08 May How Twitter Can Make You a Better Writer
Creative writing has made me a better copywriter, and copy writing has made me a better creative writer. You might be asking, “what’s the difference?” and believe me, there are plenty of similarities, as both require creativity— but they are very different beasts altogether. Nonetheless, the skills you use to be creative and the ones you use in order to effectively communicate ideas often go hand-in-hand, and there are ways to develop both at the same time.
One social media tool that has taught me about writing more than others is Twitter. Twitter is a great resource for writers as far as finding content is concerned, but it can also be a wonderful way to hone your craft and creativity. Here are some of the ways you can use Twitter to become a better writer.
Word Choice
When you’re limited to 140 characters, you have no other choice but to be brief. Therefore, word choice is an absolute necessity. Choosing shorter, more powerful words similar to their lengthy comrades can make you think more strategically about why you use the words you use.
Simplicity
By being forced into concision, a writer must remove colloquial verbiage in favor of the bare essentials. For instance, if one were so inclined to Tweet about his trip to the store, rather than write “I decided I would walk down to the store this morning,” he should write, “I walked to the store.” (Now, to be fair, one would likely Tweet this: “Going to store. Milk?” with a Twitpic of the sidewalk.) Concision is a paramount skill in all styles of writing, so Twitter is a powerful aid in helping you practice.
Audience
Knowing to whom you are writing is a valuable skill in creative writing. Knowing your audience is also crucial when it comes to copy writing. Sometimes it takes putting on a different “voice” than your own in order to reach the people you want to reach. With Twitter, you might have thousands of people listening to everything you say, but that doesn’t mean you have to shout into the microphone. Twitter can teach you to speak more clearly and more conversationally in your writing, as if you were speaking to one person rather than a thousand.
Adding Value
I know plenty of people who Tweet their every last move. While this is one of the many uses of the service, I prefer not to go too far into the nitty-gritty details of my life. (What if someone wants to kidnap me?!?) When I blog or write, I ask myself the question “what value am I providing?” I choose not to follow people who I feel don’t add any value to me. Perhaps that’s an egotistical way of thinking, but then again, I think you can find value in minutiae; you just have to consider the minor rewards.
Inspiration
I might seem like a cynic, but deep down, I honestly love people. I get a lot of inspiration for my writing by reading the works of others, and Twitter is another great way to explore what other people are saying, and how masterfully people can use language and words. There are plenty of great authors on Twitter, so having access to their brains makes inspiration that much easier to find.
Whether you are a professional writer or someone who is interested in becoming a better creative writer, Twitter— among other social media tools— can be a powerful way to become better at a craft we should all take seriously. @jsgriffin
(photo via: tosaytheleast on FlickrCC)
