Tweeting as an Author

Check it out!  Over there  ----->>  NO!  THERE!  No.  Sheesh.  Ok, nevermind.  It's down to the right.

I'm all a-twitter!  I'm a twitterer.  Or a twit.

You pick.

Don't twitter yet?!?  What kind of AUTHOR ARE YOU!?

Got news for ya, it ain't that big a deal...yet.  BUT, when you're hugely famous and movies are being made from your books and you're relaxing by the side of your pool with a Mohito perched on your nicely tanned, flat stomach, you're gonna need SOMETHING to do, right?

Besides, all those fans of yours will want to know all about you - what you love to wear, how you like your Mohito (I hope I'm spelling that right, I'm not much of a drinker), and where you're going...right?

Wrong.

Ok, maybe if you're HUGELY popular, like Brad Pitt or something, will people sign in to see what your doing right now.

Most people, however, I believe are using Twitter for inspiration.  For thoughts that they can use.  Things that help them see you as a real person, because that helps them realize that real people can make it.

Tweeting is not like blogging.  It's a way to quickly reach out to people, but what you reach out to them with depends on the audience.  If your followers (boy, doesn't THAT sound messianic) are all family members, they may wanna know where you and what's happening with the kids.

But if they're fans of your work, they'll want to know about the process - are you writing, if so, what, what is inspiring you right now, and should they give it all up to hawk Slurpees at the nearest 7-11.

Don't be arrogant.  Don't presume they care about your fifth car.  And don't think of yourself as the center of THEIR universe.  They're following you for other reasons, and will drop you if you don't seem to care.

Tweeting is a great marketing tool, but it can be a very transparent marketing tool.  Too much of "MY NEW BOOK IS STILL IN BOOKSTORES EVERYBODY" will get very old.  So keep it fresh, keep it honest, and keep it focused on helping others, not yourself.

We don't really need to know how gorgeous you look in that new Porsche...