Using Twitter While Querying: Do’s and Don’ts

The #writingcommunity on Twitter is great. I’ve met many good writing friends on Twitter, used it to connect with beta readers and CPs, and enjoyed following other writers to see what they’re working on and what inspires them. 

That being said, when you’re querying, it’s time to start treating your twitter like a professional account, because that’s what it is.   

So here are the to-dos (and not dos!) of Twitter while querying.

Do: use your twitter account to begin building your author brand

I like to tweet about my current WIPs (and also my cats). I retweet writing advice from other authors, engage in discussions about writing, and share content I find interesting or helpful. 

If you have a blog, bookstagram, or other writing-related social media account, twitter is a great place to link to your other content - it’s an easy way to build followers! 

Do: use your twitter to connect with the writing community 

The #writingcommunity hashtag is a great way to meet other authors who write in your genre, or find accounts of authors you’re interested in following. Likewise, #amwriting and #amquerying connected me to a lot of new people and resources! 

There are also a lot of giveaways, contests, and other chances to interact with other writers, and potentially also receive some awesome free advice or prizes like ARCs or copies of books! 

Don’t: use your twitter to badmouth agents, books, or other authors

It’s rude and won’t win you any admirers. Don’t do it. Don’t tweet negative things about agents who reject you or other authors whose work you don’t like (unless you’re rightfully calling them out on something like racism or appropriation). 

Also, don’t tag authors in negative reviews of their books. It’s just not necessary, and authors may not want to read negative reviews for their own mental health. Don’t force them to see them by tagging.