. It’s always great to see you here.

  22. “our senses are being dulled like stones being tumbled along the bottom of a raging river.”
    True. It’s why I limit my online time, and designate one part of the day to it. If that means I miss things, then fine. I have other work to do, children to take care of, etc.

    While I love that I meet so many great people online, there is only so much time in the day, and as someone else already said, you have to be disciplined. Otherwise, you’ll never get anything done, or your mojo back.

    My one suggestion for getting that mojo back is to take some quiet time to just sit. Or go for a walk before you sit down to write anything. Quieting the mind always helps the “muse” to reappear.

    • Tracey, I like your approach–especially when you say, “If that means I miss things, then fine. I have other work to do, children to take care of…”

      Being a mom adds a whole other element to the time squeeze issue, but of course, as you appreciate, there’s no question as to what’s most important.

      Thanks for your comment, and your suggestions. Walking tends to backfire for me, but running helps me focus. I squeezed that in today, then found a pile of quiet, and cranked out a piece that has been dogging me for a long time. Small steps!

  23. I love the feeling of being a part of a seething mass of humanity on social media! Of course, it’s a big part of what I do for a living, so it stands to reason that I should enjoy it. But it is also true that the “chatter” can be distracting. I allow myself to be on social media once or twice a day, and focus on “real” work the rest of the time.

    • Namita, you are totally in your element with all of this. I’m so glad, especially since this is what you do! Your positive attitude puts a nice spin on it for all of us! Thanks for commenting.

  24. Great essay. You nail it, sister! I resisted all of this online chattering for years because I was freelancing and had such tight deadlines I knew it would be disastrous to be on FB, etc. Then in the last year I self-pubbed some novels and suddenly I’ve found my writing time and most importantly my MIND eaten up by social media. I don’t think it’s possible to give it up if you’re an indie author–how would that even work?–but I wish there were some workable strategies for minimizing it. Your metaphors for what this constant roar does to one’s creativity and productivity are perfect. I feel it, too. It can’t be the right way to live and yet it’s hard to walk away from it if you want to get your name and work out there.

    • I’m glad this post resonated with you, Rebecca. Many of us are struggling to juggle it all, especially as we try to figure out ways to connect with readers for our self-published books. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s one perfect solution because every person has a unique approach to work, creativity and life. Damn.

      Kristen Lamb’s comment below has some solid advice on how to manage it though. Take a peek if you haven’t already.

      Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. And thanks for the Tweet today!

  25. Yes and no. Part of this job, at least when we desire to take it to a professional level, requires self-discipline. We have to learn to say no and set boundaries and the same can be said of Facebook and Twitter. Anything to the extreme will hurt our creativity.

    When I see writers whose writing is lackluster and predictable, I know they don’t interact with other creatives. Show me a boring blog and I’ll show you a writer who never reads other blogs. Just like reading books inspires and enriches our fiction, reading other blogs inspires and enriches our blogs. And, now that everyone can be published, blogs are a great way to be successful at writing for a living.

    Social media makes it possible to mingle with the world’s greatest creative minds from home…even if we live in Amarillo, TX.

    Twitter is an amazing time-saver in that we can hone in on the best articles in the industry instead of wasting precious time reading craft blogs written by new writers who couldn’t identify an antagonist in a line-up. We can follow leaders in the industry–agents, editors, publishing houses, NYTBSAs, craft teachers, indie and self-pub experts. Part of our job is understanding our business.

    Also, if we participate in the #s, we can use the group mind. My partners and I were rebuilding a web site and I was trying to convey to the web people the “feel” I wanted. We wanted it to be on the order of Moulin Rouge. Instead of spending hours sifting the web trying to find the correct terms, I tweeted it to the #MyWANA peeps, and, in less than five minutes, I had my answer. Belle Epoque or Art Nouveau.

    So our peeps can often help us when we are stuck, help us get out of our own heads. Social media is just like anything else, a tool or a time-suck. I have met many writers who read fiction all the time, but never write the book. They watch TV and movies non-stop or research–all great tools–but never write the book. The tool is not to blame, the writer is.

    Social media can overwhelm us, but set timers. Do the work first and then indulge. This business is harder than ever. Granted, we have more opportunities, but we have to up our game and the real success is going to come when we can find balance.

    • All great advice, Kristen. Thank you!

      “The tool is not to blame, the writer is.” I couldn’t agree more. And yes, being disciplined and setting boundaries is clearly the answer–as well as not losing sight of one’s goal.

      I discovered your blog not long ago (through a fellow blogging friend) and subscribed. I look forward to reading more of your posts–at least after I’m done with my own work). :-)

      Thanks again for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

  26. Such a great post. I sooo agree with you. I have friend who thrive on social media and it doesn’t inhibit them at all. I think I’m like you. Not only does social media take away from my writing time, it affects it. I also agree that we can’t just go cold turkey (not in today’s market), but perhaps a slowing down and more reading. Yup, definitely more reading. Thanks for the post!

    • Thanks, Trish. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. For me, slowing down and trying to ignore the urgency/immediacy of social media may be the key. It’s easy to forget that a comment or connection is still valid a few hours, or even a day or two later. I always feel like I need to respond IMMEDIATELY. Today’s blog post is perfect example. Normally I would have responded to you right away. Instead, I spent the day writing a piece I’ve been wanting to complete. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to leave a comment. It just means I waited a few more hours to let you know. :-) Thank you! And reading….ahhhh, reading.

  27. In a word, yes. You’ve said exactly what I was thinking yesterday when I tried to write and got nothin’. I would hate to miss out on your wonderful posts, but if I read and respond to all the great writers at work I don’t get my own writing done. I know the answer is to not touch anything online until I’ve written X words or hours each day. It’s kind of like dieting. Some people can allow themselves small treats (social media) and it doesn’t affect their eating plan. Some have that cookie or soda or small piece of chocolate and they’re off and running on every sweet thing out there. I’m finding I’m in the latter category. Now please excuse me while I go out for a long walk and clear my head to write.

    • I love your dieting analogy. I’m clearly an all-or-nothing kind of person too. Thanks for sharing your two cents. I hope your day was filled with lots of healthy writing!

  28. You’ve hit the nail on the head, my dear! I’ve found that social media (for me, it’s mainly facebook) can swallow up hours of my time–time I should be using to write! It truly is addicting, probably because of the instant gratification of knowing that someone out there is “listening” to me and this makes me feel special. It’s also just another form of escape from settling down and getting to work. I don’t think you’ve lost your creative mojo for one second, Becky, as this post was clever, funny, insightful and DELIGHTFUL, just like you. How’s that for instant gratification?

    • Jessica, you are the bomb. THANK YOU for your kind words of support (and for the instant gratification)! This is the first time I haven’t responded to comments on my blog right away, and I have to admit, it felt a little weird. BUT because I didn’t spend the day replying to comments, I knocked out the first draft of an article I’d been struggling with for quite some time. Ahhhh.

Leave a Reply to Chrissy Leonard Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>