4 hours. 
It might have been less if I knew what I was doing and hadn’t broken my arm skiing last week but that’s the way life goes sometimes.
My experience has given me an insight into the power and thrall of social media and so I decided to share the steps I and many other writers I know have taken in order to reach you amazing readers.
The Social Media Journey
(or how not to try and get a social media plugin to work when you don’t really know what you’re doing)
7.30pm Sit down at keyboard determined to start showing off and optimise your blog in order to reach as many readers as possible
7.35pm Realise that you’re not a computer programmer, software developer or web guru.
7.36pm Decide to proceed figuring ‘How hard can it be?’
7.40pm Harder than the instructions make it sound.
7.45pm Log into Host Server Program to add social media auto-publish widget option to your site
7.46pm Install proceeds smoothly
7.47pm Activate widget
7.47 and 10 seconds Site crashes
7.47 and 15 seconds First mug of tea hits the floor in momentary loss of self control.
7.50pm Self control restored.
7.51pm Utilising Google, problem is discovered and site is restored.
7.52pm Activate widget for the second time.
7.52 and 5 seconds Site crashes
7.52 and 15 seconds Flatmate is disturbed by loud yet creative swearing and offers intrepid writer another cup of tea. Writer gladly accepts.
8.00pm Second cup of tea inextricably hits the floor following a 3rd site crash.
8.01pm Flatmate offers writer a beer and a cloth for the floor.
8.15pm Following extensive research on Google writer discovers that social media application is too large for site to host
8.16pm Writer discovers useful application of WTF?!
8.30pm Writer manages to find smaller and more useful social media application that will ‘definitely work’ according to site reviews.
8.45pm Site crashes. Application clearly doesn’t work and writer notices more reviews describing bugs and errors in new application that causes crashes. Beer somehow finds its way onto the floor.
8.47pm Writer makes a note to buy carpet cleaner in the morning.
8.50pm Writer resolves not to be defeated.
9.00pm Site crashes again.
9.01pm Writer takes Ibupofren.
9.01pm Writer receives text from girl he’s due to meet with on Monday. She’s drunk and asks writer what he’s up to. Evening might be looking up.
9.05pm Girl reveals she’s drunk because she’s in Frankfurt on business and is bored. Writer’s heart sinks. 2nd beer inextricably empties its contents on writers arm.
9.30pm Writer still undefeated plugs on and finds a social media application that not only works but has all the bells and whistles a blogger could hope for.
10.30pm Writer finishes filling out the Facebook security questions to allow his site to auto publish to Facebook.
10.31pm Writer realises he hasn’t actually done any writing at all this evening.
10.32pm A pile of books on writer’s desk somehow end up strewn across the floor
10.45pm Girl texts again to tell writer she’s really drunk and needs to go to bed and what is he up to now?
10.46pm Writer is crying but lies and says he’s working.
10.55pm Social Media Plugin says all security has been checked and passed and writer can now auto-publish to Facebook.
11.oopm Auto-Publish fails.
11.05pm Following a destruction derby of files, books and pens somehow being thrown all over the place, writer realises he forgot to activate the plugin.
11.06pm See above
11.10pm Writer regains self control
11.15pm Auto publish set, but writer realises he’s done none of the work he was supposed to do and decides to get drunk and text Frankfurt girl.
11.20pm Frankfurt girl obviously so drunk she’s passed out and doesn’t respond. Also writer realises all the beer is on the floor.
11.25pm Writer receives message from friends who went to see Book of Mormon telling him how good it was.
11.26pm Writer logs into Facebook for the last time to check settings and notices that several updates from friends include an engagement, a weight loss celebration, several birthdays, another friend telling the world how lucky she is, a sibling undergoing spiritual enlightenment, a promotion at work, some dross about family success and fortune and a skiing trip.
11.27pm Writer contemplates suicide.
11.30pm Suicide postponed when writer passes out instead.
To the best of my knowledge, this is a wholly accurate and insightful account of the daily challenges writers face with social media interaction.
We’re not all tech geniuses.
