Becoming My Own Fan · 18 September 2009
I created a Facebook fan page for myself so that people could spread the word about my writing. I did not know what the etiquette was for whether I should be my own fan or not. So I debated the issue in my own mind and finally figured out that I would be my own fan.
Even though it probably should have been a no-brainer that I become my own Facebook fan, my own humility kept me from doing so right away. My relatives would surely say, “What humility?” at that last thought, but I do have some. Right inside my pinky toe. But seriously, I do have a bit of humility in my soul. Which is why for the first month or so, I decided that I could not be my own fan.
I also thought that my friends might think I was a bit self-absorbed if I was my own fan. Having a link to my fan page was one thing. But being my own fan? That would be brazenly self-promoting.
Then again, every author must be a bit of a self-promoter. Unlike me. After all, people I have known a long time did not know that I had written a book because I do not talk about it much. It has even been in our school library since I had it published way back when. But somebody saw it on Facebook or my website and mentioned it like it was just published. It was great. Now I can be a quiet self-promoter just talking about myself online or when people ask rather than asking people, “Did you see my latest column?”
The other side of the coin was that if I did not make myself my own fan, maybe others would not want to be my fans. After all, they might think, “He does not even believe in himself. Why should I?” While I doubt that people thought I did not believe in myself just because I was not my own fan, not being my own fan might be the difference in getting a couple more fans. A couple more readers who might have friends who have friends who have friends who like my writing.
In the end, I decided that I needed to let digital social networking work for me in another way than just keeping up with friends. After all, one of the reasons I started using Facebook was to promote my writing in a different venue. I enjoy connecting and reconnecting with friends online. And I like the thought that my family and friends can see what I am writing with just a click on my Facebook info page.
I know that it should have been an easy choice to become my own fan on Facebook. All the debating within myself about humility and such was silly. After all, I really am my own fan. I just hope I am not my own biggest fan.
© 2009 Michael T. Miyoshi
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| Electric Hands | Main Street, USA |
Nah, you’ve got plenty of bigger fans. Loved the book!
— Matt O. · 17 September 2009, 21:01 ·