Tuesday 3 January 2012

UK Writers


This post is of particular significance if you are a Twitter user. Personally I love and adore Twitter and will bore you with all the reasons why in another blog post at some point in the future, but for now, I want to talk about the hashtag #UKwriters. If you are not a Twitter user, please don't run off and hide under the nearest rock and quiver until you think the awfully invasive T word has disappeared, pull up a seat and see what all the fuss is about and maybe by the end of the post, you may have just a tinkling of interest that may prompt you to check out the phenomena that is Twitter. 

On 28th December I read a post on Rosalind Adams blog about a new hashtag she created, that is circulating on Twitter called #ukwriters. Below is an exerpt from her blog explaining. (I feel she can do this much better than I can.)


@mariaAsmith and myself, @RosalindAdam, thought it would be useful for UK writers to have a tag so we can link up with each other to share news on Twitter. The news can be writing opportunities, competitions, conferences, in fact anything that's relevant to UK writers. 

If you're interested then please tweet ‘I'm in #UKwriters to @mariaAsmith and she'll include your twitter name on her UKwriters twitter list. If you're already on the list and want to follow more UK writers go to Maria Smith UK writers list where you can check it out. Do please use the #UKwriters tag whenever you tweet writing advice etc. Who knows, we might even get it trending.

I think this explains it brilliantly and what I love about it is the ability to share what you are doing and what help/support and general all round friendliness towards writers, there is out there. We all know writing is a very solitary thing to engage in, so for a few characters you can engage with like minded people and know you aren't so alone. Yes we have blogs, but Twitter is quicker and more instantaneous. If you use Twitter, join in, if you don't use Twitter, why not pop by and give it a try, you already know some of the users now. 

For anyone who doesn't know how the hashtag (#) works, it's simple. Add the # to a tweet you are making and your tweet can be easily found by people who are interested in it. 

Here's an example;

Hey, there's a uk competition at blah blah blah. Free to enter! #ukwriters.

Anyone following the hashtag chat will see it and you have informed a bunch of fellow writers of something you think they will be interested in. The hashtag doesn't have to be a part of the sentence. It's simply tagged to the end.

You'll find me @RebbecaJBradley I look forward to seeing you there. 

11 comments:

  1. Interesting.. . I'd actually seen that before and wasn't sure what it was LOL:)

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  2. What if we're just Anglophiles? I WISH I was a UK writer... I'm sadly a UnitedStatesian... I mean... it's alright and all, but it's a pretty diffused identity... Great idea, though! Hope it really works for you!

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  3. Thanks, Rebecca! I'm an on-off tweeter, but I've signed up to #UKwriters :-)

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  4. I haven't used hashtags like I should. Maybe I should set a goal this year to figure it all out at last! Agree with you on the loving Twitter bit :) Twitter gets better and better the more one uses it.

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  5. Brilliant idea, and one I shall put into action and keep an eye out for. Thanks :O) @Chaoskay

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  6. great - thanks for the heads up! I'm trying to get my head round twitter this year, and this looks ideal
    Lx

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  7. Hi,

    Thank you very much for promoting #UKwriters here on your blog, I am overwhelmed at the support!

    Then again, I'm not because what I do know is the writers on twitter, and around the blogs are fabulous folk.

    We are a community!

    Keep writing, and share the news.

    Best wishes

    Maria

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  8. Hi,

    Thank you very much for promoting #UKwriters here on your blog, I am overwhelmed at the support!

    Then again, I'm not because what I do know is the writers on twitter, and around the blogs are fabulous folk.

    We are a community!

    Keep writing, and share the news.

    Best wishes

    Maria

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  9. Thanks for the mention and link, Rebecca :-) Sorry for the delayed response. We went away last week and I'm only just catching up.

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  10. Lindsay - I think any idea that gets writers together is a great idea. It's one of the reasons I love blogging. It can be such a lonely job.

    Moody - Hopefully see you on the #ukwriters stream then :)

    Thanks Hart - I'm sure anyone is welcome to join in. I think it's nice to know writers that are a bit closer as well. Since attending a writers festival last year, I've become friends with some UK authors and it is really great to be able to chat with people in the UK about how the UK side of things work.

    Linda - I also tend to be on and off, depending on how busy I am and how tired that makes me. I'll see you there! :)

    Karen - It really does take some getting used to and I'm really not surprised when people don't take to it. Hashtags are a great way to chat, but like you say, you need to have a feel for Twitter to get used to them. Once you have though....! I'm a bit of a Twitter addict :)

    Brink - I'll keep an eye out for you!

    Laura - There really is a great community of writers on Twitter. It's worth taking that step.

    Maria - You're welcome, it's such a great idea!

    Rosalind - You're welcome. I think it's a great idea. I know what you mean about catching up as well. Look how long it took me to reply to these. Blogging takes some time when you haven't been away! I hope you had a great week.

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