Bit PlayerDec 29, 2022
Jack Phoenix: comics librarian
I really feel for the artists, writers, and other creative types who have spent much time amassing a following on #twitter
It would be easy for me to say that the morally right correct thing is to leave Twitter so it doesn’t benefit the muskrat and that doing the right thing is more important than followers, but I don’t have a lot of skin in that game
#twitterdown #TwitterFailings #twittermigration
Dec 29, 2022 at 1:44pmWeb
Show threadJack Phoenix: comics librarianDec 29, 2022
I apologize for referring to #ElonMusk as a muskrat, that’s really not cool to muskrats. I’m better than that
Show threadmargeoisDec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian the trick is not to become an animal like him.
Show threadSameGirlieDec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian The truly interesting thing on Twitter ... 40% of their followers are fake accounts. I went in and deleted mine before I locked down there. #Twitter #TwitterMigration
Show threadJack Phoenix: comics librarianDec 29, 2022
@SameGirlie ugh, that’s terrible. Personally, I don’t think I’ll ever go back, it was a cesspool even before Musk, and things seem so much friendlier here…for now (DUN DUN DUNNN)
Show threadCalvin AtreidesDec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian Yeah, for all its issues Twitter was a useful networking tool and a way for amateur and pro writers to gather an audience. Seeing this happen to it stinks. I’d love to see a thriving community of authors here on #bookstodon to take the good parts of writing Twitter without the bad. We should encourage more writers on Twitter to join us.
Show threadJack Phoenix: comics librarianDec 29, 2022
@calvinatreides I’ll certainly do my part in encouraging them. Thinking I might even hop over to Twitter just to talk about how much fun I’m having here
Show threadCalvin AtreidesDec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian Especially since Mastodon is so much better for actual conversations than Twitter is! It’s a breath of fresh air.
Show threadLexDec 29, 2022
@calvinatreides @comicslibrarian I'm on board to start the #bookstodon revolution.
Show threadCalvin AtreidesDec 29, 2022
@lexmorrigan @comicslibrarian As am I! Unfortunately I’m a newbie myself so I don’t have much in the way of contacts or networking, but it would be great to 1) invite new authors over to #bookstodon and 2) encourage big-name authors on Twitter to join the fun here. The #Fediverse has a lot of potential to help both authors and their fans, especially with the lack of algorithms.
Show threadNathan Lowell (he/him) 📎Dec 29, 2022

@calvinatreides @lexmorrigan @comicslibrarian

My hot take:

Having a network of authors to share craft tips and trade analysis is nice, but it's not the revolution we need.

Two steps for authors to help authors:

1. Read the authors beside you on the shelf. Those authors don't need to be here, although if they are, that's nice, too.

2. Tell your readers about those books you liked. Giving them something to read while they're waiting for you is the best thing you can do for them.

Show threadCalvin AtreidesDec 29, 2022
@nlowell @lexmorrigan @comicslibrarian I like those suggestions! I don’t think networking here and your ideas are necessarily mutually exclusive, but you’re right that ground work in recommending authors in real life and expanding our bookshelves is part of this revolution here. I’ve already found some great recommendations through discussions on Mastodon.
Show threadNathan Lowell (he/him) 📎Dec 29, 2022

@calvinatreides @lexmorrigan @comicslibrarian

" ... recommending authors in real life ..."

I'm confused.

Is there an unreal life?

Show threadCalvin AtreidesDec 29, 2022
@nlowell @lexmorrigan @comicslibrarian I apologize, I should have worded it better. I meant recommendations and trying new books offline as opposed to and as well as on social media.
Show threadNathan Lowell (he/him) 📎Dec 29, 2022

@calvinatreides @lexmorrigan @comicslibrarian

I'm failing on the online/offline distinctions.

But I'm having a dense day but it's probably residual brain fog and I haven't had anything to eat yet this morning.

Don't worry about it.
🤪

Show threadNathan Lowell (he/him) 📎Dec 29, 2022

@calvinatreides @lexmorrigan @comicslibrarian

If every author who hates self promotion did it instead of shilling their own books:

1. We'd get rid of 90% of the "buy my book" posts.
2. Writers would feel better about their promotional efforts.
3. Readers would pay more attention when writers post.

Another hot take:
The 50 reviews thing is a vampire myth.

It's never been true, it won't die, and it sucks time and focus out of believers.

JMO. YMMV.

Show threadEvlyn MoreauDec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian I am a pretty small artist and I made a smooth transfer to Mastodon. My revenues even went up a bit (support is maybe of better quality here?). Naturally not everyone will have the same experience but I think that people over estimate twitter usefulness, most well established artists get their revenues from diverse sources and for very small artists I don’t think that difference will be that big. That said, yes rebuilding your network take time and energy.
Show threadChris⚡️Arter 🤘Dec 29, 2022

@comicslibrarian I built up a following of almost 5k by providing content (and memes) in the tech space, helping ppl break into tech, etc.. it became a great little community.

Not sure how much skin I really had in it but I 100% cared about the community built there and my contributions to lifting others up.

Despite having contributed to this community, I felt OK leaving Twitter. I'm still the same person who people found value in following, and I'll be that same person on another platform.

Show threadChris⚡️Arter 🤘Dec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian so to your point, I hope other creatives can take solace in knowing there's life after Twitter and their light will shine again.
Show threadMFKMikeDec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian the fact that many publishers want authors to maintain a massive Twitter following is not helpful.
Let's normalize engagement over autopost advertising for #bookstodon
Show threadmargeoisDec 29, 2022
@comicslibrarian major dilemma, no? i can understand why people stay and the mental effort that went into gaining a following. but they are on notice: musk knows they care, so he can f. with them. they need to get a back up. milk this for what it's worth but understand it is not yours. he can take it away.and prob will.

#twitterdown #twttermigration
Show threadKeith_RDec 30, 2022

@comicslibrarian

It depresses the hell out of me that a following has become a de facto currency.

It's precisely this desperation for likes and other kinds of online approval that has created the populist, lowest-common-denominator "say and do anything for clicks" cess-pit that is so much of social media today.

It creates and enables Andrew Tates.