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The importance of Women in Horror Month #WiHM FILM EDITION
It’s the tenth year of celebrating Women in Horror Month! But why does this month matter?
Let’s start with some women in film. I’ll do another post later this month about women in horror literature.
Here are the facts. Of the top 250 movies in 2017, a 2017 report from San Diego State University says that 88% had no women directors. The Atlantic reported in a 2018 article that 83% of the top 250 films had no female writers and 96% had no female cinemantographers. A study conducted by the Center of Study of Women in Television and Film states only 24% of the top 100 movies in 2017 had a sole female protagonist with only 34% having a speaking role.
Why should you care about this and what does it have to do with horror?
An article from
says it best:
Each year, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media publishes research that shows how gender imbalances in film affects women and girls.
For example, they’ve found that positive and prominent roles for women in movies “motivate women to be more ambitious” professionally and personally. But when there is a dearth of women being depicted in positive ways, it has an opposite, negative effect.
A recent study by Google and the Geena Davis Institute studied this phenomenon across genres. They developed something called “the GD-IQ” (Geena Davis Inclusion Quotient), which is facilitated by machine-learning technology. The goal was to recognize patterns in gender, screen time and speaking time that the casual movie viewer might overlook. The results of this study told a familiar story: In film, men are seen and heard twice as often as women.
This means that an entire group of human beings is being marginalized within a booming industry, creating a ripple effect within our society.
But let’s talk horror specifically. So often, horror depicts women as dimwits who scream more than they talk and often die first. Even in the most iconic of films, such as Halloween (1978) or Friday the 13th (1980), we see the gross stereotype perpetuated to make money from the mega horror industry. They are usually virgins who end up having sex, only to be hunted and killed because of it. Think of Cabin Fever (2002) or Sorority Row (2009) where those who have sex die first. Or it’s the opposite. The virgin girl is the only one to survive due to her purity, such as in Halloween. Even in the cult classic Carrie (1976), sex plays a pivotal role as the movie starts when she begins menstruating and her purity is called into question.
It seems women can’t win within the horror genre. We’re a tired, stereotypical, disgusting troupe.
And that’s why we need more women.
More women protagonists. More women directors, produces, writers, and cinematographers.
We need a new perspective.
And I think it’s becoming clear to Hollywood that women are done being the screaming sex-driven eye candy in films. We’re not settling for the same old misogynistic approach in our horror films. Here’s a look at some incredible women in horror for you to check out this month:
Julia Ducournau
Ducournau is the French writer and director of Raw (2016), a haunting and beautiful horror movie about a a teenager with an appetite for human flesh. The film won the FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographiqu) prize at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival
Sophia Takal
Takal is an actor and director whose film Always Shine (2016) highlights envy and destruction between two friends.
Mary Harron
Harron directed and co-wrote American Psycho (2000) with Guinevere Turner. Need I say more? Okay, I’ll say a little more. She also created a teenage Gothic horror, The Moth Diaries (2011) and created a horror film with Turner based on Charles Manson, which will hopefully be released later this year.
Ana Lily Amirpour
I’ve heard Amirpour’s first debut film A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) notes as an Iranian Western vampire movie. She’s a UK director and also is credited with The Bad Batch (2016) , a cannible dystopian film.
Jennifer Kent
Kent is an actress and director who directed The Babadook (2014), which is a personal favorite of mine. A mother and son must battle a mysterious force intent to kill them.
Book Review: Game Changers of the Apocalypse by Mark Kirkbride
Back of the Book Summary:
It’s always the end of the world when you break up with someone. This time it really is…
Everyone on the planet has mysteriously disappeared, leaving exes Greg and Polly. They’ve survived the apocalypse, yet shouldn’t have. Battling each other and a malevolent entity that teases them with their fate, how long can they remain ahead? Even more terrifying than everyone else on the planet disappearing is what’s about to take their place…
3 Star Review:
Game Changers of the Apocalypse is a fun chase through the apocalypse. Interesting and bizarre twists keep the reader engaged, but there were some problems with character development and pacing that kept this book from reaching its full potential.
Greg is a solid protagonist. He’s thrown into impossible situations and proves to be an intelligent and resourceful asset. Too bad his girlfriend Polly is so annoying. Greg is the driving force within the relationship and constantly does all the heavy lifting to keep them alive while the world falls apart.
Polly is one of my major problems with this book. I love a strong heroine, with intelligence, independence and grit. She possesses none of these skills. Polly complains. A lot. And she’s highly emotional and irrational. They’re in the middle of the apocalypse and she puts their lives in danger due to her anger over Greg’s commitment issues. There’s a scene where Greg crashes their car into a jewelry store while zombies are chasing them. Now, you’d think the next move would be to find another mode of transportation and get out of harm’s way. That’s Greg’s plan. What does Polly do? She throws a hissy fit and walks down into the subway to wait for a train. Yup, she goes underground where there’s no exits.
Because she’s angry that Greg didn’t realize how upset she’d be that he crashed into a jewelry store.
Where they sell wedding rings.
Because she wants to get married and decides that moment is the best to bring it up.
As a female reader, I despised Polly and how impractical she was in basically every scenario. It is frustrating to see a female portrayed as the “damsel in distress”, especially in today’s social climate. I wanted to see her kicking zombie butt, coming up with a plan, taking control. But that was all Greg’s doing. She just huffed and puffed and complained. By the end, I was routing for her death.
But let’s talk plot. It isn’t a cookie cutter end of the world story. There are zombies, but these aren’t your typical zombies and that was a pleasant surprise. There are so many clever twists within this story. Some seem a little far-fetched, but I didn’t mind stretching the boundaries of my imagination. It has religious overtones, but it wasn’t preachy or overtly religious. The ideas of the book mixed horror and religion in a way that they balanced each other in a way I found intriguing. There’s questions about death, the afterlife, and free will all bundled together while Greg and Polly run for their lives.
But there is a lot of running. So much running. Too much.
Let me break it down by parts.
Part one set an eerie story world where only Greg and Polly survived the apocalypse. We don’t know why they were selected to live, or if it were some mistake that they outwitted death, but they are desolate and alone. Some of this part was realistic while other times I struggled to believe their actions. They didn’t do a whole lot of searching for other survivors, having accepted rather quickly that they were the only two left on the Earth.
And then there’s the ear on the building.
And a security camera that seems to follow their movements.
These are the first hints that something is amiss, but the big problem with this novel is pacing and “action / reaction structure”. When we discover that an ear – and actual human ear – is growing from a building, we expect answers. We’re not given any. The very next chapter is a time jump and Greg and Polly keep living life as if the ear never existed. I feel that was a missed opportunity to keep the tension growing.
Part Two is the zombie phase, which is high action from chapter to chapter. They’re running all over London with little hope of escape. Frankly, it becomes redundant and while I was engaged in the first few chapters of this portion, I realized quickly that Greg and Polly were only going to be doing the exact same thing but in different locations. Run to a new place, zombies attack, run new place, zombies attack…Except for the few whining fits of Polly, which seem entirely inappropriate, this part was redundant. I started skimming.
Part Three and Part Four tie up the book, so I won’t give those away, but the ebb and flow aren’t much better in these sections. And there was a part at the end that I was thoroughly confused about because it was completely skipped over.
But the concept of this book was cool. So many cool ideas laid within these pages that even though I had issues with the structure of the story and Polly as a female lead, I still found myself enjoying the story world created. Give it a try and let me know what you think. 3 stars.
How to Avoid Writer's Block in 2019
It’s totally natural.
You’re chugging along, writing your story and then you hit a plot pothole. Okay, no problem. Just take a second, regroup, and keep going. Except that pothole turns into a sinkhole, and then a crater, and soon you’re pulling out your hair, cursing at your computer and yelling about how you should have listened to your parents and gone to medical school.
Welcome to the world of writer’s block. This is a judgement free zone.
If you’re new to writing, this land of endless coffee, arguing with critique partners, questioning your life decisions and bargaining with the devil for a nugget of writing genius may be new. If you’re a seasoned writer, welcome home.
But writer’s block doesn’t need to destroy your New Year’s resolution writing goals. Over the years, I’ve found several helpful ways to beat the blues and get back to doing what I love.
Do something else that is creative. Other than writing, what creative outlet would you like to explore? Don’t worry about your skill set, just explore a different artistic avenue. During the month of October, I participated in Inktober, a themed daily drawing challenge. They aren’t great (you can check them out on my instagram) but it was nice to get the creative juices flowing in a different way. Maybe consider taking a painting class, or buying a chunk of clay and molding a vase. Perhaps you want to hit the Karakoe bars or tour an art museum or try to sew a dress. Whatever it is, enjoy stretching your creative muscles.
Bounce ideas with your critique partners Don’t have a critique partner? I suggest getting one, but if you’re unable, then find a willing friend and bounce ideas off of him or her. But the advantage of a critique partner is being able to help that individual with her project. It gets your mind off your own writer’s block while still keeping the creativity flowing. Plus, it’s fun helping others achieve their creative goals.
Read the type of book your want to write. I have a list of “go-to” authors that I pull up whenever I am in a writing funk. Curling up with my dog, a great book and a cup of coffee always puts me in a good mood. And reading a book I want to be able to write gives me the inspiration I need to keep going.
Get moving. Get out of the house and move that body! Take a walk, or a run. Go dancing. Roll down a hill. Whatever makes you happy :) Just getting up and moving recharges your brain and helps reset your sour mood into something more inspiring.
Write. Sorry, but this is the one you just have to do. The medicine for writer’s block is to sit down and write. Don’t worry about quality or even quantity, just get something on the page. A short story, perhaps? A single paragraph? Maybe a book review? Just write something.
Just remember to give yourself a break. Writing is hard work and you’re bound to have days when you produce nothing more than a jumble of incoherent rubbish. That’s okay :) I’ve been there too! Just keep at it and trust that writer’s block is only temporary.
Have any proven techniques to get over writer’s block? Leave them in the comments below!
My Top Three Authors of 2018
This was an incredible year for literature, especially indie horror and science fiction. As a member of scifiandscary.com, I got advanced reader copies of several amazing titles, many of which you can read about under my Books You Need to Read page. So for my last blog post of 2018, I wanted to share three amazing authors I discovered this year. I hope you’ll enjoy them as well!
Alan Baxter
Alan is an award winning British-Austrailian author who writes dark fiction, supernatural thrillers, urban horror, crime and noir all mixed into a blender of literary brilliance. He’s written around twenty books so far, including Manifest Recall which was the first book I ever gave a five star review to. There’s tension from start to finish of each of his novels, with high action and twisted characters that will make any eccentric heart beat a little faster. Check him out.
J. Barton Mitchell
I discovered award winning author J. Barton through his book The Razor, an intense science fiction plot with a unique and wild storyworld. He does a bit of everything, from YA to to comic books to selling screenplays to Warner Bros. and 21st Century Fox. I really hope The Razor ends up as a movie because it’s a fierce story. Check him out.
Scott Cole
I mean, who wouldn’t want to read more books by the author of Triple Axe, a story about revenge and porn actresses? Scott manages to depict a rather sensitive subject with a gore, grit and even a bit of humor, making him a wordsmith. I can’t wait to read more of his work! Check him out.
8 Gifts for Book Lovers
Yay! The holidays are here! It’s time to shop and share the love :) If you have a book lover in your life, here’s some GREAT finds! There’s a little of something for everyone…
Check out this AWESOME Dracula t-shirt available from outofprint.com. This company is AMAZING! They have a plethra of literary gifts from socks to totes to boxers to mugs to pins to baby onesies. And their collections range from Harry Potter to Poe. They’re worth checking out!
A tshirt will run about $30 and sizes vary from XS - 4X. The women’s shirts are a bit snug, so I’ve bought the men’s shirts and they’re great!
Okay, I admit. I put these writing gloves on my Christmas list. And the scarf? Yeah, I’ve been wanting one of these for awhile. But let me back up. Have you heard of Storiarts? They’re known for their literary scarves, but they’ve extended their brand to include gloves, totes, pillows, tees and even a few baby items. I’ve bought the scarf for a friend (totally almost kept it for myself) and I can attest to their high quality. Their products are more geared toward the classics, with collections such as Alice in Wonderland, The Raven, and The Great Gatsby. But they add new items and collections regularly, so keep an eye out!
They’re a bit on the pricey side, but sign up for their newsletter so you get an alert when sales are approaching. The scarves usually run $48 and the gloves are $26, without a sale.
This is such a fun and unique gift! It’s a chart of literary insults from some of the great writers. Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Shakespeare, even Charles Dickens lend their snark to this 24" H x 18" W poster. Only the poster is included, so you’ll have to decide if you want to put it in a frame or simply tape it to your wall, but either way, a literature fan will get a kick out of this awesome gift!
You can find it at Uncommon Goods for $25.00
Let’s talk stocking stuffers. How about Lady Macbeth’s Guest Soap? You can find this coca butter scented soap for $4.46 from The Literary Gift Company. And while you’re on the site, check out their wide selection of pencils, mugs, socks, pins and more!
I love these bookmarks so much! I have the Edward Scissorhands one, but there are SO MANY to pick from! These just one twist…you’re book lover should be into horror because these bookmarks will spook ya! And you need to scoop them up fast, because they go QUICK! But the seller is amazing, ships them out fast, and restocks on a regular basis. So if you miss out on your Stranger Things or Jaws or Krampus bookmark, don’t worry! But what I love most, isn’t just the design. They’re a sturdy, well crafted piece of art that can not only holds your place in a book, but spice up your work place!
Buy through her etsy shop A Stranger Dream and prices tend to be around $5.00 / piece.
No more soggy books! Not that I’ve ever dropped a book in the tub, um, of course not. But just to be safe, why not give the book lover in your life this cute over tub caddy? There’s a decent amount of these on the market, but this one has candle holder and WINE GLASS HOLDER!! Sorry. I got a little excited. Available at Bed Bath and Beyond for $29.99
These are super cute and fun literary coasters. From Gone With the Wind to Jurassic Park, these coasters are perfect for the book lover. They’re made from upcycled and discarded wood with laser engraved artwork. Each is unique and sealed in a semigloss finish. They’re $20.00 for two coasters from CuttingBoardem on Etsy.
Okay, these are pricey but if you have enough to splurge, check them out! There are many literature clutches on the market, but these look to be higher quality then most. I don’t have one, so I can’t say for certain, but they’re made with vegan leather, fully lined and there’s a zip compartment. Surely, that makes them awesome :) You can pick between The Raven, How to Kill A Mocking Bird and Pride and Prejudice. Each on is $78.00
Four Simple NaNoWriMo Prep Tips
Four Simple Tips :
It’s time again! November is National Novel Writing Month. So dust of those manuscript plot ideas, grab a pen and paper, and get started!
Um…
But how? How does one go about the task of writing 50,000 words in a single month?! Especially, November. Uh, ever hear of Thanksgiving? How can anyone get work done while stuffed with turkey?!
I’m going to tell you. :) As someone who loves NaNoWriMo, and successfully participated in it for many years, I’m going to share four simple tips that work for me.
Have a sensible timeline. Key word: Sensible. The first year, I decided to write everyday. I broke that promise the first weekend. The key to pacing out this month long marathon is time management, according to your own realistic expectations. If you don’t want to write the week of Thanksgiving, don’t. Just make up those words some other time. Get a calendar, post is someplace you can see from your desk, and keep track of your progress.
Gather a support system. This website is perfect for such a task. Not only can you track your success and receive a printable certificate when you complete your work, but you can connect with other NaNos and cheer each other on.
Have your plot outlined. There are outliners and there are pantsers within the writing world. Those who write out the details of their manuscripts, the chapters, each individual scene, all before beginning their manuscript are outliners. And then there are people who sit down in front of their computer and let the creative juices flow, no outline at hand. As you can guess, these are the pantsers. For this particular experience, I’d recommend adopting the outliner’s approach, especially if this is your first novel. Knowing how the book progresses will save a lot of time.
Have fun!! Turn off that inner editor and simply sit back and let the creativity bolt through your fingertips. You got this!
Getting started is always the hardest. But you can do this! Take it one day and one word at a time. And when it’s all done, come back here and comment below! Let me know how it went!
(Since I’ll be participating, I won’t be blogging during November. )
CRYPTOFAUNA by Patrick Canning : Book Review
CRYPTOFAUNA by PATRICK CANNING
BOOK REVIEW
Amazon Synopsis: Could be his job as a janitor at an insane asylum, could be the meaninglessness of existence, could be the unwanted cilantro on his tacos. Whatever the reason, Jim has elected to commit suicide. But before he can do the deed, a mysterious resident at work equips him with a dog and a bag of ash, and throws him into a secret game known as Cryptofauna. Cryptofauna is played by Operators, persons of special abilities who battle one another to influence important events around the world. To become an Operator, Jim must survive being stranded in the Pacific Ocean, pass a bizarre examination by leprous French monks, and pluck the existential splinter from his troubled soul. If there’s time, he must also stop a rival player from ending all life on the planet. Underwater Norwegian lairs, obsession with a decent pair of socks, and shapeshifting animals obsessed with AM radio all make up the strange world of Cryptofauna, which might help Jim discover a reason to live, assuming he doesn’t die in the process.
Review: Are you ready for a wild ride?
If Alice and Wonderland and The Hitchiker’s Guide to The Galaxy had a love child, it’d be Cryptofauna. This fantasy novel creates an acid dream of lovable characters, tense twists, and a storyworld unlike any I’ve experienced. Our protagonist gets dragged through dangerous adventures, each testing his stamina until the final test is revealed.
But what is Cryptofauna? A game, of sorts. It’s a well crafted metaphor for life, but I did think it took a little too long for the characters to reveal the rules. For the first few chapters, I was very confused and while I understand the need to build tension, I wished Cryptofauna had been explained, in detail, much earlier in story.
Even so, the heart of the novel rests within our protagonist, a man on the verge of ending his life. His journey of self discovery, the supporting characters he meets along the way, and the life lessons explored through this wild game will be relatable to many readers. The imaginative way that life and death are discussed within the constraints of the game help Jim understand that some things, simply put, are not within our understanding.
This book is riddled with incredible imagery, perhaps even a little too much at times, bordering on purple prose. The pacing of the action sequences are perfect, but the reaction scenes seem a little slow at times, and there are jumps in time (a week passes, a month passes) that are a tad jarring. When they occurred, I felt a bit cheated as I was sucked into the world, caught up in the adventures, and then time simply passed. I wanted to be a part of every second. But it’s a beautiful story, funny at times, ridiculous in the best possible way, intense and action packed. But it had a deeper meaning, one that was woven into the fantasy world.
Give this book a try! It’s a little dense at time, the exposition is a little heavy every now-and-then, but not so much that you’ll put the book down. Overall, a fantastic adventure! 4 stars
Buy it here: Amazon
(I was given this book for consideration in return for an honest review)
Review: Prodigy Netflix No Spoilers!
Review: Prodigy on Netflix No Spoilers!
Netflix is rocking my socks off. From Ghoul to Black Hollow Cage, they're becoming my "go-to" for dark and mind-bending entertainment. So when I spotted Prodigy on my queue, I knew I was info a wild ride. I wasn't disappointed.
The movie begins with Dr. Fonda (Richard Neil) playing chess with himself. We get an instant sense that something has gone wrong with his life. A sorrow weighs on him as he absentmindedly twists his wedding ring. He's approached by Dr. Olivia (Jolene Anderson), an old fling and therapisrt who is out of time and resources when it comes to reforming her young patient Ellie, played by Savannah Liles.
But Ellie isn't a normal child. Dr. Fonda is constantly warned about her behavior although we aren't given specifics, only that she's been violent toward the staff. When Dr. Fonda enters the room to meet with Ellie, she's in restraints. Think along the lines of Hannibal Lector. Within seconds, Ellie has assessed Dr. Fonda, showing off her superior intellect and ability to recognize a person's weakness and exploit it.
We learn about Dr. Fonda's past, the source of his pain and sadness, and we get a hint that somewhere under the demonic layers of evil which Ellie displays, a broken child exists.
Or is it all an act? Are some people born evil? Or is there goodness in even the worst of us?
The movie unravels quickly, keeps the tension from start to end with superb acting. Savannah Lilies's performance disturbs and hypnotizes. This movie digs into the complexities of human nature and it is definitely worth checking out.
My rating: 5 stars
What is Your Brand? Part 2 Website and Social Media
Last blog, we discussed unique selling position (UPS) and looked at some examples. Now, we're going to use what we've learned to expand into website creation and social media.
Designing a Website:
As someone who has run several small businesses and switched writing genres, designing a website that reflects your UPS can be overwhelming. Let's break it down:
Colors
Refer back to your USP. What are your three words or short phrases? Take some time to think about what colors each word associates with. For example, if your word is “sassy”, maybe you think of something bright and fun. Red, a bright shade of pink. Maybe teal or magenta. If your word is “mysterious”, you might want to consider dark colors, blues or purples. Maybe a background of black with some pops of maroon. Whatever you decide, make those your core colors, the ones you use the most. When people hear your name, they need to see your colors. Take a look throughout my website, my twitter, even my Instagram. Hopefully, you can get an idea about me and my writing by the colors I've selected.
Fonts
Your fonts should be as consistent as possible, including any flyers, brochures, business cards, and merchandise. No need to over think this. Scroll through the microsoft word fonts and select a few that work best for your USP. For example, if you are a romance writer, you may want all your headings to be in cursive. If you're going for a friendly down home vibe, maybe you want to stick with the classic Times Roman since it's standard and straight forward. Whatever you pick, make sure your readers can actually read it. I once picked a font I absolutely loved, but when I used it on the blog, the letters were too close together and people had trouble reading it. Whoops!
Images
Refer back to your three words (are you sensing a theme yet?) and think about how you can reflect those with the images you use. If your word is “peaceful”, you don’t want to be frowning into the camera. Maybe you're outside with your shoes off, sitting in the grass with your back resting against a building. Or maybe you're laying in the grass, hair tossed around you with a bright smile. Would something like that work for "friendly", "welcoming", "down-home"? Absolutely. Would it work for "disturbing"? No, probably not, which is probably why you don't see a lot of horror writers laying in the grass staring up at the clouds. One of the best author pics I saw was a mystery writer. He was leaning against an alley wall, at night, and the alley was pitch black. Boom. USP nailed in a single image.
Above all, have fun with this. As a writer, you create characters and bring them to life. This is no different. You're taking a part of yourself, developing it in a fun and creative way, and then bringing it to life. Your brand is you.
Social Media
I get a lot of questions about social media. I already wrote a blog post about websites. Yes, writers need them. But do they need twitter? Facebook? Instagram? Snap Chat?
Yes and no.
Look, a lot of us writers write because we love it, we can't not write. Yeah, that's a double negative and it's intention, because that's what writers feel. It's a part of us, for better or worse. So even if we never sell a book, even if no one on the planet ever reads a single word we write, we will continue to scribble out stories on paper. It's who we are.
With that said, would it be nice to have people read our work? Sure. And how can we do that if no one knows we exist?
I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about social media, especially in our current society where a single tweet can end seriously divert a career. But, in my opinion, you still need to be a part of social media. But it doesn't have to be scary. I have two words of wisdom and they're basically the same thing:
Be authentic
As a writer, the USP is all about You. Expanding the parts of You that connect with your writer and ultimately to your readers. So make sure you don't lose yourself in the process of creating a brand. Be authentic on you website, in front of an audience at a book signing, and on social media. Don't try to shock followers with provocative tweets unless you're a provocative individual. Don't curse, unless you curse in your everyday life. Don't jump on a thread and support someone or an idea if you don't passionately agree.
Don't be a Jerkface
Scenario One: Dr. Picklepants posts a new medical theory on her Twitter feed. Buddy responds with a provocative, yet respectful comment. Snippy responds to Buddy with all intense, rude comment. Now Buddy feels attacked, and responds with his own rude comment. Three tweets later, Buddy and Snippy are in an intense word battle, complete with name calling and cursing. All of this happening on Dr. Picklepant's thread. Moral of the story: Don't be Snippy. Snippy = Jerkface. Don't start arguments on someone else thread, especially someone in your writer's community. And if you're Dr. Picklepants, feel free to block them. Don't feel like blocking people is somehow going to blacklist you. If people are being cruel or disrespectful or creepy, block them.
Scenario Two: Rudey McRudeFace notices that people are more likely to follow her if she follows back. So she goes on a following rambage, clicking that little "follow" button until her fingers blister. And guess what? It worked. She went from 489 followers to 701 in just two weeks! So now, her Twitter account reads: Rudey McRudeFace Tweets: 3,298 Following: 1,298 Followers: 701. Uh oh. Rudey is starting to have second thoughts. Should she be following a New Zealand potato farmer when she's a young adult author? The farmer can't really do much for her brand. She doubts he'll interact much with her feed and what will people think if they search her "following" category and come up with someone so random and not associate with her carefully crafted writing bubble? Better unfriend him. Uh oh. Rudey realized, in all her excitement to gain followers, she has followed twelve circus clowns, a glass blower, three tree doctors and a gynecologist. Hmm. Those aren't really people she figures would like any of her posts. And, well, she got what she wanted from them - a follow. And she doesn't want people thinking she loves clowns, glass, trees or her vagina, so she unfollows them. Soon, she's unfollowed all the people she feels won't help advance her career, but feeling pretty happy that they're still following her. Now, her account reads: Rudey McRudeFace Tweets: 3,298 Following: 489 Followers: 701. Ah, so much better.
Can anyone in the class tell me why Rudey McRudeFace is a Jerkface? You guess it! Following people to boost your numbers only to immediately unfollow them, for any reason, is flat out rude. And guess what? No one is fooled. In fact, if you're looking to get on people's poop list, this is one of the easiest things to do.
But let's address Rudey's concerns about why she unfollowed. Is it okay to follow everyone who follows you even though they aren't in your target demographic? Will it look bad on you if an editor or agent sees you're following 85,039 people? Wouldn't it be better to appear selective? Okay, I'm going to answer from my own personal experience based on how I run my feeds and what I've seen from other Twitter accounts, and what I've been told by social media gurus:
Unless an account is aggressive, offensive, creepy, or makes you uncomfortable in any way (in which case, you should block them), it's okay to follow back. It's okay to have your "following" and "followers" numbers to be the same. Or to be following more than those who are following you. In my personal experience, it's never been a problem.
But really, if you're focused solely on numbers, then you're missing out on the amazing aspects of social media. The writing community on Twitter is amazing. You'll make friends, acquaintances, business partners, and you'll learn about incredible opportunities. If you're only on social media to get numbers (followers), it'll eventually come through in your posts (or lack of posts). Tweeting in the beginning to gain followers, and then only tweeting when you have a book to sell...well, people notice. I'm always frustrated by folks like this. Sure, they have every right to use Twitter in that fashion, but for me and for those I've met, Twitter is more than, "Hey, I've published a book now it's time for you to pay attention to me again" vessel. It's a community. It's support. It's a little mini online family.
Ultimately, how you run your social media is your decision. I'm sure for every example I gave of Jerkface, you can come up with someone doing the exact same thing but with a million followers. I think focusing on the numbers is a wasted opportunity to connect with extraordinary people all over the world (So many of the people I've met on Twitter are from the UK and I love gaining their perceptive on films and literature.) Just remember to be yourself. Have fun. Now go out there and get tweeting!