May 30, 2016

Twitter for Writers



I joined Twitter June of 2015. Sort of a late comer. I did that though because I was focused on building my blog and Facebook page. Once I got to a place I was happy with for those, I decided to make the Twitter plunge. Before I did, though, I read "The Tao of Twitter" by Mark W. Schaefer. This book really gave me a leg up so I highly recommend it if you’re new to Twitter. I will be mentioning what I learned in that book and on my own in this post.

1. Join! 

Use your name/pen name when you sign up and create an easy Twitter handle. Some people’s Twitter handles are complicated and I could never remember them, but if you can use your name as your handle (if it’s not already taken) then use it! If it is taken, add “author” or a dash (like this _ or like this -) between your first and last name or before “author). You can even add a number, but remember simpler is better.

I was lucky that my pen name is unique, so my Twitter handle is @ChrysFey
TIP 1: Add your Twitter link to all social media profiles, your email signature and to your business cards.
2. Upload your author photo and a short bio to say who you are.

This is mine: ~ Thrilling & Romantic with Heroines of Steel. ~  Disaster Crimes Series. Write with Fey. Newsletter Sign-Up: https://bit.ly/2rcnWUv #SPARKS #HeroinesofSteel

3. Follow, follow, follow!

Twitter will find email contacts for you, follow all them who are on Twitter and you are acquainted with. Twitter will also recommend a bunch of people based off those contacts and the people you follow. (You can find the recommendations on the left. It’s always there.) You will find many people you know this way. Follow them! Then refresh this page and check again. Repeat.

4. Stalk lists and follow more!

Go to a few people you follow who know a lot of people. Check their “lists.” This is a page you can click on; every Twitter profile has one at the top. A list is an easy way to keep people grouped together. Explore their lists and follow the people you recognize.

5. Did I not say follow?

Go to your other social media profiles and hunt down the people you have connected with there. Who have you added to your circles on Google +? Who have you liked on Facebook? Who is in your blog feed? Follow them!
TIP 2: Aim to follow 200 then 500 followers. The more people you follow, the more followers you will get and the more often you’ll get noticed. 
TIP 3: After a while, people you don’t know will start following you. Follow back those who are interested in the same thing you are and have a lot of people in common with you. Don’t be stingy with your follows!
6. Make your own lists.

Go to the “lists” page on your own profile and click “Create a List.” Give it a name, decide if you want it public, and then go to your “Following” page to find the people you want to add to your list. Click the tool symbol next to the “Following” button and select “Add or Remove from Lists.” Then check the list you want to add that person to.

You can make as many lists as you want.
FYI: the people you add to a list will be notified if it’s public.
I have lists for Awesome Bloggers/Writers and TWRP (The Wild Rose Press) Authors.

7. Send out your first tweet. It can be a simple, “Hello, Twitter!”

This was mine: I wish I had something funny or witty to post as my first tweet, but this is it: Hello, Twitter! :D #myfirsttweet

8. Get to know the people you’re following by sending them tweets and retweeting them. You can do both when you see their tweet in your feed. To tweet, click the single arrow. To retweet, click the two arrows that are in a circle. You can also “Favorite” tweets by clicking the heart.
TIP 4: Try to do at least one tweet a day when you first join, and 1-3 retweets. After a while, when you get the hang of Twitter, you’ll tweet more often.
TIP 5: Check in on Twitter every day to see any tweets and followers you’ve received. If you click on “Followers” on your page, you’ll see all of the accounts for the people who have followed you. Do this every time so you can follow back as needed.
9. Unfollow

After you’ve been on Twitter for 1-2 months, it’s time to unfollow some of those people you followed who haven’t reciprocated. Use ManageFilter. This website will examine your Twitter profile and show you all the people who haven’t followed you. Do this periodically. 
TIP 6: Before you unfollow, go to their pages and check them out. If they’ve tweeted recently, they most likely won’t follow you back if you followed them weeks ago. If you know this person pretty well, try to tweet them and retweet them to go noticed. If they still ignore you while they are active on Twitter, it’s time to unfollow. Don’t feel guilty about this!
10. Tweet Trending Topics

Check out the trending topics, this is always located on the left. See something that interests you or is in your niche? Check out the activity under that topic and send out your own tweet with the hashtag.

11. #

That’s not called a pound symbol on Twitter. That is a hashtag. As in #WritingLife. Use one or two relevant hashtags when you tweet. As soon as you put the # symbol in a tweet and start typing, Twitter will offer suggestions. These suggestions are the most used hashtags. Use them!
Some hashtags you can use:
#FollowFriday or #FF (This is used only on Fridays to give shout outs to people you think are worthy of more followers.)
#MondayBlogs (Do you post a blog on Monday? Share a link on Twitter and add this hashtag.) 
#amblogging #amwriting #amediting
12. Join Twitter Chats.

There are chats that happen weekly and monthly on Twitter. Ask some people what chats they recommend you get involved in.

#1LineWed is a fun chat that happens every Wednesday. The purpose is to share one sentence from a WIP that fits the theme of that week. You can search #1LineWed to find out what the next theme will be.

#StoryDam is an online writing community that chats every Thursday at 8pm ET. Check out the StoryDam website for info on what the chat that Thursday will be about. There are questions you can answer about your own writing process and books.

#WedWrant occurs every Wednesday from 7:30pm EST - 8:30 EST. The moderator posts questions for writers to answer.

There's also #KidLitChat and #K8Chat.


QUESTION: What are you favorite hashtags and Twitter chats?


63 comments:

  1. The cat and I have Twitter down indeed. Although we haven't done a whole lot with it recently.

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    1. I see a lot of tweets come from you and the Cat.

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  2. This was quite informative. I'm on Twitter, and I check it daily, but I don't use it a lot, although I always mean to. Still, this has inspired me to be a little more active.

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    1. Checking it is easily. Using it is take a bit more work and time.

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  3. Thanks for the advice, Chrys. I've been on Twitter for a long time, but have never really known how to use it. This will help.

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    1. You're welcome, Beverly. I hope this does help you. :)

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  4. I joined Twitter a few months after it started but I still don't have the hang of it. I always forget hashtags. Half the time, I forget to Tweet.

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    1. A few months after it started? Wow! You've been on Twitter for a long time. I'm always one of those to not want to jump on new social media so fast. I even joined Facebook only after everyone left Myspace. lol

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  5. Haven't used Twitter too much, too much social media stuff, not enough time, lol.

    Betty

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  6. I am totally stingy with who I follow. No shame about it either. If I follow someone and a few weeks later see they just use a site to share links and don't even log into Twitter then I unfollow. I use Twitter to talk to people and I can't talk to people who aren't really there.

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    1. In the beginning I followed back mostly everyone, but now I am stingy with my follows. lol Most people just want huge followings. I follow if they seem to be genuine, but even then I never get interaction from them.

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  7. Hi Chris - I just got onto FB, mistake as half an hour later, I guess it's all managing the time and being efficient with each social media tool ..

    Thanks for these tips - cheers Hilary

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    1. You just joined FB? Welcome! It can seem overwhelming at first, but I think, with time, you'll end up enjoying it.

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  8. I'm sure your suggestions are great for maximum exposure. I started using TweetDeck last year so I could get pictures in full display in my tweets and schedule ahead of time easily. Currently, I'm not following any hash tags except for the #AtoZChallenge. I currently follow less than 100. That's simply because I want to only see things I might be interested in, in my feed. I admit, my attention to Twitter rises and falls. Barbara, blogging at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

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    1. Following a small number is fine, and perfectly acceptable. Sometimes we can't avoid having to follow more people, though. I have lists for people I like to check in on like "Bloggers" etc. So I go to the list to see things only from those people. :)

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  9. I thought #NALitChat ended earlier this year? If it started up again then I'll check them out. I chat with #K8Chat every Thursday at 8. I want to get two or three more under my belt including #KidLitChat (did I get that right?). Nice suggestions Chrys.

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    1. It might have. I wrote this post early this year. I'll check.

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  10. I'm not sure I've ever unfollowed anyone, though it is annoying to follow someone and even respond to their Tweets, only to never be followed in return. I figure they just write in much different genres and have very different interests and personalities. I still like to see what they're up to, even if they haven't followed me back.

    I had to block and report some abusive Tweets I got awhile ago, one from an anti-feminist and another from an "intactivist" (obsessive anti-circumcision zealot). These people just show how obsessed they are with their pet crusades when they feel the need to send angry Tweets to strangers. It's like they searched Twitter for those terms and sent hatred to anyone who dared Tweet in support of what they oppose.

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    1. I find that annoying, too. Yikes. I've never had abusive tweets before. I would've blocked and reported them as well.

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  11. I used to belong to Twitter but gave it up when I moved.
    Great post Chrys.
    Yvonne.

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  12. I do not twitter nor will I any time soon if ever...I already twitter around enough in real life:)

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    1. Ha. Twittering around in real life is better. :)

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  13. "...After a while, when you get the hang of Twitter, you’ll tweet more often..."

    Or, you could be me, who has stopped even checking her Twitter regularly. It's there. I sometimes tweet something. But I think the last time I checked my Twitter feed (which is so totally out of control I stopped reading it) was months ago.

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    1. Sometimes people just burn out or don't really like Twitter. That happens.

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  14. This is helpful but I haven't do much on Twitter--I have an account with my real name and some stuff get's thrown up there but it is mostly work-related.

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    1. Work-related is fine. Most of my tweets have to do with my work as well. :)

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  15. I'm still not sure about Twitter. I don't know if I could keep up with daily tweeting. I have never been very good at maintaining a daily online presence. I don't even check my emails daily, lol. I do check Facebook when I have notifications, which is nearly everyday, but I only post about once a week.

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    1. You don't have to tweet daily. The most I tweet are my blog posts, guest posts, and occasionally book promos.

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  16. Great post. I've been on twitter just about since it started, but didn't know what to do with it for a long time. Now I love it so much more than facebook. Great instant conversations with my close blogger friends. No pressure. Not everything's about selling books. But I pick up some great writing advice and interesting posts which I follow up. It's also great to publicise bloghops. Our WEP bloghop has its own twitter tag: #wepff. Great stuff. :-)

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    1. I had no idea WEP had a Twitter hashtag. I love that! :D

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  17. Thank you so much for simplifying Twitter Chrys. I always end up with lots of people unfollowing me right after I follow them back. I will check out ManageFilter. Also, I always felt weird using hashtags. But now I know why I should use them:)

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    1. I hate it when people unfollow after you follow them back. Those are the people who only want numbers. ManageFilter will definitely help you with that.

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  18. I built my old blog before twitter. Oddly enough, I followed most of the rules above without knowing that I was following them. I'm still not great at twitter, but I'm trying. :)

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    1. You could speak Twitter and you didn't even know it. ;)

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  19. Thanks for this blog. I need to join the Twitter party.

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    1. You should. So many of the bloggers in our community are there. :)

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  20. Twitter is a great way to network, announce my latest blog post, and find others. :-)

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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    1. It sure is. I use it for the same things. :)

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  21. I am only on Twitter because the newspaper that originally carried my blog wanted me to sign up. I never check it nor do I follow anyone. I am also not on Facebook and don't intend to ever sign up. I like my life the way it is.

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  22. These are great tips, Chrys. I didn't know anything about the twitter chats, so thanks for enlightening me! Twitter is a really fun platform.You can also get the free 'click to tweet' plug in for your site and highlight a sentence or a saying from your recent post and your readers can click to tweet it out. FUN stuff. :)

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    1. Twitter chats are great. My favorite is #1LineWed. I have some click-to-tweets on some pages on my blog and website, but I'm too lazy ;) to add them to my posts.

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  23. I thought Twitter won't let you follow more than 2000 people if you don't have 2000 followers. It cuts you off. Sometimes I wonder how effective Twitter is. It's like thousands of people shouting in a gymnasium trying to be heard.

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    1. It does have that limit, but see I never followed that many. I'm still not following that many. I don't advise people to follow 2,000 people in the beginning just to get follows back.

      When you use Twitter effectively, hashtags and Twitter chats, you can see a nice impact. But it is a bit like shouting in a crowded gym. You've got that right.

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  24. I like Twitter. It's something fun to pass the time when I'm standing in line or watching TV. I like following a lot of comedians, like Conan O'Brien and Steve Martin.

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  25. Hi Chrys,

    I've noticed that Penny the Pawblisher has been causing her usual chaos on Twitter.

    Speaking of comedians, Penny has regular interaction with a few alleged comedians.

    You mention a whole load of handy tips for Twitter. Penny has noticed that when she goes and leaves one of her pawfound, um profound comments on, for instance, a pawliticians, sorry, a politicians page, such as the alleged Paw Minister, sorry, Prime Minister, David Cameron of the UK, she get loads of Twitter reaction.

    I'm now going to hurriedly put up another posting on my blog site because I don't want folks to possibly miss out on this post. Yes, my last post has a link to the post below this post.

    Have I rambled enough? Of course I have! #arf!

    Excellent pawst, um, post, Chrys.

    Penny's alleged human,

    Gary :)

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    1. Penny is brave for tweeting to politicians, but I can see how that would get her a lot of reaction. Thanks for sharing these links!

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  26. Great post, Chrys! :) Another thing I always preach is avoid auto-DMs (direct messages). They do not go over well...

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  27. My favourite hashtag by far is #MSWL, where agents and editors tweet what they're looking for (manuscript wish list). Sometimes #tenqueries, where agents go through ten query letters in real time, is amusing. Other times, it's aggravating.

    And another vote to avoid the auto-DMs! Send me an ad after I follow you, and I'll block you and report you for spam.

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    1. How did I not know about #MSWL. Oh my gosh, I've been missing out! Thanks for telling me about it. I'm going to check it ASAP. I also never heard of #tenqueries. That one sounds like a lot of fun.

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  28. I have to confess I don't understand Twitter and I don't know why. I'm bookmarking this post and coming back to study it more carefully. Thanks, Chrys!

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    1. But aren't you doing the IWSG Twitter page? haha

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  29. Very informative! I just don't know how everyone does it all! I was on Facebook for a year and they forced me to use my real name, so no more Facebook. I have to admit, I miss my friends, but I really don't miss Facebook. And, I don't own a cell phone, so I guess twitter is out! LOL! I know, I am old fashion! LOL!

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    1. You can use Twitter from the computer. I do that a lot. :)

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    2. I have a Facebook page and I use my pen name. Same with Twitter, I've never used my real name. Also, I utilize my computer for Twitter and Facebook.

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    3. My Facebook page is also under my pen name. I think Facebook is stricter with personal profiles that use fake names. Although I have one of those, too. Ssh.

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  30. I do have a Twitter account, but I have to be honest, I don't use it as often as I probably should. I let it collect dust. I should really utilize a few of the suggestions here.
    However, I DO have a few lists created. Many people appreciate being placed into a list. It means they've been recognized.

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    1. I see you posting tweets. :) I like lists. They help me to stay organized, to check in on certain groups, and yes, when added to one it can make you feel special.

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