Is Twittering worth it?

[B.R.Stateham]

Just joined Twitter. And although I agree it is another networking site, and since I do want to spread the word out about my books, I guess Twittering is just another tool we all should be using. But I can't see the fascination in this new fad. Brevity is nice--and the requriement to be brief makes for a creative process--but what's the real attraction here? I like it in Crimespace because we can really fire up some discussion--and passions--on occasion. But how do you do that Twittering?

[EDWARD C MORGAN]

I am the anti-twitter.

[Seth Harwood]

Don't worry about whether you like twitter or not. The big mistake is thinking of it as a blogging platform. WHen it's really working best, it's just a quick method to make contacts/share messages with people. Like you throw out a statement into the ether, people fire back, and you create a conversation. Try following me at http://twitter.com/sethharwood
Today is the release of my novel and I'm on twitter like crazy because it's where people can tell me they bought my book, tell their friends to buy it, help spread the word about it, and generally talk about what's happening! It's really a lot of fun in an event like this!

Seth

[I. J. Parker]

It sounds as though people who know you are commenting. How do you reach strangers?

[Seth Harwood]

By doing my podcast audiobooks, I developed a fanbase first. I gave them my fiction for free and then they got interested. They started to follow me and I didn't tweet much for a long time. Now I do it off and on when there's something good to say.

But I say above all else that if writers want to attract readers/listeners/followers, we're best off giving away our actual content--our writing. We're crazy not to!

[I. J. Parker]

Thanks. I've heard about this and toyed with the idea. The freebies also need to be advertised somehow, I think. Anyway: Good for you!

[Seth Harwood]

Paul, are you serious? I can't tell. Anyway, here's my book, in its various forms.

http://sethharwood.com/jack-wakes-up

[Seth Harwood]

Cool! Thanks!! Yeah, I'm happy to get the word out. More to come!
(My new project is controlling my use of exclamation points.)

[Toni L.P. Kelner]

Love the cover. I'll check it out.

[B.R.Stateham]

Ah, I.J. that's a good question! On Facebook you find strangers thru contacts of the people who know you. On Twitter you've apparently have to know email addresses.

[Jack Getze]

I have no clue who would want to follow my every move. Mom?

[Seth Harwood]

Jack, then don't post your every move. It'll be a pain for you to do and you're right. No one will be interested. Just use it to post when you have something important going on. You'll find you get good responses. Then you might want to post to those.

[Debbi Mack]

Absolutely right, Seth. You're not supposed to twitter your every move. Twitter is a rather powerful way to reach people, though.

Case in point: I just got back from an event in which I was one of many advocates talking to Congressional reps on a health-related topic. I ran into a fellow advocate at the hotel we stayed at who I'd "met" on Twitter (she recognized me from my photo). We'd connected because of things I'd posted about the topic (a rare, but disabling, neurological disorder called dystonia . . . but back to my point).

I guess my point is that I managed to connect with someone on a rather obscure topic through Twitter before we even had the chance to cross paths at a live event. It's a small example, but there are other even more powerful examples of Twitter's use in the business world.

I was an anti-Twitter person myself. Then, I figured I'd try it out and see if and how it worked for me. At first, it was a bit bewildering. Then, I started using various Twitter management tools. Now, I think Twitter has a great deal of potential for marketing, promotion and networking. And--just like Crimespace or any other social media--You basically get out of it what you put into it.

And, BTW, I'm following you now, Seth. :)