Goodbye, Facebook
The time has come. I’ve been struggling with this for over a year. Limiting my visits to Facebook. Only linking these blog posts to my author page then checking for comments on the posts—it seems rude to link the posts then ignore comments.
But no more.
I’m deleting my Facebook accounts. Both my personal account and my author page. Gone.
I’ve known for a while FB is not good for the world. But we moved from the city I called home for 20 years. I could only keep up with people I loved through FB. I could see photos of your new babies on FB. I could go to FB when a storm hit and find out what people were posting about the impact. I could link my blog posts and drive readers to what I had to say. I’m about to start a new blog thread about my personal journey of reparations—who will read it now? And—the hardest—I’m at the very end of the revisions on the best novel I’ve ever written. How will I let people who have been following me for over a decade know I have finally sold a damn novel…?
But you know what Sydney J. Harris said about necessary evils: the more we justify something as necessary, the less and less evil it becomes.
But Not To You
So I will be saying goodbye to FB at the end of the week. I don’t want to say goodbye to you too.
I hope you will go to the bottom of my HOME Page and fill in the box to “Subscribe to this blog” so you aren’t dependent on a FB post to know I’m talking again. I hope you’ll include your blog address in the comments so I can follow you. I hope something else arises that allows us to keep in touch without being part of a harmful force in the world.
I’m hoping we won’t fall out of each other’s lives.
Joseph Hawes
Now we have the absence of FB in common.
And the burdens of writing….
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Yes, that actually gives me hope. I feel we’ve been able to stay in touch through this blog. Hopefully I won’t entirely lose touch with others as well. And the burdens of writing….
Susan+Cushman
SO excited about this novel, Ellen. You are working on revisions . . . like from your editor at a publishing house? Do you have a book deal for this one? I definitely want to stay in the loop!
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Oh, I can see how what I wrote could be confusing. No, I’m still working on Beta reader-suggested revisions and HOPING I’ll sell this novel. If I do, you’ll probably hear my whoop all the way to Memphis!
Ruthanne Crowley
I struggle with this too. I admire your choice in this. Maybe I’ll join you one day.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
It took me a long time to get here. I’m so glad you comment on the blog so we can stay in touch.<3
Joanne Corey
Congratulations on your decision, Ellen. I’ve been struggling with FB for years but have stuck with it, albeit with filters, ad-blockers, and other measures in place to carve out a safe space for me and a small circle of friends, some of whom are online at FB only. I’ve been meaning to write a post in my JC’s Confessions series about how guilty I feel about being on Facebook.
I don’t think I’m connected with you on FB, Ellen. I usually see your posts on LinkedIn or manage to remember to come to the blog directly or scoot over when you have made comments on my blog. Because of the vagaries of WordPress, my subscription with you goes to my blog’s email, which is long neglected. I think I can set up an incognito window and subscribe with my personal email address so that I actually see your posts in a timely rather than haphazard way. I’ll try that.
Ellen Morris Prewitt
It’s hard, isn’t it? This process of getting off really feels like ending relationships with lots of folks. We shall see what happens. But I’m grateful for the conversations on this blog. I will keep posting on LinkedIn, too. Until it starts spreading world domination. 🙂
JC’s Confession #19 – Top of JC's Mind
[…] confessing this now because it is top of mind after reflecting on Ellen Morris Prewitt’s post on leaving Facebook. Ellen is an amazing author, blogger, community volunteer, and former lawyer […]