Twitter as #writingcommunity (Personal development, Social Media for Writers)

Oh, that's how you do Twitter!
I just wanted to announce that I've figured out Twitter. I even pinned a tweet!

#writingcommunity is my Favorite Place
I have fallen in love with Twitter, especially the #writingcommunity.

Why have I fallen in love with #writingcommunity?
#writingcommunity Twitter is different than mainstream Twitter (although I don't have much knowledge of other specialty Twitters). It's surprisingly social. Some of the discussion is about writing, but some of it is simply "tell me how your day went."  It uplifts, commiserates, and makes people laugh.

One of the activities in #writingcommunity is following each other.There are two reasons: one of the purposes of Twitter for writers is to add to one's "writer's platform" or media presence. One of the things many publishers and agents ask is about your writing platform, because that means potential buyers for your book. The more important part, though, is the interaction I mentioned above. 

Is #writingcommunity for you?
If you're a writer or an aspiring writer, a thousand times yes! Think about it -- you have thousands of people who are good with words. Playing with words is a natural consequence. You have people with writing as a commonality; they'll talk about writer's block and rejection.

Putting Together my Writing Platform (Social Media for Writers)

Learning something new
I have been reading through Robert Brewer's Guide to Literary Agents 2020 (publication date 2019), and I discovered a treasure trove of information on building one's writing platform.

What's a writing platform?
According to Writers' Digest, a writing platform represents a writer's visibility through their identity, their personal and professional connections, and social media (Carpenter, 2012). 

I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't know what a writing' platform was when I was asked by a hybrid (traditional with self-publishing elements) publisher what my platform was. I didn't get the contract there. 

Thirty Days to a Writers' Platform
Brewer's book contains a thirty-day path to your platform, I have to admit I've done the beginning steps already not knowing they were part of a platform. My blog, my author account on Twitter. But now I'm stepping it up. 

More about this as I get more established.

References:
Brewer, R. (2019). Guide to Literary Agents 2020. Penguin Random House. 

Carpenter, C. (2012). The Basics of Building a Writer’s Platform. Available: https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/build-a-platform-start-blogging/building-a-writers-platform [January 5, 2020).

Trying to get Twitter

So I'm trying to up my Twitter game ...
My guide to building a social media platform for my writing has been challenging. I find Twitter to be overwhelming.

Ok, Boomer
I'm aware that a good part of the reason I'm overwhelmed is because I'm getting older. As much as I hate this fact, it's unavoidable. And everything I've heard says that the older generation has to explain technology to the younger generation.

The overwhelming factor

What I find overwhelming is the sheer size of the Twitterverse. How do people have time to read all these posts? It seems like posting is akin to throwing the message-in-a-bottle out into the endless ocean and hoping someone sees it.

It's not so bad, people assure me. There's always hashtags. If you can figure out the hashtags, people will read you. If. You. Figure. Out. The. Hashtags. 

My husband just explained hashtags: You make a post; you create a hashtag. Other people notice the hashtag, and it trends, and then people notice, and then you get likes and retweets. Except this is the Twitterverse, which as I pointed out is a vast sea of hashtags. 

To my relief, I know one of the hashtags people use to promote writing, or at least being a writer: #writingcommunity. 

All is Not Lost

I did the thing I should have done a long time ago -- ask people in #writingcommunity what hashtags I should use as a writer. I also participated in a #writerslift thread. 

Maybe I'll get the hang of this.

If you can help me get the hang of this, please email at lleachie@gmail.com

My Facebook Page has Moved

Dear Readers,

You probably didn't know I have a Facebook page. I do -- and not only that, I have a Twitter and an Instagram account. I'm trying to up my social media game in case I self-publish, and even if I don't, so I can promote my work (which is hard for me to do).

Feel free to add me:

Twitter: lleachsteffens
Instagram: laurenleachsteffens
Find my page on facebook: @laurenleachsteffens

Dear Reader:

Dear Reader:

Thank you for reading this blog.

I know you as data -- what country hits come from. I know what posts are being read (but not who is reading what posts), and I know what times random people are posting. Here's what I know about my readers:

1) I have about thirty hits a day on average. About half of those are from the United States. The rest are from a variety of countries, with Germany holding second place. Other regulars have been from France, Canada, Ukraine, Portugal, and Unknown Region are the most regular.

2) Some of you find me through Facebook, which means I probably know you. Some of you find me from Twitter, and I don't know if I know you or not.  Some referring links are from bit.ly and IFTTT. I'd love to know how the IFTTT link works.

3) Some of you are probably bots. For example, I get about three hits a day from a web address that specializes in "web cam girls".  I don't follow those links anymore.

4)  I don't know WHO you are. I would love to know who you are. If you're a regular reader, you know I have said this before, because I mean it. I'm the sort of person who would not only like to sign autographs for readers someday, but chat with readers.


Please, if you know someone who would like this blog (writers, readers, my aunt Edna*) please amplify this and pass it on to them!


Love, Lauren

* I don't have an Aunt Edna.