Who’s A Tweeter?

So everyone knows about Twitter, but I am finding it hard to understand its purpose. I’ve heard it called a micro-blog. What??? You know, you just write little blurbs about what you are doing throughout the day.

Why??? What is the purpose? Well, I don’t really know.

I do find other people’s tweets interesting…most of the time. I have to say, though, that I am starting to get followers who I know good and well don’t care about following me. They only care about me following them back. It’s advertising. It’s marketing. And I can see that it could be beneficial in the writing/publishing world, though I really have my doubts about it.

What do you think about all these social networking sites to promote yourself? Or are you in it for all the friends? Are you doing it to build a platform for the day you are published? Or are you in it for the fun of it all?

Sherrinda Ketchersid

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28 responses to “Who’s A Tweeter?”

  1. Katie Avatar
    Katie

    I don’t get it either! But everybody’s talking about it! I have an account – but I have absolutely no idea what to do with it! Got such a kick out of the title to your post!

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  2. Jeannie Campbell Avatar
    Jeannie Campbell

    so funny! my crit partner, katie, and i were JUST discussing this on the phone thirty minutes ago. WHAT is the point? people don’t want to know what i had for breakfast. more importantly, if i was updating it all the time like i see these twitter feeds updating on people’s websites, i would get anything done! so when you find out the reason for twitter, PLEASE let me know.

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  3. Jeannie Campbell Avatar
    Jeannie Campbell

    katie just beat me by a minute with her post! how funny!

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  4. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    You two are funny! I tweet once, maybe twice a day, so I am sure my tweets get lost in the roaring din of “tweet-land”. Not that it matters. Technology is such a funny thing.

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  5. Jody Hedlund Avatar
    Jody Hedlund

    I still can’t figure out Tweeting either! I’ve heard really great things about Facebook, but haven’t started that yet. I think I will when I have a little more time(and when will that be?!).

    I think all of the different social networking sites do offer a great way to market yourself. But I also think that we need to be genuine. I can pick up on genuinely caring people and then those who are in it just to promote themselves. Whose book would I rather promote someday? Someone who is real and caring, or someone just playing the game? I think that’s pretty easy to figure out!

    I for one have really enjoyed meeting great writing friends through blogging (like you!). And it has added a demension to networking, gaining ideas, and knowledge about the writing market that I never knew existed. So, I guess I’m blogging for a lot of reasons! And it’s ending up being a lot of fun too!

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  6. Lewis News Avatar
    Lewis News

    The best uses I’ve heard have to do with churches ( or businesses I guess ) that use it as a text MSG service when they need volunteers to respond to a job quickly. Like they are short a tech person and they send a twitter message to their team and someone responds in minutes. I don’t use it for that but it makes sense. I use it I find and share resources related to my job and that is pretty good too.

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  7. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Thanks for stopping by Lewis News! I have not heard Twitter being used as a MSG service, but that does make sense. I would think though, that if your co-workers/church members followed hundreds of people (like some do), then your tweet would get lost in the many tweets being sent in minute by minute. Wouldn’t you miss important messages? And how do you “look” for resources? Maybe I’m just thinking it is more complicated than it is.

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  8. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Jody, you always put things just the way I want to say them! Like you, I think it becomes really obvious who the “real” and “genuine” people are. I have LOVED finding writing friends by blogging and have learned so much. It has really made me feel like I am part of a big family, in some way.

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  9. T. Anne Avatar
    T. Anne

    Myspace and facebook I could live without. Tweets are fun to follow. I think for a published author a website makes the most sense. For networking and lots of community fun I love a good blog!

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  10. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    Facebook and Myspace are fun but I only go once a day. I do most of my socializing through blogs and think I prefer it this way. Don’t think I’ll ever sign up for twitter, unless I become famous.
    😛
    I started a blog just to get out in the world. Market myself, though I’ve yet to put any excerpts up. LOL

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  11. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    T. Anne, I have made many more friends by blogging than I have FB or Twitter. And blogging has opened up so much information to me, that I would never have gotten otherwise. If I ever get published (or WHEN), a website would definitely be the way to go, which included a blog, of course.

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  12. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Jessica, you’ve gotten quite a following on your blog and WHEN you are published, will have a built in fan base! I guess then you’ll have to become a Tweeter. 😉

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  13. Jill Kemerer Avatar
    Jill Kemerer

    I enjoy Facebook because I can interact with other authors I’d never be able to in another format.

    I try to Twitter once or twice a day, but I don’t get it. I like following agents and other authors, but I don’t think they get all that much out of following me. I mean, seriously, my “tweets” are pretty lame. I don’t exactly live the glamorous life!

    I look forward to several blogs each day. That’s my favorite form of communication with other authors (besides a few daily e-mailers).
    Have a fantastic weekend!

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  14. Lewis News Avatar
    Lewis News

    Sherrinda, in response I could see what you mean though I think there are ways to sort msgs but I am not sure how. As for me I am only following 18 people right now so it isn’t too hard. As for resources it is more about finding then looking, I mean just seeing resources in tweets you are following. If you want to look for resources, blogging is great. As for FB I find it just more fun and that I can keep up with family and friends (especially those far away) better by looking at photos and posting short messages on a wall. Being a guy I don’t particularly like posting or reading long blogs, no offense to those of you that love that.
    That said it has been fun following responses to this post.

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  15. Lady Glamis Avatar
    Lady Glamis

    I’m in it for all those reasons, but more and more I’m beginning to see the value of making friends who can help and support each other. I get overwhelmed with keeping up with everybody but in the end it feels nice to make new friends I would never make otherwise.

    I don’t get Twitter. I probably won’t ever do it because I’m so involved with other things, but this post was nice to read. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who asks, “Why???”

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  16. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Jill, like you, my tweets are anything but profound! I also like FB for connecting with friends and family who are far away. (Even some high school friends that I’ve lost contact with!) All the connectivity….it takes up alot of time!

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  17. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Lewis New, I have checked out links that I have found on other people’s tweets, so you are right in that it can be a good resource. And if you only follow 18, then you can definitely keep up with others easily. I got a message the other day saying someone was now following me. He was following over 700 people and had maybe 60 follow him back. And why? Why would you follow that many people? It just doesn’t make sense in that sense.
    I feel like I am repeating myself again, so I will just stop!
    Thanks for the input.

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  18. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    I’m with you, Lady Glamis! All the support and encouragement from other writers has just been the most amazing thing! I love it.

    I always seem to be asking “why” these days. Sometimes things just don’t make sense, at least in my eyes. I tend to question things that are going to take up more of my time. So I keep asking….WHY!

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  19. Jaime Avatar
    Jaime

    twitter makes me feel like an online stalker! lol I Twitter occasionally, but I keep wondering if there’s moe to it than just chronicaling (is that a word?!) my life minute by minute?

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  20. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Jaime, I think there has to be more to it than just a chronicle of your life minute by minute, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many authors/agents, etc. doing it and singing its praises. I haven’t figured it out though, and am just not getting it. (even though I tweet once or twice a day…it does update my FB and I get feedback there.)

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  21. Terri Tiffany Avatar
    Terri Tiffany

    I have not yet done that Tweeter stuff. I finally joined Facebook and find that is enough so I can drop out of the other ones. But I enjoy the blogging the best and always will. There is only so much time for everythign if I am to write!

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  22. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Yes, Terry, it is all very time consuming, as I am finding out! I have enjoyed blogging much more than the other stuff and have learned so much more, as well.

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  23. Niki Turner Avatar
    Niki Turner

    I don’t understand Twitter either! It seems complicated! I signed in to help “build a platform” as we’ve been instructed (Thanks, Terry Burns!) Right now I’m just trying to figure out how to keep track of all the blogs I want to read, my own blog and website, and all these social networking sites! Ack! When is there supposed to be time to write!
    BTW, we seem to have lots in common! Pastor’s wife, four children-three boys, one girl (mine is 18), “wannabe” writer… Thanks for your blog!

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  24. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Hi Niki! Thanks for stoppying by. I am “lurking” Terry’s course and finding it invaluable. You are so right saying all these platform builders (social networking, blogs, etc) suck up our writing time. But I guess it is a necessary thing. I am just hoping I have a good enough “story” to make the platform stand upright! 🙂
    (I don’t know how you have time to write AND homeschool with teens!)

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  25. Lynnette Labelle Avatar
    Lynnette Labelle

    I’ve tried Twitter and didn’t “get it”. Facebook is my favorite social networking site. I think you can build a following that way. I have.

    Lynnette Labelle
    http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com

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  26. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    Hi Lynnette! I like FB too and have loved connecting with people that way. Twitter is just strange to me. Thanks for stopping by!

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  27. Weronika Avatar
    Weronika

    I guess I’ll offer a little bit of a different perspective. I find Tweeter to be a really useful tool. We all blog about the big things, but there are so many little things that are crucial to our, i.e., progress as writers.

    I do have to admit, guiltily, that if I find a blog I want to follow because I saw a post I liked, etc., I look to see if the person has a Twitter account. Instead of having to check up on the blog then, I focus on Tweeter when I have less time overall.

    There’s not much to “get.” It’s just there, but I don’t blame you for not tweeting. Blogs are blogs, after all.

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  28. sherrinda Avatar
    sherrinda

    H Weronica! I admit that I do tweet. I do find that it is helpful to update my status in FB. It saves me time. I also like that it can tweet my blog and feed it to FB as well. It is helpful, so I’m not knocking it anywmore. 😉
    Thanks for stopping by!

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