How Twitter Can Make You A Better Writer

Try writing your message in 140 characters, no matter what it is. Spaces count. If you can't do it, your message stays forever unsent.

That's the concept behind Twitter, a micro-blogging social network that allows you to subscribe to--or follow--people and let's them follow you. And everything you put out there has to be said in 140 characters or fewer.

Using 140 characters is easy if you're saying "I like your picture," or something simple. But most ideas aren't simple. And if you're like me and you detest IM-speak (I want 2 do smthng 4 U), the pressure is really on. Your idea is like a floundering airplane that needs to shed all unnecessary weight to fly.

Utilize? Use saves three characters. Very? Not likely. If you get rid of that, does it change the meaning of the sentence? If not--and it usually doesn't--away that goes.

The best way to write effectively, regardless of your purpose, is to write economically. Every word that doesn't suit your purpose must go away. For me, that translates into a savings of between 16,000 and 20,000 words between the first and second drafts of a novel. Every time you use a big word and a smaller word will do, you're better off with the smaller word. Simpler is better.

Writing to a 140-character limit and not cheating helps you establish the habit of writing better.

Try Twitter. It's free. It's fun. You get to know cool people. And you'll get better at self editing.

Be interested

I aspire to be a fiction writer, yet I haven't written a lick of fiction in the past three months. You might think that's not a way to move toward my goal, and you might be right. It's not that I'm not writing, it's just that I'm not writing fiction right now.

A number of things have transpired that have broadened my horizons and shot my discipline to a tattered remnant of what it once was. In November, I went to the Florida Writers Association's conference, where I found out about the world of social networking. A woman named Penny Sansevieri told me about how her business, Author Marketing Expert, used online tools to help writers sell their books. She introduced me to Twitter and made me reconsider Facebook and dust off my LinkedIn profile.

Then, in early December, the government announced that 533,000 people lost their jobs in November. Another 692,000 followed suit in December. My employer is actively looking to outsource everything it can. In short, I need a network.

What I found was a blessing. In the short amount of time I've been active on Twitter, I've "met" a lot of interesting people and learned a lot of new things. XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) will soon be the required format for financial reports in the United States. I learned that from a woman named Francine McKenna, who has a blog called Re: The Auditors. I learned that there are a boatload of website where you can submit press releases for free, from Dana Willhoit of The Press Release site. I've learned a little bit about PR from a woman named Lizz Harmon. Every Sunday night, I make a note to watch Business Owners Online TV, where Aaron Foster provides a great forum for anyone who wants to learn about making money online.

The point is, we live in a world that has more opportunities and possibilities than you can imagine. And dipping your toe into that world and finding out about the possibilities broadens your writing base, which can make you more versatile. And the more you can help people, the more you can get paid for what you write.

Three Free Web Tools that Bolster Your Message

You know Billy Mays, the manic guy with the beard and moustache who's always pitching something that will change your life? This blog post is releasing my inner Billy Mays. Only I'm not going to pitch you ShamWow! and everything I list here will be free. These are tools available to you to help you get your message out and put to work for your company or clients.

I'll revisit this topic periodically as I get familiar with new tools. But as the Virtual Group Leader (I knew I'd make it to management someday) for the Florida Writers Association, I'm dabbling with these tools. Eventually, I might make some money helping other people use them.

Tool #1. Blog Talk Radio.
Imagine having the ability to set up a radio talk show on the Internet for free, and allowing people to call in. Imagine being able to store that show for listeners to reference after. Imagine integrating that tool into your company's or client's support function. Imagine doing it for free.

BlogTalkRadio is an easy-to-use Internet radio station that allows you to have a guest and callers. It's free online talk radio. After you're through, the show stays resident so users can stream it. It's a wonderful way to reach out to specific users in a way that doesn't require them to actually read (see the blog title).

One warning, when you start your show, mute your computer, or you might hear yourself on delay.

Tool #2. Facebook.
Yes, Facebook isn't just for teenager girls lusting after Johnny Depp any more. In fact, businesses can set up a Facebook page to tout their wares and make product announcements. The neat thing with Facebook is how easily you can meld it with other venues. For instance, if you produce a video and put it on YouTube, you can add the YouTube video easily to your Facebook page or profile.

Facebook is also a good venue for individual businesspeople, like authors. I've started reading an author named Brian Freeman. Thanks to Facebook, I've had multiple miniature discussions with him. He doesn't know me from Adam, but it's great outreach and it makes me more likely to buy his next book and tell others how approachable he is.

Like Blogtalkradio, Facebook is free. It's also very easy to use.

Tool #3. Twitter
Twitter is microblogging, your chance to attract followers and talk with them in short, 140-character "tweets." You can embed URLs and direct your message to all your followers or to individual followers. It's a simple and powerful tool that can give clients or customers the feeling of individualized attention.

Among other companies, Jet Blue, Dell, Starbucks, H&R Block, and Kodak use Twitter to communicate with customers. Companies can monitor tweets directed to them and either respond directly with the sender, or direct them to more information, such as an FAQ.

Looking at a feed with a few hundred people posting can be intimidating, though, so if you use Twitter, you should investigate using a Twitter client, such as Tweetdeck.

A Word of Caution
When I started working in radio, I was told over and over that it's a personal medium. You should feel like the guy on the radio is talking to you. The same applies to these media. They're free and easy to use, but you can damage your reputation (or your client's) if you don't use them as relationship-building tools. Listen and respond. Do not broadcast. Their real value is in making clients or their customers feel personally engaged. Once that engagement occurs, it's easier to build an ongoing business relationship.