Or do you?

After holding out against Twitter and Facebook for ages, I've finally given in and joined up to the former. I'm in a new writers' scheme with the RNA and it looked like a good way of keeping in touch with people/making contacts. Plus it's supposed to be good for this building a platform stuff (which I know beggar all about, by the way, but I'm guessing it's nothing to do with decking ...)

However ... now that I've joined, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be doing. I've seen people tweeting the equivalent of 'I'm on the train' or 'Turned out nice again', but feel a bit silly doing the same. On the other hand, if you're supposed to be sparklingly witty or brilliantly clever in 140 characters or less, I'm sunk already

Or am I missing the point of it completely?

Congrats on getting on the RNA New Writer scheme!

With Twitter I think the best thing is to follow a few people, get a feel for what goes on, perhaps re-tweet some things that you like, and reply to something someone says, follow some people they talk to who you like the look of.

It's like edging your way into a party, or going into the local pub when you've just moved into the area. You don't want to be Oscar Wilde and swan in and hook everyone with your coruscating wit. You listen, look friendly, smile, laugh at some jokes, venture a remark or two in a conversation, pick up on what someone says and comment...

Emma

Also worth using hash tags at the ends of your tweets to get followers. - for writers, eg, #amwriting

It's like edging your way into a party

Yup, I thought so ... I hate parties! But I'm determined to make it to the RNA one in November, so I'll have to start practising. And at least if I can talk to a few fellow members via Twitter or elsewhere beforehand, I won't feel quite so daunted on the night.

Thanks Naomi for the # tip, I'll have to try that.

Hello Astrea I'm @essiefox - come follow! I love Twitter but once you're immersed in the party it can be quite hard to leave.

Love the title of the thread.

Couldn't resist, but I think only those of approximately the same vintage as me will pick up on it ...

So if, while writing a novel, you find you need a prologue, do you think of Up Pompeii?

I have to try very hard not to!

<Added>

But I figure it's okay as long as I don't actually call it, 'The Prologue' ...

Yes, I enjoyed the title too.

I hate parties!

Me too. The nice thing about the Twitter party, though, is that you can come and go as you please.

What's your Twitter name? I'm @itchofwriting and (less often) @emma_darwin - give us a shout and I'll follow you...

Emma

Or as long as it isn't constantly interrupted by a sooth sayer shouting, "Woe! Woe! Thrice woe!"

<Added>

In a similar vein, I've sometimes wondered whether anyone is ever tempted to quote the lyrics to Paperback Writer, when submitting a story.

Thanks Emma and Sarah,

I'm @HighlandWriter - which sounds more big-headed than I meant it to, but I wasn't quite sure how the naming system worked at first.

Alex, I suspect quite a few people may have done that very thing ... probably the quickest route to the shredder, I'm guessing.

Twitter can be a great way to publicise your book or project and even get reviews, For my own book which is in the non-fiction mind-body health-fitness genre, I first worked out who would be most interested in such a book. Then I checked the search lists of associations for sports, new age magazines, medical support groups, plus,Yoga..Pilates Tai Chi groups etc and followed them (because followers of these will be able to see my posts of blog entries or comments). Many of them followed me and I have had an offer of a review on a website.

Yiu can check my page for the sort of thing I sometimes post. @jianganuk