Today is #WriterWednesday and also the second anniversary of #amwriting – which has got me thinking about hashtags. There are now many Twitter hashtags out there that are useful to help writers promote their work, connect with other writers, and – well – write. How do you use them, and which should you use?
If you’re not yet familiar with hashtags, they are simply words or phrases used in tweets with the # symbol in front of them. Make sure you don’t use any spaces or punctuation, and they become links in Twitter that, when clicked, reveal a timeline of everyone whose tweets contain that hashtag. To make the most of your hashtags, include a relevant weblink where appropriate and where space permits.
Here are my top 10 hashtags for writers, with suggestions for how to use them – and a recent example of each plucked from the Twittersphere. Click on a few of them to get a feel for hashtags and how you might use them – and do share any others you’ve found useful in the comments below.
1. #amwriting
Writing can be a solitary experience, and Twitter is a great way of connecting with other writers. It’s like a virtual watercooler. #amwriting is a hashtag started by Johanna Harness as a way of supporting writers and fostering a sense of community. It even has its own website at amwriting.org. Use it to tell us what you’re working on, support and learn from others, and share your experience.
2. #amediting
If you’re at the editing stage, let people know and ask for any advice you need.
3. #WriterWednesday
#WriterWednesday or #ww was originally intended as a way to give shout-out to writers / suggest authors to follow, or to share writing tips. In practice, it also covers pretty much anything else to do with writers or writing too.
4. #writetip
While #WriterWednesday is sometimes used to share writing tips as well as give shoutouts to writers, if you specifically want to share or find writing tips, use #writetip.
5. #wordcount
For some people, regularly sharing your word count in public can be a great way to stay focused. Use it to share your successes (and failures!) and motivate yourself and other writers.
6. #followfriday
#followfriday or #ff is one of the most popular hashtags on Twitter, used on a Friday to suggest people to follow to your followers. Ideally, don’t just include a list of @usernames – tell us why we should follow the person or people you suggest. You can do them one at a time, or include a list of people grouped together by topic or reason.
#ff can help raise your profile too, if people return the favour, or at least thank you in public. This isn’t why you should do it – but it’s an added bonus if it happens.
7. #fridayreads
Another thing you can do on a Friday is tell us what you’re reading. This can be a good way of name-checking other authors your admire – or even promoting yourself if you can persuade your friends to include you in their #fridayreads!
Ideally, include the Twitter @username of the author and official hashtag for the book if either exist; and a link to the book on Amazon. If you have an Amazon Associates account, you might even earn a few dollars (pounds, euros etc.) if people buy your Friday Read on your recommendation.
And if someone else gives a shoutout to one of your books – whether one that you’ve written, or one that you’ve published – retweet it on your own Twitter account, and add it to your ‘Favorite’ tweets.
8. #writingprompts
Use #writingprompts as a way of engaging with other writers by suggesting a trigger for a story; or to look for writing inspiration yourself. Sarah Salway starts her Twitter day with a writing prompt, for example. Also check #writingprompt (no ‘s’), since this is used too; and maybe throw in an #amwriting for good measure! You’ll notice that many of the hashtags in this list are combined where appropriate.
9. #bookgiveaway
Running a book giveaway on Twitter? Use #bookgiveaway to help people discover it.
10. #askagent
You know that you should never pitch to an agent on Twitter, right? They really don’t like it. However, you should follow them, and many are prepared to give advice on Twitter. #askagent is the hashtag to use, which some agents will seek out to answer your questions. #askpub and #askeditor are variations to ask questions of publishers and editors.
Let us know which other hashtags you find useful – and find more practical Twitter tips in The Publishing Talk Guide to Twitter.
Hey cool. I was trying to figure out what #WW and #ff are, so thank you very much.
Let’s now see if I can make use of them in a Twitter-friendly, and helpful way.
Thanks for this great round up of hashtags! I use some of them regularly, and misuse one of them regularly, lol, and I didn’t know about a few of them. Like #bookgiveaway! I give books away every month, so I’ll definitely tag that now.
Thanks much. Very useful to any writer and especially to mkamysterylady.com #writer #mystery #Nook #mysterywriter #ebooks
Thanks John. I only recently became active on Twitter. I was seeing a couple of those hashtags all the time and didn’t realize the significance of them until I read this.
Another hashtag you might consider adding is #selfpub for “self-publishing” although I’m not sure if there are more popular tags for that topic?
All the best, Gary
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Things are definitely clearer now and I can get more out of using twitter. Thanks!
try
#litchat
#scifichat
#yalitchat
You forgot to mention that #FF has a website followfriday.com that tracks the hashtag. But PLEASE don’t recommend more than 50 people. You eliminate yourself from the tracking AND your recommendations don’t count towards the tracking of those you recommend.
If you want more Twitter tips: http://rebeccatlittle.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-ive-learned-about-twitter.html
Rebecca
#samplesunday is a good one too. Link to where there is an excerpt of your writing for people to read.
Thanks for sharing this.
Gotta love HTML. All the *examples* in this piece have live links in them. Very cool.
I Follow you on Twitter now. Or should I wait until Friday? ;-D
Thanks for this list. I have found #NaNoWriMo and #CampNaNoWriMo of use when they are on!
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wow – thank you so much for this. I’ve been asking questions and trying to figure it out – but this was a really clear, concise explanation. MUCH appreciated.
what a great way to learn,highly appreciated. would make twitting easy.
THANKS! Loved this , so useful and informative.
This is really useful. I am fairly new to twitter and this will help no end in trying to establish links with other writers.
You have helped to de-mystify the hashtags and given me some useful pointers – many thanks!
Yes, very helpful. I especially love #amreading and #amwriting. I have to say, though, that #ff is one of the most annoying and misused “features” of Twitter. Most people just throw out lists of people with no explanation of who they are or why anyone should follow them. It makes me want to say, “Just because someone follows you doesn’t mean I need to follow them, so stop cluttering my feed!”
More: #engchat #followreader #journchat #langchat #scriptchat #yalitchat #storyappchat #wjchat (web journalists) #pubmedia (public media)
For fun: #booksmissingaletter For example: No Country for Old Me (ex-pat senior, looking for place to retire?)
This is a great resource for writers who are new to twitter. As one of those new writers, I thank you.
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Fabulous to see #amwriting right at the top. It is such an amazing community built by the tireless work of Johanna Harness.
Aww, now I know some writing hashtags.
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As a writer/new Twitterer this is extremely useful, thank you
Much needed info! Thank you very much.
Some great advice. Many thanks.
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Great list.
Thanks for the write-up.
I thought accountants were the only ones who use #WIP. Work-in-progress. I see it all the time in writers’s tweets.
James Piper
Novelist
Twitter: @JamesPiperCA
Thanks for the list. Regarding #FridayReads, don’t just think Amazon. There are many other places that sell books. Link to an independent bookstore, the publisher, B&N, Kobo, Sony, etc. Amazon is just one retailer and others need support too.
Agreed! Let’s support those independent bookstores. Great list of # for writers–thanks.
Great info! So nice to keep in touch with other authors during this solitary pursuit.
Every other Thursday at 9 PM Eastern Time, we host a #bookcountry chat, which usually consists of one big name writer and one publishing professional discussing one writer-focused topic, and answering questions. Usually by the end of the chat, we have several other publishing professionals in there taking questions on the topic as well. About a week later, we post the chat transcript for the people who missed it.
The next one we have coming up is Thursday, August 25th, at 9 PM EDT. Our guests are @LawrenceBlock (who needs no introduction!) and book PR professional @erinfaye (part of the team behind #fridayreads!). The topic is “connecting with readers”.
Here’s a link a transcripts of one of our previous chats.
Cheers!
Colleen Lindsay
Every Thursday from 4PM to 5PM EDST there’s a chat about book marketing that uses the hashtag #bookmarket. Here are some details about a recent one:
http://nospinpr.posterous.com/bookmarket-twitter-chat
Please note that it is a non-promotional chat and the hashtag is NOT to be used except by people promoting the chat or taking part it in (this has been a problem recently). Follow @BookMarketChat on Twitter for details of upcoming sessions.
For more writing/book related hashtags take a look at http://bookhashtags.com and if you are an author add your book/hashtag at http://bookhashtags.com/addbook
Thanks! Aidan
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This really good information. I’m still trying to figure out how to use hastags.
Thanks,
Dianne
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Just wanted to say thanks to Publishing Talk. Your book is awesome and you have helped me so much. Sharing with all of my author friends. This will be regular site for me. I wish I had found you long ago, but so happy that I have found you now.
There are also hashtags for #selfpub #self-pub #selfpublishing and #self-publishing. Generally the first seems to be most common, but they’re all used regularly. Haven’t figured out yet if there’s a general theme or topic trend for each. Anybody know?
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Really useful – thank you. I had just about realised how hash tags work, but there are so many of them that I had no idea which were the most useful. Now I know!
This is certainly one of the most useful article on twitter usage for writers and authors. Thanks for the info.
#sffwrtcht has a pretty good sci-fi and fantasy writers chat every Wednesday night at 9pm EST.
Thanks for the info. It helps to know when and how to use the hashtags.
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Thank you for the information. It’s really helpful. I finally know how to use all of the hashtag(s) metioned. Since, I’m an amateur writer. Best of luck!
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Well done, Jon. Most useful. Thanks indeed.
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