AUTHOR'S CORNER;

THE CURSE OF THE SELFIE!

I have been struck quite unexpectedly, by a sudden and sharp revelation.  If indeed one can call it a revelation and not a shameful outing of one's own despicable behaviour!  Let me explain...you see for many months now I have been blogging about my attempts at becoming a known author and giving advice freely and happily about self promotion.  Thinking that I was on the right track of at least getting myself known to the general public and getting my face out there.  It seems that I should have been focusing on being on the Write track as opposed to the right track.....confusing?  I know!  

I seldom admit that I am wrong; not liking the effect that admitting has on me, not to mention all that 'egg on my face' I very rarely venture to own up to my own stupidities.  But on this occasion, I feel that I have no choice but to fess up and admit defeat.  Though I must stress, in my own defence, I am as much a victim as anyone else, and have fallen prey to the media powers that hover through satellites and control our planet.  What am I guilty of?  What is my crime?

The selfie!!

For those of you who have never heard of this or have no idea what 'The selfie' is; it is a picture of one's self taken by one's self.  Up until last week I thought that I was on the right track, self promoting and sticking my face out there for all to see, happily smiling at my camera as I clicked the button, posing as though I was some Hollywood star!  until I happened to switch on the television and be confronted with the cheerful presenter announcing that a new word and concept has entered the English Dictionary, it was called the selfie, and she happily went on to show self photos of celebrities posing in weird and wonderful ways!  

How utterly embarrassing and very self indulgent!  How vain and presumptuous! I could feel myself cringe and the heat in my cheeks was so that I didn't need a mirror to know that I had turned crimson. My husband who was sat beside me, did not utter a single word (always a bad sign) and you know how the saying goes; if the shoe fits?  My mind then went to you poor readers, and I felt that I had been somehow abusing my position; I had to ask myself an important question....who of my readers wants to see me in silly and immature pictures?  The answer; none.  

In my defence, I have fallen victim, been struck by the curse that is epidemic of 21st century techno filled, accessible media.  This, I must stress, does not include pictures of events, or newspaper clippings, this only applies to pictures taken, for no necessary reason, of yourself in your own house and then posting them!  Not everyone can be a star, but anyone can occupy cyber space, it only takes the click of a button.  I foolishly, had been taken in by the craze and thought I was being smart...it turns out I was not!  I find that I have now joined the ranks of the 'Selfies' and have many unflattering pictures floating in the cyber world!  YIKES!!!!!  Please kill me now!!!

Having learned my lesson (the hard way) I would like to warn other writers in my position...beware of the Curse Of The Selfie! It will creep up on you when you least expect it, and once afflicted with it, it will take years to get rid of (if you are lucky) because as long as there is cyber space, there is room for your pictures to remain!! And please remember, you are an aspiring writer, your head is full of smart words and wonderful ideas, your pen is the only Selfie you need!