When I sat down in a session at the SCBWI-Carolinas fall writers and illustrators weekend retreat, everyone around me was exchanging invites to Bluesky. I've had Bluesky on my mind ever since I noticed several authors sharing invitations with each other via a post on another social media platform.
My roommate for the retreat said, "I've got you. I'm sending you an invite right now!"
If you haven't heard, Bluesky is a new social media platform. It's very similar to what Twitter used to be. But you can't sign up for it. You have to be invited.
When I saw the post on the other social media platform, I looked into Bluesky. Everything I read said it was a new platform that was not well-established. I read that for those who use social media regularly, you might not want to add another one just yet.
After my retreat roommate said she was sending me an invite, I mentioned my research. Everyone in the room looked at me as if my hair was on fire. One said, "Oh, no! That's not true anymore. Bluesky has grown a lot. It already has an active community for writers and illustrators."
That's all it took to convince me. I was surrounded by experts on writer and illustrator social media communities. Everyone in the room was a writer or illustrator.
That night, I downloaded Bluesky and used my retreat roommate's invitation code to start an account.
So far, it is a lot like the old Twitter platform, except better organized. For example, I don't have to create streams. There are already streams of curated topics that I can add to my account. I also like that it is very easy to navigate and use. There was no learning curve. Also, from what I've learned, I have control over the algorithms that drive content to my streams.
Did I want another platform to maintain as an author? No. But then again, I'm not adding another platform. Rather, I'm replacing the platform I no longer use.
I'm still trying to figure out what I do and don't like about TikTok. Facebook will probably be part of the social media world for years to come. I still visit LinkedIn now and again. Instagram is one of my go-to's. But when you hear the #kidlit conversation moved to Bluesky and you're part of the #kidlit community, you expand your horizons.
Yes, Bluesky is on my mind. It's also on my phone. @mickibare