Twitter is closing in on 330 million active monthly users and 30% of them have 6-figure salaries, 80% are affluent millennials. Authors, publishers, business people, reporters, celebrities, and politicians are all on Twitter.
If for no other reason than to find out what’s going on, you should be on Twitter.
But as a writer, more importantly, it’s great for connecting with the publishing world.
It’s a push tool.
Use Twitter to push people to your website or blog. Engage with other writers and you’ll find readers. Use #writingcommunity to help you connect with other writers.
Twitter is a great source of conversation.
This is especially true during live events. I’m a big fan of jumping into conversations during live events because it’s a great conversation. Think about the next time you attend a writers’ conference or workshop or author reading. Look out for the conference hashtag and jump right in!
Networking.
People in our industry are on Twitter. Use it to connect and keep up with industry trends. To keep track of them, use lists. Make sure you are following people who are actually engaging, not just selling.
Agents, Editors Galore!
One of the coolest things about Twitter is Pitch Fests. This is when agents tell you they are looking for your book pitches. #PitMad became a bit overwhelming because of the sheer number of authors, so over the years more specific hashtags have been used. Adult fiction/nonfiction is #AdPit, science fiction, and fantasy is #SFFPit, diverse authors is #DVPit, and so on. Search your genre to find the next pitch fest.
Follow #MSWL
Are you actively pitching a book and trying to find an editor. Look no further than #MSWL – Manuscript Wish List. Agents post what they are currently looking for and you get to pitch them right on Twitter. Follow their directions and make sure your manuscript is complete. Good luck!
Sources:
Omnicore Twitter Stats, 2020