I’m a fan of social media, a term I wasn’t even aware of until earlier this year. Sure, I knew about some of its components like facebook, but until that fateful Saturday morning in Columbia, I was truly ignorant about just how widespread and potentially beneficial social media could be. That very afternoon I set up a twitter account, and when I remember to use it, it’s huge fun.

Several months later, I’m still sold on the idea of SM, but every day I become more flummoxed and overwhelmed with it. Flummoxed because I can’t always figure 0ut how to do something and overwhelmed because there are so many things I need to do…or that I think I need to do. Earlier this week, I added an author app to my second facebook page, Reading and Writing, and now I’m wondering why I did that. I’m even second guessing myself about the value of the page itself!

About the Reading and Writing page, I developed it for one reason: I was told it would be a great way to generate interest in my most recent book, Eve’s Sisters. But then, how much can one say about her own work without boring people or coming across as pushy and annoying? I’ve also used the page to link to this blog,but since I haven’t had many comments on the it, I’m wondering if it has any traffic. Worse yet, readers might find it too blah to comment on.

Question: Is the author app on a facebook page about reading and writing in the right place? Is it overkill? Do people even notice it?

Today I added an author profile on Goodreads. but so far I haven’t added any information. It seems like a good idea, but I don’t know how many people will notice it. Is it kosher for an author to point out  her profiles and apps to friends? A couple of years ago, I added an author profile to Amazon and forgot about it until someone recently mentioned reading it.

In addition to facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, and Amazon, I’m still attempting to maintain three blogs, one directed towards psych students, one geared towards personal interests and daily living issues, and the other centered around topics related to reading and writing. I’ve let a blog about teaching lie fallow (is that the right word?) for a while, and I’ll probably discontinue it. Although I’ve been a teacher for 35 years, I find it difficult to write about teaching experiences, knowledge, and observations without coming across as a smarty-pants.

Lest I forget, I also have a website. I’m not even going to tell you the address because the site is so awful and amateurish. In fact, I’m going to dismantle it just as soon as I move the information somewhere else. WordPress, if I understand the information correctly, offers the option of having a website with blogs (either linked or as other pages). But if I do this, will I have to get my domain name from google or yahoo or whoever has it?

If you’ve read this far, you can sense my frustration and confusion. Any advice, direction, or encouragement will be most appreciated. As for right now, I’m going to post this in Gossip and Solitude and hope it links to facebook.

And then? Well then, I’m going to start packing for a beach trip and leave all this social media behind for a few days…or hours.