Self-Promotion: Social & Big Macs

Have you ever seen a McDonald's commercial? Tantalizing imagery of burgers at tight angles — glistening patties, cheese melted just right, fresh green lettuce, and just the right amount of condiments oozing out between a perfectly-toasted sesame-seed bun.

I love the idea of social media much like I love the idea of a Big Mac. But what I'm given at the drive-thru window bears little resemblance to the food-porn reel playing in my head. In fact, it's impossible for my burger to live up to the marketing team's promise because that burger wasn't real to begin with. It was engineered. Plastic.

In the early years of the Bird site, I could post, "Check out this pancake — it looks like Abe Lincoln," and have engagement for days. In recent history — particularly since Bring Your Child To Work Year — I can spend weeks pouring my guts into a creative project, only to be met by deafening silence upon sharing.

How do we compete with endless streams of content — hilarious and engaging and terrible and amazing reels delivered on platforms engineered to use our biochemistry against us? How do we writers best position and promote our static blocks of text — our words on a page that require commitment and focus — amid the noise? Perhaps that's too apples-and-oranges-y. The better question is: how do independent writerfolk effectively attract readers in a saturated and competitive market?

I've wrestled with this question for a while and can say with absolute certainty: I have no freaking clue. My apex-introvert wiring, desire for authentic connection, and lifelong struggle with transaction-rooted engagement create the perfect conditions for slow growth. It's the same reason I struggle with offline mixers and networking events — I'm unable to see people as a means to an end.

If we're connected on Substack or elsewhere, I appreciate your patience while I try to find a strategy that jives with my soul.