Dr. Twuth–Conquering the Fear of Public Tweeting

Welcome to Twitter Tuesday with Dr. Twuth. The tips offered here are all based off my #1 best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. This blog will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

So who is Dr. Twuth? Heard of Dr. Ruth, Sex Therapist? Well, today I am introducing you to my alter ego Dr. Twuth, Text Therapist (Dr. Twuth is accredited by one of the best mail-order PhD universities in the Bahamas. She isn’t a real doctor, just plays one on the Internet).

Have a question about Twitter? A problem? A sticky wicket? Let Dr. Twuth help, because the Twuth will set you free.

Dr. Twuth–Putting the “smart” back in smart phones.

On to our tweeps in need…

Dear Dr. Twuth,

I think I’m a Twitter “Wallflower.”  You know, that person at the party who is too shy / freaked-out / just plain dumb to reach out?  That’s me. I really don’t know where to start.  I’ve been watching and learning all kinds of great info from the sidelines, but still, I haven’t worked up the nerve to jump in and participate.   Ugh!

And would you believe I’m a live performing rocker chic??
I know, crazy!

I could spend hours psycho-analyzing my issue (believe me, I’ve done it while holding up that Tweetdeck wall as everyone else happily Tweeted away), but enough about me.

Can you offer some easy-to-follow steps to get me jump started, please?

Many thanks,
Twitter Wallflower

Dear Wallflower,

Now that we are in the Information Age, Digital Age Authors face a new problem. In the olden days when people actually spoke to each other in person, many writers had a fear of public speaking. In fact, for many of us, it was our abysmal social skills beyond the world of Dungeons and Dragons that prompted our career choice in the first place.

This fear of public speaking, however, has now transformed into a digital phobia recognized by only the most highly trained armchair psychiatrists as Tweetaphobia Neurosa–or the fear of public tweeting. Many regular people suffer from Tweetophobia, but it is far more pronounced in the writing communities.

Why?

Writers seem to suffer the worst, namely because apparently the world at large assumes we all spell perfectly and never goof on grammar. There seems to be an unfair burden placed on writers to always be witty, interesting or profound. Sort of like how people expect comedians to be knee-slapping funny ALL THE TIME.

You’re a Clown Fish. Tell us a joke!

Since writers have the job of being interesting for an entire book, we tend to feel like we need to be equally riveting in life. It is this kind of pressure that, if left unchecked, can create the tweeting anxiety.

There is another problem.

To battle fear of public speaking, there is the age-old trick of just envisioning the audience wearing nothing but their underwear. For writers, this could be dangerous since most writers have an entire social network comprised of other writers…who probably rarely ever get out in the sun (and who probably really are in nothing but their underwear. Just ask @ChuckWendig). The mental image alone of so many pale-as-a-plucked-albino-chicken writers could cause retinal damage.

So what to do?

First of all, relax. People can expect us to never misspell a word or be fascinating in every tweet, but, hey, life is full of disappointments. We never help others understand that writers are indeed human if they never see us acting like humans. The cool part about being a person is that readers (non-writers of the human species) start to connect with us and that is always good.

Another tactic for combating Tweetophobia is to rely on your social media butterflies to plug you in. This activates what I like to call The Law of the Playground.

Remember being a kid and new to a grade? When you would go out for recess, what was the first thing on the agenda? Find someone you knew. Once you could find that person you already knew, making connections got easier. It suddenly became easier to befriend people because of the Law of the Playground.

I don’t know you, but Kristen knows you. I like Kristen, so I like you.

This Law of the Playground was one of the reasons I created the #MyWANA group. This is the place where you are guaranteed to connect to other Playground Connectors and WE will plug you into the Twitterverse at large. Not only will we instantly make you part of our twibe, but all of us have networks beyond #MyWANA and we can introduce you there as well.

The key to feeling comfortable on Twitter is to have a host or hostess introduce you around. Once we start chatting with others as people, this alien place–Twitter- seems far less scary and the anxiety will dissipate. Tweeting will then come MUCH easier.

As far as what to tweet? I have another law. I call this The Law of Three. Tweeting should be roughly 1/3 Information–links to blogs, articles, web sites, 1/3-Reciprocation (RT for others and a lot of times Information and Reciprocation can blend together), and, finally, 1/3 Conversation. TALK to people! If all we tweet are links and cutesy quotes, we look like a bot. Show others you are a person, too.

Humans have a hard time connecting emotionally with bots, but we really dig connecting with other people. Once we connect, we support because you are our peep…and THAT is how platforms get built. Just remember, there is no reason to be shy or nervous on Twitter. We are not alone! #MyWANA is a hashtag designed for the sole purpose of immoral support. Once part of a group, our confidence improves dramatically and tweeting will feel as natural as breathing.

Best of Luck!

Dr. Twuth

See how easy this is? Do you have a Twitter or social media dilemma? Leave your question in the comments or if you would like to maintain anonymity, e-mail Dr. Twuth’s slave assistant at kristen at kristen lamb dot org. Just put GIVE ME THE TWUTH in the subject line.

Dr. Twuth is all about love and offering a human touch to this digital world. Dr. Twuth is #MyWANA certified, or certifiable, I can’t recall which. But, hey, it’s free so if you don’t like her advice, she will give you 100% refund (There will be a $15.99 processing fee for said refund).

Let Dr. Twuth help you out. Remember, the Twuth will set you free.

Tweet ya later!

Dr. Twuth–Are Writers Related to Ferrets? ADD and Social Media

Welcome to Twitter Tuesday with Dr. Twuth. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. This blog will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

So who is Dr. Twuth? Heard of Dr. Ruth, Sex Therapist? Well, today I am introducing you to my alter ego Dr. Twuth, Text Therapist (Dr. Twuth is accredited by one of the best mail-order PhD universities in the Bahamas. She isn’t a real doctor, just plays one on the Internet).

Have a question about Twitter? A problem? A sticky wicket? Let Dr. Twuth help, because the Twuth will set you free.

Dr. Twuth–Putting the “smart” back in smart phones.

On to our tweeps in need…

Dear Dr. Twuth,

I spend way too much time on Twitter but it’s so much fun. Ah, social media – so much to do, so little time  Maybe I should just duct-tape my laptop shut? Dr. Twuth?

Signed,

Overwhelmed Orlowski

Dear Overwhelmed,

This is a common problem when it comes to writers. What few people know is that most of us writers can trace our genetic lineage to an offshoot of the ferret family–early homo sapiens must have gotten desperate for warmth right after the last Ice Age and cuddling went too far.

You can see how embarrassing this is and why we have buried the twuth for years…along with snacks, favorite pens and some killer bookmarks.

Anyway, it was at this genetic juncture that writers broke off the family tree from normal homo sapiens. Writers are actually a distinctive line of primates known by only certain scientific communities (the ones who failed Biology 101) as homo ferretus busyworkus--which scientifically explains the short attention span and the attraction to all things shiny. Most of you probably make nice nests of paper and fluffy things like sweatshirts and crocheted blankets.

Yes…I really can see you. You behind the stack of unread books and papers to be edited. Pay attention. Stop tormenting the cat with the laser pointer.

Anyway, yes we are born this way. It can be a genetic advantage in that the homo ferretus enjoys a heightened sense of curiosity and a need to explore, but this comes at a price.

Shiny things are our downfall.

Thus, anything shiny–like Tweet Deck–must be treated with extreme care. I highly recommend avoiding purchasing lava lamps or disco balls, despite how “cool” they would be to have in your office. And, when it comes to social media, we need to have a plan.

If we will brand everything under our NAME–the name that will be printed on the front of our books–this will help a lot. Too many writers are hiding behind a cutesy moniker on Twitter, then they have an equally cutesy name for the blog and then their Facebook page has their real name and the fan page has a pen name. These writers are trying to balance FOUR identities/brands. Since efforts are diffused, there is less impact when these writers participate on social media. So, using our NAME, will help a lot. Every effort is focused like—

Yes, like the laser pointer you are using with the cat. Could you please pay attention?

Thank you.

Your efforts on social media will be focused like that laser pointer you should not shine directly in your cat’s eyes because it can cause retinal damage. A focused social media platform will transfix followers the same way as your cat, who was so absorbed in the shiny red dot that he didn’t even see the dog.

A brand gives followers a focal point.

Another key tactic to managing social media is to create friendships and community. When we all work together, creating a platform is far easier. We can rely on others to help us if we actively seek to help and support them. I liken it to a barn-raising. When we all do a little for each other, big jobs suddenly become more manageable. Since we aren’t doing everything alone, we need to spend far less time on social media to still be effective.

This is one of the reasons that using traditional marketing tactics on social media is so ineffective. Most people won’t line up to help a spammer, so the writer has to do everything alone. This is why spammy writers need in excess of 20,000 Twitter followers to have any impact on sales. The ROI of this approach is dismal, because the writer is marketing linearly instead of exponentially.

Teamwork and service above self is always the winning combination….like nachos and coffee. Always a win.

Best of luck!

Dr. Twuth

See how easy this is? Do you have a Twitter or social media dilemma? Leave your question in the comments or if you would like to maintain anonymity, e-mail Dr. Twuth’s slave assistant at kristen at kristen lamb dot org. Just put GIVE ME THE TWUTH in the subject line.

Dr. Twuth is all about love and offering a human touch to this digital world. Dr. Twuth is #MyWANA certified, or certifiable, I can’t recall which. But, hey, it’s free so if you don’t like her advice, she will give you 100% refund (There will be a $15.99 processing fee for said refund).

Let Dr. Twuth help you out. Remember, the Twuth will set you free.

Tweet ya later!

Twitter Tuesday #25–Beware TADD (Twitter Attention Deficit Disorder)

Welcome to the twenty-fifth installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. This blog will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

This Week’s Fail Whale–TADD or Twitter Attention Deficit Disorder

Social media changes so quickly even us experts have a tough time keeping up. There is always some new fancy tool for Twitter, some app that promises to make life easier. One key way to use social media effectively is to get good at knowing what to ignore…which is about 85% of everything offered to us. I recommend TweetDeck. Maybe there are better information management applications. But I know that if I keep swapping tools, I will never get good at the one I am using. I will also be wasting time trying to learn a new application. As writers we need our time for writing books, so we must guard our time and not get into habits that drain time and energy from our writing. TADD, if left untreated, can cause wrinkles, hair loss and a weird eye twitch.

This Week’s Twitter Tip–Be a Focused Tweeter

There will always be some new application promising new and wonderful ways to manage your tweets. Here’s the thing. If you stick with one of the more popular applications, they are keeping an eye on the competition. Let them worry about social media, you have books to write. Trust me. If there is some new app that promises to rub our feet while we tweet, and it works, and people are signing up by the hundreds? Tweet Deck programmers will raise them a neck rub AND a cup of coffee.

Yeah, wishful thinking, but you get the gist.

We really don’t have to bounce from app, to app, to app. Focus on building a community and writing great books. At the end of the day, our goal is to be an author with a rockin’ social media platform, not a social media expert of a bazillion different platforms and applications.

Tweet ya later!

Twitter Tuesday #23–Brevity & Clarity are Important

Welcome to the twenty-third installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. This blog will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

This Week’s Fail Whale–The Cryptic Tweeter

OMG.02 Dont u h8 ppl who twt w/evrythng abbrv.? Dyhwp. @TEOTD ? & 182

Translation: Oh, my God. My two cents worth. Don’t you hate people who tweet everything in abbreviated form? Do your homework people. At the end of the day, I can’t understand what you are saying and I hate you.

I know Twitter makes us whittle down out golden nuggets of wisdom to 140 characters, but this is not a reason to go crazy with the text speak. Try removing some filler and Twitter is actually gr8…I mean, great practice for learning the beauty of brevity. Twitter trains us to be more concise in our thinking and communication, and I think most of us adore people who can quickly get to the point.

This Week’s Twitter Tip–Less is More

When tweeting something you desire to have others RT, do everything you can to only use 110-120 of the characters, or end the tweet with #s that your tweeps can easily delete or change. If we take up all 140 characters with our message, often what will happen is that others will not RT. We made it too hard! We also run the risk of turning our friends into a Cryptic Tweeter (above) because they are doing all they can to RT, yet still maintain the message.

Tweet ya later!

Twitter Tuesday #21–The Power of Names

 

Welcome to the twenty-first installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. My tips will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

This Week’s Fail Whale–Tunnel-Vision Tweeter

There is nothing especially wrong with being a Tunnel-Vision Tweeter except that it will limit much of what Twitter has to offer. Twitter, when used properly, is about communicating and creating relationships. I know many of us are terrified of saying the wrong thing. Well, I used to be and then learned to not take myself so seriously. Your fellow tweeps are not scouring every word you type waiting to pounce if you make a mistake. This is not to give license to be stupid…*cough* Weiner *giggle*…but it is to help you relax so you’ll feel free to just hang out and chat.

Many times I will see people on Twitter who never talk to anyone else. If you pull up their profile and feed, it is one link after another or one RT after another. We can look at the tweets and see we aren’t dealing with a bot…but it doesn’t feel like we are quite dealing with a human either. Take time to talk to people. Many of us are on Twitter because we are bored, lonely, or looking for friends. The best way to make a friend is to be a friend. This Week’s Twitter Tip–Understand the Power of Names

Want to learn a tactic that will make friends faster than virtually any other habit? Get in the habit of using and remembering names. I have an uncanny recall of names. I’ve had clerks who help me whom I haven’t seen in weeks or months, and it is always so fun to see the look of shock on their faces when I call them by name. I haven’t always been good with names. Heck most of my life, I was lucky to recall my own name. Then I learned a neat technique for recalling names.

Use them. That simple.

One of the reasons we forget names, is we fail to use them. We completely bypass introductions and just start chatting. Hey, I am still guilty. But, most of the time, I go out of my way to use a person’s name at least three times. The criticism for this tactic is we risk sounding silly, but I feel we sound even sillier when we have to say, “Yeah, I know we’ve been chatting for ages, but what is your name?”

Whenever we thank someone we don’t know on Twitter for maybe a compliment or a RT, try to get in the habit of thanking that person by name. Yes, it might take a second to click on the profile, but that is the entire reason it is so special. We are giving time, effort and consideration. Look for every opportunity to call someone you don’t know by his or her name. It might seem like an insignificant detail, but it matters more than we can really appreciate. I like it when someone takes the time to use my name. Why would others be different? It adds a personal touch that will set you heads and shoulders above your peers. Why? You are taking time to make someone else feel unique, special and valued. Yes, it is a small detail, but the difference between magnificence and mediocrity is in the little things ;).

Tweet ya later!

 

 

Twitter Tuesday #20–Direct Messages & The Power of Positive Tweeting

Welcome to the twentieth installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. My tips will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

This Week’s Fail Whale–The Private Praiser

I find it interesting how some people feel as if they have to send a direct message to give a compliment. There is a rule I have always tried to live by-Criticize in private, but praise in public…and praise often.

If you would like to thank someone for following, just thank them. If you loved their blog or their book, say so in the open. When we praise people openly, not only is that good for the person we are complimenting…but it makes us look good, too.

Do you like people who are stingy with their praise? I don’t. I’ve worked very hard to earn praise from people I admired, yet after all that effort with little to no acknowlegement? I gave up. We will only go to a dry well so long before we move on. Friendships are give and take.

Most of us hear where we fail or fall short. Ever worked in the service industry? I think it should be a law that everyone has to work at least one year in retail or waiting tables. People will take a day off work to complain, but so few go out of their way to say, “Good job.” Those precious few who do are like rare gems and we treasure them.

Back in high school I worked at one of those pizza places for kids…you know, the ones with all the games and the pits filled with plastic balls. It was an exhausting job that paid minimum wage. Yet, one parent took the time to write a wonderful compliment card noting how good I was with the children. I never met this mom and don’t know her name, but 20 years later I still remember that compliment.

Many of the people in our lives are quick to tell us what we forgot and where we fell short of expectations. Thus, when we come across someone who is liberal with open praise??? Wow. It is like a fresh breeze that perks up the withered soul.

This Week’s Twitter Tip–Be a Twitter Cheerleader

So many people ask how I find the energy to do so much, serve so much, blog so much and the simple answer is….you. I have so many cheerleaders that take time to tell me I am loved and appreciated, and, for you guys, I am willing to move mountains.

You want the secret to success? Praise others openly and often. We are often so starved for positive words that you will be our BFF if you just take a moment to cheer us on.

The key ingredient that makes the difference between failure and success is attitude. People LIKE positive people. We can’t get enough of them. We love them and want to help them. Their energy refreshes everyone around. Be one of those points of light, and others will want to support you.

It takes no great effort to be negative, but there are no monuments erected to critics. Criticism is easy and it’s lazy. Anyone can find problems, but it takes character and creativity to find a bright side, to look for solutions.

Tweet ya later!….

Twitter Tuesday #17

Welcome to the seventeenth installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. My tips will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

This Week’s Fail Whale–Tunnel-Vision Tweeter

My Twitter tips are specially geared toward those who are desiring to build a platform and become a brand. Cutesy monikers will collapse a platform and render all of our tweets meaningless busy work. The only acceptable Twitter handle is the name that will be printed on the front of our books. Readers cannot buy a book from @booklady, so what is the point spending months or years contributing content to build a meaningless brand? For more about author branding, go here.

This said, many writers go try to get their name and realize…It’s TAKEN! And that’s when panic can set in. Calm down. This is the time to get creative. Use all that creative energy applied to dreaming up @pixiegal and apply it to the name you desire to brand.

Guess what? @KristenLamb was taken. That’s why I am @KristenLambTX. I probably could have been @Kristen_Lamb or @the_KristenLamb or even issued myself a license to kill, @KristenLamb007. The point is that followers see what is most vital…my NAME. If you find you MUST choose, the last name is most vital, since that is how people will eventually look up our books so they can BUY them :D.

This Week’s Twitter Tip–Highlander Tweep

There can be only one.

No, Highlander Tweep doesn’t go around whacking heads off the competition.  Stop pouting. Highlander tweep does, however, understand branding. She knows that branding is more than a name. Our name is only half of the equation.

OUR NAME + OUR CONTENT= OUR BRAND

Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Dan Brown…not terribly unique names. That is because content is what defines the brand. “Stephen King” was just a very boring name until one writer linked that name to horror so many times that the name, itself, became synonymous with the content (*cough* that’s a brand, btw).

On Twitter there is only ONE special, wonderful, unique YOU. Yes, there are others who maybe have the same name, but they DON’T have the most vital part of the equation…your content. So, feel free to be Highlander Tweep and feel confident that you are the only one…even if other people have the same name.

Tweet ya later! 

Twitter Tuesday #16

Welcome to the sixteenth installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brandwill help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

This Week’s Fail Whale–Uptight Tweeter

When we are new to Twitter, I think all of us are Uptight Tweeters. We have all of this conversation going on all around us, and we feel the need to answer anyone who talks to us… instantly. This is part of how Twitter can become such a huge time suck. We want to create conversations, but then we feel guilty disengaging once drawn into discussion. We are overly polite.

The Uptight Tweeter is so polite, that she is afraid she will offend someone by not anwering right away. To avoid being rude, Uptight Tweeter starts avoiding conversations or even feels guilty if she cannot tweet during the day due to a work schedule.

This behavior, however, will severely limit any benefit pone can get out of Twitter. We need to engage, get in the mix and have conversations. Otherwise, we will be percieved as little better than a bot.

The solution?

This Week’s Twitter Tip–The Chill Tweeter

Chill Tweeter knows, “It’s all cool.” Twitter is a giant cocktail party, but it is NOT instant messaging. Am I the only one who hates IM? That is actually one of the FB functions I could do without. I don’t mind people I know IMing me, but people I have never talked to? I am not going to stop in the middle of my work day to have a conversation. Sorry. Not being mean. I just have a lot to do and am easily….OOH! Squirrel!

…sidetracked.

IM has that “must be tended now and don’t leave me hanging” effect. Why? Because if we miss an IM, we really can’t get back to the other person without converting to a message and blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I’m not that motivated either.

How is Twitter any different? Well, when someone IMs me on Yahoo or FB, there really is no way of knowing if I am taking a break. On Twitter? It generally only takes a couple tweets to realize this person tweeting isn’t elbow deep in revisions. How do we know this? They are chatting. If they’re busy? Um…most of us will tweet, “Crap. Elbow deep in revisions” and then promptly disappear.

The cool thing about Twitter is, well, it is Twitter….NOT IM. This is tremendously liberating. Guess what? If people want an instant answer they can consult Google or call 911 (Kidding)! On Twitter? We get to it when we get to it. I regularly take breaks from writing and scan the Mentions column (anything with @KristenLambTX). That is the TweetDeck column for any person who has mentioned me, asked me a question, posited a thought, etc.

When I get on Twitter, the first thing I do is scan that coumn and tie up loose ends. I merely pick up the conversation where it left off. If the other person is on-line at the same time? She can do the same and the chit-chat can resume.

On Twitter? Chill. Enjoy. If people know you work during the day, they will not need therapy if you don’t respond until evening. And if they do? Get new friends. That’s kinda weird to be so needy.

I follow people all over the world, and there is no way I could stay sane if I tried to talk to all of them real-time. I respond to my UK peeps often when they are asleep. But they get back to me the next day just fine with no permanent damage. If you work during the day, you might just have a different group of friends you chat with real-time; maybe West Coasters and some Aussies. They are cool, and they need Twitter love, too.

The thing is that Twitter took the beauty of IM (conversation) and removed the needy weirdness. Yes, IM has needy weirdness. I have been on IMs where the other person just…vanished and I spent the rest of the evening thinking I had ticked the person off or in some way offended them.

On Twitter, people respond if and when they can and no one takes offense. Well, they shouldn’t take offense. It’s Twitter, not dating. So calm down, and chill, bay-bee.

Tweet ya later!

Twitter Tuesday #8

Welcome to the eighth installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. This blog will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot

This Week’s Fail Whale–The Unbalanced Tweeter

I have a formula for social media, and it especially applies to Twitter. I call it my Law of Three.

1/3 Information + 1/3 Reciprocation + 1/3 Conversation = Balanced Platform.

If we get on Twitter and all we do is chit-chat about the weather, what we had for lunch, or whether we should get the grande or venti frappucino, it will be hard for others to find much value in our conversation. Yet, on the other hand, if all we do is tweet links, then we leave no opening for others to start a conversation. We sound like an on-line encyclopedia.

In the beginning, I had to put a sticky note on my computer to remind me of this Law of Three. It reminded me to make sure I balanced my Chatty Cathy side with good information to give a relationship with me value added. It also helped me be mindful that I wasn’t overselling my own blogs, books, workshops. The bright pink sticky flower kept me focused on serving others first.

Spend some time on Twitter and it will soon be clear who can be counted on to post good information. RT (retweet) for them and earn their loyalty by being supportive. In turn, your following will grow because now YOU can be counted on to supply valuable posts.

I have seen some people join Twitter, and, as a gimmick, all they do is post blogs or articles on a certain subject. Post after post about writing, Superman, video games, Star Wars, etc. Don’t get me wrong, that is a valuable service, but it isn’t likely to build a relationship. Relying on a tactic like this might get you a huge Twitter following, but you become as personal as an app on our phone. That’s not likely to help your author brand.

The strongest author platforms are built on friendships and reinforced with community “rebar.”

 

Twitter Tip–Use Twitter for Information Management to Save Time

I hear so many writers groan about Twitter. “Why do I care what somebody had for lunch?” At first glance, Twitter might appear to be only a vehicle for inane conversation. I am here to help you guys look closer.

How many of you like to read on-line articles or blogs?

How many of you like sifting through 20 bad articles or blogs that make no sense before you find something worthwhile?

How many of you prefer to go to links your friends recommend?

How many of you prefer to go to the links the “experts” recommend?

Most of us, when we make the decision to become a writer, don’t generally have vast amounts of free time. We have a day job or even small children who are actively pursuing death while we try to make our word count. Our life is a fine balance of writing before or after work. Or you might be me and struggling to pound out a chapter before the wee one wakes up and finds a way through the baby gate and into the fireplace where he can snack on Crayons, razor blades and toilet cleaner in private.

So let’s just say we are spread a tad thinly.

Twitter can help us use time more efficiently. Have a favorite author? Run a search on Twitter and find her. Pay attention to links she recommends. Follow Writers Digest Magazine (@WritersDigest) or even their contributing editor Jane Friedman (@JaneFriedman). WD goes out of its way to regularly tweet great articles not only to help us with our craft, but to help us with the business side of things.  They regularly announce workshops to help us grow in our profession and even offer steep Twitter discounts. That alone should be worth being on Twitter.

After you follow them?

For starters, follow me. I have a nice button in the sidebar to make it easy for you. Then, I recommend you follow @BobMayer, @DonMaass, @JodyHedlund, @JamiGold, @TawnaFenske, @ChuckWendig, @agentsavant, @ThereseWalsh and @4KidLit. If you follow just this handful I mentioned, you will have more than enough material to feed your creative brain for a looooong time. These are just a small fraction of the awesome people I know on Twitter and, trust me I pay attention to EVERYTHING these guys post.

Using Twitter can help us work smarter, not harder. We still have best-selling books to write!

Tweet ya later!

Twitter Tuesday #4

 

Welcome to the fourth installment of Twitter Tuesday. In the spirit of Twitter, this blog will be short and sweet and to the point. The tips offered here are all based off my best-selling book We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media. If our goal is to build an author platform in the thousands to tens of thousands, then we will have to approach Twitter differently than a faceless corporation or even the regular person who does not possess a goal of becoming a brand. This blog will help you rule the Twitterverse without devolving into a spam bot.

This Week’s Fail Whale–The Zombie Tweeter

The Zombie Tweeter is a close cousin of the Self-Centered Twit. This is the Tweeter whose account rises from the dead every couple months, and generally coincides with when this person decides to blog. Feeling badly about neglecting his blog to keyboard dust-bunnies and spam bots…

I so lick your blog. Is beste infermentation ever. Come you see me at zanex_cheap_purses.com

Feeling badly, this Tweeter decides to blog after four months away. He rises from the dead only long enough to announce that he has posted some, “Ramblings about musings” on his blog.

I know things happen. Life can get in the way. But if we only log in once a week or once a month, we cannot expect to get much out of Twitter. Why? We haven’t spent enough time among the living to create relationship. Relationship is the fuel that drives the Twitter engine. The more relationships, the more power.

  

Twitter Tip–Use the Rule of Three to Create Relationships

Now that we have talked about the Zombie Tweeter who rises every few months from the dead, we have to address the core question, “How much time do I need to spend on Twitter?”

We don’t have to spend all day on Twitter to build a meaningful platform. Even if you only tweet 3-10 times a day, you will be shocked how fast your platform will grow.

It’s all about what you are doing when you’re on Twitter. Are your actions meaningful?

Think of it like going to the gym. We can arrive wearing headband and legwarmers and linger near the juice bar, wander to the treadmill, maybe use some weights, chat with the trainers…and it takes two hours to get a “workout.” Or, we can jump on the Stair Master and crank that baby up until we sweat and have a real workout in 30 minutes. The trick is to focus and intensity. My trainer reminds me of this principle every Monday and Thursday.

On the flip side, we don’t have to work out four hours a day to be fit and healthy. We don’t have to tweet 100 times a day to create a meaningful presence.

For Twitter, I recommend my Rule of 3. Twitter can be broken into three parts–Conversation, Information and Reciprocation. When I get on Twitter, I often will post the link to my blog–Information. Then, I actively look for some piece of information I can RT (retweet)–a fellow writer’s blog, an article, or information about another writer’s book release. RT this kind of content takes care of Information and Reciprocation simultaneously.

Once finished with those, I actively look for someone who might need a cheering up, a word of encouragement, etc. For instance, I scan the #writegoal for a new person I can cheer on or congratulate for making her goal. This is Conversation. Conversation is important. It distinguishes us from the “bots” who are just churning out link after link. Yes, it is okay to talk about the weather or what we are having for breakfast. It helps others have an easy way to start a dialogue. If that is all we talk about? Then we have a problem.

A proper balance of Information, Reciprocation, and Conversation will help you make meaningful connections and give your platform deep roots that will withstand the test of time.

BONUS

Thanks to K.B. Owen, we have a site with the Top 40 # Hashtags for Writers. K.B. is a loyal reader and commenter, and she went out of her way to find and provide this information. Yay!

Tweet ya later!