Cheri Speak

Is this mic on?

Are You Following Me Or Am I Being Paranoid?

creepy

Image Source: tumblr.com

It has always bugged me out that social media and other on-line media use terms like “follow” and “followers”. I get the premise, I do — and maybe it’s because I am an activist, but those words have negative, Cultish, lockstep connotations to me.  Not that I think “I” am a Cult or anything like that, it’s just the words themselves bother me.

Do any of us really want someone “following” us? It’s kind of creepy!

read-my-blog

Image Source: sowhatelseblog.com

I’ve heard and read that one of the reasons many platforms switched from using the word “subscribe” to “follow” is because “subscribe” apparently brings to mind subscription fees and since blogs and social content is free it was thought more people would share, like and yes, “follow” more people/blogs.

As a writer I want readers like any other writer. Just because you cannot hold my blog in your hands thumbing through its pages doesn’t make it any less of a book.  Readers are what make a writer. If no one read what I wrote would I still write? Probably yes, but it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying and truthfully it wouldn’t be as much fun without you! So, yes, I want readers. Even the term “fan” seems more acceptable than “follower”.

“Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” ~ Albert Camus

i-love-my-followers

Image Source: quotev.com

For writers, writing is something we have to do. We don’t have a choice. It is our art. Each piece is a piece of who we are. I think that’s why they’re called “pieces”.

Writing a Blog (or two or three or four or five…) is a great way for a writer to get near instant gratification. Sure I write proposals and query letters and have several articles and ideas brewing at once. I do write for other entities as well and of course I am also working diligently on my marketing book, but those things are a process. They take a lot of time. For a writer, it can be years before anyone reads you (or reads you again).

A blog allows you to reach out as often as you want (or can) and engage with ones readers immediately.

thanks-for-following-me

Image Source: gifstumblr.com

Related articles

Reasons Other People Blog

22 comments on “Are You Following Me Or Am I Being Paranoid?”

  1. The Presents of Presence
    April 16, 2013

    So glad we’ve connected. Thanks for the pingback!

    Like

    Reply

  2. Pingback: Million Dollar Answer | paul scribbles

  3. VeeKay
    April 16, 2013

    Well I just have to follow you after that…. sorry 🙂

    Like

    Reply
  4. tms
    April 16, 2013

    Cheri, I agree and thank you. I always read the term “follow/er” with a bit of suspicion. If there’s a follower, there must be a leader; and maybe the followers follow over-eagerly… I am a bit wary of both, having European at the back of my mind. I thought I was the only one feeling a bit uncomfortable with the term. Now I know I am not – and apparently I am not over-sensitive. Thanks for that!

    Like

    Reply

  5. Pingback: ….and The Million Dollar Question is….. : Why do you blog? | Why not? | Kaleidoscopic World in Words

  6. phaerygurl
    April 16, 2013

    This bring to mind all those Facebook contests where they’re trying to get a certain number of followers, etc. It does tend to be a bit cult-like. Also, what happens when a cult falls? Now I know not everyone considers him/herself a leader, exactly, but it’s odd how blogging gives us a somewhat anonymous leadership. Even if your followers know what you look like, where you live (now that sounds creepy), the medium (typing at a computer as opposed to standing up in front of a crowd (or lack thereof if you’re just starting out) helps a lot. And there are also people who follow because they like one post. Not complaining, just bears some ponderage (is that a word?).

    Like

    Reply
    • Cheri Speak
      April 16, 2013

      LOL…Hmmm “ponderage”…I think so. It must be surely :p

      Like

      Reply
      • phaerygurl
        April 17, 2013

        Well it’s exacataly, well it’s exacatally, well it’s precisely this! :p

        Like

      • Cheri Speak
        April 17, 2013

        LOL!

        Like

      • phaerygurl
        April 18, 2013

        I love Alice in Wonderland and it popped into my head instantly, so I had to share 😛

        Like

  7. Pingback: Daily Prompt: Million-Dollar Question | My Atheist Blog

  8. Pingback: I Blog So Therefore I Am Or Is It I Am So Therefore I Blog? | The Jittery Goat

  9. vastlycurious.com
    April 16, 2013

    Words are very powerful.

    Like

    Reply
  10. Corner of Confessions
    April 16, 2013

    I stalk you, i mean… your blog 😉

    Like

    Reply
  11. diannegray
    April 16, 2013

    I love following you (or stalking you – whichever comes first) 😉

    Like

    Reply
  12. J.R. Hall
    April 16, 2013

    Caught my attention. I’m following now.

    Like

    Reply

  13. Pingback: Why blog? (WordPress Daily Prompt) | Ireland, MS and me

Now it's my turn to listen...

Information

This entry was posted on April 16, 2013 by in Advice, B4Peace, Blog Challenge, Bloggers, Bloggers for Peace, Blogging, Cheri Speak Blog, Community & Culture, Daily Prompt, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Pinterest, Quotes, Social Media, Squidoo, Thank You, WordPress, Writing and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Shortlink

https://wp.me/p2kGDq-1dk

Navigation

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.