Twitter Benefits for Freelance Writers

by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen @ Quips and Tips

These freelance writers, book authors, and copywriters have shared how Twitter benefits their writing careers. If you’re wondering if and how Twitter can increase your exposure as a writer, your answers are here!

One writer, RJ Medak, supplied me with a quip for writers:

“The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say.” – Mark Twain’s Notebook.

Yikes…once you’re done writing, then the real writing begins! No wonder surviving on a writer’s salary is an uphill battle. But, thanks to the internet, our battle is definitely easier. Twitter is one social and professional networking site that benefits writers in various ways. And, April Hamilton, who is quoted below and who tweets faithfully, wrote The IndieAuthor Guide for writers interested in self-publishing – click on the cover for more info. And, read on for the benefits of Twitter for freelance writers from a variety of sources!

Twitter Benefits for Freelance Writers

Possible writing gigs

“The book I’m writing came from an interview on how my library uses Twitter,” says technical and library nonfiction writer Robin Hastings. “The author of that article ended up offering me the opportunity to write this book, so *indirectly*, Twitter got me my book writing gig, too!”

Ideas and sources

“Twitter is a great way to learn about news and trends – and therefore potential article topics – and it’s also great for finding sources,” says part-time freelance writer (and ghost blog writer) Julie Bonn Health. “Recently I posted the need for a source for up-selling and cross-selling for my business column, and the person who responded has 14 years experience in store management and training salespeople for big box stores. He was very helpful, a willing source, and it made my article really shine.”

Networking tool for introverted writers

“Twitter is a surprisingly good icebreaker when it comes to networking,” says Kelly Watson. “I’m not very good at going up and introducing myself to people I don’t know, but thanks to Twitter I’ve been able to say, “Hey, I follow you on Twitter!” It’s a great conversation starter, especially for a shy person like myself.”

Increased writing confidence

“Twitter is deepening my sense of self-confidence,” says Julie Isaac of WritingSpirit.com. “Even though I know I have gifts to share with others through my writing, having almost 4,300 followers is truly awe-inspiring. Constantly hearing how this writing tip helped one person, and that writing tip helped another, while being recommended and “retweeted,” often, as well as blogged about outside of Twitter, has strengthened my confidence in a way that I, as a fairly capable writer, have no words to express. I’m a different person. Twitter hasn’t just helped my writing grow, it’s helped me grow. I’m not the same shy and quiet woman I was when I first tiptoed onto Twitter. I know, now, how powerful and life-changing 140 characters can be.”

Writing practice

“Twitter keeps me focused. It keeps me writing a tidbit directly to the public every day, and it forces me to make what I say count,” says Dusty White, author of How to Get ANY MAN to do ANYTHING You Want! ” I feel like a solider in a war with 140 bullets. No matter how many shots are fired at me, I have to make mine count; not fill the airwaves with what I had for lunch, or when I am going to the bathroom.”

New business ventures

“I have made some fabulous connections on Twitter,” says freelance writer Teresa Hall. “In fact, I have started to completely new business adventures with two different Tweeple I met on Twitter. Both connect to my freelance writing, of course, but brand new ventures that I never would have been a part of without Twitter.”

Promoting freelance work

“I use Twitter more for finding news topics, connecting to people, and promotion, rather than finding freelance jobs,” says Nick Belardes. “There are so many fellow journalists and news sources on Twitter who found my twitter novel. I’ve done several interviews that I think have been really helpful in promoting me, which in turn helps promote my freelance work. Any press that we write or that we get for ourselves via social networking engines like Twitter helps our career.”

Connecting with readers

“Twitter has helped me carve out a niche audience that is truly invested in the work I do,” says Joe Bruzzese, author of the Parent’s Guide to the Middle School Years. “Many of the users have families with kids that are either in middle school or approaching the middle school years. Connecting with my target audience has also given me opportunities to speak at a host of schools and organizations.”

Increased blog readership

“I’ve increased hits to my blog, which in turn increases exposure to my work, which hopefully can translate into more work coming my way,” says part-time freelance writer Pj Perez. “I’ve also come across a new network of writers, social media “experts” and bloggers, people with whom I can both collaborate and cross-promote our wares.”

New writing opportunities

“It’s easy to find sources for stories by reading tweets,” says part-time freelance writer Jill Nussinow (The Veggie QueenTM!). “I’ve been invited to be a guest blogger and hope that will lead to future paying assignments.” And, full-time freelancer Thursday Bram adds, “I actually landed a blogging gig through Twitter – a friend announced he was looking for a blogger, I contacted him and shortly had a new gig! I’ve also found an absolute wealth of sources: a week doesn’t go by that I don’t post a question to Twitter, looking for someone I can quote.”

Writing motivation

“Tweets from fellow writers that say “Finished my query quota for the day!” serve as a great kick in the pants,” says freelance writer Ron Doyle. “Perhaps it’s my competitive side, but I feel more motivated to work when I realize others are doing the same.”

Links to great articles and blog posts

“Many of the people I ‘follow’ on Twitter are in the publishing and marketing/PR fields,” says April Hamilton, independent author of The IndieAuthor Guide. “Every day at least one of them posts a link to a great writing-, marketing- or publishing-related article or blog post, and there are frequent links to free resources and marketing opportunities for writers as well (i.e., notices about journalists looking to interview authors, free webinars, calls for conference presentations, etc.). Twitter also allows me to publicize my own activities when those activities may be of interest to my Twitter ‘followers’, but may not quite merit a press release (i.e., notifying people I’ve got a new blog post up).”

An essential marketing tool?

“I am both a writer and owner of an editorial consultancy company called BubbleCow,” says Gary Smailes. “As part of my day-to-day job I advise writers on ways in which they can promote themselves and their books. In the past few months I have begun to suggest that Twitter is an essential part of any marketing campaign.”

Have you found any benefits of Twitter, as a writer? I’ve found a drawback, which is that it can be a huge time drain – like anything, really. Watching TV, surfing the internet, eating Doritos, daydreaming of the day you can hire an assistant…