I left Instagram / bookstagram in November last year, and honestly its been such a relief to not be on there anymore. The first two weeks I was really contemplating if it was the right choice - I had a small account but I really did enjoy discussing books with other users and even got a few friends out of it. What made me leave, was how the app had changed, how it felt like it was a constant uphill battle to get my content out there - and the fact that I was now less about books but more worried about getting content that the algorithm would "like".
I have to say I am happy I left when I did, I do not think I knew how much stress it was causing me when I was in it
Yay for Sandwich - I loved it too ♡ I do think maybe I loved We All Want Impossible Things even more though because it was more nuanced / complex?? As for Instagram, I still have my personal account on which I only follow a few family members and very close friends ...... and dogs - ha! I quit bookstagram back in October and am so so grateful I did. It wasn't just a case of diminishing returns every time I posted, but plummeting returns, and I was always left feeling empty and frantic when I was in that world scrolling. So happy I walked away!
You were one of the people I knew had walked away from IG and I was curious how you felt about it months later- sounds like you feel god:) That’s encouraging!
I have a weird relationpshio with social media because I've never used it just as 'me' — it's always been for some sort of promotion related to a project or business. So I very strongly associate most social media with work. (When I was in Texas Rollergirls, I has a myspace page, that's how old I am ;-)
I deleted Twitter from my phone, but now use the browser app, so I'm not sure what my thinking is there. I'm trying to break that habit because I use it mostly for Good Omens/Doctor Who fandom and cute animal videos. Surely picking up a book would be better! We use Instagram as promotion for Strong Sense of Place, and other than that, I don't spend much time there — and since it's been overrun with videos, I'm less inclined. It's sad because I remember the fun of when it started.
I'm now on BeReal with a VERY small group of people with whom I'm really friends. No promotion involved, and I'm enjoying that immensely. Good luck with evolving your relationship (or ending it!) with Insta!
Thanks Mel. It really is sad to see how much IG has changed from when I started on there in 2016. Very different. I’ve never heard of BeReal! Glad you’re enjoying it
I have to use social media for my business and I'm very active on all platforms but I don't like social media personally - I use an app called appblock to completely lock my access to IG, TikTok, Threads etc. From Fri 9am-Mon 9am which allows me to still be present (all of my content is prescheduled and automatically published) while not letting it encroach on my 'me-time'. Could be a nice thing to try before quitting! x
I deleted Instagram a year and a half ago and I have zero regrets! Give it at least three weeks, I would say. After that, I didn't miss it one bit and never looked back.
I realized I always felt worse after being on it & I was spending a lot more time than I'd like scrolling. My reading went way up after deleting-- another big plus!
Forgot to say in above comment that I miss your thriller recommendations on Book Talk, Etc. I was sad to hear that you were leaving the podcast. I miss your reviews.
Thanks Marybeth:) I’m trying to make sure I bring a variety of thriller recs to here on Substack:) I still like reading the dark and suspenseful stories
I loved Sandwich and We All Want Impossible Things was my favorite novel the year it came out. I felt many feelings and identified with Rocky even though I did not like her very much and thought that the “secret” was a weak plot device
I love this substack and can’t wait to listen to your podcast recommendation!
I am so glad that I was listening to an audiobook on my phone when you’re post came through. I’m very excited now to read Sandwitch. You are not the only one who has not read and Agatha Christie book. My grandson told me that the one I should start with is the one that you reported on. So now I will have to try it since you enjoyed it so much. I have never read anything by Colleen Hoover either. Will have to check out the link to see why she decided to quit writing. And I have never been on Instagram. Had thought about it when I signed up to as a Patreon to booktalk etc. since you and Tina were on it. But decided against it since I am overwhelmed with the few places that I go to for book reviews. I guess I made the right choice there.
Kathy I don’t think you’re missing much not being on Instagram these days. While there are some books in my feed, they are few and far between with all the ads. It’s sad how much IG went from being a book space to an ad space. I have a feeling you’ll like that Agatha Christie- my mom read it yesterday- also her first time reading one of her books and she loved it. She couldn’t figure out the mystery either. So fun!
You loved everything about Sandwich that I did! I loved We All Want Impossible Things even more, but Newman is now up there with Lauren Groff for me- everything I've read so far has been 4.5-5 stars. Love finding those authors!
As for IG, I'll be the outlier- I love it there! But that's because I have seriously curated my feed. It's all people I love or who make me laugh, or who I learn things from or show me good food and cocktails. And alllll the books! Once I eliminated the junk, it became my happy place.
I might make a last ditch effort to completely downsize and curate my IG feed to only what I want to see and then limit the time I'm on the app, especially on the weekends
I see what you’re saying about the sexually explicit talk between the adult and kids in Sandwich. Did you read Newman’s first book? (I *think* it’s her first book - We All Want Impossible Things.) That kind of dialogue was even more at the center of the story in that book, so I think it didn’t shock me as much in Sandwich. It would have bothered me much more if I didn’t love everything else about Sandwich! (I felt like it was overdone in her first book.)
I dnfed her first book, I was pretty far in so I got a feel for it and I remember being annoyed with the dynamics between the mother and daughter. While there glimmers of that inappropriate, boundary less behavior btw parents and kids in Sandwich, nothing like the first book imo
I am so happy you read and reviewed Sandwich. I have been thinking about reading that one. I am also menopausal with a grown adult child who is disabled and my husband and I take care of and I also have aging parents.
I left Instagram / bookstagram in November last year, and honestly its been such a relief to not be on there anymore. The first two weeks I was really contemplating if it was the right choice - I had a small account but I really did enjoy discussing books with other users and even got a few friends out of it. What made me leave, was how the app had changed, how it felt like it was a constant uphill battle to get my content out there - and the fact that I was now less about books but more worried about getting content that the algorithm would "like".
I have to say I am happy I left when I did, I do not think I knew how much stress it was causing me when I was in it
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Yay for Sandwich - I loved it too ♡ I do think maybe I loved We All Want Impossible Things even more though because it was more nuanced / complex?? As for Instagram, I still have my personal account on which I only follow a few family members and very close friends ...... and dogs - ha! I quit bookstagram back in October and am so so grateful I did. It wasn't just a case of diminishing returns every time I posted, but plummeting returns, and I was always left feeling empty and frantic when I was in that world scrolling. So happy I walked away!
You were one of the people I knew had walked away from IG and I was curious how you felt about it months later- sounds like you feel god:) That’s encouraging!
I have a weird relationpshio with social media because I've never used it just as 'me' — it's always been for some sort of promotion related to a project or business. So I very strongly associate most social media with work. (When I was in Texas Rollergirls, I has a myspace page, that's how old I am ;-)
I deleted Twitter from my phone, but now use the browser app, so I'm not sure what my thinking is there. I'm trying to break that habit because I use it mostly for Good Omens/Doctor Who fandom and cute animal videos. Surely picking up a book would be better! We use Instagram as promotion for Strong Sense of Place, and other than that, I don't spend much time there — and since it's been overrun with videos, I'm less inclined. It's sad because I remember the fun of when it started.
I'm now on BeReal with a VERY small group of people with whom I'm really friends. No promotion involved, and I'm enjoying that immensely. Good luck with evolving your relationship (or ending it!) with Insta!
Thanks Mel. It really is sad to see how much IG has changed from when I started on there in 2016. Very different. I’ve never heard of BeReal! Glad you’re enjoying it
I have to use social media for my business and I'm very active on all platforms but I don't like social media personally - I use an app called appblock to completely lock my access to IG, TikTok, Threads etc. From Fri 9am-Mon 9am which allows me to still be present (all of my content is prescheduled and automatically published) while not letting it encroach on my 'me-time'. Could be a nice thing to try before quitting! x
Thanks for the suggestion, I’ve never heard of the app and never thought to use something like that. Could be a good idea
I deleted Instagram a year and a half ago and I have zero regrets! Give it at least three weeks, I would say. After that, I didn't miss it one bit and never looked back.
Wow good for you! Was there a particular reason you deleted it or just IG in general and how it operates now?
I realized I always felt worse after being on it & I was spending a lot more time than I'd like scrolling. My reading went way up after deleting-- another big plus!
More reading time is a huge bonus! Thanks for sharing your reason:)
Forgot to say in above comment that I miss your thriller recommendations on Book Talk, Etc. I was sad to hear that you were leaving the podcast. I miss your reviews.
Thanks Marybeth:) I’m trying to make sure I bring a variety of thriller recs to here on Substack:) I still like reading the dark and suspenseful stories
I loved Sandwich and We All Want Impossible Things was my favorite novel the year it came out. I felt many feelings and identified with Rocky even though I did not like her very much and thought that the “secret” was a weak plot device
I love this substack and can’t wait to listen to your podcast recommendation!
Thanks so much!
I am so glad that I was listening to an audiobook on my phone when you’re post came through. I’m very excited now to read Sandwitch. You are not the only one who has not read and Agatha Christie book. My grandson told me that the one I should start with is the one that you reported on. So now I will have to try it since you enjoyed it so much. I have never read anything by Colleen Hoover either. Will have to check out the link to see why she decided to quit writing. And I have never been on Instagram. Had thought about it when I signed up to as a Patreon to booktalk etc. since you and Tina were on it. But decided against it since I am overwhelmed with the few places that I go to for book reviews. I guess I made the right choice there.
Kathy I don’t think you’re missing much not being on Instagram these days. While there are some books in my feed, they are few and far between with all the ads. It’s sad how much IG went from being a book space to an ad space. I have a feeling you’ll like that Agatha Christie- my mom read it yesterday- also her first time reading one of her books and she loved it. She couldn’t figure out the mystery either. So fun!
You loved everything about Sandwich that I did! I loved We All Want Impossible Things even more, but Newman is now up there with Lauren Groff for me- everything I've read so far has been 4.5-5 stars. Love finding those authors!
As for IG, I'll be the outlier- I love it there! But that's because I have seriously curated my feed. It's all people I love or who make me laugh, or who I learn things from or show me good food and cocktails. And alllll the books! Once I eliminated the junk, it became my happy place.
I might make a last ditch effort to completely downsize and curate my IG feed to only what I want to see and then limit the time I'm on the app, especially on the weekends
I see what you’re saying about the sexually explicit talk between the adult and kids in Sandwich. Did you read Newman’s first book? (I *think* it’s her first book - We All Want Impossible Things.) That kind of dialogue was even more at the center of the story in that book, so I think it didn’t shock me as much in Sandwich. It would have bothered me much more if I didn’t love everything else about Sandwich! (I felt like it was overdone in her first book.)
I dnfed her first book, I was pretty far in so I got a feel for it and I remember being annoyed with the dynamics between the mother and daughter. While there glimmers of that inappropriate, boundary less behavior btw parents and kids in Sandwich, nothing like the first book imo
Yes totally agree.
I am so happy you read and reviewed Sandwich. I have been thinking about reading that one. I am also menopausal with a grown adult child who is disabled and my husband and I take care of and I also have aging parents.
I have a feeling you’ll like it! It feels written for middle age women to feel seen