Summary

The author is conflicted about joining Twitter for content promotion due to concerns over mental health and time management, despite recognizing its potential benefits for networking and visibility.

Abstract

The author, who is 25 years old, reflects on their reluctance to use Twitter for promoting their writing, despite being aware of its potential benefits. They have previously avoided social media due to its negative impact on mental health, citing research linking heavy social media use to depression, anxiety, and other issues. The author has experienced increased productivity and reduced anxiety since deleting their Facebook and Instagram accounts. However, they acknowledge that almost every writer they follow on Medium uses Twitter, suggesting its value in content promotion and community building. The author is particularly drawn to the idea of connecting with other writers and potentially finding clients through social media. Yet, they remain hesitant, concerned that Twitter will consume their time and energy, distracting them from their preference for reading and solitude. Despite these reservations, the author has taken the step of signing up for Twitter but remains uncertain about how to effectively use the platform without becoming deeply engaged in it.

Opinions

The author believes that the negative effects of social media on mental health are often ignored, despite substantial research indicating its dangers.
They have personal experience with social media causing anxiety and decreasing attention span.
The author values productivity and has found that removing social media from their life has contributed to a less stressful existence.
They recognize the professional utility of social media, particularly Twitter, for networking with other writers and promoting content.
The author admires writers who successfully manage multiple social media platforms but feels overwhelmed by the prospect of doing the same.
They are skeptical about the impact of joining Twitter on their work, fearing it will become a time-consuming distraction.
The author has made a tentative step towards using Twitter for professional reasons but seeks advice on how to do so efficiently without falling into the trap of excessive use.

Why I Don’t Promote My Work on Twitter Even Though I Want To

I don’t think I really want to

I recently came across an article by Jae Nichelle on ways to promote your writing if you hate social media. I instantly thought that’s it. I knew there was a reason I was putting off making Twitter and Pinterest accounts, joining Facebook and Instagram. This is what I not only want but really need.

But sadly, the article just was not for me. I learned two things though- start an email list and learn SEO. I have done neither till now. I will do it within 7 days. I am sure. I think.

I have to make social media accounts, though. Soon.

Why I don’t have social media

I am 25-years-old and I don’t have social media accounts. I don’t like the effects of social media. I think we all ignore the negative effects it has on our mental health. There is so much research that shows just how dangerous it can be, but we still ignore it.

Multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.

I don’t have all these issues. But that doesn’t mean I want to wait till I have these to stop. I have noticed that social media causes me anxiety and sometimes I get depressed too. So it’s enough for me to stop. Removing social media has increased my productivity and reduced my anxiety.

My attention span decreased a lot when I was a regular user of Instagram. I already daydream as it is, it became worse with time. I had Facebook and Instagram account, but I deleted those. I deleted Facebook back in 2017 and Instagram one month ago. I have never used Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, etc.

People in my life say I am antisocial. But I don’t mind. I talk to people I care about daily. I keep in touch with them even when I am busy. I am happy. Removing social media from my life has made it much less stressful.

Even when I had Instagram, I was not a regular user. I have posted 7 photos in 5 years and the only people I follow or accept a request from are people I know and like. That meant very low followers. None of my photos had even 30 likes. It was never an issue for me. But reels on Instagram are very addictive, and I wasted a lot of my time scrolling endlessly.

Disclosure — I had created an Instagram account for my art stuff in 2020. It became more about the number of followers than it was about my work. The focus was not on enjoying what I was doing but on how many likes and followers I was getting.

Why I think I should join Twitter

According to Statista, In 2020, 80% of the population in the United States had a social networking profile. Almost every writer I follow on Medium has a Twitter account.

If they are using it, then it should have added some value to their work. I’ve seen lots of writers on Medium who are very active on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Tom Kuegler is on Instagram (21k followers), Facebook (500k followers), Twitter (2k followers), LinkedIn (13k followers). It’s in his bio on Medium. I didn’t stalk him on every platform. I think he is very hardworking. Managing so much seems impossible to me, but he’s doing it so well.

So I want to join social media to promote my content. I am very new at writing and I don’t know how helpful it will be, but I think it’ll be a good way to get some external views and maybe in the future, to get clients.

Actually, there is one more reason. It will help me socialize with other writers. It’s good to have a community. My friends are not into writing. I’ve not even told them I am writing. So, it will be good to have some friends in the writing community. It’s hard for me to make friends, so maybe if I have any social media account, I will find someone there.

Why I still am not using creating a Twitter account

I am a pro-con list person. So, before deciding I have to have a list. I have a list for this issue too, and I keep adding to it. But I know I am just procrastinating. I don’t want to decide.

The pros I can think of are — I know it's helpful to promote my content if I have a social media account.

That’s it. I can’t think of anything else.

But I have seen the negative effects of social media. That is why I uninstalled Instagram and Facebook. I don’t want to go there again with Twitter this time. It will take a lot of my time and energy. I am no social media expert, but I think I will have to post regularly and engage with people. I just want to read books in my room. I didn’t know that writers have to socialize too.

P.S. — I signed up for Twitter. I don’t think it's going to make much impact on my views because I don’t use it. You can check it out and please give me some tips on how to use it without spending time on it.