I recently returned for a few weeks and promptly deactivated my account once again. Hopi, that answers your question. I am on Bluesky for now, which I am enjoying.
Great to hear from you and thanks for the kind words. I actually started tweeting again on a limited basis. I set things up so I have very little reason to scroll through my feed, which has made all the difference. It turned out that I was losing opportunities to collaborate with people on projects as well as speaking engagements. Hope you are doing well.
Completely understand your reasoning for de-twittering. But, an occasional Otis post wouldn't be out of place here. After all, it is your page :-) Cheers
Completely agree with your decision, but I'm wondering if you are at all concerned about future publishing issues, i.e., even with your successful track record, a new publisher might be leery if you don't participate in all types of social media. Given that many publishers have cut down on their promotional budget and expect authors to pick up the slack, do you think this might become an issue?
It's not an unreasonable question. In fact, it's a question that has prevented me from making this move earlier, but here's the problem. My research and writing has been seriously compromised as a result of my social media presence on twitter. Something had to give.
Let's also be realistic. Of the 45K followers on twitter I suspect that I was only reaching a fraction of that number. My Substack subscription community continues to increase. Right now I am just under 3K subscribers and I suspect that by the time I am ready to promote my Shaw biography that number is going to be significantly higher.
Any publisher that expects its authors to be present on multiple social media platforms is not only unrealistic, it's also a faulty strategy. Authors need to embrace those platforms that advance their overall goals and build community. I've done that for close to 20 years through blogging.
Kevin, while I have never been on Twitter, I can completely relate to your addiction concern. For me it's Facebook, and I suspect that addiction potential could apply to any of the various social media platforms. The price for me is the ridiculous amount of time I spend on there which correlates to a loss of potential research and writing time. And, I further suspect social media has significantly contributed to my inability to focus on reading for any lengthy period of time. If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix. It was an eye-opening experience.
Great to hear from you. I completely agree that the problems associated with addiction are present with all social media. Thankfully, I spend very little time on Facebook and use it for the most part to share blog posts. I also agree that social media has had a significant impact on my ability to concentrate for long periods of time. This has been well documented over the years. I am hoping that this improves in the near future.
While I haven't gone as far as you have in deactivating my Twitter account, I have decided to take a break from checking it and/or posting, at least for now. I've got way too much reading that I want to do and found that I was spending far too much time just scrolling. To help with that I removed Twitter from my bookmarks so that if I really want to check it, it will take more work. I will miss all the historians I follow on there, along with all of the other reasons I started on the site (hockey, Cleveland Guardians, etc.). I do hope that you will consider an occasional post on here with any pupdates! That was another thing I enjoyed. But again, I respect your decision and look forward to your continued e-mails on this site.
The main reason I didn't deactivate completely is that I have bookmarked a lot of tweets containing articles I want to read and I didn't want to lose them. But, if I waiver too much in my plan to stay away, I might have to deactivate.
Twitter is addicting and toxic, much like cigarettes. I commend you for leaving it. After the 2016 election, I deactivated my account and never looked back. Serious followers will find you. I’m not an historian and I’m not an academic, but I have learned a lot from your Civil War Memory posts. I’m happy to follow you on Substack.
Hi Kevin, totally respect this decision. Rest assured that I'll try to keep you in the loop via email as our often-intersecting projects evolve. Keep up the good work.
Twitter is what you make it and, true, it can be negative but you can come across different people discussing topics whom you might not have otherwise found. For example, one of my interests is the Spanish Civil War and there are a few people there who add immeasurably to my knowledge. Current events can be problematic and many times when I go to tweet something that aggravates me I either don’t tweet it or delete it. It’s just not worth the aggravation.
I completely agree. Twitter can and is being used in ways that advance education and other projects. I've learned a great deal over the years about a wide range of subjects from my fellow #twitterstorians.
I understand the decision. While not an "influencer" I find my self regularly, to the point of addiction, checking twitter. I am a military historian by training (Kansas State a long time ago) with long time service as an armor officer so I have been particularly pulled in following the war in Ukraine. I also taught post-Civil War American history for a number of years at the University of Central Missouri so I am equally caught up, much as you describe, by the discussions about that subject.
It is really hard not to react to people you think get it wrong, whatever it is, and like some else said in a comment i yell at my phone a lot. None of which is good for my peace of mind. Reading your account has me thinking about doing the same thing. I doubt I will be missed on twitter, but you will be. However, if you are good with where you are now you did the right thing.
Thanks for the comment. I suspect that I won't be missed on twitter. Like I said at the end of the post, I am still here. Those people who truly value my commentary can just as easily subscribe. Have a great weekend.
A difficult but I think correct choice. I follow Twitter and Facebook to talk to renewed contacts from the past, sports, local news and history. It is very difficult not to comment on opinions and some so called facts that people post. I just yell at the screen like I yell at my printed newspaper. Fortunately the only one that gets annoyed is my wife that listens to my gripes. I have thought about leaving but the addiction is still to strong. I look forward to your future posts here on the blog .
I came across your work through reading other books. I was very happy to find and follow you on twitter (which I primarily use for reading on topics I care about rather than posting), and then when you started this newsletter - rejoice! Twitter can be a useful medium, but for me personally, its longer works, like your entries on your newsletter, or your books(!) where your best work would occur. I'm a happy subscriber, and I always look forward to seeing your updates in my inbox and then checking them out for a well-thought-out, evidenced reflection on an important issue (something Twitter is not great for). I look forward to more of your entries here and learning more about history and its relevance to understanding today, and hopefully more about evaluating primary sources. Keep 'em coming!
😢 When I go to twitter, it’s to check on friends. Not many whom I’ve met in real life, though I hope to some some day, but people I’ve come to admire, like you, and Joanne Freeman, and Woody Holton. You have influenced many, many people through that app and I believe they will continue to seek you out, to learn from you and share what you’ve taught them.
Thanks so much for this comment. Like I said in the post, I've really enjoyed the opportunity to meet historians that I respect, but I've also enjoyed meeting new people like you, who share my deep interest in American history.
I look forward to continuing our conversation on this site. We seem to agree that education is the way forward and I continue to believe that Confederate monuments in places like Gettysburg can help to achieve those goals.
First, you don't need to refer to me as a Dr. because I do not hold a PhD in history.
That's a very reasonable question that I find difficult to answer at this point. The NPS has to commit to interpreting its Confederate monuments. Thankfully, that is beginning to happen at places like Gettysburg with wayside markers as well as lectures and tours that specifically focus on this aspect of the past. There are a number of apps that visitors can use to learn about this history as well.
Unfortunately, I can't point you to a timeframe at this point. I think it is important to remember that the general public (especially white America) has only recently begun to focus on these monuments. Up until the 1980s NPS sites tended to concentrate on the military aspects of battles and campaigns.
Thankfully, that has changed over the past few decades and certainly bodes well for the future despite the challenges that await.
Glad to hear that you are reading Jill's book. It is fabulous.
We are in complete agreement the NPS needs to do more in terms of its battlefield interpretation. They certainly have the staff on hand to do it, but there are many factors that limit their reach. Changes in interpretation take place slowly, which is unfortunate, but it is the reality.
It's frustrating to realize that most people who spend time at the Confederate monuments will likely never consider the kinds of questions that you and I believe are so important to consider, but that is true for the vast majority of people who visit the battlefield without stopping at the visitor center or join a battlefield tour.
Your last paragraph beautifully encapsulates a much needed research project. I will be looking into some of these subjects in preparation for a battlefield tour that I am leading at Gettysburg next summer.
Do you miss it a year or so on
Hi Chris,
I recently returned for a few weeks and promptly deactivated my account once again. Hopi, that answers your question. I am on Bluesky for now, which I am enjoying.
Thank you very much for upgrading.
Can see why twitter is full of negativity.
Love what you do look forward to reading more of your articles in the future
Just saw this. You and your insight will always be relevant, no matter what platform you choose.
Great to hear from you and thanks for the kind words. I actually started tweeting again on a limited basis. I set things up so I have very little reason to scroll through my feed, which has made all the difference. It turned out that I was losing opportunities to collaborate with people on projects as well as speaking engagements. Hope you are doing well.
Completely understand your reasoning for de-twittering. But, an occasional Otis post wouldn't be out of place here. After all, it is your page :-) Cheers
That shouldn't be a problem. :-)
Kevin,
Completely agree with your decision, but I'm wondering if you are at all concerned about future publishing issues, i.e., even with your successful track record, a new publisher might be leery if you don't participate in all types of social media. Given that many publishers have cut down on their promotional budget and expect authors to pick up the slack, do you think this might become an issue?
Best
Rob
Hi Rob,
It's not an unreasonable question. In fact, it's a question that has prevented me from making this move earlier, but here's the problem. My research and writing has been seriously compromised as a result of my social media presence on twitter. Something had to give.
Let's also be realistic. Of the 45K followers on twitter I suspect that I was only reaching a fraction of that number. My Substack subscription community continues to increase. Right now I am just under 3K subscribers and I suspect that by the time I am ready to promote my Shaw biography that number is going to be significantly higher.
Any publisher that expects its authors to be present on multiple social media platforms is not only unrealistic, it's also a faulty strategy. Authors need to embrace those platforms that advance their overall goals and build community. I've done that for close to 20 years through blogging.
Thanks for the comment.
No more Twitter??? Come on, Kevin!!
Sorry, Joe. :-(
Kevin, while I have never been on Twitter, I can completely relate to your addiction concern. For me it's Facebook, and I suspect that addiction potential could apply to any of the various social media platforms. The price for me is the ridiculous amount of time I spend on there which correlates to a loss of potential research and writing time. And, I further suspect social media has significantly contributed to my inability to focus on reading for any lengthy period of time. If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix. It was an eye-opening experience.
Hi Paul,
Great to hear from you. I completely agree that the problems associated with addiction are present with all social media. Thankfully, I spend very little time on Facebook and use it for the most part to share blog posts. I also agree that social media has had a significant impact on my ability to concentrate for long periods of time. This has been well documented over the years. I am hoping that this improves in the near future.
While I haven't gone as far as you have in deactivating my Twitter account, I have decided to take a break from checking it and/or posting, at least for now. I've got way too much reading that I want to do and found that I was spending far too much time just scrolling. To help with that I removed Twitter from my bookmarks so that if I really want to check it, it will take more work. I will miss all the historians I follow on there, along with all of the other reasons I started on the site (hockey, Cleveland Guardians, etc.). I do hope that you will consider an occasional post on here with any pupdates! That was another thing I enjoyed. But again, I respect your decision and look forward to your continued e-mails on this site.
Karen Waldron
Avocational historian
Hi Karen,
I tried to take a break without deactivating the account, but I just couldn't stay away. I promise to post some Otis pics on this site. :-)
The main reason I didn't deactivate completely is that I have bookmarked a lot of tweets containing articles I want to read and I didn't want to lose them. But, if I waiver too much in my plan to stay away, I might have to deactivate.
Twitter is addicting and toxic, much like cigarettes. I commend you for leaving it. After the 2016 election, I deactivated my account and never looked back. Serious followers will find you. I’m not an historian and I’m not an academic, but I have learned a lot from your Civil War Memory posts. I’m happy to follow you on Substack.
Hi Laura,
Thanks for the kind words. I think you are right that people who are interested in my commentary will find this site.
Hi Kevin, totally respect this decision. Rest assured that I'll try to keep you in the loop via email as our often-intersecting projects evolve. Keep up the good work.
I really appreciate this, Kate, and I very much look forward to working with you again.
Twitter is what you make it and, true, it can be negative but you can come across different people discussing topics whom you might not have otherwise found. For example, one of my interests is the Spanish Civil War and there are a few people there who add immeasurably to my knowledge. Current events can be problematic and many times when I go to tweet something that aggravates me I either don’t tweet it or delete it. It’s just not worth the aggravation.
I completely agree. Twitter can and is being used in ways that advance education and other projects. I've learned a great deal over the years about a wide range of subjects from my fellow #twitterstorians.
I understand the decision. While not an "influencer" I find my self regularly, to the point of addiction, checking twitter. I am a military historian by training (Kansas State a long time ago) with long time service as an armor officer so I have been particularly pulled in following the war in Ukraine. I also taught post-Civil War American history for a number of years at the University of Central Missouri so I am equally caught up, much as you describe, by the discussions about that subject.
It is really hard not to react to people you think get it wrong, whatever it is, and like some else said in a comment i yell at my phone a lot. None of which is good for my peace of mind. Reading your account has me thinking about doing the same thing. I doubt I will be missed on twitter, but you will be. However, if you are good with where you are now you did the right thing.
Michael Penrod
Thanks for the comment. I suspect that I won't be missed on twitter. Like I said at the end of the post, I am still here. Those people who truly value my commentary can just as easily subscribe. Have a great weekend.
Kevin,
A difficult but I think correct choice. I follow Twitter and Facebook to talk to renewed contacts from the past, sports, local news and history. It is very difficult not to comment on opinions and some so called facts that people post. I just yell at the screen like I yell at my printed newspaper. Fortunately the only one that gets annoyed is my wife that listens to my gripes. I have thought about leaving but the addiction is still to strong. I look forward to your future posts here on the blog .
Thanks,
Mike
Thanks, Mike. I appreciate the comment.
I came across your work through reading other books. I was very happy to find and follow you on twitter (which I primarily use for reading on topics I care about rather than posting), and then when you started this newsletter - rejoice! Twitter can be a useful medium, but for me personally, its longer works, like your entries on your newsletter, or your books(!) where your best work would occur. I'm a happy subscriber, and I always look forward to seeing your updates in my inbox and then checking them out for a well-thought-out, evidenced reflection on an important issue (something Twitter is not great for). I look forward to more of your entries here and learning more about history and its relevance to understanding today, and hopefully more about evaluating primary sources. Keep 'em coming!
I really appreciate this comment, Andrew. Great to have you on board.
😢 When I go to twitter, it’s to check on friends. Not many whom I’ve met in real life, though I hope to some some day, but people I’ve come to admire, like you, and Joanne Freeman, and Woody Holton. You have influenced many, many people through that app and I believe they will continue to seek you out, to learn from you and share what you’ve taught them.
Thanks so much for this comment. Like I said in the post, I've really enjoyed the opportunity to meet historians that I respect, but I've also enjoyed meeting new people like you, who share my deep interest in American history.
I look forward to continuing our conversation on this site. We seem to agree that education is the way forward and I continue to believe that Confederate monuments in places like Gettysburg can help to achieve those goals.
Thanks for subscribing.
Beth,
First, you don't need to refer to me as a Dr. because I do not hold a PhD in history.
That's a very reasonable question that I find difficult to answer at this point. The NPS has to commit to interpreting its Confederate monuments. Thankfully, that is beginning to happen at places like Gettysburg with wayside markers as well as lectures and tours that specifically focus on this aspect of the past. There are a number of apps that visitors can use to learn about this history as well.
Unfortunately, I can't point you to a timeframe at this point. I think it is important to remember that the general public (especially white America) has only recently begun to focus on these monuments. Up until the 1980s NPS sites tended to concentrate on the military aspects of battles and campaigns.
Thankfully, that has changed over the past few decades and certainly bodes well for the future despite the challenges that await.
Glad to hear that you are reading Jill's book. It is fabulous.
We are in complete agreement the NPS needs to do more in terms of its battlefield interpretation. They certainly have the staff on hand to do it, but there are many factors that limit their reach. Changes in interpretation take place slowly, which is unfortunate, but it is the reality.
It's frustrating to realize that most people who spend time at the Confederate monuments will likely never consider the kinds of questions that you and I believe are so important to consider, but that is true for the vast majority of people who visit the battlefield without stopping at the visitor center or join a battlefield tour.
Your last paragraph beautifully encapsulates a much needed research project. I will be looking into some of these subjects in preparation for a battlefield tour that I am leading at Gettysburg next summer.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.