Fun & Games for Writers on Twitter

Ok, so I’m writing a lot about Twitter, but it’s only because (WOW) I can’t believe I’ve missed out for this long. Twitter is a writer’s paradise! I think it’s like chocolate for the writer’s soul – give ’em 140 characters and a slew of words and let them go.

When done right, it can be a great way to build a community, spark writing prompts and challenge yourself to grow as an author. It’s also an amazing source for literary news, agency updates, and fun games with other writers.

I would suggest following:

1. Publishing Companies – I’ve seen open submission announcements for queries and job postings.
2. Literary Agencies and Agents – This is a great way to learn about internships, agent’s wishlists, and requests for submissions.
3. Your Favorite Authors, or Others in Your Genre – Some of these guys are AMAZING! Watch what they’re doing as far as marketing, freebie giveaways, and personal announcements. Copy, Copy, Copy…they’re getting it done.
4. A Random Assortment of Other People – Their posts might not always be relevant, but pictures of puppies, foreign sunsets and random news announcements can spark some interesting writing prompts.

Now for my next favorite thing . . . the hashtag games! I’m going to be honest. I had no idea what to do when I first signed up for Twitter. I’ve spent months just trying to figure it out. However, now I’ve got this in the bag (thanks to other people’s blogs, of course).

There doesn’t appear to be an actual way to follow or save Hashtags, so you need to check on them manually using the search icon (or download an app that can do that for you.)

Here are a few fun options for games you can play:

1. #VSS365 – Write a Very Short Story 365 Days of the Year (It’s also called Flash Fiction)  There is a daily word that is posted. Players write a short story (tag your word in the story) and then end with the #VSS365 tag. Enjoy the fun, warm up your brain, take a bow! This is a wonderful blog with more details — HERE
2. #WIPTruth – A Monthly calendar of truth or dare questions for analyzing your Work In Progress each day.
3. #WIPJoy – Share your Work In Progress with other writers throughout the month with scheduled daily questions. Give your WIP a little daily love!
4. #SlapDashSat – Hosted by @Madd_Fictional. This is no holds barred writing to fill your Saturday.
5. Here are some more Saturday hashtags to check out – more info if you search @writevents page (or follow them) for themes and details: 
6. #BookishWish – Gift and Recieve wishlist books from other people who love reading just as much as you! More details — HERE
7. #7amWritersClub – 7am EST, Follow @margarchivist for more info or check out her pinned Tweet. A once a week online gathering of #writers discussing their work.
8. #coffeecultwriters – this is like the WritersClub, but for coffee lovers!
9. #WQOTD – “Writing Question of the Day” Questions are tagged and formed by assorted members of the writer’s community. Ask a question of your own or answer a peer’s question. It’s a fun way to meet other writers. Just search the tag to find the current/top tweets.
10. Follow – @HashtagRoundup for more Twitter games and info on apps that will help you track Hashtag Games.

I’m UPDATING this post with a few more hashtags you can check out.

GAMES/WRITING PROMPTS:

#1LineWed, #wawwed, #TalesNoir, #WordWhim, #ProtagProverbs, #WippetWednesday, #WIPitWed, and #WeirdWriters – @writeevent will often have the daily prompts for these hashtags.

Frequently used writing hashtags:

#1K1H, #AmWriting, #AmEditing, #AmQuerying, #CopyWriting, #Editing, #IndieAuthor, #Writer, #StoryStarter, #WIP, WordAThon, #WordCount, #WriteChat, #WriteGoal, #WriteMotivation, #WriteTip, #WritersLife, #WritersCommunity

Honestly, this just scratches the surface, but these are the ones I’ve been following and playing with this week. Feel free to comment with your favorite parts about Twitter so others can check them out, too.

Now, go get busy writing!