A Connection is Made
You know the stereotype of the writer – a solitary creative hunched over their desk, writing well into the lonely hours of the night, friend only to endless cups of coffee and the incessant voices in their head. They spend their non-writing time fretting over their writing, and their actual writing time is consumed by the taunt of the empty page (or the blinking cursor). Writers themselves are just as guilty of propagating this image as Hollywood is – although with the likes of Secret Window, Limitless and Stranger Than Fiction, writers don’t come off well at all.
Perhaps this was all true at one time – indeed, up until a few years ago, I’d imagine this was the norm for writers, slaving over their quills/typewriters/word processors before sending their darlings to publishers. Unless people were members of writers’ groups, or they just happened to know other writers in their circle of friends, it’s unlikely that writers would have had much contact with like-minded souls. Of course, along came the Internet, and sharing work prior to submission became easier with the proliferation of online writing groups, forums, blogs dedicated to writing and – ultimately – Twitter.
A lot of people call Twitter a waste of time, saying that time spent social networking is time that could be spent writing or editing. Yes, that is indeed true, and Twitter can easily become a time drain – if you let it. However, I’m firmly in the camp who believes in the value of Twitter in enabling writers to reach out and connect with one another, while also allowing them to reach potential readers. There are plenty of hashtags that will grant you access to this online writing world – #amwriting being one of the most popular, along with #FridayFlash and #TuesdaySerial for those who want to post their fiction online. This is before you even factor in the various hashtag chats that take place on a regular basis.
It’s easy enough to get started. Make sure you use a photo (or something recognisable as being related to you) instead of Twitter’s default avatar, and highlight the fact that you’re a writer in your bio. Find a few writers to follow, and join in the conversation with @ replies. If you want to write a flash fiction (a self-contained story of 1000 words or less) and post it on your blog, make sure you tag your tweet with #FridayFlash and your story will suddenly appear for all those following the hashtag. Check out a few yourself, and be sure to comment. You’ll be amazed how quickly you can get to know these writers.
In fact, it was through Twitter that I met my writer friends. It all started with the lovely Emma Newman, and I got to know the Emergent Publishing crew through her. They asked me if I wanted to be part of their Chinese Whisperings project last year – being a girl, I was put down for the Yin Book, and I was paired with Rob Diaz, my opposite number in the Yang Book. Rob has gone on to become a firm friend, and one of my most trusted beta readers. I keep joking that we’re psychic twins – we both submitted stories to the Nothing But Flowers anthology, and without having discussed them first, we realised we’d both used flower motifs and even similar titles! Without Twitter, it’s unlikely I’d have ever come across him, and my work would be worse off for it.
This is the beauty of the Internet – its ability to let you connect with other writers all over the world. If you find a person that you trust, that writer can help your writing along in leaps and bounds – and you can do the same for them. You’re no longer the lonely writer struggling in silence – all you need to do is reach out, and someone will take your hand.
I was firmly anti-this-whole-Twitter thing for so long and resisted it up to the point I started posting on #TuesdaySerial. What I once considered to be nothing more than a vehicle for shameless self-promotion has (much like you described) turned into a vehicle to meet and make the acquaintance of some of the finest people I am destined never to meet.
Twitter just wouldn’t be the same without you, Jase.
Without both of you!
Great overview, Icy. I’m learning how to get control of Twitter now, and Twitter and I will both be better off for it.
Icy, I can’t agree more. You meet great people on Twitter, and if you are open to them, there are lots of opportunities to be had as well.
Clearly, twitter and all the other tools can become nothing more than distractions. I’m honestly trying to figure out how to really use it! But I think it is a fantastic vehicle for meeting like-minded writers when it is used well.
The random linkage of you and me for the Yin and Yang books has turned into an amazingly awesome interaction that, before the dawn of twitter, facebook and email, may never have happened. Geographical distance, different preferences for genre, age differences, etc. all would have led to us never really having met, despite the obvious psychic twin thing we have going on.
I’m grateful for the fact that we live in an age where these limitations are able to be overcome and especially that we’re taking advantage of it.
I’m eternally grateful to the Yin and Yang books!! I firmly believe that the benefits of social networking can massively outweigh its distractions.
I SO agree with you. I’ve learned so much via Twitter and Facebook. Though it’s easy to get lost, I find it’s been time well spent. For Young Adult writers, there are tons of hashtags: #yalitchat, #kidlitchat, #askagent, #pubtips, #yasaves to name a few.
I couldn’t agree more. Almost all my writing and publishing connections originated through Twitter. It’s become my writing group, and I’m grateful for all the friends I’ve made there.
I didn’t start using Twitter until I started participating in #FridayFlash. I think Twitter was made for groups like that. [But I also think the people who made it had no idea at the time they made it. Twitter and Twitter groups grew up together.] It’s a tremendous resource and I think I still would not be a Twitterer were it not for the writer’s groups and all the wonderful people I’ve met that way.
I’d like to add in Facebook as a valuable resource as well. I think of Twitter as my front yard, and Facebook as my house. I let lots of people in my yard, but a select few go on to be invited into my house. I’ve also meticulously trimmed back all apps and garbage, and in fact went through a strenuous growth phase where I sadly had to cut some people who weren’t exactly who I wanted in my “house”.
Twitter is the reason I am where I’m at. My additional advice is to use Twitter to direct traffic to both your websites and your fan pages. It’s good to have the biggest net possible to catch the best bounty of “fishes”.
Oh you’re quite right about Facebook. I forgot to add it in because I’m useless at using it for writing stuff. Also excellent additional Twitter advice!
Social media has created wonderful opportunities to make new connections and friendships and opportunities.
Yes, it can be a distraction, but when used purposefully, it strengthens and develops you.
Adam B @revhappiness
Beautifully put, Icy.
It’s even better when Twitter leads me to writers who I can meet in real life, like your good self!