5 Reasons Writers Should Use Twitter - Ruth L. Snyder

Several years ago I was encouraged to open a Twitter account. I knew I didn't have time to blog regularly and I decided to use Twitter as my "mini" blog. With a bit of trial and error, I learned how to use Twitter. Today I consider Twitter to be part of my professional development. Here are five reasons I think writers should use Twitter.

1. Use Twitter to expand your network - Twitter is an easy way to "meet" people with like interests. Find people who are writers by typing #writer into the search bar at the top. You can then read tweets of people who use the hashtag (#) "writer" and decide who you would like to follow. Usually if you follow someone, they will follow you back. People also tend to follow those who share helpful content, so share links to information that you as a writer find interesting. Twitter is all about building "relationships". This takes time. I've been on Twitter for over three years and have about 2,000 people who follow me.

2. Use Twitter to find information and resources - I find that searching on Twitter often yields more useful results than searching on Google or another search engine. Most people with Twitter accounts use hashtags like #amwriting to provide an easy way to "index" or file their tweets and to find tweets on the same subject. Here's a list of helpful hashtags for writers. You may also wish to research specific topics you are writing about. You can type anything into the search feature. If you type something with a hashtag, all the tweets which contain that particular hashtag will come up. All tweets that have a specific word or phrase will come up if you enter it without a hashtag.

3. Use Twitter to share information - If you find a link that is useful to you as a writer, share it with other writers. Perhaps you were inspired by a famous #quote. Others will probably enjoy it too. If someone else tweets something you find helpful, use the "retweet" function to share the information.

4. Use Twitter to build excitement about your next book - The ideas are as limited as your imagination. You can share short snippets from the plot. (Remember that you are only allowed to share 144 characters at a time.) Perhaps you want to introduce readers to your main character and give them some backstory. Tweet when you've finished the next chapter.

5. Use Twitter to build your platform - Michael Hyatt shares why you can't succeed without a platform. If you don't care about having people read what you write, building a platform is not important. However, most of us want to share what we write. You will note that Twitter is only ONE way to build your platform, along with blogging, Facebook, newsletters, and podcasts.

What have your experiences with Twitter been? Have you found it helpful as a writer? I look forward to hearing from you.

Ruth L. Snyder

www.trusteesnyder.blogspot.com (Education information)
www.ruthlsnyder.com (Ruth's writing and family life) 
www.earlyyearssuccess.com (Information for caregivers of children ages 0-5)

Follow Ruth on Twitter:www.twitter.com/@wwjdr

On Blogging - Susan Barclay

Recently, a member of my church's Creative Writing Team said to me, "Some days I wondered if anyone actually uses [our Family Faith Book], but I have since realized that it doesn’t matter because I learned and grew from writing the [installments]." That's exactly how I feel about blogging.

I've had a blog for almost five years now, and until this year the highest number of posts I wrote was 46, back in 2009. Last summer I heard about the Writers' Platform-Building Campaign and decided to participate in order to increase my web presence and network with other writers. Although I didn't participate as fully as some of the writers did - really, I don't know how people keep up with all the reading, commenting, following! - but I did what I could, and I learned and grew from the experience. I gained a larger readership (though I still don't get many comments) and some new online friends.

This year I've decided to stretch even further. I try to write five blog posts a week (weekdays only) according to a rotation of themes (i.e. Mondays are all about happiness, Tuesdays about health and fitness, Wednesdays about writing, Thursdays about faith; and Fridays I put up a quotation, with or without commentary). I'm an official 12x12x12 participant (with a goal to write 12 picture book drafts over the next 12 months), signed on to ROW80 (though I flopped at it - better luck next time?) and the A-Z Blogging Challenge (there's still time to sign on, though the list closes Monday night April 2nd), and I plan to do the platform-building campaign again later this fall. Even if no one really pays attention to these efforts, I am honing my craft through the process, learning more about publication, and finding a sense of community.

I still participate in two face-to-face writing groups, so my 'real' writing - my works in progress - don't get completely neglected. Still, it's all a huge balancing game, and at the end of the day what matters is how I used my words, how I spent my time, and, most importantly, whether or not I connected with the Lord. Yes, I can talk to him in snatches through my day, but I find everything works better when I make that effort to truly connect in the mornings. How about you?

[For more of my writing, check out my website and blog]