The Social Media Myth: Rethinking Success as an Author

Why Genuine Connections Matter More Than Online Presence

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

I recently read a post by Sky Fisher titled "My Time Offline." In it, Sky Fisher shares her experience intentionally spending time offline to help break her addiction to social media. Throughout the article, she offers a lot of valuable insight about addiction of all kinds, and I would urge you to read it yourself. Aside from all of that valuable information, the article got me thinking about my own experience with social media, specifically a moment in 2014 when a publisher told me that I could not be a successful author without being on social media. Was he right?

I first heard of Facebook in 2006 while listening to the conversations of those around me in my Latin American History class at graduate school. I didn't think much of it at the time. I am not an early adopter of trends, and I consider myself anti-social, both online and off. As the years went by, Facebook grew, becoming impossible to ignore. At some point, my entire family had joined Facebook, and they were posting things online and then talking about them in real life, forgetting that I did not have Facebook and didn't know what they were talking about. I did not want to be on social media. I did not want to be part of the conversation. That changed in 2014.

I published my first novel in 2013 and had very, very few sales. It's hard to truly recall my frame of mind, but I think I just assumed that as a published author, success came automatically. But my pub day came and went, and nothing happened. After a few months of disillusionment, I decided to investigate—I decided to ask some questions. Why hadn't I sold any books, and how could I change that? So, I set up a meeting with a publisher at a local coffee shop. The publisher was a friend of a friend, which is why he even bothered to give me the time of day. I remember very little from our meeting, but given his age and experience, I'm certain I came away with a lot of new strategies. But one thing stuck out in my mind more than anything else. He said, as I was lamenting over my distaste for social media, that an author cannot be successful if they are not on social media. Full stop.

As of writing this, I have the following social media accounts: one Substack, three Facebook, two Instagram, one Pinterest, two TikTok, one LinkedIn, one Threads, and two YouTube. That begs the question: Am I a successful author? I suppose that depends on how you define success. In many ways, yes, I am successful. But in the context of that meeting I had with a publisher in 2014, the answer is a hard NO. I don't have a six-figure deal with a big five (or is it four now?) press. I don't have a deadline from the publisher for the next book I'm working on. I can't quit my day job and rely on my income as an author.

In late 2015, a few months before the re-publication of my first novel, I launched a blog and YouTube series called Question & Answer: The U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. The series includes fifty questions and answers related to the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, the main historical subject of my novel Fate of the Dakota. I spent countless hours doing research, writing blogs, recording audio, and creating video. Eventually, the posts went up on my blog and the videos were published to my YouTube channel. While the posts and videos provided some attention to my novel and the important historical events for which I write, they did not lead to any amount of measurable sales. Nor did they lead to a book deal with a publisher for my next great novel.

In 2022, my social media manager at the time urged me to utilize Pinterest as a platform. So, that summer, I spent several days during my "vacation," when I probably should have been spending time with my sister and nephews, reformatting all of my blog posts for Pinterest and posting them to the platform. Did those posts have any real measurable results? No... nothing significant anyway.

Here's the kicker... Now I'm the publisher. I'm the old, bald guy telling authors that they can't be successful without social media. But why? Why would I say that when it's clear that from my own experience the use of social media does not equal success as an author?

Because I'm wrong. The publisher I met in 2014 who urged me to use social media (I started my Facebook account on April 20, 2014) was wrong. YOU DON'T NEED SOCIAL MEDIA TO SUCCEED AS AN AUTHOR. It is far more complicated than that.

Social media is a tremendous tool. It provides authors access to a huge, worldwide audience of ravenous fans and loyal consumers. It also provides readers direct access to their favorite authors and all of the interesting content those authors put out into the world. It is no longer just books that authors publish. They publish interviews, blogs, day-in-the-life content, tutorials, behind-the-scenes content, inspiring quotes, scenes cut from their novels, and so, so much more. Social media allows authors and readers to connect in a way never thought possible decades earlier. And when an author finds the right platform and utilizes the right strategies, social media can absolutely be life-changing. It can take an author to the next level, finding them thousands, even millions of readers. It can help them land their next book deal. It can help an author be successful.

But here's what I've learned. Success or lack thereof was never about social media. It's about relationships. Social media can help authors build those relationships, but it cannot replace the genuine effort required to find, establish, and build relationships with readers. You can join dozens of social media accounts and post content until your fingers bleed, but it will not make you a successful author. You can't become successful by following a plan or utilizing a strategy. You just have to be yourself. You have to give of yourself. You have to empathize with your audience. You have to meet them where they are and engage in conversation with them, rather than just throwing content in their general direction.

So when I—or some other gatekeeping publisher—tell you that you can't be successful without social media, ignore me. Learn from my mistakes. Don't skip your vacation to put up more content. Don't miss out on sleep to ensure you're keeping your audience updated. Life will go on without your social media posts—for you, for them, for Sky Fisher who inspired this post. Just be yourself, write good novels, and build genuine, lasting relationships. Be humble, be brave, and don't give up on your dreams. You'll be successful if you just stop trying so hard.