The more I try these days, the more I feel as though I just can’t connect with people. My posts went from several hundred likes to less than fifty. I know we aren’t supposed to focus on the amount of likes we get in a day, but as someone that uses their platform for promotion and sales of a self published book it can be very disheartening.

Lately I have been trying to formulate how to connect with people more and what it is that most people want to see. I am an author with a book and I want to share that with everyone but not every minute of an author’s life is fun and enjoyable with great things happening. Often my day is filled with work, kids, cleaning, as much writing as I can slip in, and quality time with my family. Pushing in time to take creative photo’s, read the MILLIONS of books on the most current “TBR” and then review and post about them, coordinate your layout to be seasonal or a structured look, take fun photo’s and video’s of yourself appearing as though you are living your best life; HOLY GODS IT’S ALL CONSUMING. I wonder at times if I am just doing it wrong. Does anyone else feel this way?

Perhaps it isn’t about time so much as it’s about dedicated focus. Now, I do find myself heavily focused when I write. Maybe I just need to add more of that focus into my social media platform. Does strong social media ties really translate into books sold? Honestly, from my experience and what I’ve read, it doesn’t. The focus should be pushed toward marketing and managing the marketing of your book. The social media platform is a place to connect yes, sell some of course, but it’s not your money maker so to speak.

So, all of this is to say, what do I want to use my social media platform for? I don’t think just posting pics and updates about my writing process is really something most people really care about. Maybe a post here and there that is like, ‘oh that is interesting. Cool advice!’ But not everyone REALLY uses social media in that way. I feel like the more I dig into this, the more I am realizing that social media isn’t about talking AT someone but talking TO them. Engaging with them and checking in on THEIR life and experiences and relating to them in that way. It’s an organic process to create, form, and bond with people that you don’t know and most likely will never meet.

Here is what I want to do. I want to connect with people. I want to form relationships and bridge the gap between us through our mutual love of stories, characters, books, and writing. I also want to share my journey as I write this book series. Not really because I feel anyone is anxiously awaiting a post from me about this process, but I do hope that one day I will inspire someone to write their story of the heart.