Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Line in the Sand

Okay, reasonable or not, I'm drawing a line in the proverbial publishing sand. I've thought, considered, rethought, reconsidered, and have come to the conclusion...I just can't do it.

Yes, I'm aware it might hurt my long term success as an author. Yes, I'm aware it might make the readers unhappy or look in other direction.

I. Just. Can't. Do. It.

Twitter.

I can't - no won't - do Twitter.

I'm all for the authors who have the time, talent, and personality to join and converse on it. I can't, don't, and won't.

Other responsibilities don't allow enough time to hang out there. After a full work week, the time spent with my husband, kids, family, and friends are limited enough. Then I have my writing time, which I ensure eats into my personal and sleep time. That personal time, the slim hours I have to relish in me is taken up by hiking, kayaking, beach trips, photograph, writing, and my blogging here.

After all that, I just don't have the time to dedicate to starting a twitter account and maintaining the fast flow of that Internet river (rapid river, might I add).

Yes, we all must strive to grow, but we have to remember limitations. Limitations aren't just those things you aren't capable of accomplishing. They are things you decide not to accomplish. Boundaries, if you like that term for it better.

A plate is a plate. You are the keeper of that plate and must decide what works and doesn't work for that plate's content. Anything and everything can give you some sort of substance. You have to decide what kind and amount of substance it will be. There is nothing wrong with passing by a selection in life to maintain the prosperity, happiness, and fullness of your chosen plate.

I'm very, very happy with my plate and its content as it is now. It's full, but manageable with the substances that matter most to me. Twitter isn't the only "selection" I've passed. Promotions, great job opportunities, big moves...the list is endless in my many years of life.

Huh, I guess I've mixed my analogies a bit. Sand in line to plate content. Oh well, you get my drift.

What is your line in the sand, or substance you've passed to maintain your plate? Are there things you want to remove or reduce on your life plate?

11 comments:

  1. Your plate sounds like mine - the contents of a thanksgiving day platter precariously balanced on one of those styrofoam plates with all the dividers molded right into it. There's only so much mounding over those dividers you can do before that styrofoam starts to give, and oh boy, then you've got a mess all over your lap.

    I abstain from Twitter for the same reason. And countless other internet crazes that people keep offering to shove onto my plate. Facebook and a blog I can handle, beyond that I've got no room for dessert and darn it, I like to enjoy dessert.

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  2. I used to feel just like you about Twitter. There's so much else to do, and it moves so fast!

    Anyway, I got a tweet scheduler, and I put everything in for a week at a time. I do go to Twitter really quick a couple times a day to see if there's anything directed at me, but most of it is automatic.

    It's hilarious, in a sad way; I think a lot of people do the same thing, and in my mind, it's turning into a bunch of computers talking to themselves.

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  3. I abstain from Twitter, too. It makes me feel all panicky and stressed out to even think about starting up a Twitter account. I think it's possible to be so busy with marketing that you no longer have the time to write another book!

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  4. Like this confession A.R. When we overbook ourselves, I believe the quality of the work goes down and becomes less enjoyable to perform. Good for you to notice how much is too much!
    *hugs*

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  5. Yeah, I'm staying away from twitter, too. I just can't afford to allocate any of my time to something like that. I already have way more than enough to do and get way less writing done than I want.
    No twitter for me.

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  6. Phew! I'm so glad I'm not the only one.

    Maria, that is scary! LOL, will be scarier when they start replying to each other with your alls prompts!

    I'm so with you Jean. Desert is fabuloso and twitter is just NOT desert.

    It's amazing how much eats into your writing time. Good and bad and indifferent.

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  7. Oh for Pete's sake. Could I do anymore spelling errors than I just did?

    Maria, I meant "...start replying to each other withOUT all your prompts."

    And desert wouldn't be good (no sand for me thank you.) Dessert, on the other hand, would be fan-freakin-tastic...ugh!

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  8. I'm with you on this, AR. I don't do Twitter. It's hard enough to find time to write. We have two daughters with special needs, I babysit for my grandson 2-3 days a week plus when I don't, I have a seasonal job. Great topic and blog post!

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  9. I'm not sure where I'd draw my line. I'm already so busy with work and my daughter that I have little time for my own interests. I'm having a hard time finding time for writing. But I use Twitter and Facebook for advertising my blogs. I also use Twitter to talk to other people. I have no problems with it.

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  10. Good for you for knowing your limits. I totally understand, and this is why my line in the sand is one blog. I know a lot of authors who belong to several, but I just can't and won't commit to that. One is enough. :)

    Angela

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  11. Oh my goodness Diane! That is a full plate. (I can't wait until the day I have grandbabies to babysit!!! Though later, much later, since my oldest is only 17.)

    I am in awe to you Jay Dee. Maybe it's because I was the awkward marching band geek in high school (tuba at that). The large, fast group discussions always unnerve me.

    Thanks Angela. I enjoy blogging and participate on a couple different blogs. If I didn't do that I *might* have time to twitter...nah, probably not. With blogging, I can take my time, research, and give a thoughtful post (okay, not always thoughtful, sometimes off-the-wall or weird).

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