6 Do's and Don'ts of Using Twitter as a Writer

Hello Lovelies!

Today we’re going to talk about how to use Twitter to build a writing platform, or rather, how to not use Twitter to build a writing platform. Many of you may be active on the bird app already, some of you may not. Regardless, I felt it was important to create a guide for how to use Twitter as an aspiring or established writer. Not familiar with Twitter at all and need some basic advice on how to strategically use the app? Not sure what it means to “follow” someone or what a hashtag is? This blog post does a great job breaking it down.  

Why does this all matter?

When it comes to building an online writing platform (which isn’t necessary, but important imho if you want to become traditionally published) social media can be a helpful tool. It can also be your worst enemy. Whether you’re breaking into the writing world or you’re a NYT bestselling author, you’ve gotta keep some things in mind. So, here’s my unofficial guide to Twitter and the Writing Community.

1. Do use Twitter to build a writing platform

You might be wondering, why do I need Twitter if I’m a writer? Well, Twitter is an active hub for the writing and publishing world. It’s like that bar in Star Wars (the one Han Solo strolls into). It’s a great place to make connections and get information. It also occasionally gets messy and you may see a fight break out. On Twitter, agents tweet wishlists, authors promote their books and celebrate sales, aspiring writers search for critique partners and ask questions, general publishing news and updates are posted…you get the idea. Everyone from editors to agents to authors use Twitter, some of them primarily as a professional platform. Not all of them do, but many of them do.

And if you want to become traditionally published (or already are) you need to be part of a writing community. You need critique partners and beta readers. I’m sorry to burst your bubble if you disagree…but it’s true. Twitter is a great place to find such people. It’s also important to learn about the publishing world so you don’t end up shooting yourself in the foot. More on that later. How do you build those connections and relationships? Jump to my last three “do’s”. Finding and fostering relationships with critique partners deserves its own in-depth post, but I’ve got some resources in this one to get you started.

Okay, before we get too far ahead of ourselves…

2. Don’t be unprofessional   

As a teacher, I’m keenly aware of the stakes involved in digital communication. Every email I write to a student, colleague, or parent becomes a legal document as soon as I send it. So I better be able to stand behind what I write and keep it as objective and professional as possible. That attitude influences how I use social media, which is a good thing. Because friends, let me tell you…I have seen many writers act cuckoo-bananas on Twitter. And it hurts them. It hurts their reputation, it hurts their relationships, and it can irreparably hurt their career. Listen, you don’t have to act like a saint on Twitter. I certainly don’t. Sometimes my tweets include swear words or saucy jokes. Sometimes I’m self-deprecating. Sometimes I tweet vulnerable thoughts about my anxiety I typically wouldn’t share in a professional setting. But those are the exception. 

Most of my tweets fall under three broad categories:

1. Boosting or celebrating fellow writers (this is my favorite; I love supporting my friends)

2. Promoting books and writers I’m interested in

3. Building collegial relationships with other writers by sharing my daily writing tips, frustrations, joys, etc.

That’s it.

I should add I’m not shy about expressing my political beliefs on Twitter. No writer should, in my opinion. This is a post for another day, but writing is inherently political. *Writers are public figures with a platform. So as a writer, you have a responsibility to be vocal about the morals and values that matter to you. And you should never shy away from speaking out against racism, injustice, or inequity.   

*Edit as of 7/6/21: While I still believe there are inherent responsibilities with having a public platform, I also recognize that social media can be complicated and toxic. There’s been ongoing discourse about the toxicity associated with using and being vocal on Twitter. This blog post offers an interesting perspective. Bottom line: take care of yourself and your mental health first!

3. Don’t be impulsive—think before you tweet, like, follow, or RT

The internet lasts forever. Don’t be quick to tweet, leave comments on, or RT material you might regret later. Because you can delete a tweet, comment, or unlike something, but screenshots can’t be deleted. People keep receipts, and authors, agents, and editors have a long memory. If you RT something problematic, people will notice. If you make an ignorant or hateful comment, people will hold you accountable. This isn’t meant to scare you—it’s just reality. So let me reiterate: be professional as a default. Be confident in what you post. Be able to back it up. Here are some situations where it’s wise to think before tweeting.  

Situation #1: You see someone post something that pisses you off and you want to immediately retaliate. I’m not talking about a serious offense, like a racist, homophobic, or violent tweet. If you see anything like that, please, respond accordingly. No—I’m talking about low-stakes stuff…like a snarky tweet about your favorite TV show Schitt’s Creek (PS that show is perfect—fight me). 

What to do: Don’t immediately retaliate. Take a minute. Breathe. Do you really need to comment? Or do you need to take a walk around the block and maybe throw back a glass of wine? Usually, when we respond to things in anger, we say unnecessary things we regret. Remember that I’m-a-teacher-so-I-have-to-be-careful-with-my-emails thing? If I'm responding to an email and I’m feeling frustrated or angry, I stop writing. Because the tone of my email will probably reflect that anger, and I want to remain professional. If you’re feeling pissed, let cooler heads prevail. Nine times out of ten, you don’t need to respond. 

Situation #2: A controversy or drama breaks out in the Writing Community (trust me, it happens a lot) and you have strong opinions on it. You tweet or RT your opinion immediately. 

What to do: Wait and do more research before reacting. Make sure you know exactly what’s going on, read about different perspectives, and then determine your position. Sometimes we don’t have all the information right away. Take time to suss things out. And maybe, after doing such research, you’ll decide your voice isn’t needed. Which brings me to my final point…

You don’t have to add your voice to every conversation. Sometimes all you should do is sit back, listen, and learn. Have the grace to know when your voice is necessary and helpful and when it’s not. And in any situation, be careful with sarcasm. Snarky or dark senses of humor don’t always translate well online. Best not to post anything someone could misinterpret or misconstrue. Oh, and no one likes a smart ass. You’re probably not as brilliant as you think you are. So, yeah. Interpret that as you will. 

4. Do use popular hashtags

Okay, onto the fun stuff! Here are hashtags that you can use to boost the visibility of your tweets amongst writers on Twitter. Boosted visibility means more likes, means more followers, means more opportunities to build your writing reputation and platform. 

#Writingcommunity

#Writerscommunity

#Amwriting

#Amquerying 

#Amreading

#Writing

#Writerslife

#Writers

#Writetip

To find potential critique partners or beta readers, try using these hashtags

#CpMatch

#CritiquePartner/s

#BetaReaders

5. Do participate in community-building events 

There are tons of weekly, monthly, and yearly writing events that you can navigate using specific hashtags. These are the ones I see used most often. This site gives an even more extensive overview of events, but things are always changing!

#MondayMixer — Founded by YA author J. Elle, this is a fun event every Monday where writers “chat about all things writing” and respond to questions. Happens every Monday 7-7:30pm EST. 

#1LineWed — Each Wednesday, writers share screenshots of their favorite lines from their works-in-progress. It’s a great opportunity to boost and support others, and celebrate your own success, too!

#MGBookChat — A weekly event for lovers of middle grade (MG) books. Great for writers, authors, librarians, and teachers. Happens every Monday 9pm EST. 

#NaNoWriMo and #CampNaNoWriMo — Every November, a certain group of brave, intrepid writers decide to write an entire book in one month. I’m…definitely not one of them. But I do set ambitious writing goals and try to keep up! Anyway, you don’t need Twitter to participate in National November Writing Month, but people regularly post about their NaNo experiences using the hashtag. 

6. Do participate in pitch events

Pitch events are when writers tweet pitches for books they’d like to receive representation for. It’s a great way to find potential literary agents for your manuscript, and there are tons of success stories out there! Some of these events are saturated, and tweeting a pitch for an entire book is…hard. So, this topic deserves its own blog post. In the meantime, I’ve got hyperlinks for each one so you can do a little research. PS traditional querying works perfectly fine, too. So no worries if this isn’t your jam.

#DVPit  — For writers of marginalized communities and identities to pitch adult, young adult, middle grade, and picture book manuscripts of any sub-genre. 

#DVArt — For artists and illustrators of marginalized communities and identities. 

#LatinxPitch - For writers who identify as Latinx. 

#PitMad — For writers of any age and identify to pitch manuscripts of any genre.

#PitDark — For writers pitching spooky, scary, or horror manuscripts.  

#SFFPit — For writers of science fiction/fantasy. 

#PBPit — For writers of picture books. 

And that’s it! Bottom line: have fun, be smart, and don’t get too distracted by the bird app. After all, that book isn’t going to write itself…

Representation and Being "Jewish enough"

In 2015, YA writer Corinne Duyvis started the #ownvoices movement on Twitter, saying we should celebrate and publish “diverse characters written by authors from that same diverse group.”

That includes authors who are BIPOC and/or are members of a marginalized community. It has always been true, in my opinion, that marginalized authors represent their communities, experiences, and perspectives better than those who don’t share their marginalization. When a white author, for example, writes Black characters, they often misrepresent the Black community and reinforce negative stereotypes. Furthermore, they rob Black authors of the opportunity to write and share their own stories.

The publishing industry is still waking up to this truth. There’s growing awareness that when authors co-opt stories from marginalized groups, or write characters from diverse backgrounds not their own, they commit egregious harm to those communities. We’ve made strides with movements like Beth Phelan’s #DVPit event on Twitter where diverse writers pitch their stories to literary agents. But we still have a long way to go.

In that vein, it infuriates me when writers decide to write Jewish characters without a second thought. Don’t even get me started on Nazi romance books. Can those go away forever, please? Meanwhile, I’m over here sweating about whether or not I’m accurately representing my own community. 

I’m Jewish. I had a bat mitzvah. I lit menorahs instead of Christmas trees. I freaked out the first time I heard Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song on the radio, practically screaming, “I didn’t know all those people were Jewish like me!” Even as an adult, I celebrate seeing Jewish characters in pop culture (i.e. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) But...I’m not really religiously observant, not anymore. Sure, I celebrate the major holidays (I have noodle kugel in the fridge for Rosh Hashanah as I type this!) But I haven’t stepped foot inside a synagogue in a long time. And even growing up, my family didn’t partake in certain traditions. We didn’t keep kosher. We didn’t conduct full seders. We had a mezuzah but never touched it upon entering our house. 

The book I’m currently querying is about a young girl who’s about to become a bat mitzvah. I had my bat mitzvah when I was thirteen. Guess what? I still had to do tons of research to write my book. Cause here’s the thing—I know a lot about my own religion, but I don’t know everything. There was a lot I’d forgotten, like the names of certain prayers, and a lot I had never learned, like the rules of keeping kosher. 

I had so many questions when I stated writing: Was my bat mitzvah experience the same as other Jewish girls’? How do other synagogues handle mitzvah projects? What is the significance of becoming a bat mitzvah in different sects?  What’s the name of the table people read the Torah from? (It’s called a bimah, PS). Does every Jewish child go to Hebrew school? For how long? How are Torah portions chosen? The list goes on. 

I could’ve written my book without doing any research and called it #ownvoices. But that choice would’ve potentially caused a lot of harm. Because it doesn’t matter how I grew up. If I misrepresent or present falsities of what it means to be Jewish, I’m harming my community. With that said, my experience won’t resonant with or be familiar to all Jewish readers. There are many differences between Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Hasidic Jews. And that’s okay! But if I’m going to write about any of it, whatever I choose to write better be done well. And that’s where the anxiety comes in.

What if I get it wrong?

I went to Hebrew school and learned to read Hebrew (I still remember practicing writing letters in thick workbooks with my mom’s help). I attended Friday night services, celebrated holidays in my home, sang songs and chanted prayers in temple, enjoyed my mom’s brisket and my dad’s famous potato latkes (I’m sorry, but they’re the best. It’s just a fact). Obviously, I know a lot about Judaism because it’s how I grew up. But…is that enough? Sometimes I watch TV shows or movies with Jewish characters and go, “Oh, I don’t do that,” or, “Hmm…I didn’t realize that was a thing.” I didn’t even learn about Golems until I was in my twenties and visited the oldest synagogue in Prague. I watch Jewish people on Twitter post in Yiddish and go, “I have zero idea what that means.”

So I ask myself: Am I “Jewish enough?”

As I type that question, I know, rationally, it’s a silly thing to ask. No one can ever tell me I’m not Jewish. But look at the above paragraph! Look at me trying to justify my own Jewishness to myself! I know it’s ridiculous, but I’m still posting it because I know I’m not alone. I know other people from marginalized communities who stress about claiming that marginalization as their own, too.

But the fact that we’re stressing proves we care. It proves we love our communities so much we want to make absolutely sure we don’t let them down.

And I say this to myself and anyone who’s in the same boat as me: We are enough. We are who we are. And we need to keep writing.

L’Shanah Tovah, friends.

Writing in the Time of Covid-19

Imagine: Late March, 2020. Nighttime. After grading work, designing lesson plans for remote learning, and answering a slew of messages from my concerned and understandably overwhelmed high school students, I’m trying to write a Twitter pitch. This particular pitch will be used for a Twitter event (one of many out there) where I’ll pitch my book to literary agents and editors in the hopes it leads to an offer of representation. This pitch event comes after spending more than a year writing my middle-grade novel, sending it off to critique partners, revising it, and perfecting the dreaded query letter. It’s all part of my years-long attempt to become a traditionally published author. 

Flash forward: I pitched my book, and it got a lot of attention. I’m still early in my querying journey with lots of positive feedback to show for it. 

But along the way, I’ve wrestled with a small yet not inconsequential question: who cares?

After all that effort, all that work, all those days hoping and dreaming…I can’t help but sit back from my computer and ask, “who the [insert expletive] cares?”

Seriously. Here I am, trying to publish a cute, heartwarming story for 8-12 year-olds amidst a deadly and scary virus, racial injustice, a fumbling government, and a fracturing economy. Who, on this vast green earth, cares? Why should my book matter? Why have I chosen to divert my time, energy, and heart into writing a book in the face of all the life-altering turmoil around me?

There happens to be a very good reason. Several, actually. 

I’m going to challenge a quote from a cliché  movie DEAD POETS SOCIETY (and while I admit it’s totally cliché  I still love it…you can judge me a bit). At one point in the film, Mr. Keating gathers his students in a huddle and says, “…medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

I’m gonna disagree with him, just a bit. Because I believe, like medicine and law, art also sustains. Art makes life possible. Back in March when my state, along with much of the world, went into Lockdown, I made an inventory of how to stay physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. I decided to start exercising at home in addition to walking my massive Labrador retriever. I’m lucky enough to live in a home in a residential area where both are possible. I brainstormed novel ways to maintain my friendships and be social (Zoom brunch! FaceTime family chats!) Books, movies, music, and TV shows also became an integral part of how I restructured my life and decided to spend my time. Without these entertainment outlets, my time being stuck at home would be unbelievably miserable. I’m sure many others feel the same way. Whenever I’m feeling low, I’ve always turned to a favorite book, movie, or TV show to lift me up, give me a laugh, and help me forget about my troubles. That has never been more true than it is today.

And all of these stories, whether told on the page or on the screen, exist because someone took the time to write them. Someone put their ideas to the page and produced a story to share with others.

Am I not doing the same thing?

People have always needed stories as a way to escape. They will need stories after Covid-19, too. No one might care about my book now, but it’s my deepest hope they will care, one day, when it’s published and out in the world. I hope my book will offer people an escape and provide them with joy, the same way so many other stories have done for me.

My writing has sustained me more than it ever has before. Writing gives me hope, for myself and for my fellow writers, as we push forward with our dreams in defiance of the hurricane swirling around us. Because we know that no matter what happens, for better or worse…the world will always needs another story.