I wrote last week about my love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with Twitter, and how I found WordPress a much more homely and comfortable environment. I rejoined Twitter a few months back, after many years absence, in order to promote my writing. Apparently it’s all about building a multi platform online presence. Or something fancy like that. Anyway, I once again found myself twittering to the little blue bird.
Truth be told, I was more or less twittering to myself. While I shared all my blog posts on the Twitter account, they averaged around two likes per post. Hello Fionnuala and Hannah! No, that’s not fair. A handful of the WordPress regulars who have accounts provided their usual much appreciated support. Yet, to the huge #writingcommunity, I was just another wannabe writer trying, and failing, to catch their attention.
I tried everything. Witty tweets, serious tweets, interactive tweets. Nada. Zilch. Not an iota of interest. Then a funny thing happened. I tweeted that I had just signed a publishing contract and…..WHAM! My notifications went into orbit. 10, 100, 200 and higher. Everybody wanted a piece of the action. I was inundated with well wishers and congratulatory messages. I was a Twitter celebrity!
I woke up yesterday morning to find I was past the 500 mark. Surely, they would die down soon. But, no, the tweeting tsunami continued. So much so that Fionnuala, who is an account administrator, turned off her notifications, having been driven to the brink by the constant flashing of her phone screen. After the 536th ‘thank you’ my fingers were going numb. And as for my brain, it was turning to mental mush.
With the likes and messages, came followers. Over 100 in one day. This is how Katy Perry or Shaun Mendes must feel, I mused, as the total neared the big 1K. 997, 998, 999, 1000. I was tempted to take a screen shot but, before I could, I was at 1001 and galloping off into the distance. This was nuts. Even on my most glorious WordPress days, I’d come nowhere near these kinds of stats. 1002, 1003….
The old Stephen wouldn’t have been able to leave the room at this point, such would have been the size of his head. My ego would have been running amok, day dreaming of fame and fortune in the not too distant future. I would have cracked open a beer and reflected on what a splendid human being I was, oblivious to the many flaws staring back at me in dazzling technicolour.
I’m still far from perfect. So as I sit here, nearing the 1500th like (yes they are still coming, although the raging torrent has now eased to a steady trickle) I see my 15 minutes of Twitter fame for what it really is….15 minutes of Twitter fame. My most recent tweet is sitting at a whopping seven likes. Back to terra firma with a resounding thump. WordPress is still my online home so worry not.
1500 likes means nothing. That’s not why I do this. They cannot be compared to that one heartfelt message or comment from someone who my words truly resonate with, who I have comforted or inspired. They are the people who make it worthwhile, it is they who drag me to my keyboard every morning. To reach out, to connect. The diamonds in the rough, the wheat amongst the chaff. They are why I am here, and why I will continue to remain here.
Black Thoughts 
Stephen, I’m really bad at Twitter. My Facebook-Fu is a bit more honed, but even then, I generally feel more tolerated than celebrated.
Then there’s the blogging. On account of my office, serving as an undershepherd to the redeemed, I play close to the vest most of the time. Didn’t used to be so inclined.
I place a high value on confidentiality, I reckon. Last thing I want is for someone in the community I serve to see something they wrongly presume is about them—or something about me they find troubling or shameful.
But let me say how much I appreciate your candor and humility. I can’t (and rarely ever do) imagine the day 1500 people like or respond to something I’ve said or done.
Congratulations to you! And thanks be to God for granting you such a blessed opportunity to employ your good gifts. Go ahead and savor this moment with thanksgiving.
You’ve worked hard, persisted, and I’m sure even prayed for these things. Count it all a blessing, both the suffering and the savoring. Press on, brother, in Christ,
—Jeff
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Well I’m really bad at twitter, so I haven’t seen this and will take this opportunity to say congratulations!
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Thank you 😊
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The Twitter world is vastly different from WordPress, that’s for sure. I do have a Twitter account but it fails to interest me, for the very reasons you wrote about in a previous post. I am heartened that you are receiving so much love in response to the announcement about your up and coming best seller though – even if Twitter users do not appreciate your other tweets. It is what it is = people can be so fickle. I am glad you continue to post on here. I would miss you terribly if you left (so don’t EVER!) Hope you have a lovely day and a really great week.
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I’ve no intention of going anywhere, Carol. Thank you 😊
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Congrats for all those likes!! I don’t go to twitter everyday.
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Thank you for liking 🙂
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I couldn’t agree more!
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Thank you 😊
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I dislike Twitter also, but I too am building my platform. You are lucky to have reached the tipping point.
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Thank you. Are we following each other? Let me know, if not 🙂
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I have two blogs one is about gardening the other is about epilepsy. floweralley.org and seizuremamaandrose.org. My daughter has epilepsy. We have collected “seizure stories” in a book for parents. The manuscript is done, I am deciding which agents to query. Ten years of writing and 24 years of seizures. I am not in a hurry. My garden is my solace. Tune in if interested. Good luck spreading good.
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Thank you and good luck with your very worthy book project 😊
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I just don’t understand twitter. I don’t get the appeal or even how it works. I created a twitter account quite a while ago but it never made sense to me so I don’t use it. Hmmm.
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It’s a strange place, that’s for sure 🙂
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Always nice to have your fifteen minutes of eternal fame.
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Yes, even though they’re gone by now again 😂
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I started social media as a hobby to develop for retirement. I do enjoy wordpress and am having some fun with instagram. But really have to keep it in perspective that I am learning to use the tools, understanding the content/audience relationship, and teaching myself to think and see in ways that I haven’t. I really do appreciate your work. It is a dedication I find refreshing and inspiring. Your content and wordsmithmanship (I think I made that up, but you know what I mean) keep me anxiously awaiting your next post. Thank you!
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Thank you so much. Wordsmithmanship is undoubtedly my new favourite made up word 😂
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I gave up on Twitter a while ago – it seems so ephemeral. A quick blast and your witty riposte is gone forever, swamped by a flood of new comments. (Not that I ever got around to any witty riposts. By the time I’ve thought of one the Twitterverse has moved on).
Congratulations on your fifteen minutes of celebrity. I’m sure The Book will offer longer-lasting recognition.
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I hope so. Thank you Cathy 😊
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Ha ha ha. This made me laugh. ☺️ I can absolutely relate to everything you’ve said here, apart from the twitter fame, lol. What a classic! Bookish celeb for a day, hey! 😉☺️
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Yes, Brooke. I’ll be available for autographs later 😉
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Ha ha ha! Classic. 😛
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I’m not on Twitter, but I agree wholeheartedly with your reasons for sticking with WordPress. What a blessedly real group of people!
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We are indeed 🙂
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In truth, I think I would have gotten a little overexcited about so many likes and follows! However I’m glad that you remained with your feet firmly on the ground and remembered that we on WordPress are your real and long-standing friends!
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You’re top of the pile, Katie 😊
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I can identify with you Fractured Faith. I am writing just because I love to communicate, and I have things I learn per trial.I don’t have much attention but maybe that will change,
The fact that you even read one of my stories got me excited. I bragged to one of my daughters: “An author read my writing!” I hope some day my writing will reach many other people like what has befallen you—Inspiring! And your faith will NOT crack, and fractures mend, by the way. The bones get even stronger! Super bone tissue!
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Thank you very much. Please keep writing and stay in touch 🙂
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an intriguing title and a salutary lesson to all who seek online fame. I too have thought about twitter but couldn’t be bothered. Like you I find wordpress my online home 🙂
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Thank you John. Wise words 😊
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Good one. I’ve never had much luck on Twitter. These days I just mostly retweet art I like.
If I ever tweet anything I don’t usually get a response. Even my tweets that share my posts from here are seldom noticed.
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Twitter is a bit of a black hole, I agree 😞
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Congratulations
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Thank you 😊
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Yes; Twitter is the immediate-attention conundrum of social media.
Whenever I maintain my mommy blog account, I also think, “These (popular) people must spend all day on here, answering each other back, adding gifs, complaining about life (in witty ways), and re-posting each other.”
It’s one of the most raw performances of human vices I’ve ever experienced.
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Yes, Yes. That’s pretty much what I do 😉
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I love this
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Thank you Kellie 🙂
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It’s quite humbling. We get that one moment with attention and in a snap it’s gone. I’m so glad to hear that you have changed from the person you used to be and no longer carry some of those burdens. 😊😊😊 But congrats on the 15 minutes, those are pretty fun, too!
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I’ve never taken Twitter seriously. I reblog other’s posts I think remarkable but I can’t remember the last time posted something original.
I have made a pledge to self not to react to political absurdities from the King of Tweets. That may have kept me off the platform.
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I struggle to post anything as well. Strange, considering I can write so freely on this platform.
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It’s interesting to note how the mind is flawed and capricious when it comes to acceptance of a writer. There are superbly bad articles which get a lot of attention and some good ones go unnoticed. Anand Bose from Kerala
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Very true Anand. Thank you.
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