OPEN LETTERS
Dear Rude Facebook Groupers Who Clap but Don’t Read
This is my clap back before I wash my hands of you
Dear Trigger-Happy Clapper,
Yes, you.
Sometimes fellow group members say they’ve read your hard-earned work, then your stats page slaps you with disappointment.
You hate it too, don’t you?
These groups are meant to be a place where writers can read each other’s work, maybe share their thoughts, and even start following you on Medium to satisfy their newfound curiosity about you.
It’s not an invitation to highlight, clap and leave like you always do.
That magic wouldn’t exist had it not been for groups like this. You just wipe your ass with it — then expect me to read yours.
I know we just met, but don’t assume I’m a moron who can’t decipher their stats. Sorry, dear. The numbers don’t lie — you do.
If you’re not willing to spend 2 minutes to even gauge what I’m writing about, then please don’t applaud. Those metrics mean nothing to me.
I’ve started curating my posts in an effort in to shut out your kind, but I’m starting to wonder if you even read those.
Where is the concept of “giving as good as getting” I’d half expected from these groups? Was I just here to watch the light fade from its eyes? I think it’s time I abandon these two-faced charades and “Leave Group” you.
I can’t help but feel bad for newcomers expecting genuine human connection. To find — and frolic with — their tribe.
How disappointed they’ll be to find you.
You see, writers wanting to make it online sit on a rowboat together. They all want the same thing: to safely navigate whatever the ocean throws at them to reach the oasis just beyond the horizon.
We all lean to steer it through turbulence. If you’re not willing to shift your weight to where it’s needed, you’re just dead weight.
Be careful you don’t get thrown overboard.
Not your friend, Rose
Are you a writer looking for your tribe? Love to read? Want full access to Medium? I’ve got you covered.
