We need YOUR help
Tara has some questions for you fine tweeters out there.
Is it really worth the effort?
Is it really worth the time?
If she does take the plunge who should she be following in the publication industry?
I have some questions myself.
Is there ways you have discovered to manage your tweeting time?
Tips and tricks to make it worth your while?
So, lay it on the line. Tell it like it is.
Is twitter as tweetastic as some say?
I'm only on twitter for about 2 months now . I think that it depends on what you intend using it for . As long as you are disciplined and can manage your time , then you'll be fine . It's great for instant creative networking with fellow writers/bloggers especially if you need to bounce ideas off somebody/get an opinion/share info about new blog posts etc.
ReplyDeleteI think that Tara's the type of writer who would find the right balance ... and become a "responsible" tweeter . :)
i'd also like some recommendations of who to follow in the pub biz =)
ReplyDeletemish, it sounds like i'm paying you, you're so nice! ever think of becoming a publicist?
and thanks again, shelly. excellent job =) love your style!
I've extended my "writers circle" through twitter and I appreciate the platform for providing that. In fact Shelly, I think I found YOU there. So is it worth it? Often I think it is.
ReplyDeleteNina
If everyone you know in your business hung out at a local burger joint, would you go? If you went, would you take a booth in the corner and just watch, or would you try to meet people? Mingle? Network?
ReplyDeleteTwitter is our local hang-out. Not everyone is there all the time, but many (if not most) of the important players put in an appearance. It might not make your career, but the connections you can make there just might help. This business is enough of a gamble without taking advantage of every possible advantage. :)
I used to LOVE Twitter!! I mean LOVE it! But recently the 'automated' Twitters have been running the place. There was not many people who actually responded to a tweet anymore. That, and the switch to 'New Twitter' was too much for me!...so I stopped tweeting. I'm an X-Tweeter now.
ReplyDeleteI like Twitter, but as people have said before, it depends on what you're going to use it for and how disciplined you are. I mostly use it to hang out, and I've gotten to know some fellow bloggers better by chatting with them on Twitter. It's kind of more like a conversation.
ReplyDeleteI will say that apps like Tweetdeck and Hootsuite help though! It's easier to organize all that constant info, and you can see more easily when people talk to you or mention you.
I like what Robin Weeks had to say about the topic. I've only been involved in Twitter and blogging for a few months now and I would consider it successful. I may not have hundreds of people reading my blog or tweeting me, but I have expanded my network in the writing community, am getting hits on my blog, and have gotten closer to some great people. And that is with a fairly minimalistic approach to Twitter.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, Shelly, you rock. : )
ReplyDeleteI joined Twitter the last of February--reluctantly. However, I can say I actually quite like it! It's fun. I try not to make it too much of a time-suck, however. I've met people on Twitter that I never would have otherwise. And you CAN follow famous writers and agents and editors, which can be helpful and informative! (I only follow my own agent, actually.)
ReplyDeleteOkay- this is so funny. Check out today's post at http://abbyfowers.blogspot.com I just posted about this! As far as which publications to follow. If she has a query list or list of publishers she'd love to have, try to find them on twitter and follow them. If the tweeting world makes you nervous, do it anyway. Just limit your time, make a schedule. 5 minutes a day will be fine!
ReplyDeleteI was checking out my blogs and ran across your post Abby. I was coming back here to post it for everyone's benefit and you beat me to it! It's good stuff!
ReplyDeleteI tweet to my favorite people every morning before I go to work or just on with my day. it is a big list but (now don't laugh) I have them on a list in my PC and just cut and paste them . I get a lot of love and support, and make great connections with some amazing people. I get updates from groups I belong to and being an on-the-side writer I get to read some beautiful micro poetry and I get lots of news updates and vise versa pass along up-to-date news to others. It is not that time consuming I spend maybe an hour a day there but that is a few minutes here and there. It took me a little time to really enjoy it but I am glad I did.
ReplyDeleteTwitter fan here. Why? Because it's FAST!*
ReplyDeleteBlogs are tons and tons of work, both to read and write. With Twitter, I can do literally three times the networking in so much less time.
*Well . . . it can be a huge time suck, if you let it, but it REALLY doesn't have to be.
There's a lot of stuff out there. If I spent all my time on there when would I have time to write?
ReplyDeleteI found you there ;)
ReplyDeleteI signed up for my original account on Twitter about a year and a half ago but never really did anything with it. When I started getting serious about actually finishing my novel,I decided to sign up under my actual name and to start using it as my primary online source to follow the news of the industry and touch base with fellow writers - best decision EVER!
I have met the most awesome people, both published and soon to be published writers, book bloggers, editors, artists and the list goes on and on. The advice I have received from these sources has been invaluable and the support - heart warming.
I love the immediacy of Twitter - Facebook feels so static to me, Google+ is a bit better but Twitter is my fave. Yes it can be a time sink, but so can the TV or the phone or the kids... You get where I am going - you need to budget your time with Twitter same as any other activity. Worried about missing important stuff? Make lists and check them when you log in for those perfect little nuggets of info you would hate to miss!
i have to say, i really got a great view of the big tweet picture! thanks for all your input =)
ReplyDeleteI like what Randy had to say.
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking these questions Tara and Shelly. I'm on Twitter but only use it minimally and probably not very effectively, so these answers are a marvelous help.
ReplyDelete