As you may have seen, I’m leaving Facebook in February 2025. There’s no way I will support a system that fawns to an authoritarian and cruel leader. I’m German, I know my history, this is not up for discussion.
Instead, I’m going to focus on my Mastodon bubble, where I already have more followers than I ever did on Facebook. And if you’re on Bluesky, you can connect with me through a system called “a bridge”, because both Mastodon and Bluesky use the same kind of software (Activity Hub, I believe).
Connecting on Mastodon
Connecting with me on Mastodon is super easy because that’s where I have my account. My handle there is @Firlefanz and I am on @writing.exchange. Alternatively, you can search for “Hannah Steenbock” and you should find me. I use the stick horsie as my avatar.
This is a direct link to my account: Hannah on Mastodon
If you want to join Mastodon, go to this website and then hit “pick another server”. It doesn’t really matter much which one you choose, since moving servers is fairly painless.
I’d love for you to do that. The community is awesome, connecting is easy through hashtags, there’s no algorithm pushing posts and even better, there are no ads. Instead, you’ll find genuine human beings, kindness and fun. As always, you’ll get what you put in, so follow often, weed out later and join conversations.
Connecting on Bluesky
You can find me on Bluesky because I have enabled a “bridge” between both systems. The easiest way is to search for “Hannah Steenbock” and follow me. You’ll see most of my posts after that.
However, I cannot follow you back and I won’t even see your posts or answers unless you enable the same bridge for your account on Bluesky. It has to go both ways for us to fully see each other.
I use Bridgy Fed to connect, and it’s absolutely simple to do.
Installing the Bridge between Mastodon and Bluesky
All you have to do is to follow @ap.brid.gy. Totally simple, right?
Here’s a link to help you troubleshoot your connection to the Fediverse, if things don’t work out as easily: How to use Bridgy from Bluesky
I hope that works for both ends – I was able to connect very easily with a fellow author on Bluesky through this system and we’ve been talking ever since.
And quite honestly I really want to stay in contact with you all.
Why I will not use Bluesky directly
I know this will come up, of course it will.
The biggest reason is that I’m very happy on Mastodon and the Fediverse. It does everything I need and want, and probably even more.
The second reason is that after Twitter and Facebook, I’ve already started from scratch on a third social platform by moving to Mastodon. I do not want to do it once again on Bluesky. It’s also enough work to catch up and post on one platform, rather than two.
Third, Twitter has been bought out and FB has been handed to fascists by its very owner. Both were/are owned by corporations. Bluesky is owned by a corporation and can be sold just as easily. And then, all the work to build up a community there will have been in vain.
Mastodon is not owned by any single entity. Everyone can open up a server and join the Fediverse. Mastodon cannot be bought out, it cannot be brought to heel, it cannot be devastated unless the internet itself crumbles.
These days, that kind of independence is invaluable.
So I really hope I’ll see you on Mastodon (or bridged over from Bluesky) because to me, this is it. I’m no longer creating content for corporations. And I’m most definitely not creating content for owners who support fascism and authoritarian rulers.
Connecting through my newsletter
If all of this overwhelms you and you don’t want to do anything of the above, consider signing up to my newsletter.
It goes out once a month (on the 13th, my lucky number), and it contains writing news, book news, special offers and the Ember Tale. That’s always a cute little adventure of my dragon familiar, Ember. After all, she’s responsible for the pet content.
Sign up here – and I will never spam you or sell your address.
