Five Things I’ve Learned From My Social Media Cleanse

By Nicole Meier

Last September during the launch of my third novel, I found myself hosting three Facebook pages, a Twitter feed, an author newsletter, and an Instagram account. Thanks to an amazing publicist and a passionate community of #bookstagrammers, news of my release traveled fast and I soon found myself engaged in bookish conversations across several platforms.

The buzz was humbling, exciting, and so much of what an author hopes for when she sends a new book out into the world. I spent my days in a dizzying juggling act managing one social media account to the next, posting and reposting all the good stuff related to my launch. The entire affair set me on a thrilling kind of high. I was really happy.

Until suddenly I was not.

Still in my pajamas well after noon and hunched over the umpteenth cup of coffee, I stared at my computer with contempt. I missed my fiction writing and journaling. Spending so much time online had pushed out room for much else. Rather than enjoying social media interactions, popping in from time-to-time to say hello (like a normal person), I’d made myself beholden. What started out as casual social engagement, swiftly turned into an obsession. My priorities had become lopsided.

Something needed to change.

So with an inspirational boost from Cal Newport’s book, Digital Minimalism, I proclaimed a two-month long social media cleanse. It was abrupt and scary, but I was ready to shake things up. I cleared my phone of all social media apps and removed similar access from my computer dashboard. With much determination, I was able to step away and take a break. 

Here are five things I’ve learned from my social media cleanse:

1. I Didn’t Lose Followers

When I first revealed the news of my intended cleanse, a friend who works in PR expressed concern. My book had just launched after all, and going offline could prove ill timed. My sales might be negatively affected. What would my publisher say? It was a risk for sure. I worried readers would forget about me or be irritated that I wasn’t communicating.

But as I nervously posted an explanation as to why I was temporarily unplugging, emails and responses of encouragement began to flood in. Readers and friends expressed kindness and understanding. Almost all of them confessed that that they too wished for a vacation from the noise. Because of our shared desire, I suddenly felt a new connection to so many of them. They promised to be there when I returned. And you know what? They were true to their word. Across all platforms, my numbers didn’t drop.

2. My Creativity Reignited

I recently heard an interview where Deepak Chopra claimed, “I think people just recycle what everybody else is saying. That’s why there’s very little creativity.” This statement rang true to me, considering how much I allowed the media to infiltrate my daily life. As a writer, that notion is frightening. My career relies on coming up with new plot twists, unique story telling, and inventive ways of expressing myself.

This is why it was important to get quiet and listen to the sound of my own voice again. So I purposefully changed my habits. I made a concentrated effort to spend any free time journaling, plotting, and summoning my imagination. The result was fifteen new chapters of a work in progress, a notebook full of writing intentions for the New Year, and catching up on craft articles and webinars that piqued my interest. I also got together with my neighbors and established a Little Free Library for our community. My creative well was refilled.

3. The Cogs in the Publishing Wheel Kept Turning

I’m fortunate enough to be backed by a publisher. So much of my effort in reaching this stage involved honing my craft, getting involved in the writing community, and investing in my author career like it was a small start-up business. This included a lot of marketing and planning. All the work I’d done to set up events had been put into motion well before my book launched. This also goes for the work my publisher and publicist did.

Thankfully when I stepped away from my devices, the marketing continued to happen. Some nice promotions came my way. (It’s here where I’ll confess that I briefly jumped online to post a couple of fun eBook deals. Then I quickly got right back off.) My book wasn’t forgotten.

4. It Affected My Kids

This is a personal one. I have three teenagers who are on their devices as much as the next kid. My announcement to take a digital break was originally met with skepticism at the dinner table. About a month into my program, however, my seventeen-year-old daughter asked me to read her homework. I was stunned when she handed over a five-page thesis paper about the effects of social media on happiness (or lack thereof).

She’d taken it upon herself to research the books I’d mentioned and made the correlation between happiness and creativity that comes from a healthy balance around social media. She’d been listening. My other two kids also seemed to back off from time spent on their phones. This was a benefit I hadn’t expected. I’m so grateful.

5. I Don’t Have to Do It All

Looking back, I realize committing myself to nearly every platform of social media wasn’t smart. It’s true that each space has its purpose; Twitter forges wonderful connections in the writing community, Facebook helps authors and book clubs come together, and Instagram offers a fun way to peek into the world of book bloggers and other creatives.

But in order to be effective and truly present, it’s best to pick one and stick with it. In my opinion, certain social media platforms have sadly turned into political battlegrounds and the environment has grown toxic. I’ve decided I don’t need this kind of noise in my life. At least not online.

I’d rather have a two-sided dialogue in person with members of my community. Instead, I plan to carefully curate sources of inspiration and camaraderie in select spaces. I mean to do this with intention and balance. Now I no longer feel the need to be everywhere at once. I look forward to re-joining social media soon. I hope you’ll meet me there.

—

Nicole Meier is the author of The Second Chance Supper Club, The Girl Made of Clay, and The House of Bradbury. She’s a native Southern Californian who pulled up roots and moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband, three children, and one very nosey Aussiedoodle. You can find her on Instagram @nicolemeierwrites.

 

Find out more about Nicole on her website https://www.nicolemeierauthor.com/

THE SECOND CHANCE SUPPER CLUB, Nicole Meier

Two estranged sisters reunite in an emotional novel of family, forgiveness, lost hope, and new beginnings.

They had a forever bond, until a sudden tragedy thrust them apart. Now, each at a crossroad in her own life, two sisters’ paths are about to intersect.

Broadcast journalist Julia Frank has it all: a career, an ambitious fiancé, and the hard-won respect of her peers. Until a ruinous decision destroys her reputation, puts her job at risk, and sends her reeling toward the only soul left to turn to: her estranged sister, Ginny.

The owner of a clandestine supper club hidden in the Arizona desert, Ginny Frank has a lot on her plate. The last thing she wants is more drama—or the burden of nursing her younger sister’s wounded ego. But family is family. Besides, Ginny can use the help in more ways than one, and she’s going to make sure Julia pulls her weight.

As a tenuous reunion reopens old wounds, Julia and Ginny have no choice but to confront the pain and betrayals of the past. Will working to keep the secret supper club running be just what they need to find common ground and a path toward forgiveness, or will the increasing stress push them even further apart?

This heartwarming story of two headstrong women who relearn how to listen to one another will delight fans of Mary Simses and Nina George.” —Booklist

“In Nicole Meier’s third novel, the scent of sagebrush and mesquite leaps off the page, as does a complex, rich relationship between two sisters. This is a devour-in-one-sitting read that is as atmospheric as it is emotionally resonant.” —Michelle Gable, New York Times bestselling author of A Paris Apartment and The Summer I Met Jack

“Sisterhood is rewarding, but intricate, and second chances don’t come easily. In this moving tale, Meier brings these ambitious, complex characters to life and sets them on an emotional journey toward honesty and acceptance.” —Sonja Yoerg, Washington Post bestselling author of True Places

“The Second Chance Supper Club is as warm and comforting as one of chef Ginny’s signature dishes. Meier writes with insight and heart, offering readers a vivid peek at the intriguing world of private supper clubs in this life-affirming story of three women reconnecting with the ones who matter most.” —Amy Mason Doan, author of The Summer List and Summer Hours

“The Second Chance Supper Club is a book to be savored. Meier expertly weaves the stories of two grieving sisters with humor, tenderness, and hope. Upon finishing this scrumptious book, I felt as one would feel after a good meal: satisfied but wishing I could take just one more bite.” —Jennifer Gold, author of The Ingredients of Us

BUY THE BOOK HERE

 

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips