The question this time is the Book Blogger Hop topic for January 20-26th submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer, is:
Do you follow your favorite authors on social media?
Disclaimer:
These are my personal opinions. I do not expect anyone to agree with anything here, and in fact, I’m certain that many will disagree and/or even hate many of the things I’ve written below. Sorry about that, but you are always welcome to express your own opinions – be they contrary or comparable – in the comments section. So, with that out of the way… let the controversy begin!
What made me think about this topic?
As noted above, this is a Book Blogger Hop topic, and I had this window in my blogging schedule, and I promised myself that I’d try to write at least one discussion post a month, so there you go!
My Thoughts…
The answer is really very simple: Yes, I do follow some of my favorite authors on social media sites. That said, sadly, I’m not really all that good with some of them, but I do my best. Furthermore, not all of my favorite authors are active on social media themselves. Some have an “author” presence, which they don’t actually use them themselves, and instead their profiles are run by their publicists or publishers.
As you probably already know, I have a Facebook page for this blog, but I actually follow most authors through my personal account. It is here that I have the most interactions with authors, especially because I follow a whole bunch of bookish Facebook pages for readers and reviewers alike.
I do like following favorite authors on Twitter because then I can tag them when I review one of their books, or mention them in a list. I don’t have as many conversations with authors there, but I have been known to interact with several of them and even get reactions/comments back from them.
I’m not as good with Instagram, however. This is because my original account was hacked, and then the hacker put up some spam posts. Well, I got those spam posts taken down, and my page is still there, but I can’t log into it because the hacker changed the retrieval email address. That was a shame because I had built up a nice little following there. Not long after that, I decided I should make a new account and try to rebuild my Instagram following. The #1 reason for that was because I know that one of my top favorite authors – Rachel Joyce – doesn’t do any social media except Instagram. She followed me back on both accounts, and although she isn’t very active, I pop by from time to time anyway.
Other than that, I do link my posts to LinkedIn and Tumblr (not that these do me any good with authors), and I don’t do TicToc. Obviously, I follow and/or friend authors I like on Goodreads, and I’ve signed up to follow some authors on Amazon as well. There are other places you can follow authors like Bookbub and FanFiction, so I click and let things roll. Oh, and I did sign up with another twitter-like site, but I just can’t be arsed to visit there!
In short, YES I do, and I’m not ashamed of myself!
There you have it!
So… what about you? Do you follow your favorite authors on social media?
This post is my 12th time participating in the Book Blogger Hop and my 1st entry in the 2023 Discussion Challenge & Giveaway, hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight!
The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog 
I used to follow and occasionally say something to more authors, but got out of the habit because we switched from facebook to twitter or something and it was another thing to keep up with, too much for some authors and definitely too much for me when I was working. I still let an author know when I’ve posted a good review of their book, if I find contact information for them.
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I definitely follow authors via social media. A lot of authors I love are very active on Twitter and Instagram, so it’s fun to see what they’re up to.
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No, I actively try not to have much contact with authors as I find that if I get to “know” them, it makes it much harder for me to be completely honest in reviews of their books. I think technically I probably still follow one or two on Twitter from the early days before I realised I like to keep a distance, but I haven’t used Twitter for book things for years, really, and now don’t use it all though my account still exists.
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Ah… I see.
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No, but only because I spend enough time on social media as it is!
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I use Twitter mainly for authors and bloggers, and I love it for that purpose. I like to see the interaction and personal opinions of the authors I admire, and as you mention it’s easy to tag them when you are blogging about them. I don’t use Facebook or Instagram for blogging or reading about authors. I’d love to find an alternative to FB and Twitter but haven’t seen that yet. I use Goodreads and StoryGraph but mainly to track my own reading and to discover new books, not so much for the community features or to follow authors.
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Got it! Thanks.
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I don‘t follow authors, with the exception of one or two that have wordpress accounts. I left FB and Twitter years ago. I still have my Instagram, but only connect with friends there. I also don‘t do TicToc, I stopped following authors on GR and I don‘t have any other feed. I am not very active on social media. It might be an age thing, but I also don‘t really care. I read the odd author interview, related to whatever new book I am reading and sometimes I read some online article from an author…
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Perfectly valid!
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What an interesting topic! I’ve never thought of following, probably because I’m a bit of a technophobe and aren’t very involved in social media.
Now that you’ve out the idea into my head though, I probably won’t. The reason is that I’ve looked at film stars I’ve admired on the internet and been put off them after learning more about them, for example, why would my favourite male star be married, when it is really me that he loves??? I realised that if I knew too much about an actor it became harder for me to believe them in various roles.
I can imagine the same thing happening if I know too much about a writer. There are some writers who I think I would be best friends with based on my love for their books or characters, and I don’t want my illusion ruined by reality.
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Ah… makes sense! I don’t follow actors or screen personalities, unless they’re involved with something I agree with (politically).
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I don’t use social media, and I don’t follow authors other than reading their books. I found that I prefer to simply try and read the story and take away from it what I can since I tend to relate most things to myself; in such that I don’t understand what I am reading or else why to connect or relate it to truth in my life in some way. I don’t ever make sense.
I am trying to say that I prefer not to know of authors’ difficulties about their days, growing up, cancer battles, etc. I pick up a book to read to simply read and be entertained in some manner and perhaps to be informed of something that I did not know prior and yet how can I truly understand what I’ve read if I only take away something personal from my own experience since not all things are about me. Thank you, this was an interesting topic for discussion.
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Welcome!
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I am sorry that I was not understood; I don’t really like social media; it alienates more than does good. I also have been having ongoing difficult time with my environment; no good ever happens not for two decades or longer. Again, thank you.
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Oh… sorry. Take care of yourself.
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I do follow some authors on twitter. I enjoy their posts. Like you, I tag them with a good review. One author I lives a somewhat “fantasy” life through–she lives in Chicago, the city I know best. I wanted to live their when I was young (of course only if London wasn’t an option–ah the naivete of college-aged youth). I love seeing where she goes out to dinner, etc. Same with a Youtube-er I follow. He too is in Chicago.
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Well… how about that! I was born and raised in Chicago! Well, Evanston to be precise, but still…
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Ha! My Grandparents lived in apartments right across from St Joes hopsital (where my grandmother eventually died). The rest of the family lived in Rogers Park. When I was born we lived in Park Forest. Later we lived in Peotone.
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Cool!
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I follow a few! Fredrik Backman’s IG account is entertaining!
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