Can you tweet without reading or replying to others’ tweets?

Status
Not open for further replies.

crossword

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
353
Reaction score
19
Some time ago there was a discussion on another site about using social media. One author said she loathed Twitter, which was filled with trolls, but her publisher insisted she have an account.



My question is, can I just tweet about my books or anything I want and not read most of the responses? I figure if I don’t read most of the replies, I won't get goaded by trolls.




This will be made easier by the fact I have no interest anyway in what trolls say.



My main worry is: my novels portray Muslims in India in a sympathetic light and show them as the victims of the Hindu fundamentalusts here. Yikes, that was meant to be fundamentalIsts. But maybe I spelled it correctly the first time.



Even if I stay away from politics in my tweets, i’m sure someone who has read my books will attack me. On my writing site i’ve been called Mohammedan Lady, terrorist sympathizer, etc for saying, actually no, Muslims in India DON’T deserve to be slaughtered out of existence, and, no, Hindus should NOT chase all 180 million Muslims out of India.


The wise thing would have been to ignore the genocidal maniac who made these statements to me, but sadly, I am not always wise.



i’m also wondering how celebs manage. They probably get a ton of answers to their tweets. Surely they don't have time to reply to all of them? Or even to read all of them? Again I have little interest in reading people’s replies.



i’d like to tweet quotes from my WIPs, give teasers from my books, etc. yes ok I guess I would like to read some of the responses but only the non-crazy ones. i’m not very familiar with Twitter but I take it there is no way to ensure I can read only the sane responses? I take it I have to just block anyone who’s rude.




But its not like a blog, where as site administrator I can choose to not allow to post any reply that is rude? I wish Twitter had that facility. On the other hand, even to prevent them being posted would mean I have to waste time reading them first.



What do you think of my idea that I post whatever I like about my novels and then not read most of the replies? I suppose pretty soon people will figure I reply to only a few people but so what? If I get a hundred replies, am I really suppose to waste all morning replying to every one of them?



If they love my work, this is a way for them to keep informed of whats going on with my writing. Surely they would rather I focus on writing more of what they love rather than spend that time chatting with them.




I would read all replies only if I conducted a poll like would you like to see this character end up with that one or that other one?




Basically, is there any way to do twitter without wasting an hour a day or more on it and without having to read the tweets of racists, bigots, and genocidal maniacs? I mean, I’m sure racists, bigots, and genocidal maniacs are nice people and all that, but since I anyway encounter enough of them in India, can I not somehow avoid them on the net?
 
Last edited:

Helix

socially distancing
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
11,698
Reaction score
12,083
Location
Atherton Tablelands
Website
snailseyeview.medium.com
There's not much point using Twitter if you don't intend to engage with other tweeters. Unless you're already well known, you'll end up with a gazillion bots following you, but few real accounts.

You can tweet without looking at your notifications or you can set up filters. You can also mute accounts (which means that you don't see their tweets, but they don't know that) or you can block them (they know they've been blocked). I am a pre-emptive blocker. I block mostly for racism, ableism and sexism, but also for rank stupidity, which includes mansplaining. I judge harshly.

I've met some really cool and interesting people via Twitter.
 
Last edited:

Earthling

I come in peace
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,210
Reaction score
192
+1 to Helix's post.

Most of us get tired very quickly of authors who spam their feeds with ads for their book. I don't follow authors who do that. And we also learn quickly to use lists, because once you follow more than a few hundred people it's impossible to keep up with their tweets. I follow nearly 5,000 people but only 50 of them are on my list, and I only actually read tweets from those 50 on a regular basis. Those 50 are the people who tweet interesting things (self promotion is not interesting) and engage with me.
 

Sleeping Cat Books

Booking design projects for fall
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 10, 2016
Messages
72
Reaction score
5
Website
sleepingcatbooks.com
I post on Twitter without actually visiting Twitter. I have my Twitter account connected to my Facebook page (not my personal Facebook account, but my business page). Every time I post on the Facebook page for Sleeping Cat Books, it automatically tweets the same content.
 

ap123

Twitching
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
5,648
Reaction score
1,732
Location
In the 212
I don't think I'm representative of a typical Twitter user, but I quickly unfollow anyone who only tweets links to their books/products/articles. I consider that spamming, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who does. There are a lot of people out there with interesting, clever things to say. Sure, there are trolls (ignore), but why would I want to fill my feed with commercials? I have never been tempted to purchase or even check out a book by a spam tweeter.
 

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 16, 2010
Messages
16,441
Reaction score
1,529
Location
between rising apes and falling angels
Website
www.cranehanabooks.com
Twitter is most useful when you're actively engaged with other people. Like previous posters, I quickly unfollow, mute, or even block anyone who only spams their books.

If you passionately believe in your work, carry that passion into Twitter. What the Hindu Nationalists have done to India in the past 20 years is as shameful as what the Republicans have done in America. Both theocracies deserve to be called out. It's less safe in India, but human rights movements need voices and faces leading the way.

Don't get scared. Get angry.
 

DancingMaenid

New kid...seven years ago!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
5,058
Reaction score
460
Location
United States
I think most people aim for a happy medium. No, most celebrities who get tons of replies and @ mentions probably don't read everything. But they generally will tweet at people they know or replies that they notice and like/find interesting. You can also tweet or retweet content that isn't marketing-related. Most people follow writers, actors, etc. because they're interested in what they have to say, like their personality, or want to "get to know them" (of course, most celebrities show only a curated view of their personal lives).

I don't use Twitter for marketing right now, just keeping up with a few friends and following some writers and vloggers I like. For what it's worth, I haven't found it too hard to avoid seeing trolls and jerks. I follow some people who will retweet political stuff, but I don't see all the responses unless I click on the tweet and go out of my way to read all the responses.

Since you have had issues with people insulting you for your subject matter, it's possible that could come up on Twitter, too. But you may be able to ignore them.
 

Anna Iguana

reading all the things
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 16, 2017
Messages
925
Reaction score
219
Location
US
My question is, can I just tweet about my books or anything I want and not read most of the responses?

+1 to everything Helix said, except I'd emphasize, yes, you can tweet while interacting little or not at all with replies. It will be a different experience from finding like-minded tweeters and engaging, but it's definitely a model some people use. As long as your social media presence is not spam or a ghost town, I don't think it will hurt you, and it's another place for readers to find you.
 

EMaree

a demon for tea
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
4,655
Reaction score
839
Location
Scotland
Website
www.emmamaree.com
1. Open up Twitter in your browser.
2. In the drop-down menu under your avatar, go to 'Settings and Privacy'.
3. Choose 'Notifications'.
4. Tick all these boxes...
Mute notifications from people:
You don't follow
Who have a default profile photo
Who haven't confirmed their email
Who haven't confirmed their phone number


Congratulations, the trolls can no longer get to you! You will only see notifications from people you follow and specifically choose to speak to. Live your life without fear, friend.

Twitter is best actually engaged with as a social network, not a constant outgoing 'buy my book' broadcast. If you don't read and reply to tweets, you're missing out! Using the above settings you can safely chat away to friends and people you are interested in and following, without worrying about trolls showing up in your notifications.
 
Last edited:

crossword

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
353
Reaction score
19
thanks, everyone. Helix, I enjoyed this:




“I block mostly for racism, ableism and sexism, but also for rank stupidity, which includes mansplaining. I judge harshly.”



Guys, it’s not that I have nothing to say to the world and have only books to pimp. There’s a whole lot I could post about my thoughts about current affairs, politics, etc. Problem is from all i’ve heard, those are the topics that get the trolls attacking you. So I thought it would be best to be neutral.



Would it be better to instead let it all out and speak my mind? And just block all trolls and attackers? I have no problem with polite disagreement with my views but I see no reason I should post to be insulted.



At least if I post about things not related to my books I guess I would be considered more interesting and not just a spammer and pimper.



Filigree, two teen girls who posted against our prime minister on Facebook were questioned by the police. I would not tweet against the Hindu Nationalists unless I were safely out of India and settled in the west or anywhere they can’t get to me.
 

Anna Iguana

reading all the things
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 16, 2017
Messages
925
Reaction score
219
Location
US
I don't know how fast trolls find people. I'm new on Twitter and have limited my posting on politics to see how it goes. Like Helix, I block enthusiastically. If I'm replying to someone else's political thread, and I see a jerky response above mine, I block that person. So far, no troubles, and there is a big upside: finding people talking about things I care about.
 

Earthling

I come in peace
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,210
Reaction score
192
I stay away from hot button topics under my author name but I have tweeted occasionally political stuff, and more frequently on feminism. I've had one or two troll-like replies but nothing like the cesspit of trolling you seen to be imagining. :)
 

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
14,537
Reaction score
24,110
Location
Massachusetts
Website
elizabethbonesteel.com
There are programs that will allow you to post to Twitter without ever visiting there yourself. The trouble is, you're unlikely to get followers that way, and most people are only going to see tweets (or retweets) from people they follow. You'd be entirely dependent on someone else retweeting your stuff.

The potentially controversial nature of your subject matter might possibly be an asset for you on Twitter, but even so, social media isn't a great seller of books for most people (although there are exceptions, of course - one self-pubbed author I know sold a massive number of books in his first two weeks, but he had 25K followers from his previous career).

EMaree gave a good list of things to do for troll avoidance. One thing I've done in addition to that is to block DMs from people I don't follow. I don't have a huge number of followers to begin with, but my stream stays pretty cheerful.

TL;DR: Twitter is manageable, but IMHO not a critical sales avenue for an author.
 

s_nov

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Messages
224
Reaction score
20
I think it depends on the number of followers you have/popularity of your work, to some extent. For example, Kristin Cashore is a pretty well-known fantasy author (I think? Maybe I just like her a lot...) and she only uses Twitter as a platform for promoting her work. She doesn't reply or anything. To get your feet wet, I would think about retweeting/liking things rather than engaging in conversation. That way, you're still actively participating in the Twitterverse but you're not fully engaging. And if you come to the point where you do want to engage, you can easily move into that.
 

Frankie007

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 22, 2016
Messages
696
Reaction score
110
i only follow people who manually type up interesting tweets. i've seen some twitters that just have link after link after link to articles that they might find related to why they made a twitter to begin with. i feel that twitter was supposed to be an instant connection between people. even if you give a one word reply.

besides, you only have 140 characters on twitter. and people today have short attention spans.

however, it's your twitter page....so you can do whatever you like on it.
 

crossword

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
353
Reaction score
19
Emaree, your list sounds good but what if I get thousands of readers who want to follow me? [i’m an optimist].

I cant follow that many and so I would not follow them but I would need to leave open the possibility that I could read some of their replies.


Lizmonster, you say: “The potentially controversial nature of your subject matter might possibly be an asset for you on Twitter, but even so, social media isn't a great seller of books for most people”


yeah, that’s what I hear, that social media really isn’t a great marketing tool. But I figure I need some way to keep on touch with readers.




Re “The potentially controversial nature of my subject matter,” I love India but criticize it mercilessly. Not sure that would interest most western readers but I never intended my tweets to be endlessly about India anyway.
 

AW Admin

Administrator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
18,772
Reaction score
6,285
Just make your account private.

Only people you approve can follow you.
 

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
14,537
Reaction score
24,110
Location
Massachusetts
Website
elizabethbonesteel.com
yeah, that’s what I hear, that social media really isn’t a great marketing tool. But I figure I need some way to keep on touch with readers.

A Facebook author page is another alternative. Anybody can like it, but you can block people. (That's where I got my one and only piece of 'Hey baby are you married?' spam. :)) It gives you a lot more space to write posts. Tumblr and Instagram are also popular platforms these days. I've seen some people use Pinterest, but not many. An author web page isn't a bad idea, but probably doesn't need much more on it than name, contact info, book info - just something for people to land on when they google you.

At some point, though, if you really want to have a dialogue with your readers, you're going to have to open yourself up to negative stuff as well. The best thing to do is to learn how to block people and protect your account, no matter what platform you choose.
 

crossword

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
353
Reaction score
19
“A Facebook author page is another alternative.”




but I heard FB shows your posts to only ten percent of your followers and you hve to pay if you want all of them to see them?
 

lizmonster

Possibly A Mermaid Queen
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
14,537
Reaction score
24,110
Location
Massachusetts
Website
elizabethbonesteel.com
but I heard FB shows your posts to only ten percent of your followers and you hve to pay if you want all of them to see them?

They vary the percentage when they're putting your posts in people's streams, but yes, it's pretty low. I'd say on average my posts hit 25-50% of my followers. That said, Twitter being Twitter, I don't know how many people actually read my tweets - I don't read every tweet from people I follow there; I don't have time.

If you're looking for direct reader engagement, Goodreads may be a better bet than Twitter. They have a Q&A section, and Goodreads will actually seed questions for you to get you started, so your readers have a place to start when they first click on your stuff.

I think diversifying your platforms is going to be your best bet (all of these things are free), but like I said, if you want to invite a back-and-forth with readers, you're going to have to get your internet feet wet one way or another. :)
 

cmhbob

Did...did I do that?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 28, 2011
Messages
5,743
Reaction score
4,840
Location
Green Country
Website
www.bobmuellerwriter.com
Twitter is best used by authors as a radio, not a bullhorn. Any social media platform is. Several social media mentors say that you need to form the relationship first, then see about getting them to buy.

Also, you can get some idea of who's looking at your tweets by checking your analytics. Check out http://analytics.twitter.com/
 

crossword

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
353
Reaction score
19
besides, you only have 140 characters on twitter. and people today have short attention spans.

however, it's your twitter page....so you can do whatever you like on it.

Yes i’ve wondered how people manage to marshall their thoughts into just 140 characters. i’m not sure I could do that. i’ve read some twitter feeds and I still don't understand. The ones I’ve read seem to mainly retweet stuff about politics.



I kinda like the idea of using Instagram. I’ve read the advice to post lots of pics since people like pics. I thought if my fans posted fan art of my characters, I could post that regularly on Instagram.
 

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
29,138
Reaction score
8,563
Location
Toronto
Website
ktcraig.com
I post on Twitter without actually visiting Twitter. I have my Twitter account connected to my Facebook page (not my personal Facebook account, but my business page). Every time I post on the Facebook page for Sleeping Cat Books, it automatically tweets the same content.

I block whenever I discover that tweeters only use generated tweets. For me, it's about interaction. I despise when people set their twitter feed to just tweet on its own. Not what twitter is about, imho.
 

Bradley Shiner

Registered
Joined
May 26, 2017
Messages
41
Reaction score
1
I don't see any reason to reply to any post especially if you wrote about such a contentious topic which is to bring about tons of unjustified hatred. Nevertheless you should also avoid turning your page to promotional board without actual engagement. Find the way in the middle of those two attitudes.

Best!
 

Sleeping Cat Books

Booking design projects for fall
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 10, 2016
Messages
72
Reaction score
5
Website
sleepingcatbooks.com
I block whenever I discover that tweeters only use generated tweets. For me, it's about interaction. I despise when people set their twitter feed to just tweet on its own. Not what twitter is about, imho.

Good point, but I also have notifications set to on for my Twitter account. So when people interact with my Twitter account, I'm notified and then I do go to Twitter.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.