For many years I distanced myself from social media. The history of the people behind the dances I was documenting and my personal travel experiences were aspects I felt strongly about including in my book. So I juggled work and family time and carved out a few early morning hours each day to research and write. Social media did not come anywhere near my radar of interests.
Now as I near the completion of my manuscript, I realize that despite my previous aversion, I have to navigate in this space that has become ever more important in the publishing world.
I see these sites as simple tools…they can be useful to connect to others with similar interests as long as I am able to maintain a balance and find ways to enjoy the process.
Waking up at dawn to write in the few silent morning hours has become a ritual going on four years now that I am not willing to change. Farsi story-time before going to sleep is also firmly rooted in eleven years of history, but the in-between hours: in-between homeschooling my daughter, cooking and making sure we all have clean clothes to wear, I allot some time to this virtual world that surrounds us and attempts to permeate our daily rituals.
The easiest way for me to maintain balance is to silence notifications so I can use these tools in their allotted times instead of all day long. Other than that, I keep the damn phone off until I’m finished writing for the day and turn it off again before precious story time begins…
Journeys of a Diaspora Iranian 