Rant on…

I’m not a follower-collector. I don’t care if people follow me or not. Of course I like it, it makes me happy to think there are people out there that want to see whatever dribbles out the end of my fingers… (typing, not the blood and ooze). Having followers is a bonus. Not a requirement.

It’s like, every day I get 360 (or so) gifts from an equal number of people. That kind of bonus.

At one time I did auto-follow, for certain challenges and the like, but I found over time I needed to step back and look at how I handle things.

BUT - I had to stop… Things were getting out of control. So…

I don’t auto-follow, and I often stop following people that haven’t posted anything for over three months simply on the assumption they won’t be back. They can @ me if they even notice, should they come back, and I’ll probably re-follow. Most of ‘em I’m friends with on Facebook anyway.

There are 140 characters for a reason. If you’re going to post 150 back-to-back tweets so you can do what a blog post would be better suited for, well… People that use twitter as a blog – get unfollowed.

If anyone were to ever tell me to follow them because they followed me, I’d not only not follow, but block. I know very well that blocking doesn’t stop anyone from seeing tweets, that’s not the point. I’d block them so I don’t have to put up with the @s that would follow. If you’re interested in whatever I might blather on about, fine. If I’m interested in your blather, I’ll follow. If not – I won’t.

I also block anything to do with three little advertising letters put together – you know the three – because they’re nothing but bots and even those that are real people… they’re remarkably silent for those accounts. That makes me more paranoid than usual, so I block. I also block and report anything that remotely looks like spam.

I RT a lot, when I can, and when I think it’s something someone else on my followers list might be interested in. I often add the tag #supportthelittleguy because I think it’s an awesome campaign, and ONLY if it fits under what I’ve taken to be the campaign’s ideal. I don’t #supportthelittleguy every time I finish an edit project or write something, get a rejection or acceptance, and I won’t RT those types from others. I don’t think that’s what Brandon was expecting when he formed the tag. I am getting a bit miffed that while a handful of us do RT others, some folks use the tag and NEVER RT for others, leaving Brandon to do it all on his own. That isn’t fair, and also not what I think Brandon had in mind.

PS & BTW – next time someone tells me I “have to” RT their tagged tweet? They get unfollowed and blocked. I don’t have to anything. Neither do you, and you don’t, so back off.

I manage numerous twitter accounts, and this method of dealing with followers/following spreads across all of them.

@JodiL33 is the one that goes with this blog, and is my day-to-day writing/editing/mom/friends one.

@bychwych is the one that goes with Sacred Triskele, and is geared for postings and reading pagan inclined bits ‘n pieces. There is some cross-over, but not much.

@belfirepress is the one that goes with Belfire Press. Obviously.

@newbedlam is the one that goes… yes, with TNBP.

@needfire is the poetry imprint of Belfire Press.

So – if this agrees with you, or disagrees with you – *shrug* I can’t run how you handle your accounts. I can only run how I handle mine.

Remember – followers are a gift, not a right. A bonus, not a requirement.

Rant off…