Balancing Writing & Instagram
Last week I took a social media break. Specifically, an Instagram break. I’ve done media deprivation in the past as part of The Artist’s Way, but this time my Instagram retreat came from within. On Sunday night I disabled the app with a rush of breath and relaxing shoulders. Since when did a stupid app feel harder than writing a book?
For context: I’d wanted to reach 50,000 words on my latest project by July 9th. We’d booked a holiday to Nethy Bridge but unfortunately Covid-19 forced us to reschedule for September. However, I’d met my goal and after writing 3,000 words a day (my norm is 2,000) for two weeks, I thought I deserved a break. It was a slog but I actually felt motivated to keep going. That’s when I realised it wasn’t my writing I needed a break from but something else - the pressure to be present on social media. Even when I wasn’t posting on Instagram it hung over me like a guilty smog.
I’ll be honest, for a while now (maybe over a year?) I’ve not enjoyed Instagram as much as I used to.
Instagram can be an incredible tool for getting your work out there, connecting with readers and finding a supportive writing community. I’d be daft not to use it to my advantage. Yet I find myself in limbo - not posting or engaging but still visiting the app, scrolling for too long, feeling like an imposter or that what I’d planned to post isn’t good enough.
It’s exhausting. I want to either find a way to enjoy using Instagram or not use it at all.
To restore balance, I’ve come up with a wee social media manifesto. This manifesto is very personal (maybe to personal to apply to your own account) but hopefully it’ll give you food for thought if striking a balance between creativity and social media is something you struggle with.
Remember why I’m using Instagram
We all know Instagram is a hyper curated highlight reel, and yet I’ve often fallen into the trap of comparing ‘perfect’ art, careers, lifestyles and bodies against my own. Not to mention like and follower counts.
My aim when I joined the bookish community on Instagram was to share my writing, cultivate a readership for my books and find a supportive writing community. A big part of it was also for personal growth - finding my place as a writer and living the creative life I need.
I don’t want to be an influencer or travel the world.
Bearing these points in mind helps me engage with the right accounts - the kind that motivate me to focus on my craft, develop creative habits and feel good about putting my work into the world. They motivate me to take action rather than wistfully scroll, wishing for an unobtainable life.
Remembering why I’m using Instagram means I use my time there fruitfully. Instagram should be a fun escape or dose of inspiration, not a mood wrecker.
Less is more
I’ve decided to stop actively growing my following and connect better with the community I’ve already got . Gaining new followers is a fickle process these days anyway, because Instagram is always changing. Focusing on community over growth feels less fraught - I’d rather close the app pondering a new story technique or seeking out a book recommendation than frustrated by my yo-yoing follower account.
Offline I really value deep conversations that make me pause. When the online world feels like an echo chamber it can be harder to have those types of conversations, but I’m going to do my best to slow down and offer my real thoughts rather than the first response (or emoji) that pops into my head.
I’ve found I’m more likely to find meaningful interaction with smaller accounts. Big accounts are great for inspiration but, understandably, conversation isn’t as open, otherwise they’d spend all day replying to comments and DMs.
I’m adopting the less is more approach with content, too. I’d rather spend my days writing than taking pictures for Instagram and am only willing to give, at most, one morning a week to taking pictures. Likewise with planning captions.
Planning photos and captions in advance might sound silly, but it saves me time in the long run. I also find that when I have content ready to go I’m more likely to post consistently. When I haven’t planned I resist posting, then feel guilty for not showing up online, and so begins the unproductive cycle that led to my social media break in the first place!
Changing my username
I’m sure you’re all aware that a name as mystical as Oonagh Moon is too good to be true. It made sense for me to invent an online ‘persona’ in the early days when I was uncomfortable sharing my writing online. I needed anonymity to create and share without fear.
But things have changed. I feel surer of my writing abilities and myself. An alias doesn’t feel like me anymore.
I think part of my recent Instagram resistance came from this imbalance. I’ve queried agents using my real name, and if I were to become traditionally published I’d publish under my real name too, so it’s something I’ll have to address sooner or later. Suddenly a pen name feels inhibiting (and more than a little pretentious). I want to stop hiding behind Oonagh and just be myself.
It’s a big change and I won’t be making it overnight, but you heard it here first 😉
Post what I’m comfortable with
This is a short list:
‘faceless’ portraits
the landscapes that inspire me
text posts
My ultimate wish is that people will connect with my words but Instagram is a visual platform. Showing the person behind the account definitely helped me connect with folk faster than if I’d hidden behind the camera, but there’s an unavoidable self-scrutiny that comes with endless self-portraits that I’m tiring of. Sharing more of my inspirations will take the pressure off, turning my Instagram into a personal log of places and things that spark story ideas, and bring a bit of balance back to my online life.
Use video more
Stories are quicker to make than grid posts so don’t impact too much on my writing day.
I also enjoy the conversations that can happen afterwards if a Story resonates. Often they’ll give me ideas for future blog posts, too - win-win!
Instagram supports my writing, not the other way around
Novels, short stories and blog posts are where I put my energy. Instagram is a place to share those endeavours and the process that went into making them.
It sounds simple, but I used to spend hours crafting poetry specifically for Instagram. But I never wanted to be a poet. I think I was seduced by the ‘insta poets’ and how seemingly easy it was to share a few pretty lines than pages of prose. In reality, writing poems only took time away from novel writing - my true vocation.
Trying to fit your life and hobbies into an Instagrammable square is a recipe for disaster. The creative process is messy and non-linear, and the true art is finding a way to share that, rather than constraining your process to an algorithm.
Schedule regular social media breaks
I’m an introvert, and get just as burnt out socialising online as I do offline. To protect myself from fatigue I set a phone bedtime. At 8.30pm every night I put my phone away and don’t look at it until noon the next day. I love the internet but it can be a noisy place, and sometimes the pressure to appear online gets overwhelming. Clearing my evening of the ‘mental clutter’ that comes with Instagram and other social media apps leaves me free to read, draw, go for walks and sleep better.
I’m also going to start scheduling longer Instagram holidays. I think about how I feel when I’m forced to spend all day with a group of friends. I love those friends and want to spend time with them, but socialising drains my energy. If I have to be sociable for too long I get sad, irritable and withdrawn. It’s better for me to meet pals for a couple of hours and leave on good terms rather than subjecting anyone to a meltdown. I feel the same with social media. The moment I feel irritated I know I need to back off and return when my batteries are recharged.
Curate my follow feed
This is an obvious one, but I want to double check I’m only following accounts I genuinely enjoy. Photographers and artists who spark story ideas, educational accounts (Eva Deverell is great for writers), and brilliant book recommendations are always welcome on my feed.
Making less decisions
The less decisions I have to make about Instagram the more time I have to spend on my writing outside the app.
I used to be a fairly consistent poster but somewhere along the line I wasn’t sure what I wanted to post anymore. I second guessed every bit of content and would either ‘post and run’ or not open the app for days. I have loads of captions and photos languishing in my grid planner but (pre-break) no enthusiasm to share.
During my break I reconsidered the purpose of my account. Deciding what I want to share, how I’m going to share it and when, avoids unnecessary worrying over how my posts will perform. In fact, I planned some new posts during my break which I can’t wait to share with you 🤗
I’ve also decided to stop holding myself to a schedule. I might post three times a week, once a week or only use Stories. Now I’m focusing on community over growth, daily posts don’t matter - it’s quality over quantity. Something that doesn’t come naturally in a society obsessed with productivity!
On a closing note I just want to say that if, despite the above measures, Instagram continues to unreasonably drain me, I will delete it.
I realise this goes against the grain of what we’re advised. We’re told we need Instagram to be successful in our creative careers. But we don’t need it. Especially if it impacts our self-worth and the time we need to create valuable art.
Consider for a moment what your life would be like without Instagram. Less fraught? More peaceful? Liberated? I’m not saying this to encourage you to get off Instagram right now. What I’m saying is cultivating a social media presence isn’t the high stakes game it’s made out to be.
When you cultivate a rich offline life it ceases to become a life or death scenario. You can choose to post a little, a lot or not at all. You can choose to place your hobbies and enjoyment outside social media. The successful people I admire around me don’t have big online followings. Some aren’t online at all. The one thing they have in common is doing the work. Social media platforms and trends come and go but great art is forever, and the creating of it will nourish and sustain you in a way likes and followers can’t compete with.