Comments on: To Tweet or Not to Tweet… http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/ about the craft and business of fiction Wed, 23 May 2012 23:52:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: june http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-110482 june Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:00:50 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-110482 Have just jumped into Twitter and like many of you, apprehensive. Going to check out TweetDeck - thanks for the recommendation. I'm on Twitter at @soulistry and have started a Twibe (Twitter Tribe aka 'group') called ArtAndSoul So many Twitter applications and not enough hours in the day to become familiar with them which is why referrals are so helpful. ;-) I'm on Twitter at @soulistry And I've started a Twibe (Twitter Tribe aka 'group') called ArtAndSoul Have just jumped into Twitter and like many of you, apprehensive. Going to check out TweetDeck – thanks for the recommendation.

I’m on Twitter at @soulistry and have started a Twibe (Twitter Tribe aka ‘group’) called ArtAndSoul

So many Twitter applications and not enough hours in the day to become familiar with them which is why referrals are so helpful. ;-)

I’m on Twitter at @soulistry
And I’ve started a Twibe (Twitter Tribe aka ‘group’) called ArtAndSoul

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]]> By: Ashley at Selling Your Screenplay http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108998 Ashley at Selling Your Screenplay Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:54:56 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108998 Like many of the other readers I signed up with Twitter many months ago and didn't really use my account until recently. Now I'm hooked. I run a bunch of blogs and it is quickly becoming my best source of traffic. Twitter has a great API so you can automate a lot of the Twitter tasks like adding and removing friends, tweeting your most recent blog post, etc. I've got a seperate Twitter account for each blog and many of them I never even check, they just grow and people find my automated tweets and click over to my websites. My most used Twitter account is for my screenwriting blog and aside from showcasing my blog posts it's been a great format for interaction. People ask me questions and I typically answer them and they most likely check out my blog and become loyal readers. I do searches on Twitter for people tweeting about their "screenplay" and then I friend them and they most likely friend me back (all of this is automated so it takes zero time) so my account is growing pretty quickly with a good following of people interested in my topic. I also have Tweetie on my iPhone so I can answer Tweets when ever I have a spare moment. I only follow people interested in screenwriting so I don't think I waste any time on it either. Perhaps I'll create another account if I ever want to follow just a few friends. I haven't used Tweetdeck but after reading all these comments I'm going to download it and check it out. I'm on Twitter at @ashleymeyers Like many of the other readers I signed up with Twitter many months ago and didn’t really use my account until recently. Now I’m hooked.

I run a bunch of blogs and it is quickly becoming my best source of traffic. Twitter has a great API so you can automate a lot of the Twitter tasks like adding and removing friends, tweeting your most recent blog post, etc. I’ve got a seperate Twitter account for each blog and many of them I never even check, they just grow and people find my automated tweets and click over to my websites.

My most used Twitter account is for my screenwriting blog and aside from showcasing my blog posts it’s been a great format for interaction. People ask me questions and I typically answer them and they most likely check out my blog and become loyal readers.

I do searches on Twitter for people tweeting about their “screenplay” and then I friend them and they most likely friend me back (all of this is automated so it takes zero time) so my account is growing pretty quickly with a good following of people interested in my topic.

I also have Tweetie on my iPhone so I can answer Tweets when ever I have a spare moment.

I only follow people interested in screenwriting so I don’t think I waste any time on it either. Perhaps I’ll create another account if I ever want to follow just a few friends.

I haven’t used Tweetdeck but after reading all these comments I’m going to download it and check it out.

I’m on Twitter at @ashleymeyers

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]]> By: Barbara Samuel O'Neal http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108974 Barbara Samuel O'Neal Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:51:08 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108974 Jeri wrote: "The key with Twitter, as with any interactive forum, is to build relationships. Be a real person, not an ad. Talk to people. Respond to their tweets and reply to their responses to yours. I don’t think of it as a billboard for my cleverness or my latest book; I think of it as a way to make new friends. I believe that with any kind of “networking” (ugh, I hate that word), relationships should always come first—be a nice person and the rest will follow. Or if you can’t be nice, be entertaining." Very smart. The whole goal of social media, in one fine paragraph. Jeri wrote:
“The key with Twitter, as with any interactive forum, is to build relationships. Be a real person, not an ad. Talk to people. Respond to their tweets and reply to their responses to yours. I don’t think of it as a billboard for my cleverness or my latest book; I think of it as a way to make new friends. I believe that with any kind of “networking” (ugh, I hate that word), relationships should always come first—be a nice person and the rest will follow. Or if you can’t be nice, be entertaining.”

Very smart. The whole goal of social media, in one fine paragraph.

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]]> By: Barbara Samuel O'Neal http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108973 Barbara Samuel O'Neal Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:48:47 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108973 I love Twitter for some odd reason. I sidled into it--my son tweeted and it was a fun way to know what was up with him, since he lived in NYC and I lived in Colorado. A newspaper invited local bloggers to Tweet through the elections, so I came out of the closet, and almost immediately found it very useful and a great tool, and well....fun. I like the insights into daily life, and the simplicity of communication. I haven't tried TweetDeck, but now I definitely will. http://twitter.com/awriterafoot I love Twitter for some odd reason. I sidled into it–my son tweeted and it was a fun way to know what was up with him, since he lived in NYC and I lived in Colorado. A newspaper invited local bloggers to Tweet through the elections, so I came out of the closet, and almost immediately found it very useful and a great tool, and well….fun. I like the insights into daily life, and the simplicity of communication.

I haven’t tried TweetDeck, but now I definitely will.

http://twitter.com/awriterafoot

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]]> By: ArkansasCyndi http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108960 ArkansasCyndi Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:39:53 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108960 I'm loving it. I am a social creature. Writing is such a lonesome endeavor. I need the contact with people. I use TweetDeck. It was the third software I tried and I'm LOVING it. Look for me! http://twitter.com/ArkansasCyndi I’m loving it. I am a social creature. Writing is such a lonesome endeavor. I need the contact with people.

I use TweetDeck. It was the third software I tried and I’m LOVING it.

Look for me!

http://twitter.com/ArkansasCyndi

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]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108952 Therese Walsh Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:31:32 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108952 <i>at other times, it’s good for my mental health to have that back-and-forth conversation.</i> Jeri, I've noticed this, too. And it's kind of cool to feel like you're part of a big room of people who are doing the same thing. at other times, it’s good for my mental health to have that back-and-forth conversation.

Jeri, I’ve noticed this, too. And it’s kind of cool to feel like you’re part of a big room of people who are doing the same thing.

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]]> By: Jeri Smith-Ready http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108947 Jeri Smith-Ready Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:07:36 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108947 Like most, I was skeptical at first (“Why would anyone care what I’m doing right now?”). But it’s not for reporting the minutiae of one’s day. It’s a way to share part of yourself with the world in a casual, friendly manner. I love it because it’s kind of a one-stop shop for staying in touch with friends, keeping track of news, sharing my writing process, and occasionally announcing the latest book event. Because I work at home, I don’t get much human interaction, so Twitter acts as a sort of virtual office (without the politics and bad coffee). I turn it off when I’m writing, because I need a quiet mind, but at other times, it’s good for my mental health to have that back-and-forth conversation. I also love its simplicity—there’s not much to customize and therefore not much to obsess over. The entire focus is on people’s thoughts and the sharing thereof. (Also, the two main characters from my urban fantasy series are both on Twitter, as themselves, which is a fun way to develop the characters and give readers a closer connection.) Re: Twitter as book promo: The key with Twitter, as with any interactive forum, is to build relationships. Be a real person, not an ad. Talk to people. Respond to their tweets and reply to their responses to yours. I don’t think of it as a billboard for my cleverness or my latest book; I think of it as a way to make new friends. I believe that with any kind of “networking” (ugh, I hate that word), relationships should always come first—be a nice person and the rest will follow. Or if you can't be nice, be entertaining. ;-) Oh, and I'm at http://twitter.com/jsmithready Like most, I was skeptical at first (“Why would anyone care what I’m doing right now?”). But it’s not for reporting the minutiae of one’s day. It’s a way to share part of yourself with the world in a casual, friendly manner.

I love it because it’s kind of a one-stop shop for staying in touch with friends, keeping track of news, sharing my writing process, and occasionally announcing the latest book event.

Because I work at home, I don’t get much human interaction, so Twitter acts as a sort of virtual office (without the politics and bad coffee). I turn it off when I’m writing, because I need a quiet mind, but at other times, it’s good for my mental health to have that back-and-forth conversation.

I also love its simplicity—there’s not much to customize and therefore not much to obsess over. The entire focus is on people’s thoughts and the sharing thereof.

(Also, the two main characters from my urban fantasy series are both on Twitter, as themselves, which is a fun way to develop the characters and give readers a closer connection.)

Re: Twitter as book promo:

The key with Twitter, as with any interactive forum, is to build relationships. Be a real person, not an ad. Talk to people. Respond to their tweets and reply to their responses to yours. I don’t think of it as a billboard for my cleverness or my latest book; I think of it as a way to make new friends. I believe that with any kind of “networking” (ugh, I hate that word), relationships should always come first—be a nice person and the rest will follow. Or if you can’t be nice, be entertaining. ;-)

Oh, and I’m at http://twitter.com/jsmithready

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]]> By: jen http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108940 jen Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:10:08 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108940 I've used Twitter on and off for a couple of years but I never appreciated the value in it until I attended a blogging conference. I was shocked to see that everyone there was on Twitter, using it as THE primary source of connection to not only family and friends, but more importantly, to their audience. I've been watching Ashton Kuther tweet for a month now and at this point, he's got something like 700,000 followers. His success not only stems from simply being Ashton Kutcher, but because he's able to showcase exactly how charming he is. (Who knew?) Plus, his followers are hooked because he responds to regular folks' tweets, and not just famous ones like John Mayer. Honestly, I never gave him any thought before, but now I'm actually interested to pay to see whatever he's got coming out next. Mission accomplished, Kelso. Twitter works well for me for a couple of reasons. Since I write memoir, readers appreciate hearing some of the day to day stuff in real time. Also, the viral nature of it has brought me a lot of new followers. I friend everyone who asks and I like having a medium where I don't have to exclude anyone for privacy reasons. (Personally, I'm unable to spill secrets in less than 140 characters.) I use Twitter to supplement my promotion efforts and I've seen my web traffic grow 25% since I started back on it. (Book sales have followed suit.) Also, I enjoy being able to connect with my audience. I write for them, so having instant feedback is invaluable. Plus, so much of my inspiration comes from observing others, so Twitter is the perfect "rear window." Finally, as a writer, I dig anything that gives me an opportunity to procrastinate... I am @altgeldshrugged. I’ve used Twitter on and off for a couple of years but I never appreciated the value in it until I attended a blogging conference. I was shocked to see that everyone there was on Twitter, using it as THE primary source of connection to not only family and friends, but more importantly, to their audience.

I’ve been watching Ashton Kuther tweet for a month now and at this point, he’s got something like 700,000 followers. His success not only stems from simply being Ashton Kutcher, but because he’s able to showcase exactly how charming he is. (Who knew?) Plus, his followers are hooked because he responds to regular folks’ tweets, and not just famous ones like John Mayer. Honestly, I never gave him any thought before, but now I’m actually interested to pay to see whatever he’s got coming out next. Mission accomplished, Kelso.

Twitter works well for me for a couple of reasons. Since I write memoir, readers appreciate hearing some of the day to day stuff in real time. Also, the viral nature of it has brought me a lot of new followers. I friend everyone who asks and I like having a medium where I don’t have to exclude anyone for privacy reasons. (Personally, I’m unable to spill secrets in less than 140 characters.)

I use Twitter to supplement my promotion efforts and I’ve seen my web traffic grow 25% since I started back on it. (Book sales have followed suit.) Also, I enjoy being able to connect with my audience. I write for them, so having instant feedback is invaluable. Plus, so much of my inspiration comes from observing others, so Twitter is the perfect “rear window.”

Finally, as a writer, I dig anything that gives me an opportunity to procrastinate…

I am @altgeldshrugged.

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]]> By: Richard Mabry http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108936 Richard Mabry Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:21:17 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108936 I started using Twitter on the recommendation of a writer friend--she's my age and not one to jump at every new thing--and still have mixed feelings about it. I'm very selective in who I follow, but it's neat to keep up with friends. Don't know how valuable a marketing tool it is, although I may find out when my book is published next year. As for Facebook, I have my tweets forwarded to that site but almost never go there. Too crowded, and I've made the mistake of "friending" a bunch of people because we have many, many mutual friends. Didn't want to inadvertently hurt any feelings. I'll be interested in what everyone else thinks about this. Thanks, Allison, for getting the ball rolling. I started using Twitter on the recommendation of a writer friend–she’s my age and not one to jump at every new thing–and still have mixed feelings about it. I’m very selective in who I follow, but it’s neat to keep up with friends. Don’t know how valuable a marketing tool it is, although I may find out when my book is published next year.
As for Facebook, I have my tweets forwarded to that site but almost never go there. Too crowded, and I’ve made the mistake of “friending” a bunch of people because we have many, many mutual friends. Didn’t want to inadvertently hurt any feelings.
I’ll be interested in what everyone else thinks about this. Thanks, Allison, for getting the ball rolling.

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]]> By: Kristan http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108934 Kristan Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:39:14 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/04/09/to-tweet-or-not-to-tweet/#comment-108934 I'm with you, pretty ambivalent. I originally registered with Twitter (and MySpace, which I sort of hate...) "just in case." Just in case I ever need it for marketing my future books. ;P But I thought I'd never use either. Nor did I want to, because I ALREADY waste too much time online. (I just started using Google Reader for all my blogs, though, and that's a HUGE help!) Anyway, now I like posting random updates to Twitter instead of my blog (because how annoying are a constant stream of one-line posts? :P) but I hate having to "listen in" on other people's constant Twitter-conversations. In fact, I de-friend people who are basically just replying to other people's tweets all day long, because seriously, that's what EMAIL is for. Your point about magazine writers is a good one, and something I hadn't thought of. So I guess Twitter may actually be useful for some people, but for me right now it's just an outlet for my random thoughts. I’m with you, pretty ambivalent.

I originally registered with Twitter (and MySpace, which I sort of hate…) “just in case.” Just in case I ever need it for marketing my future books. ;P

But I thought I’d never use either. Nor did I want to, because I ALREADY waste too much time online. (I just started using Google Reader for all my blogs, though, and that’s a HUGE help!)

Anyway, now I like posting random updates to Twitter instead of my blog (because how annoying are a constant stream of one-line posts? :P) but I hate having to “listen in” on other people’s constant Twitter-conversations. In fact, I de-friend people who are basically just replying to other people’s tweets all day long, because seriously, that’s what EMAIL is for.

Your point about magazine writers is a good one, and something I hadn’t thought of. So I guess Twitter may actually be useful for some people, but for me right now it’s just an outlet for my random thoughts.

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