Can Writers Post GRWM Videos Too?

Observations from my social-media sabbatical

“You should join Facebook.”

I heard this for years. I never had a MySpace page. I joined Facebook 10 years after everyone else. I signed up for LinkedIn because my boss told me to. I never really saw the point. Then I worked more jobs, met more people, moved across the country, and started living that freelance life. I steadily learned to use Instagram to market my business.

This summer I finally took a break from posting on Instagram and Substack, because I knew it would free up time and mental energy while my son was home for the summer. It also gave me a chance to step back and reflect on what I like about posting, what I want to do less of, and what I want to experiment with.

I’m not interested in beating myself up for my screentime numbers. Normally I’m online selling my books, services, classes and events. For better or worse, much of my life is online. It’s where I work, learn, make friends, and get inspired. In the past, I’ve tried Twitter (a toxic black hole), Threads (confusing and shouty), Mastadon (the UI was rough), Geneva (chatty but very limited), Discord (haven’t found my people there), BlueSky (hopeful but snoozy), and LinkedIn (too many over confident think pieces for my taste). I keep coming back to Instagram, and Substack has won me over this last year. I see them as tools that work for where I am and what I want to do, but I don’t want to see what I produce purely as “content.” I’ve tried thinking of it that way, and it’s draining without producing more sales. I try to keep the work I do on Substack and Instagram creative and lively. Does it feel that way to you? I hope so!

I’m sharing my thoughts here, because I like hearing how other people approach marketing their work in 2024. Please know these are more observations than conclusions or declarations. So take what’s useful to you and leave the rest!

Marketing does work—in a roundabout way.

I’ve never gotten to the point where I could say, “If I market X, then I will sell X.” But I have seen time and again that if I market anything, I’ll sell more somethings, might be X, might be something else. Not marketing all summer meant I didn’t get a single new inquiry! I worked with a few existing clients (Love you!), but not one person contacted me out of the blue to see if I was available. And yet I’m confident that as soon as I start posting again, clients of some kind or another will start rolling in again. How does this work? I don’t know. But I know it does.

I don’t want to add to the noise.

I know I’m offering value, and goodness knows I want to shine a light on this glorious community. I’m really proud of what we’re creating here! But being online makes the world feel like it’s full of pushy people who have life totally figured out. I’m really over being told I’m doing life wrong every time I dip a toe online, and I never want to add to that. To keep things sane, I find myself following a couple people I really connect with in different areas of life, and I hope that I can be that for you with writing and creativity.

(✨In case you need a few new follows, these are my current faves for neurodiversity, intuition, manifestation, parenting, energy, burnout, fashion and color, mobility, joy, mindset✨)

I like the fluff.

I don’t want to learn something, analyze something, or respond to some big idea every time I check Instagram or Substack. It’s exhausting. Even when I’m not producing content, I’m still scrolling, and this summer I was drawn to GRWM videos, fluffy animals, Kamala memes, and vibey lifestyle inspo. I want to feel like I’m hanging out with my friends ala

Big Salad

and

Platonic Love

even if we’ve never met or even chatted.

And yet…

I also love when someone dives deep and does some original thinking.

Taylor Sterling

and

Kristen Drozdowski

both do this in every post. When you can introduce me to a world I never noticed, show me how your brain works, and surprise me with a cool connection, I’m positively enchanted.

Mostly I miss the conversations.

When I’m not online as much, I don’t get to chat with friends as much. Honestly I feel a little left out of the conversation. Not that anyone is being unwelcoming! It’s just that my world gets really small really fast if I don’t get to talk with friends online. Magazines barely exist, and I rarely make it out beyond the market or school drop off, so this is how I find out what people are talking about. Sometimes we’re commiserating about heavy topics like the impossibility of finding childcare. Other times we’re trading notes on our new favorite Trader Joe’s snack or sharing how we’re going to celebrate a little win no one else knows about. It’s silly but it sustains me!

I’m doing it my way.

I’ve been using social media to market my work for 10 years now, and the algorithms still feel impenetrable. Here’s what I know right now: Whether you’re reading a blog post, scrolling on Instagram, or listening to me talk at a conference, I want you to think, “Ooh. That sounds good.” I want my content to be light, playful, and encouraging. I want it to be genuinely helpful, but I don’t want it to feel like work (for me or my readers). Is that possible? I’ll be exploring the answer as I return to Instagram and Substack (and occasionally posting on LinkedIn too.) I might even post a GRWM video or two. 🥰

What’s your take on social media these days? Share in the comments, so we can trade notes.

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You can still sign up for Finding Your Star: How to Write a Picture Book for Children! It’s the first live class I’ve taught in quite a while, and I’m looking forward to reading, writing, and dreaming with you. Class starts October 1st.

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If you enjoyed this post, please forward it to your favorite creative mothers. And if you’re a writer on Substack, consider recommending Nebula Notebook, so your readers can join this warm community too.

PS—The fastest way to grow as a writer is to book a manuscript critique or a creative coaching session with an expert.

My clients get agents, sell books, and win awards. They also learn how to find ease and joy in the creative process, so they can keep going when life gets hard.