Pitching Your Book on Twitter Fests

What are Twitter pitch fests?

Twitter pitch fests are limited periods of time (usually one day) during which you can post a 280-character pitch for your book.

Agents are on the alert at these times, and they have the option of "liking" your pitch, and then asking for a full or partial.

If you have a completed, agent-ready manuscript, tweet your pitch! It can't do you any harm, and it doesn't preclude querying agents.

Believe it or not, pitch fests actually do work. Busy agents are often more likely to read and respond to an interesting twitter pitch than they are to a query. It takes less time and a lot less effort.

However, it will not take less effort on your part. Boiling your novel down to a short sentence is loaded with pitfalls. It's surprisingly easy to turn your exciting novel into a one-sentence summary that would bore an elephant to tears. So, I would suggest that you read What's Your Book About? How to Make a Pitch before attempting one of these contests.

A good Twitter pitches will make you want to go out and BUY the book, which is precisely what the pitch is intended for. Contrary to what you may think, a pitch is not really about the meaning, theme, or inherent quality of your book. It is a sales tool. So, think about what would make you want to read a book, and convey that in your pitch. (A hint: Pitches, like queries, follow the story arc of your main character.)

Here is a list of 2021 pitch fests. Like Twitter itself, pitch fests are constantly changing and evolving. There are probably a few that I've missed. And, some of these may vanish by next year, but that is the nature of publishing. It's a volatile industry.

_______________________________________

#PassOrPages Query Contest 

 

October 4 -8, 2021

Participating agents give brief feedback on a handful of entries, explaining why they're passing ... or requesting pages! The queries and accompanying feedback are posted on our blog anonymously, which helps querying authors get a peek into agents' minds as they go through their slush piles.

For each round of Pass or Pages, they will only accept entries from one specific genre/category, announced in the weeks leading up to the contest. This ensures that all entries are from a genre/category that our participating agents represent. When the submission window opens, you'll fill out a form on the blog with all the pertinent information (query and first 250 words for the agents).

__________________

#PitDark

May 19, 2022

#PitDark is the first and only Twitter pitch event to highlight literature of a “darker” nature. Importantly, this is not limited to horror works; however, any pitched manuscript must contain an element of horror or darker writing. Examples of such categories include pure horror novels, dark fantasy, murder mysteries, psychological horror stories, non-fiction works about darker subjects, etc. MG, YA, NA, and adult age categories are welcome.

____________________

#DVPit

August 1 -2, 2022  8AM - 8PM ET

This event is for un-agented, self-identifying historically marginalized authors & illustrators for children’s & teen fiction/nonfiction. Hosted and moderated by Beth Phelan.

____________________

#DVart

August 2, 2022: 8AM - 8PM ET 

This event is for un-agented, self-identifying historically marginalized authors & illustrators for adult fiction/nonfiction and for artists & illustrators. Hosted and moderated by Beth Phelan.

____________________

#PBpit

Hosted by Mandy Yates

October 22, 2022

For picture books only.

____________________

#MockPit

November 19, 2021

#MockPit is a Twitter event where writers can practice their Twitter pitches. Authors are invited to tweet the pitch for their manuscript and encouraged to give constructive feedback to other authors. #MockPit is not associated with any other Twitter pitch contests, but authors are welcome to practice pitches they intend to use for other events.

__________________

#IWSGPit

January 2023 - 8:00 am - 8:00 pm EST

Create a Twitter-length pitch for your completed and polished manuscript and leave room for genre, age, and the hashtag. On January 26, 2022, Tweet your pitch. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent check their submission guidelines and send your requested query. All genres.

__________________

#SFFpit

Hosted by Dan Koboldt

August 25, 2022

This contest is for completed, unpublished novels of fantasy or science fiction. Complete means that it’s proofed, polished, and ready for submission. Unpublished means you haven’t self-published it online, on Amazon, or in print. Fantasy or science fiction means speculative fiction: epic fantasy, urban fantasy, post-apocalyptic, space opera.

The contest will happen on Twitter under the hashtag #SFFpit. During a 10-hour window on the chosen day, authors with completed manuscripts who are seeking representation or publication can tweet a pitch for their books (at most, once per hour).

__________________

#PitchDis

Summer of 2023 (TBA)

#PitchDis was created to showcase pitches from the disabled community, which has been historically underrepresented in the publishing industry. The event is inspired by the Twitter pitch events #DVpit and #PitMad.

The first #PitchDis will take place on June 22, 2021 between 8am and 8pm EDT. During this time, unagented disabled authors may pitch their complete, polished fiction or nonfiction projects on Twitter. Agents and editors who are interested in seeing more will "like" the pitch. The author can then send the requested materials to the agent or editor.

The event is moderated by Despina Karras.

Pitch Wars 2015 is coming! Are you ready?

Sadly, #Pitmad has come to an end.

Brenda Drake hosts the popular Tweetfest, #PitchMAS. During #PitchMAS, writers tweet their pitches along with their category. Agents following the feed then contact the writers who grab their attention.

Pitch Wars is a preliminary event in which writers apply for critiques from mentors. Published and/or agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions to prepare it for agents.

The process is as follows: First, go to the wish lists of all mentors and make a list of those who represent your genre; on a second pass go back to the mentors on your list and select those who have an editing style that suits you; and on a third pass narrow that list to five. On August 17 send your application to those five. You only get one chance at finding a mentor (and all five may reject you), so read your prospective mentors' pages carefully.

Note: Brenda has opened the submission window early. It is now open, and will remain open until August 17 at 11:59 PM EDT. After you submit your information, the submission screen will re-appear. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen to see the notice that your submission has been received.

To submit, click HERE.

For all you YA fantasy writers out there, I have assembled a list of all the mentors seeking YA fantasy. (This will save you a little time.) You have to narrow your list down to five, so read these pages with an eagle eye for those you feel would be a good match for you. (For a full list of mentors go HERE.)

Mindy McGinnis (co-mentoring with Kate Karyus Quinn)

Jenni L. Walsh (co-mentoring with Trisha Leaver)

Sarah Glenn Marsh

Rosalyn Eves

Linsey Miller

Lisa Maxwell

Wendy Spinale

Sarah Cannon

L.L. McKinney

Elizabeth Briggs

Ron Walters (co-mentoring with Meredith McCardle)

S.M. Johnston (co-mentoring with Stacey Nash)

Laura Salters

Megan Grimit

Katie Bucklein

Brianna Shrum

Kim Graff

Stacey Trombley

Susan Gray Foster (co- mentoring with Monica Bustamante Wagner_

Sarah Nicolas

Renee Ahdieh (co-mentoring with Traci Chee)

Janet B. Taylor (co-mentoring with Kathryn Purdie & Shannon Parker

Jessie Humphries (co- mentoring with Mara Rae)

Erica M. Chapman

Summer Spence

This is an excellent opportunity to get a solid critique of your work. Good luck!
____________________

Pitch Wars 2015 is coming! Are you ready?

Posted By Brenda Drake on Jul 19, 2015

We’re so excited for Pitch Wars 2015! For those unfamiliar with Pitch Wars, it’s a contest where published/agented authors, editors, or interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer critiques on how to make the manuscript shine. The mentor also critiques his/her writer’s pitch to get it ready for the agent round. Those entering Pitch Wars submit applications (query plus first chapter of manuscript) to our mentors. The mentors then read all their applications and choose the writer they want to mentor for two months to get them ready for the agent round. Writers can pick up to four mentors to submit to. How will you decide what mentors to submit to?

Come back August 3 for our Mentor Wishlist Blog Hop. The mentors’ bios and wishlists will be posted to their blogs and linked from a post on my blog, and you can hop around and find the right matches for you. And visit the Twitter hashtag #PitchWars to get to know the mentors personally (virtually). The hop will go on until 8/17, which is submission day!!

This year, we won’t have alternates. Instead, I’ve added more mentors and there will be 92 mentee spots up for grabs. Applications will be sent through an easy submission form. The form will go live just after midnight (EDT – New York time) August 17 and remain open for 24 hours. What will you need to enter in the form? Your top four (max – you don’t have to pick 4, but you are limited to 4) mentors, your email address, title of the manuscript, category and genre, your query letter (sorry no personalized queries this year), and the first chapter of your completed manuscript (Word .doc or .docx format).  The sample chapter should be manuscript formatted pages (12pt, double-spaced). All of this will be fill-in-the-blank on the form.

Submission Guidelines:

• Only Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, or Adult manuscripts will be accepted.
• This is open to completed, full-length, fiction manuscripts only.
• You may only enter one manuscript.
• Only the genres requested by each mentor will be considered for the contest.
• Writers may only apply to 5 mentors max.
• Mentors will only consider the categories they’ve signed up for. (The mentors’ categories – MG, YA, NA, or Adult – are set.)
• Writers cannot apply for a mentor that is not in their category or the application will be deleted.
• No nonfiction, picture books, chapter books, or previously published works. (If you’re an unagented author and have self-published before, you may enter the contest with a never-before-published manuscript.)

WARNING: Just like an agent, mentors may request more pages or a synopsis of your manuscript to help them make their final decision, so get them ready! Mentors may also pass your application on to another mentor they feel would be a better match. If a mentor you didn’t apply to picks you invites you to be his/her mentee, you have the right to pass on said invite.

Please note: Being kind to one another is mandatory in this contest. Should I find someone isn’t being kind and respecting others, I will remove you from the contest. Also, if you are difficult with your mentor or if you aren’t working well as a team or if you don’t take any of your mentor’s advice, your mentor will have the option to opt out of being your mentor. Remember your mentor has other obligations like deadlines, book promotions, and family life, please be mindful of their time. They are only required to read your manuscript once and give an edit letter. They aren’t required to do line edits. Our mentors are very generous with their time, so please be patient. We’ve had close to forty successes from last year’s Pitch Wars and it’s because of our mentors and the care they take with their mentees that it’s been such a great success.

If you were a mentee in Pitch Wars 2014 you may not enter Pitch Wars 2015. If you were a mentee in 2012-2013, you may enter with a new manuscript. If you were an alternate in any of the previous Pitch Wars, you may enter the same or a new manuscript for Pitch Wars 2015.

!!!! If you make it into Pitch Wars, you may not enter any contests or query during the mentoring period and until after the agent round, which is November 3-5. If you are currently in a contest (such as Pitch to Publish running at the same time as Pitch Wars), you may not enter Pitch Wars. When in doubt, ask.

For those who do not make it into Pitch Wars (and those who want to join in), we’ll hold a Twitter Pitch Party on #PitMad September 10 from 8AM to 8PM EST. If you make it into Pitch Wars, you may not pitch in #PitMad.

There will be an “Ask the Mentors” event on the Twitter hashtag, #AskMentor and on #PitchWars, on August 10 from 12:01AM to 11:59PM EDT. Stop by and ask mentors questions as you see them join the hashtag.

Some our Pitch Wars mentors will be chatting live with the Whiskey, Wine, & Writing gang at 8PM EDT. Make sure to watch and get to know the mentors. Here’s the schedule:

• August 4 and 11: Middle Grade mentors - Read about them HERE.
• August 5 and 12: Young Adult mentors - Read about them HERE.
• August 6: New Adult mentors (Mentors who are mentoring either YA/NA or NA/A)
• August 7: Adult mentors

For a full list of mentors go HERE.

Meet the agents HERE.

For the contest schedule go here.

For the submission form go here.

We look forward to seeing you August 3!

10 Ways to Find Your Ideal Audience on Twitter (For Writers)

Updated 11/18/24

Have you been approached by services that offer you 10,000, 20,000 30,000 !!! Twitter followers for a nominal fee?

Don't do it.

Tens of thousands of followers might look good on your home page, but if those followers aren't reading your tweets, looking at your blog posts, and buying your books, they are just meaningless numbers. What you want is real followers, people who are interested in what you have to say, and in what you have written.

How do you get genuine followers?

First you have to find your ideal audience. There are several ways to go about this using three essential tools: Followers, Twitter Lists, and Hashtags.

1) Make a list of successful authors who are similar to you. Look at their "followers" list, and follow accounts that are active. (It helps if they have a significant number of followers. Avoid accounts that look like spam, or that don't appear relevant.) This may take a little time, because you will have to look at their accounts and see when they last tweeted. (Ideally they should be tweeting at least five times a week.) There is no point following people who don't tweet, because they will not tweet about you. It seems selfish, but the best use of Twitter is not what you tweet, but how many people are willing to re-tweet or like your tweets. That's called marketing.

2) Reviewers are your audience, too. To find book reviewers, do a search on #review plus your genre. Ex: "#fantasyreview, or #review #fantasy." This will produce a list of recent reviews. Click on the account and if the reviewer has tweeted consistently about reviews/books, follow and add them to your list of reviewers. (Note: If you search "reviewer" instead of "review" a list of promotion companies will pop up.) You can also look at the followers on popular review sites.

3) Don't follow blind. Before you follow people, read their recent tweets. If you are interested in their tweets, chances are they will be interested in yours.

4) Look at the Twitter lists of authors in your genre, as well as businesses that promote books, publicists, agents who represent your genre. Do they keep a list of publicists, promotion sites, reviewers? If an author who writes in your genre keeps a list of reviewers, odds are they will be interested in your book. (And be sure to keep your own lists.)

5) Expand your scope beyond writers. For example, if you write children's books, tweet about parenting, education, and other topics that interest people who are raising kids. Be engaged with the world.

6) Express yourself. If you feel strongly about something, don't be afraid to have an opinion. You want followers who believe in what you are willing to stand up for. Writers are leaders.

7) Tweet several times a day on different topics. Vary your tweets to include some with images, some that are an image only, some that are a comment, some that include a link, and some personal news (your upcoming release, a new project you are working on, etc.) Check to see which tweets get the most responses on Twitter analytics. The tweets that are the most popular are an indication of what your audience likes to hear.

8) Use hashtags in your tweets. People who are on the lookout for topics, genres, free books on Kindle, and news events will search for them using hashtags. (If you aren't using hashtags, your tweet will get lost.) You can use those hashtags to find people who tweet on specific topics. Check out their home page, and if you like what they tweet, follow.

9) Don't be afraid to use Twitter to communicate with people - even if they are not your followers. I find that people who mention me get my attention. Whether they are commenting on one of my tweets or offering something, I almost always respond, either by tweeting back, or by checking out the link they've sent me. Literary agents also respond to tweets. To get the attention of readers and reviewers there is no better tool than communication via Twitter. (Don't DM - direct message. People resent DMs. Just mention them via their handle @)

10) Make sure your bio includes the information that is relevant to potential followers. For example, if you write sci-fi, include your genre so that sci-fi readers can find you.  Don't include the fact that you have three kids, unless you specifically want Moms to follow you. Include what you tweet about and a personal closer that will get attention (e.g. something witty, funny, cute, dark - anything with a punch). Ex: "Author of scifi novels & short stories. Tweets about astronomy & Indie publishing. Building a time machine in my basement on weekends." On your profile, always include where you live, your website URL, and a head shot. (No eggs!)

Finding your ideal audience will take time and patience, but if you devote 15 minutes a day you can build a significant following within a few weeks. Two thousand active and engaged followers are worth more than 10,000 followers who exist in name only.

Related posts:

253 Hashtags for Writers

Platform, Shmatform: Social Media - How Numbers Lie

Twitter: How to Build a Following - for Writers

253 Hashtags for Writers

Updated 11/11/24

If you are on Twitter and aren't using hashtags, you are wasting a great resource.

Hashtags (#) are a way of grouping posts on similar topics. They can be used to track trends and topical news, such as the hilarious #myozobituary posts that abounded after a national Australian newspaper opened their obituary of famed author and neurophysiologist Colleen McCullough with the words: "Plain of face and certainly overweight, she was nevertheless of woman of wit and warmth." (If you can't see anything wrong with this description of the person who wrote The Thorn Birds - and 23 other novels - then I suggest you search twitter for #everydaysexism.)

Hashtags can also be used to search for specific information and topics, which brings me to why you need to employ hashtags that are already in use. If you want to reach a broad audience, you really don't want to make up a hashtag. (I confess to having done that. Apparently, #voodoomedicine is some kind of rock group.)

Utilizing hashtags that already have a following means you have a built-in set of people looking for you. And, with the millions of people tweeting day and night, it is better to have people actually seeking your posts, than to hope that they will somehow find you in the din.

That being said, there are some rules you should follow for using hashtags:

• Don't use more than three hashtags per tweet. 
• Don't #hashtag #several #words in a row in the body of your tweet. 
• Do not simply tweet invitations to read your book over and over again. You're a writer! Tweet something that is fun, interesting, informative, controversial, creative, and above all cool. 
• Before you use a hashtag, search Twitter to make sure it is appropriate for your tweet. 

Here are some useful articles on hashtags for writers:

44 Essential Twitter Hashtags Every Author Should Know

The 12 Best Hashtags for Writers

Also see: Pitching Your Book on Twitter Fests for a list of hashtags for twitter pitch fests

__________________________________________

Bloggers

#MondayBlogs Tweet your blog posts on Mondays only. Bloggers will retweet.

Indie Promotion

#IARTG - Indie Author Retweet Group: Simply follow to join, then add #IARTG in any tweet you want us to re-tweet. :) #RT #indie #author #retweet #group @retweet_groups

#IFNRTG - ReTweets for Fantasy Indie Authors via #IFNRTG @IFNRTG and Book Promos via #Books & More! Blog.BerniceFischer.com

#IAN or #IAN1 (Independent Author Networking)

#Indie

#IndieAuthor

#IndiePub (or #IndiePublishing)

#Indiepubchat

#BYNR - Book Your Next Read. "Avid-Reader and keen supporter of Indie-Authors. Here to spread the good word about great Books. Please include the hashtag #BYNR We #followback & #RT." 

#TuesdayBookBlog - blog posts about books and writers.

Writing and Connecting With Other Authors

#140Poem

#1K1H or #1K1HR  (write one thousand words in one hour)
#1LineWednesday - Share the best line from one of your books on Wednesdays

#amediting - posts from people who are editing

#amwriting - posts from people who are writing (optional - add genre, ex. #amwritingya, #amwritingscifi, etc.)
#amquerying - posts from people who are querying agents

#AmRevising - posts from people who are revising

#AuthorLife – writers sharing random stuff
#callforsubmissions - journals and other venues seeking submissions

#CopyWriting – advice about copywriting
#cpmatch – used by writers looking for a critique partner (or beta reader)

#EditGoal

#Editing

#IndieAuthors

#nanowrimo - national novel writing month
#submissions - like #callforsubmissions

#WordCount

#wip - work in progress

#WriteGoodNews

#Writer

#Writers

#WritersBlock

#WriteChat – all sorts of advice and information

#WriteGoal

#WriterWednesday (or #WW or ##WW) – a way to give a shout-out to writers / suggest authors to follow, or to share writing tips, and anything else to do with writers or writing

#Writing

#WriteMotivation

#WriteTip - writing advice

#WritersLife

#WritersRoad

#WritingBlitz

#WritingParty

#WritingPrompt

#WritingSprint

#WritingTip - writing advice

#wordcount

#WroteToday
#writingcommunity
#writerslift

 ____________________

Marketing

Tip: search on "book reviewers" plus your genre to find accounts of book bloggers.

#author - good for self-promotion

#authors - also good for self-promotion

#bookmarketing - posts related to marketing books

#bookworm - for reviews

#editing

#emergingauthors

#fictionfriday

#fridayflash - flash fiction on Friday. Writers write/post flash fiction. Readers comment and RT.

#followfriday or #ff - used on Friday to suggest people to follow to your followers. (Don’t just tweet handles, tell them why they should follow.)

#novels

#novelists

#poem

#poet

#poets
#twitterfiction - where you can tweet your latest story 

____________________

Publishing Industry

#AskAgent

#AskAuthor

#AskEditor

#BookMarketing

#EBooks or #ebook

#ePub

#ePublishing

#GetPublished

#HowTo

#IAN or #IAN1 (Independent Author Networking)

#Indie

#IndieAuthor

#IndiePub (or #IndiePublishing)
#MSWL - manuscript wish list. This is where agents post what they are looking for.

#PromoTip

#Publishing

#Pubtip

#PubWrite

#querytip

#SelfPub

#SelfPublishing

#tenqueries – agents share the reasons why they do or do not request manuscripts

#VSS (very short story)

#WebFic

#WebLit

#WriteTip
#WLCAuthor -The World Literary Café is a promotional website for authors. Similar to the Independent Author Network (#IAN), Indie authors who join these organizations help each other in their promotions.

____________________

Chats (chats can be scheduled or ongoing)

#kidlitchat: Craft & business of writing for young people, board books up through YA. Topic or topics announced at the beginning of the chat. Moderators: @gregpincus

Tuesdays: PST: 6 pm MST: 7 pm CST: 8 pm EST: 9 pm.

#writermoms - Women who write (and have children) can find other like-minded women through this ongoing chat.

#fantasychat - Weekly chats for writers of fantasy. Tuesday 8 - 9PM ET. @marilynmuniz @fantasy_chat

#IBCchat - Indie Author Book Chat. Tuesday 4:30 - 5:30 PM CT. @WritingNoDrama @IndieBookIBC @RachelintheOC @kaitnolan

#kidlitart - Weekly chat for illustrators, pb authors & author/illustrators. Topics announced in advance via @kidlitart. Thursday 9:00 - 10:00 PM ET. @BonnieAdamson @lyonmartin

#StoryDam - Friendly writing community. We chat about all things to do with writing & self publishing Hosted by @MDragonwillow @riverand @mentalmosaic @BookSquirt @plynne_author. @Storydam Thursday, 8:00 - 9:00 PM ET. storydam.com

#indiechat - every Tuesday at 9PM EST

#MemoirChat (every other Wednesday at 8 pm ET)

#PBLitChat (picture books only)

#PoetTues

#journchat

#kidlitchat

#litchat

#scifichat

#scribechat

#storycraft - Sunday 10:00 - 11:00 AM CT. @darcyconroy @story_cra

#writechat

#PoetTues

#ScriptChat
#TVWriterChat - Sunday, 8:30 - 9:30 PM CT

#UFChat - Discussion for urban fantasy writers and readers. More info on #UFChat blog. @inkgypsy  @snowppl.  Saturday, 6:00 - 7:00 PM CT

#wclw - The WordCount Last Wednesday writer chat covers freelancing, blogging and writing basics. As the name implies, it takes place the last Wednesday of every month. @michellerafter Wednesday, 10:00 - 11:00 AM PT michellerafter.com

#WritersMovement - An online community where writers and aspiring authors meet for chat, exchange of knowledge and ideas, and promotion. @authortiffanie @maddwriter Saturday, 5:00 - 6:00 PM CT

#WriterWednesday (or #WW or ##WW)

#yalitchat young adult literature chat

#BBchat  - BookBaby chat

#ZineChat

____________________

Connect By Book Genre

#Biopic

#Book

#Comedy

#Cookbooks

#Cooking

#Crime

#DarkFantasy

#Dystopian

#Erotica

#KidLitChat

#FanFic

#Fiction

#FlashFic

#Food

#Historical

#History

#HistFic

#HistNovel

#Horror

#KidLit

#Literature

#LitFic

#MGLit (Middle Grade Lit)

#MemoirChat

#Mystery

#NonFiction

#Novel

#Paperbacks

#Paranormal

#poetry

#Recipes

#RomanceWriter

#Romance

#Romantic

#RomanticSuspense

#RWA (Romance Writers of America)

#SCBWI (Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators)

#Science #Fiction

#ScienceFiction

#SciFi

#SciFiChat

#Short

#ShortStories

#Short #Stories

#ShortReads

#ShortStory

#SteamPunk

#Suspense

#TrueStories

#UrbanFantasy

#WomensFiction

#YA

 ____________________

Promotion and Connecting With Readers

#99c - use this if you are selling your book for 99 cents

#99cents - use this if you are selling your book for 99 cents

#Amazon
#AmazonCart - each time your readers include #AmazonCart in a tweet, Amazon will know to add the items with the corresponding Amazon link to your readers’ shopping carts.

#AmazonKindle

#AmazonLikes

#AmazonPrime

#AmReading

#AuthorRT

#BestRead
#bibliophile - If you’re looking for a reader for your books, add this hashtag
#BookBoost

#BookBuzz

#BookBuzzr

#BookGiveaway
#bookmarket

#BookMarketing
#BookPlugs  - 1000s of Authors Offering Tiny Writing Blurbs. It's like wine sampling but with books. Authors add #bookplugs to your promos. Prefer the author's own work.

#BookReview

#Books

#BookWorm

#Borrow

#eBook

#eReaders

#followfriday or #ff - used on a Friday to suggest people to follow to your followers. (Don’t just tweet handles, tell them why.)

#fRead0 (that’s a zero at the end – not a lower case oh)

#Free

#Freebie

#FreeBook

#FreeDownload

#FictionFriday

#FictionFridays

#FridayFlash

#FridayReads or #FridayRead- tell people what you’re reading

#FollowFriday

#FreebieFriday

#FreeReads
#Goodread

#GoodReads
#GooglePlay

#GreatRead

#IndieThursday

#IndieTuesday

#iPad
#iTunes

#KDP

#KDPSelect

#Kindle

#KindleBargain

#KindleBooks

#KindleeBooks

#KindleFire

#KindleTouch

#KindleTweet

#Kobo

#LendingLibrary

#LitChat

#MustRead

#MyWANA (Writer’s community created by Kirsten Lamb)

#New

#Nook

#Novel

#Novelines

#Novelists

#Novels

#Paperbacks
#PDF1 - PAID FORWARD – A RTing tag for Books/Authors/Writers/Publishers/Agents This tag was created by Van Heerling and his Pay It Forward Team.

#Poetry

#PoetryMonth

#Pubit

#Read

#Reader If you’re looking for a reader for your books, add this hashtag

#Readers

#Reading

#Reviews

#SampleSunday

#ShortReads

#Smashwords

#Sony

#Special

#StoryFriday

#StoryTelling

#TeaserTuesday or #TeaserTues
#GreatReads
#WhatToRead

#WriteQuote

#WeekendReader

#whattoread

Twitter: How to Build a Following - for Writers

The first person to suggest that I use Twitter was my 82-year-old mother.

"No, I most certainly will not tweet," I told her.

As much as I hate to admit it, my mother was right. I now tweet with gusto, and not only is it fun, it's effective - perhaps more effective than emails, Facebook, or any of the forums I used to frequent.

The reason for Twitter's effectiveness - and popularity - is obvious: tweets are short.

As our schedules get busier and busier, it's easier to deal with 140 characters than it is to read an email. (If an agent you are interested in approaching has a Twitter account, by all means, follow.)

It's also incredibly easy to get the word out on your promotions, blog posts, giveaways, and anything else writing-related via tweets.

As a case in point, visitors to this blog have increased dramatically since I started actively building a following. Now, a substantial number of visitors arrive via tweets.

So, read Joel Friedlander's article below. The man knows what he is talking about.
_____________________________________

How to Build an Awesome and Relevant Twitter Following in 6 Minutes a Day

By Joel Friedlander, The Book Designer

If you’re like lots of other authors, you might feel a bit conflicted about Twitter. On one hand, you know that Twitter has become something more than just another social media network. It has started to function as the information network of choice for millions of people around the world.

These days, you even see Twitter feeds on television, and journalists, politicians, and celebrities make use of Twitter’s ability to communicate quite a lot in just 140 characters.

You know it’s a great place to interact with readers and colleagues. And with more and more people joining Twitter every day, you also know it’s a great place to promote your book, your blog and your other activities.

Right now, as Twitter gets ready to “go public” we know that they report over 218 million active monthly users, and that Twitter grew almost 48% in the year between March 2012 and March 2013. This trend shows no signs of slowing down.

On the other hand, Twitter can seem both cryptic and confusing when you first get started.

For one thing, there are lots of people just like you who already seem to have hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of followers. How will you ever catch up?

Read the rest of this informative article HERE.