Twitter. Do you love it? Hate it? Some people don't see the value. They find it overwhelming, or a waste of time. Writers who use Twitter are mystified by this attitude. Why? Because those who use it know how valuable it can be to our blog traffic, our creativity and even our sanity.
I think of Twitter like grabbing a sandwich. On a busy day, it fills you up and gets you on your way. With Twitter you can pop in and grab a nibble or stay awhile and anjoy time with friends. Bottom-line, it can be a delicious part of a balanced social networking diet.
Here are some ways writers can benefit from grabbing a Twitter bird sandwich:
1. Commiserating with other writers. We are, by nature and profession, a rather solitary lot. Twitter gives us the opportunity to connect, talk shop and learn from each other. It gets us out of our shells and mingling with other creative people.
2. Get industry gossip. There are a huge number of agents, editors and book marketing professionals chatting on Twitter. It is a great way to pick up industry information and get a feel for an agent's likes and dislikes.
3. Meet your readers. Reach out and create adoring fans. What fan wouldn't be thrilled to get a tweet from an author they love? With Twitter, you can connect with readers, get feedback on ideas and create excitement over upcoming projects.
4. Get unstuck. Last month I started a mermaid story. I posed a question to my Twitter friends and asked for opinions about how mermaids cry when living in salty water. Within moments I received a bunch of ideas that took my writing in a new direction.
5. Build a following. Twitter is a great way to reach out and meet potential or future fans. Tweet links to your blog posts, book reviews and blog tours. Connect and capture the attention of new readers.
So if you haven't tried Twitter, I highly recommend checking it out. Join me at @tamelabuhrke. I'm collecting folks for our new Chiseled in Rock Twitter account that will be up in a couple of weeks.
Next week: Facebook for Writers
Posted by Tamela Buhrke
3 comments:
I'm not on Twitter, although I know a lot of bloggers are. The constant flow of information--whether good or bad, significant or not--just never appealed to me.
I do have twitter, but it is still mysterious to me.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
I'm a big fan of Twitter and finally had to limit my time there because I was enjoying the contacts I made there so much. For bloggers, it's definitely worth mastering because it helps draw readers to your site.
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