I Love Twitter - So I Unfollowed You

Dear Interwebs, it has been months since my last post. I am thinking a lot, and plotting, and...cleaning up my Twitter feed!

I believe Twitter is the single most agile and POWERFUL social media available to us at this time. In fact, I think that if we were to have some kind of national crisis, Twitter would be shut down, if not immediately then soon thereafter. Twitter is a wonderful tool for swiftly spreading information, connection, and fun. That is why I am horribly dismayed when I scroll through my Twitter feed only to find a horde of authors spamming me with white buy-my-book-noise. I am guilty of Tweeting a bit about my work when there's a giveaway or a sale etc, that's normal. However, if you look at my Home page, those tweets aren't numerous. And I DO NOT schedule automatic tweets! It's difficult to have an exchange if no one is home.

I don't know how this type of markting became so popular, because I believe it's wholly ineffective. Lately, I've become allergic to my Twitter feed. And yes, I have made a curated List, but it's a hassle, and more importantly feels disingenuous to me. And this falseness is the heart of the matter.

I call myself "equally twee and evil" and that is quite true, but mostly I am a genuine person. Like Mr. Darcy (the character, not my cat who is also wonderful but much more Bingley-esque) disguise of every sort is my abhorrence. 
My Twitter feed is approaching 1000 followers! I should be figuring out what I should do to celebrate. When I reached 500 Followers I dressed up my toes as clowns. Good times. Mr. Darcy, the character, would likely disapprove of toe clowns, but he would agree that costumes are not disguises. 
Mr. Darcy, the cat, wholly approved of toe clowns.

It is clear most of those nearly 1000 followers are only following me to plump up their numbers. Apparently literary agents and the like are impressed by the number of one's Twitter Followers. A platform is a platform, however rickety. I don't buy it. Never bought a book based on the basis of a Tweet, either. Recently I've seen the tactic used where writers (and others) will gather as many Follows as they can and then they dump most of them, relying on people's inattention to keep their numbers up. Oy with the poodles already.

I have tended to follow back fellow writers in hopes of community and a few witty exchanges, and I HAVE met some absolute GEMS of persons. Sadly though, my stream has become mostly a mess of insincere ballyhoo. I have reached the conclusion that I would rather have only those folks Following me who are actually interested in whatever weirdness comes out the tips of my fingers. 
True fun, true community, true Twitter.

My Twitter stream, like my art, like my books, needs to be an accurate reflection of me. Sometimes I'm a mess, but I'm an honest mess. So instead of celebrating all those Followers, I'm going to be doing a lot of Unfollowing instead.  Once I'm done, maybe I'll make a silly clown video for fun, and this time dress up my face and not my toes.

PLEASE, If I Unfollow you and you have a genuine interest in staying connected to me, LET ME KNOW! 

---