Why I Picked High School Musical and Things I'm Doing Wrong on Twitter |Book gallery selects|

      

When I opened my account in December, 2017 on Twitter, I wasn't sure why I was creating my profile on a microblogging platform I have no interest in. That time MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) was streaming hot because of a certain South Korean band that not only rocked the world stage but mine too. I was determined installing the blue bird like ARMYs. I remember the event, Dick Clark's New Year Rockin' Eve was trending. BTS was performing their song, 'Mic drop' and like crazy followers, I had to track them live. The seven members boy band are known to be very active on the page than on the rest of the handles they have. The moment my new profile flashed on my screen, I didn't plan to keep it till my fever for BTS boys sated. I didn't have much followers either. Around seven users followed me. I was there for BTS. I didn't have intention to tweet my own posts other than comment on band's posts. It's been four years and I'm still on the platform - for other reasons.

I have loved writing since the day I bought Disney's High School Musical diary merch. I think it was in 2006. I traipsed in books & stationery section at a mall, checking out use & throw blue ink pen pack. I needed it for next day at school since I hadn't told my parents I was managing with an almost dried up refill. My eyes fell on the funky cover in which the whole gang hovered in the air, hair splayed and grinning their perfect white teeth. Doodles around the gang actually made me pick the copy instantly. With my allowance, I had saved up enough to buy not only the merch but also a murder mystery fiction, Agatha Christie's Third Girl. I used to go for Enid Blyton's The Secret Seven series and Franklin W. Dixon's Hardy Boys series, but I thought, "Well, young lady, it's time for you to grow up." Now, that I think of it, I regret wishing desperately wanting to reach adulthood. Anyway, after watching High School Musical 2 movie, It hit the idea, "Why don't I try writing!" I wanted to write something relatable to musical shows. I had also read a book, Raise your voice by Robin Wasserman and Sam Schrieber, which Hilary Duff starred in. I was thirteen when I begged mom to allow me buy the book from Scholastic brochure. I think, after reading that fiction, that's why I badly wanted to grow up. Okay, so I started writing similar to the story with my specially-reserved-for-special-purposes, Harry Potter fountain pen. I frankly thought my first fiction was satisfactory. But I never read out to my bestfriend. Not even to mom. I was unsure. I know others would laugh at me because sometimes they found my ideas bizarre. So, the story stayed in my favourite merch. I used to even carry it to school whenever I felt I wanted to add something to the plot. That time, in 2000s, broadband and LAN cable were carefully used. I had desktop in my home. But, I wasn't using since I feared I may mess up the machine. To use internet, it wasn't exactly allowed to me. I had no access to social sites neither I was aware of virtual book clubs. I didn't know whom to show. Whom to submit or with whom I could read and ask for feedback. As time passed by, my favourite diary disappeared somewhere in the big brown boxes as I and my family moved from state to state. I never thought of writing again until one late night, in autumn, 2017, I sat cross legged on my hostel bed in front of my flickering blue screen, thinking again, "Why not?"

I wrote short stories which I personally feel, doesn't make sense. I wanted to write something astute. Something complex and obfuscate. Stories that embrangles but connects somehow. I have them on my old pal, Sony Vaio laptop. Still surviving and working. The machine hasn't failed me yet (I hope it doesn't!) I have them compiled in a zip file. I never dared put on Wattpad, the popular writing & reading social platform. One of my friends suggested me to download the app because thousands of books were available for free. She even recommended her favourite titles and talked about a series, she loved, endlessly. I went through the app and found anyone can write. I was ecstatic at first but trembled with this thought, "What if they hate my writing?" I used to open Wattpad. Shut it. Stare at it. Ponder whether I should write or not. Ultimately, I didn't. I dropped the idea. I thought my stories aren't good enough and my intuition punched me hard in the stomach saying, "You know they are going to hate your words!" Well, it screamed in my head so loudly. So, I didn't do it. But, in October, 2018, I sat down in my broad leather stiff chair. Flipped the laptop open. I started writing. This time it wasn't a short story. It was a novel. 

Once it was done. I added the chapters on Wattpad. It was a big step and an intimidating choice because I wanted feedback. I wanted someone to tell me they hate it. For once, I wanted to face my fear and throw this annoying whisper out of my head. After signing off, I made myself sleep because it wasn't easy to forget and be relieved. The big thing was about to happen. I woke up the next morning. I searched for my phone along the sides of my bed. I raised it in front of my blurry eyes. I found my first comment. My very first comment. I became anxious. I was hesitating to open the app. But, face it, I reminded myself. I don't remember the user's name but they was extremely encouraging. They pointed out changes that I may want to look into. They appreciated my idea and told me the changes I could work on. To be honest, I felt immensely grateful that someone was there to read my story. 

I garnered thirty followers on Wattpad and to me it was a big thing. Next thing, I wanted to query my novel to available publishing houses in my country. I sent the manuscript, day after day, with some hope. But I think I didn't realise what I was getting into. Most of the publishers didn't reply me. Their silence indicated it was already rejected. Few responded with rejection mails. I was disheartened. I wanted to get my novel out on a space where audience can buy. I researched plausible chances of getting the contemporary fiction published. I went through so many blogs. So many personal experiences. And one thing I found was the only choice for me - self-publishing.

I ruminated whether I'm willing to take the risk or oversee it. I don't know how successful this is going to turn out. I don't have network. I don't have actual people who would really help me spread word. I don't have notes outpouring from my little pocket. I cower from speaking in public because the words I want to use, bail out on me. I have so many flaws listed on my left side and none on my right side that may actually be handy. I want to focus on writing solely but the book isn't going to sell itself. What am I going to do? That's when Twitter hit me - the blue bird that chirped in my ear. 

I decided to self-publish my novel. I know it's risky for a meek person like me. But, I didn't wanted to stay under the bed forever. It was time for me to take little steps in coming out of my safe haven. I uploaded the fiction on Amazon's Kindle Distribution Publishing (KDP) site only in e-book format. I want to analyse responses, read the remarks before publishing it in paperback. So, Twitter was my best bet to start from. I tweeted about my book. I was getting on other platforms like Instagram, Tumblr, Goodreads and other book sites. I was letting users know through hashtags that this is the book I have written, please take a look and comment your thoughts. While on free promotion, I did gain hundred plus followers on Twitter. More than hundred on Tumblr. Not so much on Instagram neither on Goodreads. But, few sales happened and I was over the moon. I know I still have work to do. I have to accomplish getting reviews and rates. I'm still in strategy planning. I'm emboldening myself to speak impassion about my novel. I'm not perfect, just so you know. But, my ideas aren't bad. 

Everyday, when I wake up, I check Twitter. I see how many still are hanging by. How many followers I have lost since I'm tweeting less. Having this in my mind, constantly worrying I would never be able to reach more audience I want to share my piece with, is something I think why I can't be more involved like others? Others who have made it happen. Others who are celebrating their success, why can't I be the person who can handle attention? I think about it everyday. 

Well, this is something I need to work on - utilize Twitter with appropriate timing and relevant trending hashtags. Post about what matters to me and tweeple. Not hound on persistently with similar posts. It is not about getting my book for commercial purpose only. It is mostly about making readers read what my imagination showed me. But the best thing is, with few followers, it is pushing me to work on my timid personality. I have to say, over the months, I have noticed a slight change in me. I'm not shying away to speak with others. I'm stumbling less on my words. I'm able to articulate my thoughts out without framing sentances in my mind. All because of few followers that motivates me to keep improving. You can say this is wierd but it is actually helping me work on myself. I think I needed this.