Seven Reasons Why Twitter is a Great Social Media Tool for Writers

If you haven't become Twitter-crazy just yet, you may soon find yourself building up a list of tweets to share your thoughts with the world.

Twitter is a micro-blogging platform that makes it easy to capture a few wise words of the day and transmit them to the blogosphere. Since you're limited to writing only 140 characters on Twitter, you're left with thinking on very succinct terms - haiku style - and can publish your idea, quip or insights via the web or a text messaging device. If you're a writer, Twitter is an immensely valuable tool for practicing your craft and building an online reputation. Here are just seven reasons why Twitter is a great application for writers.

1. Connect with other writers. Perhaps the most obvious reason to use Twitter is to connect with other like-minded folk; even if you're already on Facebook, promoting your work on StumbleUpon or have your own blog, Twitter can be added to your social media list and help you connect with your fans in a fresh new way. Try it. You'll like it.

2. Tweets make your thoughts short and sweet. A goal for many writers is paring down their work to a few lines or paragraphs. Thinking in 'Tweet mode' means you're forced to cut down the extra words and deliver your point in 140 characters or less. Sure there are programs out there that can manipulate Twitter and lengthen the limit, or you could just write a series of Tweets and post them in succession. But that just takes the fun out of Twitter, and may even be a violation of Twitter Etiquette. Follow the rules and you'll sharpen your writing skills in the process.

3. Every tweet helps you practice the 'art of articulation'. Articulating a fresh new idea every day is a great habit for writers. Jumpstart your brain into creative mode with just one clever idea, comment or quip, and you'll set the foundation for a creative day. Make Twitter your daily habit, and you'll be cranking out words for your articles, blogs or any other creative writing project in no time.