Do you like social media? I don’t mean in an “all in” sense or that you view it through rose-tinted glasses. You can accept its flaws. But in spite of its flaws, do you like it?
I really like Instagram. I wish I could “share” Instagram posts from other accounts to my own without using an outside app. But other than that I like it because it’s very visual. That means it is pretty like Pinterest is pretty. And it doesn’t have a lot of opinions ricocheting all over the place like Facebook does. Trust me: I have my own opinions. I don’t need everybody else’s.
More literary magazines are developing a presence on Instagram, and I like that, too. And more poets and writers. But are we making the most of Instagram for our words?
I’d like to put words with images in a more productive way on Instagram. For instance, tiny poems or micro stories. Have you seen the like? If you do something like this yourself or have seen it done, please share with me usernames.
A concern I do have is that lit mags and writers are posting quotes from new poems and stories on Instagram, and the writing is not tight enough for that purpose. The shorter the piece, the tighter it must be. Here’s an example of what I mean. “The morning sun trembles on the horizon at 7AM.” I made up that lousy sentence, but see how the time is mentioned twice? That is the kind of loose writing I see in some of these quotes.
Next question: I don’t usually post my blog post photo on Instagram when I publish a post. Should I do that? Is it good to do a tie-in like that or is it boring to see too much of the same thing?
One thing about Instagram as social media: I think it might be less social than some others. There doesn’t seem to be a good means for more than two people conversing about a post. You can horn in on someone else’s conversation, but it’s not really in the way you can discuss on Facebook or Twitter. In this way, again, it feels more like Pinterest, which feels the least social of all.
FOLLOW ME AT CAT POEMS!
What sort of photos do I usually post?
- CATS
- ART
- NATURE AND LANDSCAPING
- WRITING
- FOOD
- FAMILY
- FAMILY HISTORY
- VINTAGE CULTURE
- ODDITIES
- DOLLS
- TINIES
- TRAVEL
Pretty much my usual topics haha.
Happy Independence Day on July 4th!!!
One of my tinies
I don’t really know how to use Instagram, but I share photos that are usually not “personal” ones there since my Insta account is public, whereas my FB account is only for friends. I’ve wondered if I should share posts, but I don’t really know how or if I should.
So you are basically where I am with Instagram!
I think you have more of an identity there perhaps. 🙂
I don’t use Instagram so I’m no help. Your example of tight writing is good. I wish people would do that with their posts too. Love the shoe. Wish I could wear it without killing myself! Enjoy Canada!
Hehe. That shoe is a mini from my daughter’s collection. I thought it looked real in a photo! We are heading home today. I’ve managed to get so fat here!
Ate too much? Mission accomplished!
🤣🤣🤣
I have an Instagram account, but I rarely use it. Honestly, it’s hard for me to keep up with all of the different social media outlets. Blogging will always be where I spend most of my designated social media time. I do enjoy Twitter and found that it really spiked my book sales. Facebook is my least favorite. Great shoes, Luanne! You could lead the 4th of July parade wearing those!
Lol, it’s a mini shoe 😉! Blogging is my favorite, too. Facebook I do like for some things. I think Twitter is not as good for poets as for novelists. I am not surprised that it’s been good to you!
How totally cool to be in Canada for Canada Day!
But without a doubt, your 4th of July “tinies” are totally hot!!
As for Instagram, I can’t focus on more than one or two social media accounts at a time, but I think it’s a great fit for some communications.
Have fun in Canada!!
We are headed back today. I got so fat and feel permanently stuffed. The food was tres magnifique!
I don’t use much of any social media except for my blogging. Don’t really have time for it. That is to say I don’t “want” to make time for it, especially fb.
Smart move about FB, I think. Do you do a newsletter, Anneli? They say that is the best thing for writers to use. I’m just not sure it’s as good as “they” say because I don’t have time to read newsletters . . . .
A friend of mine does that, but she says she sometimes loses followers that way. After all, we’re so bombarded by advertising and solicitation, that no one really wants to read more than they have to.
Interesting. Everything I’ve been reading that has been published in the past year says newsletters are the way to go for writers. I really don’t read them. I feel guilty, but I don’t. There is so much else to read. OK, there is ONE I read, and that is Diane Lockward’s. She writes the poetry workshop books, so her newsletters are an extension of her books, providing a brand new well-conceived and written writing prompt in each one. They truly are a benefit to the reader and not self-serving.
Your Instagram site looks great. I don’t do Facebook very well. Instagram is still a work in progress. Twitter takes the most time for now. Love those shoes.
I know–the shoe is great! (Shoe singular–there is only one haha). Thank you re my Instagram site! I am really sick of Facebook for a lot of reasons.
Welcome to Canada and Happy Canada Day! I held an Instagram account just so that I could follow an account or two that inspired or thrilled me but have let it lapsed due to time constraints. The accounts I followed usually included poetry as well as exquisite photography (try searching for James Radcliffe!). Enjoy your July 4th activities as well…
OK, I will! I wish you were still on Instagram–I would follow you! Thanks for the tip.
So I’ll bite: what is a mini shoe?
Hah! My daughter had a collection of those little ceramic-ey type shoes when she was a young teen. I still have them here.
You know I’m on Instagram but haven’t quite figured it out yet. Allison K. Williams has a session on Instagram and writing (https://hippocamp2019.hippocampusmagazine.com/sessions/building-your-platform-with-twitter-and-instagram/). I follow her on Instagram and try to take her lead when I think of it … meaning I need to write an Instagram post like I would a blog post. Maybe not as long, but definitely with some thought put into it. Not sure I have the energy for that these days. I’m already being pulled in too many directions. Looking forward to hearing about your stay in Canada 🙂
Thanks for the link, Marie. I’ll read it ASAP. But the thought of creating another “post” hahaha. I prefer to focus here and on my genealogy blog. Instagram is more for pretty pix, yah? 😉
Yah. A few times I’ve written a “post” for Instagram but I don’t want to make a habit of it. I don’t see the engagement as being the same for my blog, and I actually follow a much smaller group anyway. I go there for the pix 🙂
Me three!: smaller group, for the pix, and engagement not the same level.
Well, I did just join a group that Allison Williams started. I don’t know why I do this to myself 😉
I DO have some IGers like that. Silver in the Barn and Lily of Hull and a few others that sometimes write things…not thinking of more names.
I love IG. It’s so LIGHT. and pretty 🙂
That is it: light and pretty! Yes, I love it for that reason! Those reasons . . . .
Oops, thanks for the tips BTW.
I don’t do Instigrams, but I receive them. Almost always they go by too fast for me to read or absorb. If I am interested enough, I will backtrack them once or twice so I can look. I agree that one cannot not respond to them much. Sometimes I’m fast enough to see and hit a Like button, but the image and words usually just hurtle past into oblivion. Once a few months ago, I managed to make a comment, which turned out to be a PM. Sometimes an image from an Instagram shows up on the regular FB page, and I can contemplate it as long as I like.
I hope you are having a blast in O Canada!
Oh, that’s so strange. It must be that you are viewing Instagram posts on Facebook. That’s not like being “on” Instagram, which is very pretty IMO. Or does it move fast? Now you’re confusing me!
Yes, on FB.
WP keeps me busy enough
Do you post almost every day, Derrick?
Every day – and read those I follow
You are so dedicated, Derrick. I could never do a post a day!
Many thanks, Luanne. I’m very determined when I set myself a task 🙂
I see that!
🙂
Hi Luanne! thoughtful post. I initially became interested in Instagram because of an article I read (NY Times?) that Instagram was not as susceptible to social media “rant-threads” as other social media, and that was because you can’t share links easily on IG.
That said, it *is* owned by Facebook, which I consider to be an irresponsible and highly self-serving entity, and we have research indicating a sadness/depression effect from use of Facebook, so I have mixed feelings about engaging on IG.
I do enjoy your quick posts, esp. about feline matters! and so I am currently Reading but not Posting. About the visuals, I have seen, and have experimented, with short poem visuals, either a photograph of the poem as written, or a text type-in of the poem on a visual background. But I didn’t find it that engaging to do so, so I’ve gone to just reading mode, not contributing currently. Fun!
I did not realize Instagram was owned by Facebook, but I guess I should have. It’s just that they seem so different, I suppose. That said, I just made my Instagram private and am overhauling my FB account!!! Stay tuned haha.
Thank you for reading my WP posts and my Instagram posts!
Ah! I didn’t know either until I happened to run across it. Stealth on the part of these social media companies!
I read your post about FB and your overhaul. I really appreciate your sharing the practical info. And, Thank you! for reading most posts! I always enjoy your stories and insights. 🙂 Have a GREAT day, Luanne! Your friendship is a gift for me. Truly!
I love Instagram! It’s my favorite of all the social media platforms. I love the nature photos. I’ve “met” a lot of kindred spirits through ig. Although, I have found Twitter to be the most useful as a writer. I don’t usually announce my blog posts on ig. I used to, but got very little traffic from ig. I do have visitors from Twitter. So, eh. I don’t use Pinterest, but I have an old account on there. Facebook—blah; too much drama. I don’t even know what Snapchat is! So yay to Instagram! More cats and poems, please. 🙂
Speaking of Facebook, I am involved in an overhaul of my personal Facebook account right now! Ugh, I am feeling so conflicted over social media right now. More so than when I wrote this post! I do still favor Instagram, but I just made it private!
I fell in love with Instagram because of the simplicity of photos. As it has become more like FB—with words—I don’t enjoy it as much, and I’ve never known how to really use it for book sales other than “here’s my book on the beach” photos. I would really prefer to get off FB entirely, but then the bookstore launching my books posts the events on FB….. I loved Twitter when I was promoting my online stories—I could go to my stats and see the spike whenever I posted a link to a story. But that was a really good fit, both online services. All of this dissatisfaction with FB etc has led me to launch a newsletter last month to at least try to keep up with friends and fans. I’m working on content that people might want to read (linking to my Goodreads reviews—haha!). And I’ve been more active on Goodreads in the last couple of months, wondering if it might be the answer. As you can see, I am floundering and grasping for solutions.