Exactly how to use Twitter?

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moderntimes
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Re: Exactly how to use Twitter?

Post by moderntimes »

No way I'm going to pay for online advertising for my novels. I'll let my publisher pick up that tab, thank you.

I do maintain a nice professional-looking website which is dedicated to my books and promoting them, and I spend time on Twitter and Facebook with a few promotional posts. That's about it.

The bulk of my promotions will come via book reviews in various venues, here, other online sources, and mystery magazines.
"Ineluctable modality of the visible..."
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Post by ericaverr »

I have several posts about how writers can use Twitter on my blog, Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity.

My suggestion to you - and to all authors - is NOT to tweet about your book. (You heard me right.) Tweet about subjects you are interested in. Tweet about politics, if that's your thing. Tweet about movies, if you love movies. People will follow you because they share your interests, or because you are entertaining. Once you get a genuine following, they will want to read your books.
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Mitj4
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Post by Mitj4 »

Twitter users are much more polite, then F users.. My opinion :)
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Post by ReadDear »

I have a list of 40 large Twitter accounts and use them for my books advertising.
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Post by Finchlark »

Some really useful comments and advice here. I have been advised time and again to use Twitter but just couldn't get my aged head around it. I had no idea why to hashtag or how to get followers. Then I started to read a book I really liked and thought I would like to try and contact the author. I tried Facebook, tried google, and then thought I'd try Twitter and hey presto, there he was. Turned out he worked for Disney, so then I managed to find some Disney animators and started tweeting about my Christmas fairytale book and actually got a reply from one of them and got into a (somewhat limited) conversation with him. Okay, so he rolled his eyes (one of the smiley face things) but we started talking and agreed that Disney still means magic. So now I'm hooked. I don't understand half of it but I find it incredible that you can connect with anyone.
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Post by emthomas1 »

There are so many spam accounts on Twitter now, it's nearly impossible to tell who is real and who isn't - at least until one of your new "followers" starts with their spaminess. Seems like it's best used - at least for new authors - as a medium to connect with other authors of similar or more advanced tenure.
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Post by khudecek »

emthomas1 wrote:There are so many spam accounts on Twitter now, it's nearly impossible to tell who is real and who isn't - at least until one of your new "followers" starts with their spaminess. Seems like it's best used - at least for new authors - as a medium to connect with other authors of similar or more advanced tenure.
It lost its luster real quick.

What's the point of authors trying to sell books to other authors? They aren't going to buy them. They're too busy trying to sell their own.

Maybe I need to seek out followers who are not authors or have any literary connections.
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Post by Finchlark »

I agree there's no point in trying to sell to other authors. It's the same on Facebook and LinkedIn. I know authors troll social media to post their books but where do the readers go? If anyone finds out please let me know.
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Post by emthomas1 »

I don't think (and wasn't trying to suggest) that it's to sell books to other authors so much as it is to make connections and hopefully friendships with people of similar interest; likely folks that you wouldn't have met otherwise. Conventions and personal appearances are great, but you can make plenty of connections through the internet in the interim - the ones that aren't spambots anyway...
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Post by khudecek »

Finchlark wrote:I agree there's no point in trying to sell to other authors. It's the same on Facebook and LinkedIn. I know authors troll social media to post their books but where do the readers go? If anyone finds out please let me know.
I would like to know that, too.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
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Claire S Crawford
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Post by Claire S Crawford »

You can also link your 'author' Facebook page to Twitter so any posts you make on Facebook automatically update on Twitter. To make the most of it, you do need to # the Facebook posts too.
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Post by AA1495 »

Hey! You could do a couple of things to promote your book on twitter.
1. Create an account on your own name, connect with friends and family, and tweet giving a link to purchase the book.
2. Check out trending tags, or popular tags and tweet with those, for more visibility
3. Ask the online book club if they could retweet your tweet about the book, to their followers
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Post by karolinka »

I've just recently started using Twitter, and it seems a little confusing. So, I am grateful for the tips, folks! We will see how much success I have promoting my books.
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Post by Lincoln »

CzechTigg wrote:yep many follow back, but watch out for those who stop following after any length of time. I use it more for breaking new and opportunities. It's also a lot easier for a user with a photo of a young pretty girl (you don't know who they are!) to get hordes of followers.
Sad, but true. In general, post updates about your life more than things to promote, but usually use twitter to link somewhere else.
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Post by Gingerbo0ks »

As a reader, I follow authors on twitter, but most of my book recommendations and new discoveries were made on Tumblr and I hardly follow any authors on there. Other readers dedicate entire blogs to certain books or their favourite authors and if they are interested in something they will "reblog" it. I definitely agree with post about your personality, your interests etc. People follow people and if they are interested in you and what you have to say they will be more likely to buy your book or share your posts to someone who will.
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