How Twitter Can Help You to Write with Confidence

by Joanna @ Confident Writing

Twitter still strikes me as an audacious, outrageous experiment.

Thousands of people talking to each other in short bursts of 140 characters. Ordinary everyday conversations about food or the weather posted on a public timeline, there for all to read. A service that many of us come to rely on for news, links, ideas, companionship, customers, friendship.

All provided for free.

I’m not going to try and replicate the (many, many) guides on how to use Twitter. You’ll find a few posts on what it’s about listed at the end. But when I was thinking about the theme of writing with audacity this month it occurred to me that Twitter was contributing to more confident, colourful, audacious writing.

Of course there are downsides to using Twitter. It can be:

• A distraction
• A time suck
• An obliteration of the time and focus you need to write something big

But on balance I’d say that Twitter was good for my writing. It’s helped me stretch, create and play.

Here are 10 ways I’ve found that tweeting can help you to write with confidence

Twitter provides you with the opportunity to:

Write with brevity

You’re limited to 140 characters to express yourself, so you’re forced to cut out unnecessary words… but leave enough to convey your meaning. It’s a good discipline.

Use your imagination

People use Twitter to share links, post pictures, compile song lists, tell stories, raise money… the only limits are in our collective imagination.

Find new resources

Many people (me included) enjoy finding new articles, blogs, writers, software and applications through Twitter. When the resource comes through a (trusted) link from a friend or someone you follow you’re more likely to click through.

Connect with like minded people

Connections lead to connections, threaded by conversation. It’s a great way to connect up with people who have similar interests or values. You can keep on adjusting your followers to keep up with those that reflect where you’re at.

Share your words with a global audience

If you’re interested in writing and the power of words there’s nothing like the buzz of instant feedback, or the knowledge that people are reading and responding all over the world

State your goals in public

Some people use Twitter as an accountability mechanism. Make public your intention to finish a chapter of your phd, complete a novel in November or publish your first book and 100s of people will help you achieve your goal… and celebrate with you when you do

Soften your writing style

The conversational, rapid nature of the medium will help to soften your writing style. While this won’t help you with every writing project it is helpful when you’re writing on the web

Become more playful

Rapid fire conversational exchanges encourage creativity and playfulness… don’t you find?

Write through different moods and states

140 characters doesn’t give you much space for wrapping. One liners can be surprisingly revelatory particularly if they flow from emotional extremes. There’s a balance to be learned and mastered between letting it all hang out, thinking twice before hitting send, and switching off and waiting for the mood to pass. I think those are valuable lessons to learn

Write with rapport

Above all else I think Twitter will help you to write with rapport. Recognising where your readers (followers) are coming from. Pacing yourself for a while, to tune into the mood. Listening and paying attention to the words that others use. Playing back those words, affirming things that are important to others. Focusing on the points that will connect you together.

I could go on with the last one, but I think I’ll save more for another post when I’ve thought about it some more.

Those are 10 of the ways I think Twitter has helped to make me a more confident writer and communicator.