To Tweet or Not to Tweet?
That is the question! If you’re a regular tweeter (or is it twitterer?) I have to make my apologies in advance. I’m not a regular ... far from it but on the insistence of one of my publishers, I decided to become a tweeter. Well, I’m saying that but I’m not very successful at it. Apart from the tweets about my new book and odd other messages I’ve put out, I simply don’t know what to say. I can’t think of anything that will remotely interest my ‘followers’. I can’t bear to tell the world I’m making coffee now or maybe mention my family. "I’ve just picked some tomatoes from my greenhouse." Anyone interested? " Caterpillars have ruined the Brussel sprouts." No?
Add to all this, I can’t actually sign in to my account. I’ve got password and everything but it keeps saying nothing is recognised. I’ve discovered Tweetdeck and I can sign into that. When it works, I make some peculiar comment and feel very proud of myself. Ha, I can do all this! I’m part of the modern world.
Then I forget it for a while and revert to my private self. Can’t believe anyone reads it anyway. Why bother with it all? I’d rather be writing anyway and leave all this promotion to anyone who’ll do it.
But then, someone, somewhere may read and reply to a twitter (or do I mean a tweet?) I might even sell a book because I tweeted (or twittered). I’m just not sure if it’s worth it.
Then of course there’s Facebook. Haven’t even looked at that particular can of worms. I evidently have a Facebook page from the days when my granddaughter asked me to be her friend. Of course I’d do that. I even sent her a message and someone faraway sent me a message saying she felt exactly the same. I thought I was replying to my granddaughter and not to the world. The private button or something should have been pressed.
Oh dear, it’s all too much for me. I need to retire to a darkened room and lie down for a while.
I know exactly what you mean, Chrissie. I'm still paddling about in the shallows of Twitterland. Every time I get a new follower I feel ridiculously pleased and vow to be more engaging with fellow twitter pals. I really am trying!! Just followed you by the way. Rx
ReplyDeleteI'm not on Facebook but I am on Twitter. I really only Tweet writing related activities. I have a blog and there is a tweet button on that so I blog when I have for example a new pocket novel out then press the Tweet button as well. People's Friend actually retweeted my last tweet because I follow them and they must have picked up my reference to them. I thought that was quite useful as they must have lots of followers. I suppose it gets your name out there and that's what it is all about isn't it? Apart from the pleasure of writing of course.
ReplyDeleteI don't use Twitter and my only Facebook friend is my husband! I actually only use it when I want to comment on the People's Friend Facebook page. Having said that, I haven't got a book to promote - maybe if I did I would take all this social networking malarkey more seriously but until then, I shall just stick with my little old blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased you feel as I do. Thank you for following me Rena ... promise I won't work you too hard with stuff to read!
ReplyDeleteI'm also a follower of People's Friend but I get the feeling they possibly feel about it the way I do!
Hi I'm on Twitter and I do tweet fairly regularly. I retweet friends and acquaintances books. I also tweet about programmes I'm watching like the Great British Bakeoff. It's quite fun, almost like sitting in a room full of people who are watching the same programme and I've had some followers from that. I also picked up on the Tweets of a Guardian journalist who is crazy about cats and has a twitter feed called @whymycatissad and puts up very funny tweets and photos of his cats. It lead me to hear he has published books about them and I'm going to his book launch next Thursday. I suppose that is the sort of thing which makes people feel it is worth being on Twitter to promote your books. I'm also now linked to a Police Dog (although I'm sure it's his owner who does the tweeting - those paws aren't so good on keypads!) and he's offered to help answer a question on sniffer dogs and dead bodies for my current crime novel. I would say it's incredibly time consuming but like a needle in a haystack you can come up with the odd gem through twitter! I've also had useful help from Facebook friends, other writers and people who have an expertise you never knew about. I guess I have actually met around 20% of my Facebook 'friends' the rest are merely cyber friends who I'll probably never meet!
ReplyDeleteChrissie, I'm in two minds as well as to whether tweeting or facebooking is worthwhile or interests me enough anyway personally to bother. I'm not on FB or Twitter and just use my website and blog for any information about my books and writing life. Life is so busy for everyone these days I'm surprised people have the time but the younger generations have embraced it all.
ReplyDeleteYou raise interesting questions Chrissie. I'm not sure how we can nail down whether this all does any good but I'm trying! I try not to bore with my writing news on Twitter and will retweet amusing/interesting news stories - what I've had for dinner rarely is involved! I've got a Facebook Author Page which is a different animal from a regular one and sometimes get a good response to posts - usually ones involving photos of Cornwall etc do better than routine ones about what I'm writing. Like most things you could waste an awful amount of time on all this!
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