πŸ‘‹ The Privilege of Leaving Social Media β€” Being a Working Writer & Valuing Art with River Selby

β€œMy constant longing to be without social media is actually a longing to be in deeper connection with the world.”

River Selby was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the Pacific Northwest. They worked as a wildland firefighter for seven years, and their debut memoir, Hotshot: A Life of Fire, was published in 2025 by Grove Atlantic.

Today, River joins me to talk about the realities of being an author from a working class, no-safety-net background β€” and how that has shaped their relationship to social media.

Together, we explore:
  • The gifts (and perils) of refusing to niche down
  • How to quit performing & projecting on social media
  • What to do when compare & despair becomes unavoidable
  • How financial insecurity might impact your social media options
  • Why many authors have to hire publicists (but we couldn’t afford to)
  • Ways social media impacts your financial well-being
  • Why we have to stop commodifying books

 
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🌟 Join COME TO CLASS β€” a 3-day intensive on how to teach online with confidence & care. Rescheduled for June 4th, 5th & 6th. Learn more & sign up here: https://softersounds.notion.site/come-to-class

Creators and Guests

Amelia Hruby
Host
Amelia Hruby
Founder of Softer Sounds podcast studio & host of Off the Grid: Leaving Social Media Without Losing All Your Clients
πŸ‘‹ The Privilege of Leaving Social Media β€” Being a Working Writer & Valuing Art with River Selby
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