I need to start this column with an apology. I’m sorry, but I have a TikTok channel. As a 46-year-old dad, an apology seems appropriate. TikTok appears to be for the young and those that like to use words like “yeet” except not that one because it’s no longer what TikTok youngsters say. Yes, I have no business being there. But as a writer and an author, I don’t really have a choice.
Social Media can be vexing. The rules of what you should and shouldn’t do change quickly and it entirely depends on the platform you’re on. If you’re on Twitter, jokes seem good. Instagram is crammed with influencers and travel. Facebook is where you want to hear your relatives talk about lizard people and then ask when you over for dinner. But TikTok seems to be in a different universe entirely.
I spent an hour on the site when I signed up to see what it really was about. And after doing an entirely nonscientific study, I have come to some conclusions. Crop tops and booty shorts seem to be the main draw in the videos that I have seen. Like, a whole lot of booty shorts. And they are usually paired with some perfect abs by a young dude doing some sort of dance.
But here’s the thing as a writer. We spend countless hours in the dead of night trying to come up with something original and worthwhile. The pieces that you read don’t really reflect the amount of work gone into them. We languish behind our words and hope that someone reads them. And when people do, honestly, we have no idea that they do. We may get a comment on our social media channels but usually not a whole lot. Our pieces could be read by thousands or by two people wearing booty shorts.
Most of the time, that is fine. But if we ever want to make a living at writing, then we need to build an audience. Writers jump from one platform to another trying to drive more traffic to our pieces. To have that breakthrough viral moment that leads to the movie deal we are sure we could get if only seen in front of the right people. We hit the social media channels for their sheer reach; for their ability to attract attention. And occasionally, to show off our six-pack abs. I kid. No writers have six-pack abs.
The next behind-the-scenes look is that writers are often overworked and underpaid. Most of us don’t want to be famous. We just want to be able to pay the bills doing something we love. That’s the real dream.
And although you may think that writer you know is rolling in it, he’s sitting there just happy if he can get a burrito today. However, to get there, you have to find your audience. As a dad writing in the parenting sphere, it’s even tougher. That’s not to complain, I’m very happy and thankful for the audience I’ve been able to find. But it’s taken a ton of work and over three million words over the last 4 years. That’s a lot of typing.
In the writing world, TikTok is known for selling copies of books. It’s the one social media channel that lives up to that hype. So, when I was told that I needed to get an account, I followed thousands of other writers to see if I could grow my audience there. Make no mistake, we fight for every single reader. Every. Single. One. And if you don’t know if you matter or not, just shoot a writer an email telling them you’ve read their piece. I guarantee that you matter to them. Because without you, we are just old men in booty shorts shaking it for the crowd.
I love what I do and wouldn’t change it up for anything. I’m and stay-at-home dad and a writer. I am both these things, and I’m proud of it. And I hope that the words I’ve written reach someone and that the person I present online as is authentic. I really do talk like I write so that when you meet me, hopefully, it’s the same guy.
And have no worries, I have no intention of putting on a very short pair of shorts for TikTok. I do have my limits. My crop top shirt looks good, though. Until you see that nightmare, I want to thank you for reading.
PRE ORDER:
The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad
YOUR ESSENTIAL MANUAL FOR BEING AN AWESOME FULL-TIME FATHER
—
This Post is republished on Medium.
—
Photo credit: Shutterstock