I have a weird way of doing Facebook and Twitter. I am sure there are many out there who are devoted readers of both. After all, if you are following somebody it SHOULD be for a reason, like you enjoy their art or comments or inspirations. That is why I follow bloggers and tweeters.
Having TIME to read all the posts, however, is daunting.
My look-at-twitter-time is usually lunchtime, when I get home from work, and before I go to bed. My look-at-Facebook-time is usually at lunchtime or when I get home from work before I start writing. I must limit myself to those time or else I’ll never get anything else done — housework, writing, and all.
That’s why my method of reading posts makes me chuckle.
Instead of flipping through page after page after page after page (you get it) of tweets or blogs I often just go to a person’s name and read everything they’ve done recently. Even long ago, if I’m on a roll.
That’s why I’m certain those I follow are surprised with a comment months later. Like “Where has that chick been?” But I have found that you get a better feel for that person when you read a number of their posts in a row.
Many of us are pretty predictable with our postings, but now and then we throw something in that seems to have nothing to do with our persona. But it does — more than you realize. Someone who writes serious material all the time can surprise you with an attempt at humor. Inspirationalists who always quote someone else catches you when they quote themselves.
To me, social media is a monster that’s out of control. Too much credit is given to online stories with no face or accountability to go with them. Sometimes we just have to dig our heels in and say enough is enough. To say I like you and what you write, and I will come and visit you whenever I can, but don’t be mad at me if I miss some posts.
I used to want dozens of likes and dozens of retweets. But Earth to Claudia came pretty quickly, though. Check out these statistics.
Total number of registered Twitter users — 695,750,00
Total number of active Twitter users — 342,000,000
Average number of tweets per day — 58 million
Number of active Twitter users every month — 115 million
Number of days it takes for 1 billion tweets — 5 days
Number of tweets that happen every second — 9,100
Source: http://www.statisticbrain.com/twitter-statistics/
Total number of Facebook users — 1.94 billion
Total number of mobile Facebook users — 1.74 billion
Total number of likes and shares — 10 million daily
Number of new profiles created — 5 per second
Total photo uploads to Facebook — 300 million per day
Comments posted — 510,000 every 60 seconds
Status updated — 293,000 every 60 seconds
Photos uploaded — 136,000 every 60 seconds
https://zephoria.com/top-15-valuable-facebook-statistics/
So come on. How many people do you think will read your posts? How many will retweet your tweets? Find a formula of reading and writing that works for you and forget the numbers. I myself like trolling down my lists of whom I follow and picking a name and reading a bunch of their posts. I like commenting on them, too, so they know someone’s passed by. Makes them feel good — and makes me feel good, too.
And isn’t that what writing’s all about?
Humoring the Goddess 
I think we all have to get to that point sooner or later. At one time I had visions of being a published author, having a big busy website, tens of thousands of followers. But that’s a hard act to keep performing all the time, and I realize there are other things that are important in my life too, like grandkids, writing, and walking. I do add new blogs or twitter accounts now and then, but I want to do honor to those I’ve said I’d follow. And if they do me the honor of reading my thoughts, it’s a good day. Right?
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Reading is mostly done by chance. Or, it starts with a plan, kind of. Like “I have a few minutes and browse the WordPress community using the Reader option.” But then it starts a life of its own, and it becomes like a random act of discovery. There are now a couple of blogs I follow, and my email provides me with nice updates and snippets of what’s been added. But I started a website, or blog, to get away from all the noise and distraction of social media. Because I feel so many topics or people deserve more than 140 characters or to be interrupted by a dozen updates in one’s facebook news feed, or sponsored articles or viral posts. And so we can make conscious decisions again, to go for quality time, quality reading, rather than feeding the oh-what-if-I-miss-out-on-anything frenzy. We’re not. We are not missing out on anything. We would if we’d let our lives be dominated by the monster, you described it perfectly, Claudia.
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Glad you think so! Otherwise it’s just chattered mess.
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That’s the best and only way to do it!
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We could spend all day on social media and still not get to everything we’d like to. If it wasn’t for my lists, I’d never be able to navigate Twitter. FB I don’t mind neglecting at times. As for blogs, I’d like to keep up, but I can’t. I have to just stop by when I can.
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