Twitter: Variety is the Spice of Life for Writers

Although I am not new to Twitter, there is always something new to learn there. Twitter is a daily challenge, a source of inspiration. 140 characters may not be much space to write anything, but it is plenty to get a link in or make get a point across, to interact and to read and learn. It is a great way to connect and network.

Twitter is not only a wonderfully simple way to link your written work to a site for other people to read, it is a source for more articles, connections and a way to reach out to people in all walks of life. Twitterers are all over the world. As a well traveled person, that alone adds great appeal to me. If you take the time to get involved there and respond to people, you may get some great reactions and some followers too. I have.

One of the tricks with Twitter is to expand your horizons. Do not only add followers or follow people who are writers too or just the people you already know. That is self-limiting. Cover all your personal interests when you choose people for your Twitter list.

My interests are extremely varied, very eclectic, so I have slowly added artists, writers, entrepreneurs, celebrities, gardeners, travelers, moms, spiritual people, crafts people, graphic artists, and friends amongst all the others. I have added people who speak other languages and freebie/sample, sweepstakes bloggers, fiction writing contests, publishers, agents and people from the places I have lived in or traveled to. Those are just some of the Twitter people I follow or who follow me. I know I will find more.

There is a little bit of everything and everybody on Twitter. It is not a good idea to simply post links and run all the time. Take a little time now and then to read other people's Twitter posts. It is very interesting to watch them flow by in the course of a short amount of time and realize the variety of posts that Twitter offers. It is definitely a source of information for more writing.

Another advantage to adding a variety of people is if your written pieces cover many different topics, you are sure to find readers somewhere in your Twitter buddy list who might be interested in your links and what you have to say.

Remember that each of those followers not only posts for their own reasons but they have a variety of interests too that go beyond their reasons for being on Twitter. If they like something you have done, they can retweet or repost your twitter link and you can do the same for them. You not only create connections, you create a woven tapestry of bits of knowledge and people.

Reading other peoples posts has given me wonderful ideas not only for articles, but for stories or even poetry. There are light bulb moments available in some of those 140 character posts, if you look for them and don't simply treat Twitter as a dumping ground for links. It is a social network in short form that reaches everywhere.

Not only have I met people and been able to share some of my work, I have had some rather amazing and interesting things happen on Twitter.

I entered a number of writing contests that Twittered across my screen. I have won some of them too. I was very pleased. That can only expand my portfolio and skill level as a writer. You get great feedback on Twitter at times. Even if someone doesn't agree with something you post, that too can open up a line of communication and a connection.

I found a relative of a dear old childhood friend on Twitter. I saw the last name on a list and figured what would it hurt to ask if he was related to that long lost friend and her family. The worst he would say is no or get lost and the best would be that somehow he was related. Wonder of wonders he was and he responded. I literally cried with joy.

As of last week I am now in touch with her via email. My heart flew when I found a friend and her family from my past, who has been in me for years. I never thought this would ever be a possibility.

Guess what she and her siblings and family do? Three of them have written and published books. Two are teachers. One is an accomplished actress. The relative I found them through is a talented graphic artist. All of this from a 140 characters on a Twitter tweet. Magic.

I found a relative of a company we had dealings with in the Middle East when I was in college there. His name came up and again I asked was he related. He was. When I told him I still had a box with his family company name on it that I had kept out of sentimentality, I think he was touched. Another connection was made. There are interesting human beings behind those little 140 character tweets. There is a world out there if you are willing to explore it.

There was a fabulous artist whose work really struck me with a wow, when I went to the link she posted that sent me to her artist website. I had never seen her work before. I am hoping some day she will work with me to do an illustration for one of my stories, or at the very least maybe I can interview her for an article. Her work gave me an idea for a story and an article that I will be writing.

I have won prizes from people who posted links I clicked on and followed, ranging from writing contests to craft supplies. Someone has to win, so why not try? It is fun too.

How do you promote there? Try to show up at different times of the day and the night if you are awake. Remember Twitter is not limited to one country or one time zone. You will reach different audiences that way.

Post and interact when you can. It is great to put up automatic posts but it frowned on at Twitter to only post and run. It is a social network and that practice is not very social, especially if you are trying to get followers for your writing and to make human connections. Let them know there is an interesting human being behind your tweets too, not just a link.

Don't forget to be encouraging of other people's tweets too. A link passed on is both a kindness and a way to network that may bring back readers to your work.

Some people post simple quotes that make you pause or offer music links for you to listen to. Others share moments of their days. There are humourists and even people who don't seem to have a clue. There are big fans of current events and sporting news. There are devout religious spiritualists. There are famous people with well known names. There are everyday Janes and Joes. There is a bit of everything on Twitter, that is if you make the effort and pay attention.

Twitter reminds me of a ticker tape on Wall Street. A plethora of information passes in front of you quickly and gives you ways to gain another kind of wealth from the experience.

Has the experience benefited my writing? You bet it has. People have linked pieces other places and passed the links along. They have read some of my work. They have given me another source for articles, stories, blogs, essays and poetry. Twitter is a place to socialize and network with what seems small scale but is in fact huge. The potential there is incredible.

You can find me on Twitter as @Dreamweaverr.

Check out a just a few of the people, organizations and businesses on my Twitter list.
http://twitter.com/UNICEF

http://twitter.com/WritersRelief

http://twitter.com/FreeSampleFreak

http://twitter.com/PenguinPbks

http://twitter.com/Debbas

http://twitter.com/Schwarzenegger

http://twitter.com/BechtelPower

http://twitter.com/nanoism

http://twitter.com/foxyfindings

http://twitter.com/KathysArt