Yesterday I read an article by Phil Brown (Silkworm) considering Facebook and its use in the poetry world. He made some interesting points about Facebook as something we didn't see coming, I couldn't agree more. The problem of course is that Facebook is a place where :
1) Actual friends, even family, may chat
2) At the same time Facebook is used by writers and publishers as a place to make people aware of their product.
Consequently, Facebook can be an odd mix between business and pleasure. The good news is Facebook has changed how writers find out about events and developments in the literary world- its all right there in one big mall, writer after writer pushing a flyer into your hand. The downside is, we may find ourselves at a business a conference in our pyjamas.The way we speak to our friends is never going to be the same as the self promoting tone of confidence and boost in which we are expected to present ourselves to fellow writers and publishers. Facebook lacks an ability to categorize, to spilt an account into sections of column A) friends and column B) business acquaintances. It would be a useful tool. It is becoming increasingly necessary.
Facebook has enabled writers and publishers to find out about events and opportunities, but most importantly sell their wares. The plus side is writers no longer have to be as isolated. They make 'friends' with other writers, and may receive encouragement, find readers. It will be rare to find a writer who acknowledges there may be a down side to this. As Phil Brown says, we don't really consider our internet comments to the extent we would our poetry or prose. Would we write a review for a newspaper for example without backing up our argument? Would we review something that we can't be even handed about? Would we say something snide about a fellow writer? On Facebook (perhaps elsewhere on the net also) it all seems OK, as long as we use a little smiley face :) or a wink ;)
It does get tiring though, so many books plugged all day long. I seem to spend more time reading about how good someone is than reading their work, see their acomplishments more often than the goods that back it up. As a reader, I don't get much from reading about how good a writer is, I sort of get tired of it. I'd rather read the work. As a writer, I don't get much from seeing who is mates with who and who's not. And as a person, well the merging of facebook of real friends and family with business and colleagues means it's less fun, hard to be honest if you're having a bad day when you are supposed to have your business face on. If you can be a salesman all the time facebook may be for you. Not me. Life's too short to think in status updates.
