A Puzzlement For This Writer

That's me feeling frustrated and somewhat irritated. I post my blog link each weekday on several Facebook pages that have a writing theme. For all the years I've done so, I've never had a problem until yesterday.

I received notice that those blog posts on Facebook pages for the past 3-4 days were blocked. I could see them, but no one else. I wrote a short note in the box given telling the Facebook people that my posts had no profanity, no political views, nothing that would go against their 'Community Standards' which was the reason given. I should have added that there was nothing sexual or controversial at all.

I had to leave for the afternoon soon after discovering this revolting situation. When I returned, I found something that led me to the Support page where I found a long, very long, list of my posts that they had banned. One by one, I had to go through the list and click several times to request a review of each one. By the time I returned from dinner last evening, 3 had been reinstated while the others were 'under review.' Still 'under review' this morning. 

I have been a Facebook member for years, have posted my blog essays there with nary a problem. Why now? Out of the blue? Computer filters are part of the problem, I'm sure. They may help but also create trouble for individuals like me, the innocent victim. I am very careful to never post anything that could be a problem. That includes my personal posts as well as the blog posts.

I am a writer, just like the majority of my readers. I want to reach my readers, just as any writer does. Facebook is making it feel like scaling a 20-foot wall, slipping and sliding back all the way. 

If anyone has any thoughts on how to make sure this never happens again, I would love to hear about it. The people who have subscribed to this blog will still receive it via email. That has nothing to do with Facebook. But I have many other readers who read on those writing themed Facebook pages. 

This certainly shows how vulnerable and reliant we are on technology and social media. When it works, it's great. When it doesn't, you're gonna look like the guy above.  

I'm going to post now to those writing themed pages, but I wonder if it will work. Has Facebook forgiven innocent me or still out to punish?

Why Bother? A Question For Writers

Yesterday's post was about getting discouraged as a writer. Late last evening, I remembered a short piece I'd written to submit to a writing newsletter. It seemed to fit quite well with the earlier post.

Why Bother?

Does it sometimes appear that writing is meant to defeat a writer rather than buoy her to great heights? Do you ever wonder why in the world you're beating your head against the writing wall? Have you asked yourself “If it is this hard to become a widely published writer, why bother?”

We bother because we enjoy stringing words to make sentences, sentences to make paragraphs and paragraphs to create a story. We bother because there is something satisfying to our soul when we write. We bother because we are inspired by thoughts spinning through our minds, thoughts wanting to be sifted and sorted and put together coherently.

We bother, and I include myself here, because we love to write. We bother because we have something to say. We bother because we may want to prove something to ourselves. We bother because we know that the more we write, the more we grow as a writer.

We bother because we've had positive feedback from readers. We bother because we've had some encouraging rejections from editors. We bother because we've had enough acceptances to know that we are not a washout as a writer. We bother because we have something to offer to others. We bother because we’d miss writing too much if we stopped.

Now, aren't those enough reasons to stay on the writing journey? They are for me, and I hope you feel the same. Just keep in mind that there is no express elevator. You move up one step at a time.