How many of you saw “necessary evil” in the subject line and thought this would be another A.I. rant? Wrong! I’m onto social media now.
Years ago, my publicist audited my social-media presence, because that’s a thing. What I was doing right, what needed work, what was downright abysmal. I had plenty to improve, but she assured me in that soothing publicist way: You don’t have to do everything. Find one or two things you enjoy, and do them well.
I remember thinking: Enjoy? Do I enjoy any of this?
Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate every reader, every follower, every bit of digital love. Truly. I’m endlessly grateful for the people who follow along with my posts, leave comments, share photos of my books, and make me feel like I’m not shouting into the void. And Bookstagrammers? Some of the best people on the planet. You all keep me inspired.
But if I’m being honest, I didn’t get into writing so I could film 15-second videos of myself holding books like they’re puppies up for adoption. When I started writing, being a novelist meant—well—writing novels. Maybe you had a website. Social media was in its infancy. But now? You’re expected to be a content creator, branding expert, amateur videographer, SEO tactician, and online personality—all while still crafting 90,000 words that don’t suck.
These things are all true:
- If you’re not on social, you don’t exist.
- If you’re on social too much, you’re wasting time when you should be writing.
- If you’re bad at it, you’re hurting your brand.
- If you’re too good at it, people forget you’re a writer.
What a racket.
So, what works? I wish I had the answer. All I know is what works for me: I show up. Not every day. Not with Pulitzer-worthy posts. But I show up honestly. I post photos of my book travels, my kids, my pets, Making It Up highlights, and the occasional creature I find in my backyard. And I try not to overdo it with all the promotion.
I try to offer value, not just volume. Whether I succeed or not is entirely up to you.
One thing I always promise: If you post about my book and tag me, I will reply—because I’m genuinely grateful you took the time to read and review. Unless you give it three stars or less. Then your name goes into a special journal I keep.
So yeah, I’ll keep posting. Not because I love it, but because it connects me to you. And that connection—however fleeting, however virtual—reminds me why I do this in the first place. Not for algorithms. Not for likes. But for the readers who care enough to keep showing up. Just like I do.
FIND ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
IG/FB/Bluesky: @carterwilsonauthor
TikTok: @carter.wilson.author
X: Not on it, because fuck those guys
New episodes of my podcast Making It Up are out! Over the past month I chatted with:
- Lisa Williamson Rosenberg, author and psychotherapist specializing in complex trauma and racial identity, and former ballet dancer
- Douglas Brunt, former tech CEO and New York Times bestselling author of The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel
- James L’Etoile, former associate warden and hostage negotiator turned crime-fiction author of River of Lies
All episodes are available on my website, my YouTube channel, and wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
What a thrill to interview C.J. Box last month in front of 1,400 people! Special thanks to Jefferson County Library and Sean Eads, who asked me to emcee. (Photo credit: Mile Hi Church)
REVIEWS
On the Page
I recently made a booklist for Shepherd.com of scary books that force you to ask, what would I do?
On the Screen
MobLand (Paramount Plus, 2025)
The premise of MobLand is classic: two crime families on the brink of war, with one very smooth operator stuck in the middle. It’s the kind of setup that promises blood, betrayal, and expensive suits. This show delivers on all three.
This could’ve been a mess. Mob shows often lean so hard into grit they forget to be fun. But MobLand is slick, fast, and surprisingly funny (Guy Ritchie directed two episodes). The dialogue snaps, the double-crosses are satisfying, and the story moves like it’s trying to outrun a bullet.
And Pierce Brosnan? He’s having a fucking blast. This is not Bond Pierce. This is “I will burn your empire to the ground with a half-smile” Pierce. Every scene he’s in gets better just by him existing in it. Give him a cigar, a monologue, and a vendetta, and get out of his way.
I didn’t expect to like this show as much as I do. Now I can’t look away.
Photo of the Month
We just got back from my daughter’s graduation from Michigan State University, where we rented out an entire bed and breakfast. Best part? It was on a llama farm!
Update from my Kids
And what a fun graduation it was! So proud of this girl, who (truly) hasn’t gotten a B in her life. She’s off to law school in the fall at Ohio State.
Update from my Pets
This is the daily view from my desk as I’m trying to work.
Humor of the Month sent to me by a friend
All you writers!
Did you know I also coach writing? Through my company Unbound Writer, I offer one-on-one coaching services, self-guided online courses, workshops, and immersive retreats. What do I love to teach?
- Writing craft (style, pacing, story structure, character development, and editing)
- Finding time to write
- Accountability
- Overcoming fear of failure
- Being perfectly imperfect
- Ignoring the muse and writing every day
- Understanding the publishing industry
- Navigating non-writing essentials (social media, newsletters, public speaking)
And I always offer a free Zoom consult to answer any questions you have about our services. Check us out!
That’s it for now!
Just a reminder to subscribe to my newsletter for more content and access to contests and giveaways. Oh, and if you follow me on social media you’ll see a lot more pictures of my goddamn pets. Until next month…
