There was a time when Twitter felt like the place for writers. It was the digital caf�� where authors shared drafts, agents dropped calls for submissions, and readers connected with the people behind their favorite books. I joined it for that reason ��� to find my tribe, to share stories, and to connect with the wider literary world. But somewhere along the way, the platform changed. And so did I.

1. The Noise Drowned Out the Words

Twitter used to be about conversations ��� snippets of thought, shared inspiration, and literary camaraderie. But in recent years, it���s become more like standing in a crowded room where everyone���s shouting for attention.
As an author, that���s the exact opposite of what I need. Writing requires focus, stillness, and space to think. Scrolling endlessly, reacting instantly, and posting constantly only eroded that creative quiet.

2. The Algorithm Became the Editor

At some point, the platform stopped feeling social and started feeling strategic. What time should I post? Should I use trending hashtags? Why did one thoughtful post about craft get ten views while a throwaway meme went viral?
Instead of shaping my stories, I was shaping content for visibility. The algorithm became my uninvited editor, dictating what was worth saying. That���s when I realized: the voice that mattered most ��� mine ��� was getting lost.

3. Outrage Fatigue Is Real

It���s impossible to spend much time on Twitter/X without absorbing its constant undercurrent of outrage. Every scroll brings a new controversy, argument, or bad take. As someone who writes about empathy, faith, and the human condition, that energy was draining.
I found myself angry about things that had nothing to do with me ��� or my writing. My creativity wasn���t being fed; it was being siphoned.

4. Real Connection Moved Elsewhere

When I looked at my analytics, most meaningful reader engagement didn���t come from Twitter at all. It came from my newsletter, my podcast, my website, and even people I meet in real life.
The people who genuinely cared about my stories weren���t looking for me in 280-character bursts. They wanted depth. Reflection. Relationship.

5. The Joy of Quitting

The moment I deleted the app, I felt lighter. My mornings stopped beginning with doomscrolling. My writing sessions grew longer and calmer. Ideas ��� real ones, not content ideas ��� started flowing again.
Now, I spend more time writing for readers, not for algorithms. I���d rather have 10 people deeply moved by my words than 10,000 likes from strangers who scroll past.

6. What I���ve Learned

Leaving Twitter taught me something profound: platforms come and go, but your voice stays.
You don���t need to be everywhere. You just need to be true.

So, no ��� I���m not on X anymore. I���m somewhere quieter, where stories still matter.
And honestly? I don���t miss it at all.

The post Why I Quit Twitter (or X) as an Author appeared first on PAMELA Q. FERNANDES.