Since I forgot a few more things on my Twitter 101 post, here's the continuation of this so-called tutorial.
DM
It stands for Direct Message, which is kinda like an email and is PRIVATE. If you must absolutely talk to a friend about Mrs. Harrington's trip to the craft store and coming back with gallons of glitter, or how you saw her sparkle in the moonlight when she did her midnight dance, then use DM so Mrs. Harrington won't know it was you rustling the bushes in her backyard.
Instead of @, use D, like so:
D feralpony: I saw her bumpit moved!
RT
It stands for ReTweet. You're staring at your home feed, which shows you all the tweets of the people you're following. Staring, staring, and then you see something that catches your attention: Zombie bunnies on the loose! You just have to let your minions...er, followers know about this. So you hit the Retweet button and voila! All lovely 10 minions who follow you (including your mother) sees the Zombunny tweet and immediately take appropriate measures to protect themselves with poisoned carrots.
Or, if a tweet is newsworthy, info-savvy, just plain cool and funny, or RT-worthy, go ahead and retweet it. The tweep who wrote it will lavish you with their appreciation.
FAVORITES
Do you see that little star in there somewhere? Some apps show them and it stands for Favorite. This is a bit misleading. You're thinking, @Marewulf tweeted this awesome article and I've read it and it's so cool and funny I just have to make it a favorite. Actually, Favorite doesn't work as a "like" button, although you are certainly welcome to view it that way. Favorite acts more as a bookmark, or if you're in a hurry, saw the tweet and thought it looked interesting but didn't have time to open the link and read, you Favorite it so you can open it later and read at your own leisure.
#WW's and #FF's and #writers, oh my!
On certain days, you'll see a deluge of:
#WW these tweeps: @Green_Woman @RileyRedgate @AMSupinger @DawnGSparrow
Or maybe this:
#FF love to: @AngelaVCook @rookieriter @Sophieli @Carissa_Elg @TS_Welti
Don't be alarmed and think the Rapture is back again (not til October, I hear). These are #hashtags used to serve as shout-outs. #WW is Writers Wednesday. #FF is Follow Friday. In other circles, #WW can mean something else, say, Wine Wednesday for wine lovers, or something like that (I really wouldn't know). Since I keep within my writing circle, I'm only familiar with the hashtags that the writing and publishing world uses. Here's a few of them you may have seen already:
#writing
#amwriting
#amediting
#WIP
#writers
#pubtip
#writetip
#yalit
#kidlit
For more writerly hashtags, click here.
There are also scheduled chats with hashtags to keep track of all those who are participating in the chat:
#yalitchat
#kidlitchat
#litchat
and more.... Here's a handy spreadsheet with chats and their times listed on for your reference.
Hashtags also encourage creativity. Just ask the #queenofhashtags Michelle Simkins--she'll lead you in the right direction. ;)
Twitter is fun and less intimidating when you have friends to chat with. As always, when in public places, BE NICE, BE POLITE, and remember to HAVE FUN. ;)
17 comments:
I can't check my Twitter account very often and so when I do I usually feel as if I have come into the room in the middle of a conversation which is waaaaay over my head. If this post doesn't help me to get on top of Twitter I don't know what will. Thanks!
Great post! Wish I had seen something like this when I started twitter!
You are just a plethora of Twitter knowledge! :o) Love it! Definitly going to RT this ;o)
I'm always forgetting to use relevant hashtags. Thanks for the tutorial about the Favorites--I could really use that!
I'm so sad to see #wordmongering wasn't on any of these lists, it is such a great place for writers. I guess I'll just have to do a blog post about it...
Super helpful! Thanks! I was #FF'ed today and was wondering what that meant :)
That reminds me I need to go do FF right now!
You totally rock. I was just wondering where to find a handy list of those various writerly chats...and there it is!
Regarding your direct message to me above (which no one else noticed because it was private), I also saw the bumpit move! Which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is smuggling rodents.
You've done a great job of explaining this stuff, but I'm still not talked into twittering. I can barely find time to fit in everything else.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Hi everyone! Glad my tutorials are at least a bit helpful.
Angela, thanks for the RT. ;) You're a worthy minion, er, follower/friend/GWAR member.
Jenny Woolf, maybe I'll find you on Twitter then you'll be motivated to tweet more often ;D
Mandie, thanks!
Sarah, I use it all the time because I hardly have time to check all the good links I find.
Shelly, funny story: a friend thought WW stood for something bad, and so she asked me what it meant. After I told her, she said she was glad she didn't start cursing people for the #WW's they gave her. :D
Alex, happy #FF to you! :D
Arlee, thanks and you absolutely don't have to use Twitter if you don't want to. ;)
Phresh, yeah, Mrs. Harrington didn't see that message I sent you cause it's private. Here's another one:
D feralpony: I managed to snag a bumpit from her garbage bin. Will run lab tests on it ASAP. If you don't hear from me again, call 911.
She won't see that one either.
Jen, I've seen #wordmongering but didn't know what it was. That'll be awesome if you do a blogpost on it.
Weeee! I got two #FF's from Cherie today! I love your Twitter University. I've been using some of your tips already. I'm impatiently awaiting your Facebook fan page and your subsequent FB tips. :)
I'm new to the whole twitter thing and hoping to get the hang of it at some point, so this post was incredably helpful to me! Thank you!
Great round-up. What I really like about Twitter is the way the users create all these hashtags for themselves and their usage grows organically from there. It's chaotic but fun!
I just wanted to pop in and say all hail the #queenofhashtags!! haha
Great post. I'm still learning Twitter stuff too, but once I jumped in and tried it, it was a total blast.
I think I should be held up as an example of what NOT to do on Twitter, miss Cherie! Though I do have fun breaking all the rules . . .
LOL! This post ROX. Heehee. Loved seeing all of my twitter pals up there in the examples. I know famous people!! Cherie, this is a great informational tool. Thanks for the hard work, girl!
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