You Don't Have to Blog, Tweet, or Be on Facebook

I'm often giving many reasons for writers to start a blog, be on Twitter, or use Facebook.

But the truth is, you don't have to do any of these things to get published or to sell books.

(Sidenote: You'll often hear stories of bestselling authors who don't use social media, but that's not what I mean. Those stories are deceptive. Let's not compare aspiring writers today to established, bestselling authors.)

To repeat:
You don't have to do these things. If you hate doing these things, stop. Stop now!

Do you feel better? Is the pressure off? Good.

Now envision what you would like to do.

• Would you love sharing photos with the world, little pieces of artistic expression? See author Jennifer Lee.

• Would you love doing a mother-interview series? That's something I've done on my personal blog.

• Would you love creating your own line of greeting cards? See this author, Andrew Shaffer.

• Would you love creating inspirational newsletters? See Christina Katz.

• Would you love posing Big Deep Questions to people, because you believe there should be no small questions? (See Al Katkowsky!)

• Would you love weekly conversations where you learn something critical to your craft every week? (See #scriptchat founder, Jeanne Bowerman.)

When you do interesting stuff—when you have something to say, a message to spread, or a story to tell—then social media makes more sense. Because then, it becomes a tool to share what you're doing and develop relationships with others who have similar interests. Social media is like instant access to the most customized party, conference, or classroom in the world—where everyone in the room shares your Ultimate Life Concern, including those above you in stature, those below you, and those on the same rung.

If you see social media as that thing you have to do because now you have a book to sell or promote, the game is over before it's started. You'll probably hate it, and you won't last for the long haul.

See social media as a way to connect with people who matter to you.