A Novel Use of Twitter
People use Twitter in so many ways. It’s a chat client, it’s a research tool, it’s a place for breaking news, it’s a way to let the world how you feel. I’m not even going to attempt to list all the uses here. This post is J U S T for those who read and write novels. Are you one?
If so, perhaps you too have got a literary pearl in the workings… But just like me… you can’t get started. The days fly away before you can catch the pen, coloured with work, work, work, drinks at the pub, friends, parties, dogs in the park, laundry, dishes … no time to write. We tell ourselves we’re very, very busy.
This is how the world have missed out on the most wonderful stories.
But not anymore! We’ve got Twitter. Twitter is for the aspiring writer what the dumbbells are for the stud in the gym. 140 characters a day, 365 days a year makes a story of 51100 characters. For the writer, this is an exercise in constraint and eloquence, for the reader, this becomes the stories we’ve missed out on so far.
You know you can do it..140 char every day. It’s good for you. Post your story to #140novel. Or read mine:)
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About the author
Honed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Elin's skills encompass interaction design, information architecture and content. She is from somewhere very cold.
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Comments (6)
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Responses (0)
You’re a genius.
Lisa Groom Firke
February 10, 2009
at 3:13 pm
Why, thank you:) Can you believe my work mates think your comment is spam? No more gummi bears for them!
Elin
February 10, 2009
at 3:30 pm
An excellent post Elin. I never knew exactly what to “do” with twitter (i’m not a social networking kind of guy), so I began experimenting with it as a medium for literary writing. It’s turning–almost by itself–into a novel. I’m up to 12,000 words after 2 months and am starting to get some press.
Check it out here if you’d like: @dahveed_miller
thanks again for the the great post and encouraging writers in general.
david
david miller
February 23, 2009
at 5:48 am
or look at this one @dailylark: who’s aim is “An exaltation of larks: collective terms, tweeted daily.”
CaricatureKing
March 11, 2009
at 3:09 am
You might also follow fellow new-media success story Narrative magazine (www.narrativemagazine.com), whose published work I love, and who publishes tons of new voices on their free, online site.
Elly
June 25, 2009
at 9:44 pm
140 characters doesn’t sound much. But then you realise that every single one counts and it actually takes ages to craft those 2(three score years and ten).
whodunit140
November 22, 2009
at 10:22 pm