Reading with Media

Hey Everyone!
Welcome Back!

Okay, so obviously our generation is obsessed with social media. Now, I'm talking about Twitter, Facebook, SnapChat, Pinterest, Instagram, Vine.... Literally everything popular now is considered a media.
But really social media is just a bunch of people being nosy. I know a ton of people who still have their ex-boyfriends/girlfriends as "friends" on social media and all they do is just snoop their photos and newsfeed to see what they're up too. Then, of course, there are the obligatory individuals who use social media as a platform to promote THEMSELVES rather than an idea or a cause. And we all have those other types of people who use social media to bash others in a bullying setting.
No matter what platform you use, there will always be the stalkers, the selfish, and the self-absorbed.

I'm guilty of it too! I can't resist a good selfie but I draw the line at keeping "friends" just because they passed through my life and are now irrelevant to who I am now. I, like everyone else, also have an opinion but I also draw a very dark line at overstepping my bounds on the Internet and becoming a keyboard warrior.

Now, the social media I'm a part of, I use for other things rather than myself and my family. I use it for reading.

I don't use Twitter to tweet about my mocha frap I just got at Starbucks. Because no one cares.
I use Twitter as a way to talk to people I wouldn't normally have the chance to talk to, like... Authors.

Yup. I'm one of those. After I'm done reading a great book or a not so great book, I'll tweet the author and let them know what I think. In my opinion, reviews from the NY Times can only really get you so far as a writer. I would want to know the opinions about real people reading my books. If you don't like something, tell me why. If you did love it, tell me why. I think that offering direct feedback to someone based on something of their's that I read does a great service to them.

I'm a huge Pinterest-er. But, again, I use it for reading. You can not believe how many interesting things about books are on Pinterest. I've found Pinterest boards dedicated to fashion surrounding books, tattoos (my favorite), quotes, book lists, TBR journals, literally everything!

Goodreads.com is my life. Goodreads is a social media site where you can let your "friends" know what you are reading and your thoughts on a certain book. You can rate it, review it, recommend it, buy it, join a discussion, join a book club, and even keep track of your books throughout the year. It's such a great resource to track your reading and find something new to read. But it's also a great place for like-minded individuals. Everyone there loves to read so it's highly unlikely that you'll find a mean spirited individual unless YOU are the one completely bashing a book someone else loves. But, what I like about it is that everyone is respectful of the other's opinion. Such a great tool!!! I'm seriously on it all the damn time. It's a problem.

The last social media outlet that I use to interact with individuals surrounding a love of reading is BookTube. Yup. It's a community on YouTube that centered their content on reading. BookTube really opens up a flow of conversation regarding different types of books. The majority of content creators on the site are Young Adult readers but I'm subscribed to people who read and review romances, non-fiction, and adult fiction, as well as the young-adult crowd.
The comments section really opens up the discussion between content creators and viewers, so like with Twitter, the people making the videos can interact with the people watching.
BT also has a variety of content available to it. If you like to see people "hauling" (see what they've just bought) then there's that. People "un-haul" (give away), make TBR's (To-Be-Reads) for the month, do tag videos, collaborations with other creators and authors, and even just do discussion videos. It's really addicting and opens up a new world of reading and content that I would have never have found and experienced if not for the good ol' web. :)

I use Facebook and all the other social media sites just like everyone else, but I'm not so consumed with the media that I lose focus with reality. Or maybe I am because reading itself is losing touch with reality in a way.
I support the media because of the impact it can make and the way it can open someone's mind to new opinions and ideas. Freedom of speech is a great thing but I think people need to use their speech to be open to new things and to voice their opinions in a respectful way. Using social media for a specific cause, like reading, helps me focus on what I consider important and not be wrapped up in the dark side of the net.