Taking Myself Seriously

or how I stopped worrying and learned to use Instagram

...re publishing my opus. Been reading a lot about ‘building platform’ so that is what I intend to do.

CUT TO:25^th November

(view from grandchildren’s bedroom)

25th November: Multitasking in Hebden Bridge - babysitting and meeting my social media ‘coach’ and website designer – a brilliant, charming and reassuring husband and wife team. I am learning how to use Instagram (I know, very late to the party) and getting a website – although I am listening to Nina Stibbe at the moment and she muses on why a writer wants a website. But it is all part of taking myself seriously.

26^th November

Had a great morning making ‘reels’ and ‘posts’ and writing on them and trying ‘captions’ etc. etc. etc. Had to make copious notes but think I now know the difference between a disappearing story and an archived post. Pretty clever! (Instagram, not me.). Move on to Substack and how to use it. I discovered this platform a few months ago but thought it was out of my league. However, now I am taking myself seriously I am determined to contribute on it. Quite why taking myself seriously equates with inflicting myself on you, I’m not sure. But the voice in my head is telling me to ‘go public’ and this seems a tailor made way to do that.

27^th November

Day off social media induction to meet the grandmother of my granddaughter’s friend (keep up) who took my granddaughter’s friend (8 years old) on a FOUR week camper van trip to Germany, Switzerland and France to trace Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Bauhaus buildings and First World War memorials. I have Grandma envy and want to do something similar with granddaughter so am borrowing SuperGran’s books and maps. Feel inadequate and apprehensive but all my competitive instincts rearing to go. Granddaughter might enjoy it too.

28^th November

Photo shoot for website and social media posts. Jon - Website designer - taking headshots for site and Java – social media coach – taking photos of Jon taking photos so I can use them for Instagram posts. First time I’ve had headshots done since being an actress (so long ago I wasn’t an ‘actor’) 30 years ago. Now I no longer worry about looking gorgeous it was actually fun. Wish it had been then. After shoot went to Jon and Java’s to work on site. As usual, get bogged down in trying to gather all the disparate stuff I have made and worked on – forgetting the purpose of the site which is if anyone is interested in my book, and they look me up, I will have a simple, sophisticated landing page that says ‘serious writer’.

29^th November

Agonise about posting on Instagram. Feels like once I am on there regularly it could prove to be the devil. Particularly reading all the people (mainly women) who are busy closing their accounts in order to enjoy life again. Chicken out. Go to ‘LIGHT UP THE VALLEY’ event with grandchildren, friends, stilt walkers, Ukranian choir, fire-eaters, Father Christmas, the best semi-geriatric brass band this side of the Pennines and a whole, glowing, buzzing community.

30^th November

Arrive at the unpronounceable (to me anyway) Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig, I feel lucky. And serious. And post to Instagram.