My Name Is Not Bob: Twitter

Showing posts with label Twitter. Show all posts

Friday, January 27, 2012

Random Uses for Twitter: Unintentional Writing Prompts

Twitter is a good tool for collecting as well as distributing information. (If you're not accustomed to Twitter, click here for my cheat sheet.) Twitter is also great for having chats and reading funny one-liners. However, I've only recently--and I'm probably slow to the game in this respect--started realizing that it's a gold mine of writing prompts.

To prove my point, I'm going to log in to Twitter at this very moment and grab some randome Tweets:

From @thestephmerritt: Oh I hate confrontation. My neighbour has been playing music full volume ALL NIGHT &; it's still going. Just went round. Turns out he's deaf.

This tweet, for instance, could prompt a story (or poem) about someone who is oblivious about everything he or she does. Or it could be about a person who hates confrontation and is always letting things go, but when trying to confront people is either ignored or feels bad afterward.

From @OliviaDresher: Imagining a city of blind people where everyone touches canes instead of shaking hands.

This tweet could produce a Twilight Zone style story. Or it could provoke a surreal poem. Plus, a writer doesn't have to just play off blind people; this tweet makes me consider other handicaps and how it might change the world if everyone had it.

From @meandmybigmouth: Saw an empty Nutella jar on the sideboard and almost lost it. Then saw a full one in the cupboard. Crisis averted.

The story of someone who overreacts to situations. There are two ways to take such a character: either down the path of comedy or the road of drama. Either way, the character would be most compelling if he or she is in a constant state of highs and lows.

Anyway, these tweets were up at like 5 a.m. and are just a random sampling. But it shows that Twitter has at least one more use for writers: unintentional writing prompts!

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Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Best Tweeps for Writers to Follow 2011

Okay, it's that list-making time of year again, and I wanted to update my best tweeps for writers to follow list for 2011. (Click here to see my 2010 list.) I know that such a list is fundamentally flawed no matter who makes the list, so feel free to throw your "write-in" votes below. I did use the comments from last year's post to help guide my decisions this year.

Since many of these tweeps deal in multiple areas of expertise, I'm not going to use your typical categories. Instead, I'm going to use my own dynamic and weird categorizations.

While I'm sure there are many more tweeps who are worth your time on Twitter, these are the ones who I endorse fully. They're my "must-follows" and a great springboard into wonderful conversations, information, and more.

I know the REAL Jane Friedman, who is @JaneFriedman, of course.

Tweeps I've Met in Real Life

Tweeps I Feel Like I've Met (but haven't really)

@ThereseWalsh

While I haven't met Jessie Carty, aka @JessiePoet, it feels like I have (and will).

Tweeps Who Are Actually Faceless Entities

Tweeps Who Are Kinda Like Gurus

I was once interviewed by Daniel Nester and, as you can see, @DanielNester brings the serious.

Tweeps Who Kinda Make Me Feel Like a Fanboy

Tweeps Who Totally Rock

So yeah, that's like 101 tweeps (if you include @ClickWisdom above) who are totally followable.

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You can follow me on Twitter too @robertleebrewer, in addition to connecting with me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.

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Interested in a short list of advice? Check these out these posts:

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Platform Building 101 for Writers: Planning

Of course, platform building is a huge topic, and it's certainly one of the more important topics for writers who want to "make it" who haven't yet "made it." The definition of "making it" may be changing as we speak, but the platform is pretty easy to define.

A writing platform is basically a writer's reach to their target audience on a specific subject or topic.

One writer can have multiple platforms, and those platforms can intersect and co-habitate or be completely separate. For instance, writers who deal in poetry and fiction may be able to use credits in literary magazines interchangeably for their literary pursuits, but those same credits likely won't help much in pitching a how-to book on woodworking (unless it's somehow targeted at literary types).

In this post, I just want to cover the basics of planning out a platform strategy. I often find that success follows successful preparation and adaptability (to things not going exactly as I planned).

Since most online platform-building tools are available for free, let's start there.

Here are some basics I think all writers should have as part of their online writing platform:

Buy your domain name. Preferably, buy your actual domain name. Even if you don't have any imminent plans to build a site, buy your domain name now before someone else does. For instance, I've been procrastinating on building a basic RobertLeeBrewer.com site, but I do own the domain name. Eventually, that url will point to a site. (Just ask @JaneFriedman on Twitter why it's important to snap up those domain and user names as soon as possible.)
Start a blog. Whether you go with Blogger, WordPress, or another blogging site, blogs are free and easy to create. Start today. (Click here to read my Blogging Tips for Writers post.)
Create a Twitter account. It's free, and Twitter is one of the fastest growing social media sites. Plus, it's a great place to share blog posts. (Click here to read my Twitter Cheat Sheet for Writers post.)
Create a Facebook account. Again, it's free. Plus, Facebook apparently has the most traffic of any website on the Internet, including Google. (Yes, click here for my Facebook Tips for Writers.)
Create a LinkedIn account. Again, this site is free. It's more of a professional networking site, but it's one more way for people to find you and your work. (Sorry, no LinkedIn Tips for Writers. Yet.)

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Great work! You've built the foundation of your online platform by accomplishing the five tasks above. Plus, if you've read my tip and cheat sheet links above, you probably have some idea of how to optimize some of these tools. However, building a successful platform takes time and planning.

Think about how the pieces fit together
Use one site as your central hub. Preferably, this would be your domain name url website. Or it can be your blog. Avoid making it your Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter profile--just because it's hard to predict if these sites will eventually be the next MySpace (or in other words, a social media ghost town).

However, use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other sites (online forums, etc.) to filter people to your central hub. And make sure your central hub lets people know that you exist on these other sites. (For instance, you can follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer, follow my Facebook fan page, or find me on LinkedIn.)

If it helps you visualize, get a piece of blank paper and write the word "HUB" in the middle. Then, draw 2-sided arrows out of the hub that are labeled things like "Facebook Profile," "Twitter profile," etc. Connect the dots and remember where your base of operations is located. (My current hub is this blog and my Poetic Asides blog, which as mentioned above is not ideal. Eventually, it will be robertleebrewer.com.)

Start small and build
Many writers get frustrated when they invest time and energy into platform building and don't receive the instant gratification of lots of friends, readers, comments, etc. I totally understand that. These writers are excited and pumped up to connect and then nothing happens immediately. However, building a platform is something a writer does throughout a career. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme. It's a long-term communication between the writer and his (or her) audience and readership. As a result, I advise writers to start small and build.

If you're new to blogging, don't post every five minutes. Post once a week and spend time communicating with other writers and readers on social media sites. When you think it's time to increase your blogging frequency, do so. Over time, you'll develop a feel for what works with your audience.

Also, don't stress out about how many (or few) followers and friends you have. This too is a process and will build over time.

Experiment and adapt
When I first started connecting with writers online, it was through forums, message boards and MySpace. I rarely use any of these tools anymore. In another 5 to 10 years, I may not be using the sites mentioned above. So, writers need to be open to experimentation and adapting to changes in technology and finding "where the people are."

This is why having a good central hub is so important, because it will serve as your rock solid virtual real estate that should be the same in 2010 (or 2011) as it will be in 2020 as it will be in 2030 and beyond.

A few other platform building tools to consider:

Business cards. If you attend events or speak regularly, then you should realize that business cards are important to networking and platform building in the real world. Include your name, contact information (mailing address, phone, e-mail), and central hub.
Events. Writers can make actual human contact with writers, editors, agents, and other publishing professionals at events, such as writing conferences, workshops, literary festivals, book signings, readings, open mics, etc.
Mailing lists. This old school method of reaching your readership may cost more to maintain, but when done well, writers can often expect to get what they pay for--in a good way.
E-mail lists. These are very important and powerful and can be handled in many different ways. Very important, though, make sure your e-mail list is permission-based and that you don't practice any spamming tactics, or you'll lose any of the value your e-mail list may have provided.

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Just remember: Platform building is a process, not a goal. There is no finish line. So try to incorporate it into what you do as a writer, and you'll likely be more successful with both your platform building and actual writing activities.

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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

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Here are a few great platform-building related resources to check out:

Get Known Before the Book Deal, by Christina Katz
Internet Book Marketing: An Author's Guide to Building an Online Marketing Platform, by Morris Rosenthal
Guerrilla Social Media Marketing: 100+ Weapons to Grow Your Online Influence, Attract Customers, and Drive Profits, by Jay Conrad Levinson and Shane Gibson

Monday, December 6, 2010

Top Tweeters for Writers to Follow on Twitter

(NOTE: This list is nice, but click here to check out the 2011 list of Best Tweeps for Writers to Follow on Twitter.)

A week ago, I shared my updated Twitter Cheat Sheet for Writers on here. It's a good post for those new to Twitter or who need a refresher course, but then, someone asked the next logical question: Who are the best people for writers to follow on Twitter? So below is my attempt to answer that question.

First, here's my personal Top 5 Tweeters for Writers list:

@JaneFriedman, who runs the There Are No Rules blog (highly recommended)
@InkyElbows, which is the handle for Debbie Ridpath Ohi, who updates WritersMarket.com's Market Watch column, in addition to plenty of other writerly activities
@NathanBransford, who is an author, previous literary agent, and super (duper) tweeter supreme
@RachelleGardner, who is a current literary agent, mother of two, and self-professed Starbucks freak
@TheWriterMama, which is the handle for the great Christina Katz, who is both writer and mama

But, of course, I couldn't stop at my Top 5, so here are more than 30 other tweeps to follow (in no particular order):

If you're following the above tweeters (plus me, of course, @RobertLeeBrewer), then you should be pretty happy. But I surely missed many other great people in this small list. So, I'll be adding to this post with any recommendations left in the comments below, via Twitter, or especially by anyone listed above.

For instance, here is @JaneFriedman's Top 5 list:

@elizabethscraig
@Quotes4Writers
@writeitsideways
@AdvicetoWriters
@inkyelbows (yep, that's two votes for her)

I'd like to thank @JMcCannWriter for sharing her Top 5 list (her reasons below):

Here are 5 from @glecharles:

@ChuckWendig (who got a nod of approval from Amanda Hoving too)
@SimonPulman
@emilywoo
@DanBlank
@arstechnica

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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer

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Check out other helpful writing posts here:

Which details should writers worry about post
Blogging Tips for Writers post
Changes in Publishing post (and what it means for writers)

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Here are some great social media books to check out:

The Zen of Social Media Marketing, by Shama Kabani and Chris Brogan
Social Media Strategies for Professionals and Their Firms, by Michelle Golden
The Social Media Bible, by Lon Safko
The Social Media Marketing Book, by Dan Zarrella

Monday, November 29, 2010

Twitter Cheat Sheet for Writers (Updated)

With the publishing (and/or media) industry changing at the speed of light, so are the roles of writers (or content providers), editors (or content managers), agents (or content strategists), etc. One big change for writers (even in fiction, poetry, and other fields) is that they are expected to take an active role in building their own platforms via online and real world networking and exposure. One great tool for this online is Twitter.

It's easy (and free) enough to create a Twitter account, but how can writers take advantage of this social networking tool? What can they logically expect to gain from using it? What is a hashtag anyway? Well, hopefully, this cheat sheet will help.

First, let's look at some basic terminology:

Tweet = Any message sent out to everyone on Twitter. Unless you direct message (DM) someone, everything on Twitter is a Tweet and viewable by anyone.
RT = Retweet. Twitter created a RT-ing tool that makes for easy retweets, but the standard convention is to put an RT and cite the source before reposting something funny or useful that someone else has shared. For example, if I tweeted "Nouns are verbs waiting to happen," you could RT me this way: RT @robertleebrewer Nouns are verbs waiting to happen.
DM = Direct message. These are private and only between people who DM each other.
# = Hashtag. These are used in front a word (or set of letters) to allow people to easily communicate on a specific topic. For instance, I tweet poetry with other poets on Twitter by using the hashtag #poettalk. Poets can click on the "poettalk" after the hashtag (no space) or they can search on the term "poettalk" in Twitter (right-hand toolbar).
ff = Follow Friday. This is a nice way to show support for other tweeters on Twitter. On Friday.

Second, here are 10 things you can do to optimize your use of Twitter:

Use your real name if possible. Make it easy for people you know or meet to find you on Twitter.
Add a profile picture. Preferably this will be a picture of you. People connect better with other people, not cartoons, book covers, logos, etc.
Link to a website. Hopefully, you have a blog or website you can link to in your profile. If you don't have a website or blog, make one. Now. And then, link to it from your Twitter profile.
Write your bio. Make this memorable in some way. You don't have to be funny or cute, but more power to you if you can do this and still make it relevant to who you are.
Tweet regularly. It doesn't matter if you have only 2 followers (and one is your mom); you still need to tweet daily (or nearly daily) for Twitter to be effective. And remember: If you don't have anything original to add, you can always RT something funny or useful from someone else.
Tweet relevant information. Don't be the person who tweets like this: "I am making a salad;" "I am eating a salad;" "That salad was good;" "I wonder what I'm going to eat next;" etc. These tweets are not interesting or relevant. However, if your salad eating experience rocked your world in a unique way, feel free to share: "Just ate the best salad ever. Who knew hot sauce and lettuce could co-exist?"
Link and don't link. It's good to link to other places and share things you're doing or that you've found elsewhere. At the same time, if all you do is link, people may think you're just trying to sell them stuff all the time.
Have a personality. Be yourself. You don't have to be overly cute, funny, smart, etc. Just be yourself and remember that Twitter is all about connecting people. So be a person.
Follow those worth following. Just because you're being followed you don't have to return the follow. For instance, if some local restaurant starts following me, I'm not going to follow them back, because they aren't relevant to me or to my audience.
Communicate with others. I once heard someone refer to Twitter as one big cocktail party, and it's true. Twitter is all about communication. If people talk to you or RT you, make sure you talk back and/or thank them. (Here's a secret: People like to feel involved and acknowledged. I like it; you like it; and so does everyone else.)

Third, here are some extra resources:

TwitterGrader.com - This site allows you to enter your profile at any given time and find out how you're doing (according to them) in using Twitter effectively. Of course, the grade you receive is bound to not be perfect, but it is a good measuring stick.
wthashtag.com - This site allows you to search for hashtags, run reports on them, get transcripts between specific time periods, and more.
Hootsuite - This is one of many tools that give the ability to Tweet and track your account without even going to Twitter. Many (maybe even most) people use these.
bit.ly - This is one of many URL shortening services out there, which is very helpful when tweeting URL links, since they can easily eat into your 140-character limit on Twitter. This particular one makes it easy for you to track clicks, though I'm sure that's fairly standard.

And, of course, if you're not already, please follow me on Twitter: @robertleebrewer

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For extra credit, check out these Twitter resources:

Twitter Power 2.0: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time, by Joel Comm
The Twitter Book, by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein
Twitter for Dummies, by Laura Fitton, Michael Gruen and Leslie Poston

My Name Is Not Bob