DO’S (AND DO NOT’S) FOR TWITTER'S WRITING COMMUNITY
DO’S (AND DO NOT’S) FOR TWITTER’S WRITING COMMUNITY
Are you new to or wanting to join the Writing Community (#WritingCommunity) on Twitter? If so I’ve got a list of DO’s and DO NOT’s to help you get started.
While in the end almost all these are mere opinions since what works for one will not always work for another, most are shared by many writers throughout the Twitter-universe.
Still, you may be wondering why you’d want to listen to me.
I really began Tweeting in March of 2019—I officially opened the account in July of the previous year, but other than 1-2 Tweets to activate it, I did nothing with it—but in that time I feel I’ve grown to be a part of the community. Yes, my following is around 12,000 as of October, 29th, 2019, a decent number for seven months of real activity… but more than that I’ve been ACTIVE. I try to Tweet something every day, I help other writers out where I can. I’m not a perfect member of the community and my interaction has lessened since I surpassed 10k—and that likely won’t change as my following grows—but I try. I care about our community and want it to thrive. That’s why I’m writing this list. That’s why I’m here.
Finally, this list isn’t guaranteed to gain you a following—though I’d be surprised if it didn’t—however, it is a great place to start… which is what we’re going to do right now!
Things to DO (or DO NOT) in the #WritingCommunity
DO:
DO use your Twitter handle to show who you are.
(While this can be anything, your author name is usually a safe bet. You can always use your author name with, “writer,” “author,” “books,” “blog,” or something similar to not only showcase that you’re a writer, but also so you aren’t potentially required to use a number or symbol after/in your name. P.S. If you’re promoting a blog or something similar, it may be acceptable to use the blog name IF you’re not likely to want to also use it for book promotion, another blog, etc., but do keep in mind your long-term goals.)
DO try to use the same handle throughout your social media presence.
(For instance, I’m KatelynRaeBooks on everything—including my website. This makes it easy for people to find me and for cross-pollination throughout my social media. I choose capital letters for the first of each name/word to make it easier to read whenever a social media site allows.)
DO utilize your bio space.
(Mention you’re a writer/author because some in the writing community WILL NOT always follow you back unless they easily see that you’re a writer. After all, if they have 100 new followers to go through they’re not always going to open each person’s Twitter page.)
DO use the banner space.
(You can always create a simple banner using something like Canva.com—not sponsored—and that can easily be free if you don’t use any of their “pay for” photos, art, etc. A simple image is better than a blank space.)
DO add an image or logo for your profile “picture.”
(It doesn’t have to be a picture of you—though some on Twitter are reluctant to follow someone who doesn’t have a photo of themselves—but you should add something. The main point is that you don’t want to have the human outline Twitter automatically gives and there are many free sites you can create a basic logo or edit a photo. I chose to add a logo for many reasons ranging from personal preference, to continuity across all my media, to not wanting to have as many inappropriate DM’s sent to me—an issue for many ladies who write. You could even go with a photo of the family pet, but ideally whatever you include should reflect you and your brand.)
DO pin a Tweet to your page.
(This can be anything, but preferably something related to your writing. A new blog post. A YouTube video. A link to your book if it’s published. This not only acts as advertisement, but it gives people a glimpse of who you are. Plus, people who visit your page will often retweet your pinned tweet, so make it count.)
DO add 1-2 (occasionally more) hashtags in your Tweets.
(This allows more people to see them, as well as showcasing your being a part of the #WritingCommunity. Additionally it can let people know if you’re doing a #WriterLift, etc.—I hope to do a blog on important hashtags in the Writing Community soon.)
DO interact.
(This not only gives people more reason to follow you, but it creates friendships and indicates you care about the community—not just followers. Follow Fridays, aka #FF, and #WriterLift are a great way to grow your community AND make connections. Commenting on posts, tweeting your own—even when it feels like no one sees them—responding to comments, etc., all help get your name out there AND demonstrate you’re a serious member of the community. Additionally, don’t just engage in other people’s #FF and #WriterLift, make your own; retweet, aka RT, other’s successes; have conversations; etc. Help others because you want to and in time it will come back to you.)
DO learn about common hashtags and acronyms.
(Don’t be afraid to ask others if you don’t know what something means… there is a learning curve for all of us, but most of the community is more than willing to help.)
DO use polls, GIF’s, images, or even emoji in your Tweets.
(Twitter is much more text focused than Instagram, but people’s eyes are still drawn to imagery and quick, fun ways to interact. A well placed GIF, a crafted image, etc. will rarely hurt, and more often than not, help… just remember that there’s a time and place for everything, so use common sense with this.)
DO add image descriptions.
(This is less a “requirement” and more about making your account as accessible as possible. When you add an image Twitter gives you the option of describing it for the visually impaired and blind. It does take a minute to do, but you never know who’s going to find your Tweet. So if you post a photo—especially one with text not in the Tweet body—this is important. Accessibility matters, and yes, Twitter and GIF’s are not totally accessible, but this is an important start. If you want to learn more about accessibility you may want to visit Molly Burke’s YouTube, etc.—not sponsored—she’s a blind YouTuber, influencer, speaker, model, etc. and her insights on the importance of accessibility are amazing!)
DO NOT:
Do NOT allow Twitter to pick your handle (but DO choose wisely.)
(Your handle is one of the first things people see, thus it may as well tell them something about your interest in writing, blogging, books, etc. rather than being a series of numbers of symbols with no meaning to the general viewer. Also, Twitter may give you a handle that makes you appear like a “BOT”—an often automated account—which can cause many to avoid you. Those tend to have a name followed by a long series of numbers, and while interacting will/would help you, it’s likely to take longer to gain traction with such a handle. Additionally, it’s best to avoid numbers in your name—especially to replace a letter—as it can not only appear unprofessional, but it makes it difficult to type out. Should you choose numbers, limiting and placing them at the end, would be best. However, if possible avoid numbers, along with underscores and other symbols.)
Do NOT DM (direct message) people with a “thank you for following” or a “sales pitch.”
(Many people have “NO DM’S” written into their bio, and even if they do not, it’s rarely going to help you. Some may block or even unfollow you if you DM them, and even if they don’t, chances are it will simply be a hassle to them and won’t gain you any traction. This is not to say you can never DM someone—there are exceptions to every rule—but a “thank you for following” or trying to promote something won’t do you any favors. P.S. If you’re DM’ing to ask someone about being interviewed, doing a podcast, etc. be polite and try to find out about who you’re DM’ing first so you can personalize the message.)
Do NOT swear or be explicit in Tweets, comments, images, or DM’s.
(People can mute words from appearing and you don’t want to either have people not see your Tweets at all, or worse, lose or fail to gain followers. Unless your brand requires it, keeping the majority of Tweets to a G to PG level is best—there are always exceptions, but be cognoscente of the potential ramifications and know YOUR audience.)
Do NOT Tweet often on politics, etc. UNLESS it’s a MAJOR part of your brand.
(This is not to say that you can never Tweet about politics, your views on guns, etc., but doing so often—or even once if it’s a sore subject—may cause you to loose followers; not gain them; or even incite arguments. Your personal, non-writing account, could potentially include such Tweets—less so if you don’t use a pen name to write—but this, ideally, is a professional account… one aimed at writers/readers. The writing and reading communities are almost always on Twitter for books, promotion, community, interaction, etc., not politics, drama, or rants.)
Do NOT overuse hashtags.
(While they ARE important, 1-2 is usually enough—more occasionally. Instagram, an entirely different beast, does benefit from more—especially near the bottom of your post—but between Twitter’s character limit and the focus of viewers, less is more.)
Final Note:
Please note that this list is not all inclusive—in fact I may need to do a part-two. Further, many of these are opinions and briefly explained. If anything I say does not match what you believe or even what feels right to you, I hope you do not go against yourself.
Remember that a kind and supportive attitude are perhaps two of the biggest DO’s in the Writing Community on Twitter… and the ones that will see you the farthest.