To Tweet Or Not To Tweet

As a writer, I feel I should like Twitter. Of all the platforms, Twitter seems the most suited for writers.

I’ve just never been much of a social media user. I don’t always know what to say or share, especially online. Sometimes I think about sharing something but then stop myself for some reason.

In a way, tweeting is similar to blogging. I guess I’d rather spend more time writing or reading.

Also, there aren’t enough hours in the day to be everywhere and to do everything.

Perhaps I need to tweet about something unrelated to me. I’m not one to share personal details about myself in real life or on social media.

I’m better at writing than I am at posting. I have no problem drafting a tweet. But sending it out into the world is a different story.

It’s not easy to create content on a consistent basis. It’s even harder when these days almost anyone can criticize you.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get into Twitter. Don’t get me started on Instagram. I suck at social media. Big surprise, I know. So kudos to everyone who doesn’t.

Some days, I wonder if I was born in the wrong era. I need a time machine. Take me back to the days before social media existed.

25 Signs You Might Be A Writer

1. You go on Twitter when you shouldn’t.
2. You cheat on your current work in progress with shiny new story ideas.
3. You bribe yourself to write using cake as a reward.
4. You start eating while working.
5. You make a mess.
6. You watch crumbs fall into the crevices of your keyboard.
7. You talk to yourself.
8. You imagine your manuscripts being turned into movies.
9. You realize that would require you to finish writing your novels first.
10. You love your story but you hate it too.
11. You also have a love-hate relationship with your characters.
12. You want to cuddle your characters, but you need them to suffer too.
13. You enjoy watching people suffer.
14. You roll your eyes when your characters don’t follow your outlines.
15. You wonder if you should even bother outlining in the first place.
16. You don’t listen to other people’s advice.
17. You liking giving advice about writing.
18. You almost never practice what you preach.
19. You stare at people all the time.
20. You consider inserting yourself into a story before thinking better of it.
21. You daydream more than you dream.
22. You know weird facts about random topics.
23. You can procrastinate like a professional.
24. You work way too hard and you’re paid way too little.
25. You write.

The Need To Disconnect And Connect

I feel the need to disconnect all the time, especially in a world where thanks to the internet or social media more specifically, we’re increasingly connected to each other.

Some days I’m better at disconnecting than others. Finding that perfect balance presents a challenge.

Recently, I’ve noticed I’m not able to concentrate as long as I used to.

I remember the good old days where I finished books in one day as I would sit down and read for hours on end. I went without interruptions or distractions for long periods of time.

But now I’ll read for about an hour, feel the urge to check my phone, and ultimately, give in to the temptation. Then I’ll get carried away on Twitter or Instagram. Before I know it, I’ve spent half my day on social media. Hyperbolic statements are part of Herminia’s brand. So is referring to myself in third person.

I realize I may not disconnect as much as I used to, but I do my best. It’s important to step away from the screen. My sensitive eyes appreciate it.

Also, I’ve gotten used to carrying my phone with me everywhere I go. Some days I wonder how I’d survive if I left my mobile at home either accidentally or intentionally.

It’s not easy to disconnect, at least not if you’ve grown up so connected. But the difficulty makes disconnecting that much more rewarding.

If you’re wondering where all this is coming from, I’m currently taking three media classes. For fun, I read a chapter of a book, which discussed how social media has changed our ability to connect and concentrate.

So lately I’ve been thinking about my relationship to media and how it affects my happiness, productivity, etc.

As of right now, I’m ready to disconnect and go to bed. I’ll connect or reconnect with the world tomorrow.

You Are Not

You are not a number on the scale.

You aren’t a grade, a GPA.

You are not how much you make.

You aren’t the number of books you’ve read or the number of articles you’ve published.

You are not the friends you have on Facebook or the followers you gained on Twitter or the likes you get on Instagram.

You aren’t the views on your blog, the subscribers on your channel.

You are not any of these things.

You are so much more.

What Happens Before A Post Is Written

Here’s a list of things that happen before I write a blog post.

• Think about blogging.
• Decide to write a new post.
• Stare at blank page.
• Open three new tabs.
• Check email.
• Check Facebook.
• Check Twitter.
• Thinks about blogging again.
• Decide to write a new post again.
• Check email again.
• Check Facebook again.
• Check Twitter again.
• Close those three tabs.
• Stare at blank page again.

Three Options, Pick One, No Explanation

The title says it all. There are three options, I pick one, but no explanation can be given.

If you don’t care for my answers, cover mine and come up with your own.

Black, blue, red ink?

Black.

Blogging, reading, writing?

Blogging.

Blogger, Tumblr, WordPress?

WordPress.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter?

Facebook.

Poetry, short story, novel?

Reading: novels. Writing: short stories.

I hope you appreciate my laziness. I know I don’t.

Another Writerly “Would You Rather”

Remember when I did a whole slew of “Would You Rather” posts last year? Good times.

I’m bringing the good times back. Kris came up with her own questions and she tagged me to answer them. 

You can find her post here.

Would you rather…

Drink coffee or tea?

I run on water. But between the two drinks, I’d have to say tea. To be fair, I don’t think I’ve ever had coffee in my eighteen year lifespan.

Write a series in the same world or create a new world with every novel? 

Create new worlds. I get bored easily. Too easily.

Write a short story a week or one novel a year?

Probably a short story a week and then combine them all into a novel. In all seriousness, I’d write more if I wrote one short story a week as opposed to a novel a year.

Type or write longhand?

I think the appearance of my right hand gives it away.

Write play scripts or comic books?

Scripts. I’ve written scripts before but not comics.

Have more of an author presence on Twitter or Tumblr?

I have more of a presence on Tumblr because I’m horrendous with Twitter. But I’d like to be better.

Use your real name or a pen name?

I’m too vain to use a pen name.

Have your book become a movie or a television show?

Probably movie even though a TV show would be super cool. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.

Read your writing aloud to a roomful of loved ones or strangers?

Without a doubt, strangers. Stranger danger doesn’t exist to me.

Write in silence or with noise/music?

Music please. I write in silence when the mood strikes me.

Have an entire day of uninterrupted writing time or write in short bursts of time?

Short bursts. An entire day of anything is too much.

Be a main character in a romance novel or an action novel?

Action. Action. Action.

Write about the past or the future?

Future. Who wants to drag up the past anyway? Not me.

Be the lesser-known coauthor of a bestseller or the sole author of an average-selling book?

This is tough. Probably sole author of an average-selling book. Again vain. I want my name and my name only all over the book.

Meticulously plot out every aspect of your novel or just wing it?

I wing more than I plot. That might explain why my stories lack plot. A plot is non-existent as well.

I tag all your beautiful bodies and brains.

Thanks Kris. You saved me from coming up with a blog post idea today.

I Know Very Little

I’m not ashamed to say I know very little about a lot of things in this world.

I didn’t know you could undo your retweets on Twitter until today.

Did you know that? Of course, you did.

Where have I been? Not on Twitter clearly.

You learn something new every day when you know almost nothing.