In light of Facebook's most recent epic fail, it has become apparent that even though I can't quit Facebook, I should put a few eggs in a few other baskets—diversify my social media portfolio a LITTLE, as it were. I don't quite have the kind of public profile I can just post something and it will go viral on its own as people share it hither and yon, so I have to do a lot of that effort myself. And Facebook views me ROUGHLY the same way the shark does one of those little fish that clean out the spaces between their teeth. Maybe not quite like an absolute parasite, but nothing they actually care about as long as there's an endless supply to exploit.
These aren't huge changes to how I've been operating, but they're designed to generate a little more buzz on sites like Twitter or Tumblr, and I'm going to be bringing my group's posting up to speed whether or not my page decides to follow.
Interested in following Writing About Writing? Or Chris Brecheen as a writer?
If you're trying to follow Writing About Writing (or if you are trying to follow ME as a writer), it might actually be confusing to navigate all the different ways I am online and what goes where.
Writing About Writing is on several social media, but each medium is updated a little bit differently. Some get every post I make, no matter how major or minor. Some media are privy to a cycle of "reruns" where most days I cycle through the popular posts of the past so that new folks can see old posts they may have missed (and old fans can be reminded of treasured classics).
Some social media have different signal-to-noise. Some I update in other capacities. Some are fire and forget. In some, I post my writing that is not "about writing," like the blog NOT Writing About Writing. Other places, more strictly ABOUT writing, pretty much keep it to this blog and it's updates along with macros, puns, and "You should be writing" memes.
Here are a few questions I get a lot:
What should you follow if you want to see everything I write?
If you like me this much, you probably want My Public Facebook Page. Follow it (or friend it if you check out the guidelines below). Though be warned that it can sometimes be like drinking from a fire hose. I will post everything I write, including reruns, but I ALSO post navel gazing, proto-posts, Jack-Handy-caliber deep thoughts, amateur political punditry, social justice thoughts, macros, silliness, and geekery.
What should you follow if you basically want all the official posts I write, but not a bunch of crap about politics, video games, my day, or social justice?
You want My Twitter. Every post from every blog plus the reruns, and really only a few of the best writing memes A) I cross post everything I write to Twitter, but B) I don't post a LOT more there. So it is perfect noise-to-signal if you only want to see my finalized writing.
What should you follow if you basically want the Writing About Writing blog, but almost nothing else.
You want the Writing About Writing Group. TWO posts most days (one new and one rerun). There is one meme (but only one) that is the prior day's best from the page. I almost never post from my other writing, and I almost never post more than one meme.
What should you follow if you basically want memes, puns, articles, and "you should be writing" reminders and don't really care about reading my blog?
Okay, that's cool. No no. It's fine. Really. While I put some aloe on this burn, you want the Writing About Writing page. Lots of memes, macros, puns, and comics and it's easy to scroll past the occasional post from my blog.
What should I do if I want all of these things?
Follow the Writing About Writing Facebook Page, The Writing About Writing Facebook Group, and my Public Facebook Page. Then go to the following button on the page and set your preferences to "See First." I will warn you that you may see some repeat posts, but this if you want to miss the fewest things I post, this is the way.
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| All nearby Mandalorians in unison: "This is the way" |
The "Join this site" button on the left, toward the bottom of this (and every) page.
Following Writing About Writing through Google's Blogger allows you to assemble a collection of blogs you follow. Most people following the blog this way have their own blog through Blogger, but it's not necessary. (You only actually need a Google account, which many people have through Gmail.) You will be notified when I write a new post.
Pros- Shows all updates (minor and major). Updates in a timely manner.
Cons- No reruns. No posts from any other venues. Blogger usually takes a few hours to get the latest post up.
R.S.S. Feed
Note: Google has recently discontinued FEEDBURNER (or is about to soon—I get a lot of emails but I haven't read the latest ones), but if you still want an RSS and/or email feed, here is a page of alternatives.
If you have an RSS reader, you may like to simply be updated by having your RSS feed updated with the text of my latest post. If you click on the Feedburner button AT THE BOTTOM of the page, you can subscribe to Writing About Writing through a number of RSS readers including FeedDemon, Netvibes, My Yahoo, Shrook, NewsFire, RSSOwl and more.
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| One of many Feedburner alternatives at the link above. |
Pros- Shows all new updates (major and minor). Updates instantly.
Cons- RSS feed does not include reruns (even the Greatest Hits I like to cycle through). No posts from other venues. Many RSS readers are JUST text, so you won't see the images that are part of the posts. Also, if you get a little behind on your feed, catching up feels Sisyphean and knowing the next update is coming feels like the sword of Damocles. (Gotta get my Greek metaphors on.)
Email Notification
At the bottom of the right side of the page, there is an option to put your email into a text field and subscribe to W.A.W. through email notifications. Every time I post an update, you will be sent an email notification containing a link to the post. I've been told that there's even some preview text (the first 200 words or something).
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| Easy peasy lemon squeezy |
Pros- Shows all new updates (minor and major). Updates right away.
Cons- No reruns. No posts from other venues. You probably already get ten billion emails a day.
(That heading is the link to my twitter--just click on it)
I was off Twitter for a while when they were making excuses for not banning Nazis. They seem to have pulled back from that position and are now basically as horrible as most other social media, and sometimes outdistance even FB in not sucking ass, so I opened a new account. It's tweet of my blog posts (and reruns). But I also include images of memes that are getting a lot of attention or the occasional joke that fits in the 280 character format.
Pros- Gets all written posts by Chris (reruns, new, other blogs, everything).
Cons- Gets only a little of anything else.
(That heading is a link)
W.A.W.'s Facebook page is its whole own thing.
In order to build an audience on Facebook, I spend a lot of time posting memes, macros, "you should be writing" reminders, inspirational messages, videos, and whatever thing about writing I find interesting and want to share.
This may seem counterintuitive, but I actually try NOT TO POST TOO MUCH FROM MY BLOG. The audience I've spent years carefully cultivating will not stick around if things get spammy. Most of the FB audience is there for the shenanigans, not the blog cross-posting.
You can increase your chances of seeing posts by setting the page to "see first," but you'll never see everything……because Zucc. FB does something horrible frequently enough that if I could som
You can increase your chances of seeing posts by setting the page to "see first," but you'll never see everything……because Zucc. FB does something horrible frequently enough that if I could som
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| Click "See first" to see more. But because FB wants page admins paying money nothing you do will ever get you everything I post. (You have to visit the page periodically and go through our history for that.) |
Pros- Lots of other fun stuff going on.
Cons- Lots of other stuff going on which. Also the FB algorithm prevents page followers from seeing every post so some W.A.W. posts will get lost. Not a good place to get all the blog updates if you want them. Enjoying anything on FB requires a shower with steel wool and industrial cleanser. Facebook is the Antichrist.
(The heading is a link)
I joined Tumblr after Facebook's latest round of content throttling. Then Tumblr started doing it too and THEN they axed LGBTQIA+ content because of overkill compliance with Fosta/Sesta. These days I'll post all my blog stuff (reruns too) including from the non-writing blog, and a few of my well received memes very similar to my FB group except more memes and I sometimes I share other Tumblrs or something a little social justice-y.
Pros- Blog posts from all locations. Best meme of the day.
Cons- Somewhat limited presence on Tumblr. And I share other Tumblr posts about social issues from time to time.
(The heading is a link)
Different from the FB page, the Facebook GROUP will only have the blog posts (usually two a day) and a single macro/meme/infographic that is kind of like "The prior day's best."
Pros- Mostly just blog cross posts. (Reruns and current.) Once-a-day "best of" macro/meme.
Cons- Nothing else.
(The heading is a link)
My Public FB profile is a melange of personal updates, posts about politics and social issues, geekery, things I find about non-monogamy, introversion, and pop culture. But it will also include some "behind-the-scene" thoughts about writing, running a page, and the creative process. (And sometimes complaining about some of the people I run into on the page itself.) If you wish there were more "Social Justice Bard" posts, this is a place where you can read the proto-versions of some of them as well as the ones that never make it to the blog.
You might want to follow for a while and decide IF you want to send me a friend request. I'm definitely not everyone's cup of tea with the geekery and the social justice stuff. 99.9% of my posts are public, so you really wouldn't be missing anything except the ability to comment.
If you don't care for my (very) occasional social issues post on other social media, you will like my profile even less. I write about that stuff almost daily. I can be a bit much for people. I post a lot.
I have a Commenting Policy for this profile. You should read it before charging in. ESPECIALLY before charging into a contentious post.
If you do want to "FRIEND" me, send me a PM with your request. (Don't worry, I check my "Message Requests" inbox at least once a day.) That account gets around 100-200 friend requests a week. I reject most of them because I don't know if they're there to try and rent my page or just pick a fight in the comments. So send me a message along with the request.
Pros- See more of "me." Get "behind the scene" updates. See "alpha" versions of posts and thoughts that never quite make it.
Cons- I post a LOT. I am not shy about my liberalism/leftism.
(The heading is a link)
Yes, I even have an Instagram. It gets a couple of memes each day and a very occasional link to my blog on some super relevant picture, as well as the the occasional selfie (although self-promotion demands that I point out my Patreon selfie tier is still the best way to get those and nature pictures I take with my snazzy camera).
(The heading is a link)
Though Patreon is less of a social medium, my patrons do get pictures and content through various tiers that are not available to anyone else. Newsletters, early access to posts, and the occasional post about what's going on that my regular readers aren't privy to.
Others?
I would love if something could replace Facebook. Anything. Right now, though, I am fettered there. For all its throttling and trying to squeeze blood from my stones, and even restricting my account for no reason and not telling me why, Facebook is what has made it possible for me to be a working writer.
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