Much Needed Mystery

Authors, please remain mysterious! I’ve been wanting to write about this for quite some time, but only now after “going dark” a couple of days ago, have I felt the urge to scribble on the subject. I would’ve probably sounded like a hypocrite if I were still scrolling my life away on Instagram.

Due to my new found lack of social media presence, I know fully well this blog post will probably remain unread. Maybe it’s my deepest darkest desire that it shall remain floating aimlessly through the vast ether of the interwebs. Maybe a fan of my (yet to be finished) book will find this blog after much digital digging and they’ll be delighted to find something other than what I’ve had for breakfast that day.

I have experienced a diminished interest for certain authors that have taken the expression “my life is an open book” quite literally. I have no desire to learn about your struggles and your vulnerability. I don’t want to relate to you. I don’t want to think I can ever relate to you. I want you to remain a mystery to me. It keeps me curious about you. And if I’m curious about you, I will read your other books to find out more about you.

I have connected with an author on Instagram and got to know quite a bit about their personality, so it’s to no surprise that when I read their book, my judgement of it was completely altered because I didn’t expect someone like them would write such an ending. That wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t gotten to know them a little. There’s a loss of magic in too much transparency.

I only speak for myself, of course. I’m sure there are plenty of people that love fangirling their favorite actors and authors. And they’re ok with it. And no love is ever lost.

I have only gotten back to social media a couple years ago after staying off it for over a year and half. I was told authors must have a social presence in all media platforms and publishers won’t even consider you if you have none. Knowing the amount of effort required to grow a following, I knew I’d have to invest some time navigating the interwebs waters, I just didn’t expect to get caught up on it again and forget all about why I was spending so much time scrolling. It wasn’t about my book anymore. The addiction creeped up again. I stopped making YouTube videos, abandoned my author Facebook page (I actually detest Facebook), this very blog and saddest of all, my book. Not that I was spending 24 hours on Instagram, but when I had a spare moment, that’s where you’d find me.

The further away you go from social media, that’s where you want to stay. I hear that from every person who decided to quit. I can do, well, everything else now! Literally everything and anything my heart desires. Like for instance printing and putting into physical albums the pictures I so eagerly take instead of posting them for the world to see. Little things I’ve been putting off for a lifetime, I suddenly have time to do. I don’t want to do more house chores, I want to do the things that feed my soul. I want to create. I don’t want to show up on your feed. I want my work to speak for me. There’s a certain freedom attached to putting something out there and expecting no feedback whatsoever.
Publishers, you’ve got this all wrong! Overexposure is detrimental to one’s career. Not all layers must be uncoiled.

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Don’t get to know me too well.

Authors, please remain mysterious! Don’t show me your vulnerability under all that brilliance. Leave me bewitched.