Quora is a website where people can ask questions and get answers from the community. In some ways, it’s similar to LinkedIn Groups, where members ask a question and others respond. In other respects, it’s like Twitter, where you have followers and see a feed of the latest questions scroll up on your home page.

Beyond that, I haven’t quite figured it out. I find it difficult to use (I know I’m not the only one) but maybe it’s because I haven’t spent enough time exploring it yet.

Authors, are any of you using Quora and finding it a great way to talk to people? What tips can you share?

The idea: take selected tweets, gather them all on a single web page, then share them with your followers in a familiar newspaper-style format. Paper.li is an app designed to do just that.

Lots of people are using it. If you’re on Twitter and haven’t yet received one of these daily newspapers, you probably will soon. But is Paper.li a new and helpful tool that you, too, could use? Or is it just another waste of Twitter time?

Let’s take a closer look.

What Is It?
Paper.li “newspapers” are generated from lists of people on Twitter or a Twitter hashtag.

The Paper.li engine pulls the tweets of all the people on the list you specified into a web page that looks something like a newspaper layout. The software automatically sorts content into sections, such as technology or health, much the same way a print newspaper has sections. If a tweet has a link to a website or a video, that linked content is pulled right into the newspaper.

Once your Paper.li newspaper is created, you can choose to tweet about it to your followers. Here’s where things get tricky.

The Complaints
More and more people are using Paper.li and are tweeting their followers every 24 hours about the latest edition. It’s an auto-generated tweet and it’s the same every day. If you’re following a person who’s publishing a Paper.li newspaper, you’ll get this tweet whether you’re interested in his paper or not. As a result, some people are complaining that Paper.li is spammy.

Another complaint I’ve seen about Paper.li: It imitates an archaic form of communication that’s slowly dying. In other words, why make your tweets (new media) look like a newspaper (old media)?

When Could It Be Useful?
I see a few different reasons why a Paper.li edition might make sense:

• Your audience isn’t on Twitter but you know there’s information circulating there that could be valuable to them. You cull the best tweets and present them with a daily web-based digest.
• Your audience is on Twitter but finds it overwhelming. They don’t visit frequently and when they do, they can’t find what they want. Again, you cull the best tweets and present them with Paper.li, a daily web-based digest.
• Your audience enjoys reading a newspaper. They appreciate Paper.li’s format and find it easy and intuitive to navigate.
• Your audience is strapped for time and would appreciate a curated selection of content on your topic, rather than scrolling through a long tweet stream.
• You audience is on Twitter but doesn’t follow all the people within your newspaper, nor do they want to start following them. They read your paper periodically to catch up on content they normally wouldn’t see.

I’m sure there are more. (Leave a comment if you have another.)

Lesson #1: Paper.li isn’t for every audience, but could be phenomenal for some.
Don’t publish a Paper.li newspaper just because you can. First, make sure it fits and could offer value to the people you want to communicate with.

I decided to experiment by creating my own daily Twitter newspaper.

I based my first paper on a list of people in the Highspot book trade directory. What I hoped to get was a gathering of relevant and valuable publishing industry content. What I got instead was a newspaper that had hardly anything to do with publishing, and a lot to do with politics, food, and television shows.

I tried again with a different list out of the directory. This time I got a lot more book-focused content.

Lesson #2: Build your newspaper carefully.
Presumably, you’re publishing a Paper.li newspaper around a specific topic or theme. It might be self-publishing or women in finance or pitbulls. If people are going to find value in your paper, the content needs to be tightly focused on your theme, and that means you need to be building your paper around people who you know tweet consistently on your theme.

If I was going to use Paper.li as a tool to communicate with my followers, I’d start by custom-building a Twitter list whose sole purpose was to form the basis of my newspaper.

The Bottom Line
If used thoughtfully, Paper.li has the potential to be helpful to certain audiences. First, decide if the people you want to speak to would appreciate a Twitter summary. (You might even use Paper.li to bring Twitter content to a whole new audience segment.) If the answer is yes, curate the content carefully so it’s focused and helpful.

Do you publish or read a Paper.li newspaper? What’s your take?

The Directory of Book Trade People quietly slipped past its first birthday on Sunday. When I launched the directory, I never could have imagined how it would grow. I don’t know how many listings were in the directory originally — certainly it was less than 75, maybe even as few as 50. Today there are 836 entries in 21 different categories, and more being added all the time.

Thank you to everyone who has used, tweeted, recommended, blogged, talked about, added to, edited and otherwise helped this directory develop into the resource it is now.

For the last several months, I’ve been mulling over ways to improve it, but I’d love to hear your take. What can we do to make the directory more helpful and easier to use?

I was initially excited about the Twitter List feature that was unveiled this past fall. I had planned to turn each category into a separate list. That plan fizzled when I discovered that Twitter limits both the number of lists you can have, as well as the number of people within each list. So for now, the directory continues to exist here, on our website, in its original form.

One thing you may not know is that we created some direct URLs to make referencing and linking to the directory easier. Typing in www.BookTradeDirectory.com takes you straight to the list. The companion directory of book authors on Twitter can be found at www.AuthorsWhoTweet.com. (That directory celebrates its first birthday in February, and is up to 539 entries.)

So tell us what you’d like to see for the Book Trade Directory in 2010. We at Highspot are looking forward to another year of connections!

Twitter chats are an excellent way to interact, learn, debate and discuss with others in the publishing and writing community.

What Is a Twitter Chat?
Chats are public conversations that take place on Twitter at a scheduled date and time. Often a discussion topic is set beforehand, but sometimes the floor is open to whatever participants wish to talk about.

Anyone can listen or contribute to a chat. No registration is required.

Each chat is given a hashtag, which is an agreed-upon name for the chat preceded by the pound sign (#). The hashtag is how you follow and contribute to the discussion.

How to Listen to a Twitter Chat

1. Use the Twitter search page and enter the chat’s hashtag. This will pull up all the tweets for that chat.
2. Set up a new column in TweetDeck using the chat’s hashtag as a search term. Again, this will pull up all the tweets for that chat.
3. Use an app such as TweetChat.

How to Speak During a Twitter Chat
Simply add the chat’s hashtag to the end of your tweet. That’s it!

This is an example of me speaking during a #followreader chat:

@jennifertribe: Current e-readers lack “sexy” factor. iPod took off bec/ it was beautiful AND functional. People wanted to be seen with it. #followreader

Twitter Chats for Authors & Publishers
There are a number of regularly scheduled Twitter chats for writers, authors, and others in the book trade. I’ve listed them alphabetically.

Know of other chats that should be listed here? Please tweet or email me the info and I will add it.

~~

#editorchat

When: Every Wednesday at 7 – 10 pm Central Standard Time
Hosted by: @LydiaBreakfast (Lydia Dishman)

~~

#followreader

When: 4 -5 pm Eastern Standard Time
Hosted by: @charabbott (Charlene Abbott) @katmeyer (Kat Meyer)

~~

#ISBNhour
A chat about book identification systems and industry best practices. Targeted primarily to small publishers and self-published authors.

When: Every Friday at 12 – 1 pm Eastern Standard Time
Hosted by: @ljndawson (Laura Dawson)

~~

#kidlitchat

When: Every Tuesday at 9 pm Eastern Standard Time
Hosted by: @gregpincus (Greg Pincus) @bonnieadamson (Bonnie Adamson)

~~

#litchat
A chat about books. Heavy focus on fiction. Often brings in authors to guest host the chat and answer reader questions.

When: Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 4 – 5 pm Eastern Standard Time
Hosted by: @litchat

~~

#platformchat

When: Monthly though the day varies; follow the hosts for announced dates
Hosted by: @thewritermama (Christina Katz) @merylkevans (Meryl K. Evans)

~~

#writechat
A chat for writers. Julie kicks things off with a question but everyone is encouraged to share whatever is on their mind about “writing, life, and this creative journey we all share.” / More info at http://blog.writingspirit.com/twitter/

When: Every Sunday at 12 – 3 pm Pacific Standard Time
Hosted by: @WritingSpirit (Julie Isaac)

~~

This week on Twitter: Amazon, Amazon and more Amazon.

———————–

7 Aug 09
Good comparison of ebook offerings from Amazon and Barnes & Noble in the New York Times: http://is.gd/26uGT (via @mdash)

NYT tech columnist David Pogue explains how Barnes & Noble, depsite a valiant effort out of the gate, doesn’t quite measure up to Amazon in the ebook arena. Yet.

———————–

4 Aug 09
Will Amazon hold onto its lead in the ebook market? Forrester thinks it will be a struggle: http://is.gd/22aBI (via @wordywoman)

Over at research firm Forrester, the long range forecast is for Amazon to struggle in maintaining its leadership position in the ebook market.

———————–

4 Aug 09
RT @vooktv RT @SeanDonahoe: Sony officially unveils new Readers, drops price of e-books http://bit.ly/e0vsy

Meanwhile, Sony introduces what may be one of the most significant changes to the e-reader market — a device priced under $200. Could this be a tipping point in getting consumers onboard with e-reading?

———————–

4 Aug 09
Are you a business book author? @800ceoread is now accepting submissions for 2009 Business Book Awards: http://is.gd/22gAT

———————–

4 Aug 09
RT @AMACOMBooks RT @ConsortiumBooks: The ISBN is dead? http://bit.ly/2plPSt

The debate continues on whether the ISBN is a relic that has outlived its usefulness.

———————–

3 Aug 09
Amazon, Microsoft & Google file patents for ad delivery systems in online gaming, ebooks, POD books & more: http://is.gd/20H8C

The patents Amazon has filed reveal a potential ebook that looks more like a web page — a screen sprinkled with ad banners, sponsored links and more. While I’m not altogether against advertising in books, I’m not looking forward to changes like these that will disrupt an immersive reading experience.

———————–

And that’s the world as I tweeted it for the past week. You can also follow me on Twitter (@jennifertribe) for news and discussion as it happens.

If you’re an author or publisher and still aren’t sure if the whole Twitter thing is for you, a couple of new resources may help demonstrate the value it can deliver.

Last week I was interviewed by Kirk Biglione, a digital publisher and new media consultant, about Twitter and the book trade people who are using it. You can listen to a recording of that interview.

Kirk has also put together a short video presentation that explains how Twitter is like the best cocktail party you’ve ever attended, and how authors and publishers can use it to their advantage.

If you’ve been a hold-out, now is the time to join the Twitter party. It’s probably different — and better — than you think. Look me up at @jennifertribe and say hello. Let’s start a conversation.

I just can’t stay silent about this any longer. Sometimes I shake my head in disbelief. Sometimes I’m frustrated. Always I wonder, what the heck?

My astonishment has to do with Twitter and the people who don’t identify themselves there. I’d like to say, “You know who you are,” but I’m not so sure that statement is true. Because surely if you knew how hard it is to find out anything about you, you’d make some easy changes to your profile.

For the record, it doesn’t matter to me how you use Twitter. If you want to lock your tweets so that only your friends can see them, fine. If you’d like to use a pseudonym and a picture of your dog so no one knows who’s really doing all that tweeting about Dancing with the Stars in the middle of the workday, knock yourself out. I’m not talking about you, the casual users.

No, I’m talking about the people who want to make professional connections on Twitter. The people who want to network. The people who want to promote their books, their services, their websites and blogs. (And, ahem, the people who request to be in directories because they want to be found.) If you are on Twitter to connect with people, then you have to let them know who they are connecting with.

Seems pretty straightforward, yet I’ve lost track of the profiles I’ve seen that are missing really important information.

I’ve visited the Twitter profiles of people who have told me they are authors and have not been able to figure out the person’s name or the name of their books or one thing they write about. How are people supposed to find your work to become readers and fans?

I’ve clicked through to Twitter profiles of people who have told me they are publicists for hire (publicists!) and have not been able to find any information about their company, the services they offer, or where to get more information. How are people supposed to hire you?

Your Twitter profile gives you the chance to identify and promote yourself. If you don’t complete your profile, you’re not helping yourself. But more than that, you’re not helping the people who would like to know you, talk to you, and potentially spend money with you. Don’t think that completing your profile is being too “sales-y.” People are trying to make a decision about whether to follow you. Give them the information they need.

If you’re on Twitter to network, here’s what your profile should include:

• Your real name, especially if it’s different from your Twitter handle
• A good photo of you. Not your cat, not a sunset, and definitely not the default brown Twitter square — the real you. People connect with other human beings. It’s hard to network with a sunset.
• A link to your website or blog. Warning! A web link is a supplement to, not a replacement for, a Twitter profile. And be careful about linking to a blog if the blog doesn’t orient visitors upon landing. I’ve clicked through from incomplete Twitter profiles, hoping to find more information on the website, only to land on a blog that doesn’t tell me who the blogger is or what the blog is about.
• A bio that provides a snapshot of you who are and what topics you’d be interested in connecting over. Think in keywords. “Living on the edge” doesn’t say a thing about you or why people might be interested in following you. Authors, include book titles if you can.

Did you know that when people roll over your name in a Followers list, your bio appears in a pop-up? When I scan lists for new people to follow, I do the roll-over trick. It saves me from clicking through to every profile. If the bio seems interesting, then I’ll click through to see more and maybe follow. No bio, no pop-up, no click-through, no follow.

A good profile works in your favour. HubSpot analyzed Twitter data and discovered that users with a bio have 8 times the number of followers than those without a bio. Profiles with web links had 7.5 times the number of followers compared to those without links.

Take advantage of the Twitter profile. People will thank you with follows and conversation.

I have started compiling a directory of book authors on Twitter. To make the list manageable and useful for everyone, I have set some simple guidelines. To be included on the list:

• An author must be a book author. Writers of blogs, essays, white papers, stories published in magazines, etc won’t be collected here unless the material has also been published in a book. It’s not that there aren’t lots of talented non-book writers on Twitter, but they are not the focus of this directory.
• An author’s book must be published. Self-publishers are more than welcome.
• Authors will only be listed in one genre. The list will be huge, and names repeated in multiple categories will only make it bigger. I know many of you publish in more than one area — pick the one that you feel best represents you.
• Authors must show their full names in their Twitter bio or linked website. Pen names are acceptable if the book was authored under that name.
• Authors must have unlocked tweets. If your account is locked and not publicly available, there’s no point in being added to a public directory.

Note: I do verify that you have published book titles, so if your books are not listed on your Twitter profile or website (aside: why aren’t they?), then please provide a title or ISBN.

HOW TO BE ADDED
To suggest your own name or someone else’s for the directory, please send Highspot an @ message on Twitter or leave a comment below. Do not send email. We need your Twitter ID, your name, and your genre. Remember, just one genre.

You will receive my eternal thanks if you format the information as follows so that I can simply copy and paste it into the directory:

GENRE @twitterID / Name

Thanks!

This is a directory of book authors who are on Twitter. If you are looking for the directory of book trade people on Twitter, including publishers, you will find it here.

This list is a constant work in progress. I know there are many more authors out there. You can help make this directory better by tweeting Highspot with the names of more authors, or leaving a comment on this post. The directory is updated regularly with new entries.

NOTE: To be added, a book author must supply three pieces of information: Twitter ID, name, and genre or category. Please see this post for more details on being added to the directory.

Last updated: 6 Nov 2011

Jump to a category:

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CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT
Fiction | Non-Fiction

POETRY

NON-FICTION

Biography ~ Autobiography ~ Memoir (36)

@65rosesauthor / Heather Summerhayes Cariou
@alistaird221b / Alistair Duncan
@AndreaGillies / Andrea Gillies
@AnnetteFix / Annette Fix
@BreakupWriter / Leo Averbach
@danijshapiro / Dani Shapiro
@dcsar733 / Eric L. Mott
@elizabethblake / Elizabeth Blake
@ellenfbrown / Ellen F. Brown
@esmo / Esmeralda Santiago
@Evitchka / Eva Maria Chapman
@gingerblymyer / Ginger Blymer
@heatherdune / Heather Dune Macadam
@helentse / Helen Tse
@janineshepherd / Janine Shepherd
@JLpillhead / Joshua Lyon
@jmackinday / Jennifer MacKinday
@JOD45 / John O’Donoghue
@judymandel / Judy Mandel
@kellyjo9 / Kelly Jo Eldredge
@KimVazquez / Kim Vazquez
@LornaCollins / Lorna Collins
@mttymcg / Matthew McGough
@patmcnees / Pat McNees
@Rachelresnick / Rachel Resnick
@SaneLiz / Elizabeth Marvin Mulholland
@SarahEOlson2009 / Sarah Olson
@Sascha_Zuger / Sascha Zuger
@savo_heleta / Savo Heleta
@Sensitivity101 / Philip Nork
@SimpleLiving1 / John P. Haines
@stephanieklein / Stephanie Klein
@Trishryan / Trish Ryan
@tweenworlds / Maggie Kast
@QueenOfTheRoad / Doreen Orion
@wilw / Wil Wheaton

Business (70)

@ajkeen / Andrew Keen
@BoBurlingham / Bo Burlingham
@bradanddeb / Brad & Debra Schepp
@businessfit / Dawn Lennon
@cc_chapman / C.C. Chapman
@chr1sa / Chris Anderson
@chrisbrogan / Chris Brogan
@CJHayden / C. J. Hayden
@cvdhruve / Chetan Dhruve
@DaisyWright / Daisy Wright
@danielpink / Daniel Pink
@danschawbel / Dan Schawbel
@davidfrood / David Frood
@deannatroupe / DeAnna Troupe
@debbieweil / Debbie Weil
@dmscott / David Meerman Scott
@DonnaDunning / Donna Dunning
@ducttape / John Jantsch
@DunnMich / Michelle Dunn
@ericgarland / Eric Garland
@fgallinelli / Peter Gallinelli
@gapingvoid / Hugh MacLeod
@Gladwell / Malcolm Gladwell
@GrantMcDuling / Grant McDuling
@gtdguy / David Allen
@heatherhansen / Heather Hansen
@JackCanfield / Jack Canfield
@jackcovert / Jack Covert
@jack_welch / Jack Welch
@janetslack / Janet Slack
@jeffjarvis / Jeff Jarvis
@JimHarris / Jim Harris
@JohnWarrillow / John Warrillow
@jonathanfields / Jonathan Fields
@JulieAnnAmos / Julie-Ann Amos
@julien / Julien Smith
@Keep_Swinging / Jay Meyers
@keithferrazzi / Keith Ferrazzi
@LanceScoular / Lance Scoular
@laura_lake / Laura Lake
@lindseypollak / Lindsey Pollak
@liz_lynch / Liz Lynch
@marcapitman / Marc A. Pitman
@MarketingProfs / Ann Handley
@MichaelEGerber / Michael E. Gerber
@mkroth / Michael Kroth
@NancyBeckley / Nancy Beckley
@Projecteze / Laurence Seton
@rajeevdewan / Rajeev Dewan
@Richard_Florida / Richard Florida
@rosasay / Rosa Say
@sarahprout / Sarah Prout
@ScottAllen / Scott Allen
@scottmckain / Scott McKain
@sequenceinc / Tracy Coenen
@sharongraham / Sharon Graham
@shelisrael / Shel Israel
@SmallBizLady / Melinda Emerson
@taxtips4writers / Brigitte Thompson
@tferriss / Tim Ferriss
@thegrowthguy / Verne Harnish
@TomAntion / Tom Antion
@tom_peters / Tom Peters
@tsattersten / Todd Sattersten
@tweetterena / Terena Scott
@unmarketing / Scott Stratten
@vinceposcente / Vince Poscente
@WeberBooks / Steve Weber
@whalehunters / Barbara Weaver Smith
@WhenGrowthStall / Steve McKee

Food ~ Drink (10)

@Felicea / Mela Eckenfels
@gwynethpaltrow / Gwyneth Paltrow
@Ishtar_ / Petra Hildebrand
@jenny8lee / Jenny 8 Lee
@marielhemingway / Mariel Hemingway
@MaryeAudet / Marye Audet
@molliekatzen / Mollie Katzen
@ruthreichl / Ruth Reichl
@thescramble / Aviva Goldfarb
@theveggiequeen / Jill Nussinow

Health ~ Medicine (11)

@aanottheonlyway / Melanie Solomon
@angiebestboss / Angie Best-Boss
@anndouglas / Ann Douglas
@butterflyhaikus / Stephanie Gailing
@Deepak_Chopra / Deepak Chopra
@DiamonDie / Maija Haavisto
@M_hutchings / Melinda Hutchings
@paula_owens / Paula Owens
@seefisch / Dr. Conrad Fischer
@Stollfoundation / Jan DeCourtney
@vduffy / Virginia Duffy

History (17)

@elissastein / Elissa Stein
@ElleAndraWarner / Elle Andra-Warner
@fionajmackenzie / Fiona J MacKenzie
@frannydink / Frances Dinkelspiel
@kbsagert / Kelly Boyer Sagert
@KeithStrunk / Keith Strunk
@kennethcdavis / Kenneth C. Davis
@kevindmccann / Kevin D. McCann
@kriswaldherr / Kris Waldherr
@malgeo / Matthew Algeo
@maureenogle / Maureen Ogle
@PD_Smith / P. D. Smith
@mikegreenburg / Michael M. Greenburg
@simonworrall / Simon Worrall
@smartelle / Scott Martelle
@TheBookMaven / Bethanne Kelly Patrick
@wayneralph / Wayne Ralph

Hobbies ~ Games ~ Pets (12)

@Ari_outside / Kathryn Miles
@arklady / Diana L. Guerrero
@debeades / Deborah Eades
@deborahkwhite / Deborah K. White
@joannaslan / Joanna Campbell Slan
@kpwerker / Kim Werker
@knitgrrl / Shannon Okey
@lolamoth / Suzanne Tourtillott
@soapcrone / Amy Kalinchuk
@tammypowley / Tammy Powley
@terragarden / Terra Hangen
@WNRanimaltalk / Wendy Nan Rees

Home ~ Garden (1)

@GreenFengShui / Norma LehmeierHartie

Humor ~ Trivia (7)

@duncanbirminghm / Duncan Birmingham
@Francesostick / Frances Rostick
@hodgman / John Hodgman
@judygruen / Judy Gruen
@sharonglassman / Sharon Glassman
@TerryBain / Terry Bain
@toddgallagher / Todd Gallagher

Law ~ Crime ~ Police (3)

@BarbaraBentley / Barbara Bentley
@bisnarchase / John Bisnar
@latancs / Linda Tancs

Literary (6)

@benmezrich / Ben Mezrich
@davidtracey / David Tracey
@rebeccawalker / Rebecca Walker
@ReginaMarler / Regina Marler
@susanorlean / Susan Orlean
@WendyPriesnitz / Wendy Priesnitz

Nature ~ Environment (2)

@infoaboutalaska / Alan Sorum
@ktalvord / Katie Alvord

Parenting ~ Family (6)

@BrendaNixon / Brenda Nixon
@CoachBruceBenko / Bruce Benko
@Ioninfertility / Iris Waichler
@JulieSpira / Julie Spira
@Lpgordon / Linda Gordon
@VictoriaMixon / Victoria Mixon

Personal Finance (5)

@alivelshi / Ali Velshi
@AuthorDavidBach / David Bach
@Rich_Dad / Robert Kiyosaki
@SuzeOrmanshow / Suze Orman
@T_Harv_Eker / T. Harv Eker

Religion ~ Spirituality (14)

@_NealeDWalsch / Neale Donald Walsch
@AmyBonaccorso / Amy Bonaccorso
@annebradshaw / Anne Bradshaw
@deafhawk / Gregory H. Lawrence
@Donepe / Don E. Peavy Sr.
@DvineExpression / Deborah D. Jenkins
@fieldtriptohell / Kevin Benton
@IsabelAnders / Isabel Anders
@Lori_A_Moore / Lori A. Moore
@M_Hollingsworth / Mary Hollingsworth
@marilynhontz / Marilyn Hontz
@Pegge / Pegge Bernecker
@tonysamara / Tony Samara
@unstoppablejoy / Ed Osworth

Science (4)

@BadAstronomer / Dr. Philip Plait
@MiloWolff / Milo Wolff
@Rocketrod / Rod Costner
@stevenbjohnson / Steven Berlin Johnson

Self-Help ~ Inspirational (39)

@AmandaBinTN / Amanda Bennett
@AndyAndrews / Andy Andrews
@AnnetteColby / Annette Colby
@BarbaraSher / Barbara Sher
@christine22hoef / Christine Hoeflich
@claytonbye / Clayton Bye
@debbiepayne / Debbie Payne
@deepriverwithin / Abby Seixas
@DrWayneWDyer / Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
@hawleyroddick / Hawley Roddick
@jangault / Jan Gault
@jimdonovan / Jim Donovan
@KiraRosner / Kira Rosner
@Kyeli / Kyeli Smith
@LouiseHay / Louise Hay
@MarkVHansen / Mark Victor Hansen
@MichelleSedas / Michelle Sedas
@mitchalbom / Mitch Albom
@NChristie_OH / Nancy Christie
@pacesmith / Pace Smith
@pammyz / Pamela Jansen
@paulocoelho / Paulo Coelho
@QueenofOwnLife / Cindy Ratzlaff
@QuiltinRedhead / Kelly Smith
@robert_egby / Robert Egby
@SKelleyH / S. Kelly Harrell
@SpaciousSelf / Stephanie Bennett Vogt
@spiver / Susan Piver
@SpunkOnAStick / L. Diane Wolfe
@SumnerDavenport / Sumner M Davenport
@thecreativepenn / Joanna Penn
@timkellis / Tim Kellis
@timothykendrick / Timothy Kendrick
@tinatessina / Tina Tessina
@tonyrobbins / Tony Robbins
@wardfoley / Ward Foley
@wpy2009 / William Paul Young
@yogavortex / Kamlesh I. Singh
@zen_habits / Leo Babauta

Social Sciences (7)

@cshirky / Clay Shirky
@DaveCullen / Dave Cullen
@David_Gergen / David Gergen
@jonronson / Jon Ronson
@katebornstein / Kate Bornstein
@mmaren / Michael Maren
@petersagal / Peter Sagal

Technology ~ Internet (12)

@applemackay / Jay Mahar
@dtapscott / Don Tapscott
@EFinkelstein / Ellen Finkelstein
@iFroggy / Patrick O’Keefe
@joelcomm / Joel Comm
@leesabarnes / Leesa Barnes
@MarshaCollier / Marsha Collier
@martydickinson / Marty Dickinson
@musicandwords / Sean McManus
@stevegarfield / Steve Garfield
@thomkell / Thomas Kelleher
@WarrenWhitlock / Warren Whitlock

Travel (8)

@AKNickerson / Angela K. Nickerson
@familytravelmom / Michele Zavatsky
@ginahyams / Gina Hyams
@hackneye / Donald Strachan
@holysleep / Trish Clark
@rtfelton / Robert Todd Felton
@sandrafriend / Sandra Friend
@Thandelike / Anastasia M. Ashman

Writing ~ Publishing (14)

@BookMarketer / Dana Lynn Smith
@brianandcyndy / Brian Bass
@cyndyandbrian / Cyndy Kryder
@DanPoynter / Dan Poynter
@FernReiss / Fern Reiss
@FrugalBookPromo / Carolyn Howard-Johnson
@GrammarGirl / Mignon Fogarty
@iwhodareswins / Bob Mayer
@JohnKremer / John Kremer
@jtlongandco / JT Long
@SarahBolme / Sarah Bolme
@shelhorowitz / Shel Horowitz
@susandaffron / Susan Daffron
@wordywoman / Shelley Lieber

FICTION

Action ~ Adventure (1)

@SciFiAdventure / R.J. Archer

Literary ~ General (67)

@adeniro / Alan DeNiro
@agreer / Andrew Sean Greer
@amandaeyreward / Amanda Eyre Ward
@amymackinnon / Amy Mackinnon
@aswinn / Allison Winn Scotch
@BarbaraDelinsky / Barbara Delinsky
@Caroline_S / Carolyn Smailes
@carolynturgeon / Carolyn Turgeon
@cbarzak / Christopher Barzak
@chuckpalahniuk / Chuck Palahniuk
@clairecameron / Claire Cameron
@danamo / Danyel Smith
@DebraSnider / Debra Snider
@dougcoupland / Douglas Coupland
@eliseblackwell / Elise Blackwell
@emilymandel / Emily St. John Mandel
@flammablewords / C. M. Harris
@Glasgowlee / Leela Soma
@hamishmf / Hamish MacFarlane
@hollylisle / Holly Lisle
@jebraun / J.E. Braun
@jennienash / Jennie Nash
@jgvra / j guevara
@jodipicoult / Jodi Picoult
@Joe_Wallace / Joseph Wallace
@John_Wray / John Wray
@jscarroll / Jonathan Caroll
@Karen_Palmer / Karen Palmer
@KateJacobsBooks / Kate Jacobs
@katherinecenter / Katherine Center
@KellySimmons / Kelly Simmons
@kirandesai / Kiran Desai
@kmgovier / Katherine Govier
@KristyKiernan / Kristy Kiernan
@ktsetsi / Kristen Tsetsi
@kwohlrob / Ken Wohlrob
@ladymurasaki / Marie Mutsuki Mockett
@larentschler / Linda Ann Rentschler
@linc0lnpark / Lincoln Park
@lisettebrodey / Lisette Brodey
@Lynne_Griffin / Lynne Griffin
@MargaretAtwood / Margaret Atwood
@mariebostwick / Marie Bostwick
@megwaiteclayton / Meg Waite Clayton
@michaelpboatman / Michael Boatman
@miriamgershow / Miriam Gershow
@miriamtoews / Miriam Toews
@MoriahJovan / Mariah Jovan
@NancyKayShapiro / Nancy Kay Shapiro
@OrnaRoss / Orna Ross
@paul_shannon / Paul Shannon
@PettyMagic / Camille DeAngelis
@phillipoverton / Phillip Overton
@piaze / Pia Z Ehrhardt
@qsteph / Stephanie Guerilus
@realjohngreen / John Green
@rodesfishburne / Rodes Fishburne
@s_g_browne / Scott G. Browne
@stephenfry / Stephen Fry
@SRumzi / Sonia Rumzi
@tao_lin / Tao Lin
@tericoyne / Teri Coyne
@ThereseWalsh / Therese Walsh
@TomDolby / Tom Dolby
@Urrealism / Luis Alberto Urrea
@webvivant / Steve Mansfield-Devine
@writerobrien / Rosemary O’Brien
@ZimblerMiller / Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Christian (4)

@candacesalima / Candace E. Salima
@CathyBryant / Cathy Bryant
@DebiIrene / Debi Irene Wahl
@rebecaseitzGRPR / Rebeca Seitz

Historical (14)

@Annewhitfield / Anne Whitfield
@CarolBMTbooks / Carol A. Buchanan
@cmmayo1 / C.M. Mayo
@ErrolLincolnUys / Errol Lincoln Uys
@Eugenia_Kim / Eugenia_Kim
@DanMcNeil888 / Dan McNeil
@jessicajames / Jessica James
@p_photiou / Philip Photiou
@RLBHartmann / R.L.B. Hartmann
@Sandra_Gulland / Sandra Gulland
@slipdown / Walt Shiel
@talexander / Tasha Alexander
@TheWriteHand / Allen Goldenthal
@tracygrant / Tracy Grant

Horror (11)

@AlanBaxter / Alan Baxter
@BobV451 / Robert E. Vardeman
@JeremyCShipp / Jeremy C. Shipp
@jnassise / Joe Nassise
@JoanDeLaHaye / Joan De La Haye
@joe_hill / Joe Hill
@JonathanMaberry / Jonathan Maberry
@Kim_Richards / Kim Richards
@MarkLeslie / Mark Leslie
@scottsigler / Scott Sigler
@VampireFaust / Gabrielle Faust

Mystery ~ Thriller (43)

@ajbarnett / Anthony J. Barnett
@AJScudiere / AJ Scudiere
@allanansorge / Allan Ansorge
@barryeisler / Barry Eisler
@catconnor / Cat Connor
@charlottehughes / Charlotte Hughes
@Clea_Simon / Clea Simon
@cymlowell / Cym H. Lowell
@debgrabien / Deborah Grabien
@DennisTafoya / Dennis Tafoya
@DianeCapri / Diane Capri
@DianeFanning / Diane Fanning
@djledford / Deborah J Ledford
@docnoir / Anthony Neil Smith
@egtalbot/ Edward G. Talbot
@ericbarnes2 / Eric Barnes
@fpaulwilson / F. Paul Wilson
@GayleTrent / Gayle Trent
@jamesscottbell / James Scott Bell
@jasonpinter / Jason Pinter
@jhoustonturner / James Houston Turner
@joefinder / Joe Finder
@JoeMoore_writer / Joe Moore
@jonfmerz / Jon F. Merz
@JonMcGoran / Jon McGoran (aka D.H. Dublin)
@jrlindermuth / John Lindermuth
@jsandmanus / John Sundman
@KDWrites / KD Easley
@libbyfh / Libby Fischer Hellmann
@luisabuehler / Luisa Buehler
@mary_russell / Laurie R. King
@mehughesauthor / Mary Ellen Hughes
@MikeAngley / Michael Angley
@mrsellars / M.R. Sellars
@mysteryshrink / Barbara DeShong
@pendletonauthor / Linda Pendleton
@PStoltey / Patricia Stoltey
@RGregoryBrowne / Rob Gregory Browne
@SheynaGalyan / Sheyna Galyan
@SuzanneArruda / Suzanne Arruda
@teresaburrell / Teresa Burrell
@ThePenanceList / Siobhan C. Cunningham
@thrillerchick / JT Ellison

Romance (41)

@4kaylin / Kaylin McFarren
@adellelaudan / Adelle Laudan
@AdrianaKraft / Adriana Kraft
@bridgetwhelan / Bridget Whelan
@candacehavens / Candace Havens
@carmenshirkey / Carmen Shirkey
@christinadodd / Christina Dodd
@CindyDragonfly / Cindy A. Christiansen
@DanielleThorne / Danielle Thorne
@DebraMullins / Debra Mullins
@desmondhaas / Desmond Haas
@donnahill / Donna Hill
@drjeanne / Dr. Jeanne Hounshell
@echelonpress / Alexis Hart
@elucastaylor / E. Lucas Taylor
@foery / Foery MacDonell
@janecostello / Jane Costello
@janetlaneauthor / Janet Lane
@JenWagnerWriter / Jennifer Wagner
@JhonnyThermidor / Jhonny Thermidor
@Ketadiablo / Keta Diablo
@lindawisdom / Linda Wisdom
@linorerose / Linore Rose Burkard
@loiscarroll / Lois Carroll
@marcnobbs / Marc Nobbs
@Margay / Margay Leah Justice
@MarisaChenery / Marisa Chenery
@MelissaMayhue / Melissa Mayhue
@micheleabell / Michele Ashman Bell
@NicolaMarsh / Nicola Marsh
@PaigeTyler / Paige Tyler
@Patti_OShea / Patti O’Shea
@reganblack / Regan Black
@rowenacherry / Rowena Cherry
@ruttanamy / Amy Ruttan
@sarahstorme / Sarah Storme
@SherriErwin / Sherri Browning Erwin
@TinaGerow / Tina Gerow
@traciehoward / Tracie Howard
@TrashyWriter / Amelia James
@victoriajanssen / Victoria Janssen

Science Fiction ~ Fantasy (53)

@AlexBledsoe / Alex Bledsoe
@alisoncroggon / Alison Croggon
@auntyproton / Carol E. Meacham
@authorajhartley / A. J. Hartley
@barculator / James Barclay
@christinerose / Christine Rose
@DavidBCoe / David B. Coe
@doctorow / Cory Doctorow
@EdainDuguay / Edain Duguay
@Elissa_Malcohn / Elissa Malcohn
@Entorien / Carrie Seal
@Fantasyharper / Wendy Gillissen
@firstcausenyc / Paul West
@gloriaoliver / Gloria Oliver
@GreatDismal / William Gibson
@Gregory_Frost / Gregory Frost
@hamishmacdonald / Alistair Hamish MacDonald
@henrymelton / Henry Melton
@HunterFaith / Faith Hunter
@JasonCosmo / Dan McGirt
@jchutchins / J.C. Hutchins
@jenniferfallon / Jennifer Fallon
@JLichtenberg / Jacqueline Lichtenberg
@josephdevon / Joseph Devon
@kaliphonia / William F. Aicher
@KenMcConnell / Ken McConnell
@LA_Banks / Leslie Esdaile Banks
@LAShiel / Lisa A Shiel
@laurenbeukes / Lauren Beukes
@leapetra / Mari Miniatt
@lilithsaintcrow / Lilith Saintcrow
@MarkDavidGerson / Mark David Gerson
@MarkOetjens / Mark Oetjens
@MaryRobinette / Mary Robinette Kowal
@Max_Frei / Max Frei
@MistyMassey / Misty Massey
@neilhimself / Neil Gaiman
@ofkingsandgods / Chris Ledbetter
@paulcrilley / Paul Crilley
@rathacat / Clare Bell
@rabumgardner / Ronnie Bumgardner
@RFLong / Ruth F Long
@roxannasmolen / Roxanne Smolen
@scalzi / John Scalzi
@scribe77 / A. F. Stewart
@shunn / William Shunn
@stevegoldin / Stephen Goldin
@tanyatynjala / Tanya Tynjälä
@TeeMonster / Tee Morris
@tshreffler / Theresa Shreffler
@TheKJA / Kevin J Anderson
@ursulasquid / Jaleta Clegg
@vijayaschartz / Vijaya Schartz

Western (1)

@BarryAChambers / Barry Andrew Chambers

CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT

CYA Fiction (82)

@2911ent / Kofi Okyere
@AdrienneKress / Adrienne Kress
@amberlehman73 / Amber Lehman
@Annemazer / Anne Mazer
@AS_King / A.S. King
@barrylyga / Barry Lyga
@bonnyglen / Melissa Wiley
@brandonmull / Brandon Mull
@BronzeWord / Jo Ann Hernandez
@CarinBerger / Carin Berger
@CherylRainfield / Cheryl Rainfield
@ChristineRose / Christine Rose
@chrisverstraete / Christine Verstraete
@cleemckenzie / C.Lee McKenzie
@cottrellbentley / Lisa Contrell-Bentley
@cynthea / Cynthea Liu
@CynthiaCWillis / Cynthia C. Willis
@DDHearn / Diane Dawson Hearn
@DeborahFreedman / Deborah Freedman
@ellenhopkinsya / Ellen Hopkins
@EllenPotter / Ellen Potter
@Ginger_High / Melissa Burmester
@halseanderson / Laurie Halse Anderson
@hatbooks / Holly Thompson
@heatherayris / Heather Ayris Burnell
@HeleneBoudreau / Helene Boudreau
@IainLawrence / Iain Lawrence
@jcx27 / John Cox
@jk_rowling / J K Rowling
@JohnJBonk / John J. Bonk
@JRTurner / JR Turner
@judyblume / Judy Blume
@KarenRivers / Karen Rivers
@KareyShane / Karey Shane
@KateMessner / Kate Messner
@KathyErskine / Kathy Erskine
@kerrymadden / Kerry Madden
@KimberlyRPauley / Kimberly Pauley
@kimberlywickham / Kimberly Wickham
@KirstinMarsh / Kirstin Marsh
@LaurelSnyder / Laurel Snyder
@LaurenBaratzL / Lauren Baratzl Logsted
@LaurenMyracle / Lauren Myracle
@libbabray / Libby Bray
@LindaJoySinglet / Linda Joy Singleton
@LindaThieman / Linda Thieman
@lkgg / LK Gardner-Griffie
@lucycoats / Lucy Coats
@MarieLamba / Marie Lamba
@marileeb / Marilee Brothers
@MarlisDay / Marlis Day
@marycunningham / Mary Cunningham
@maryhoffman / Mary Hoffman
@maureenjohnson / Maureen Johnson
@megancrewe / Megan Crewe
@MegCabot /Meg Cabot
@MGHarris / MG Harris
@MichelleKnudsen / Michelle Knudsen
@miscmum / Karen Andrews
@mitaliperkins / Mitali Perkins
@normcowie / Norm Cowie
@PamRipling / Pam Ripling
@pennyehrenkranz / Penny Lockwood
@RebeccaMoesta / Rebecca Moesta
@RJ_Anderson / R.J. Anderson
@RuglyPuffs / Dr. Alex Alborough Cullum
@sammorton429 / Sam Morton
@sarahockler / Sarah Ockler
@sauertammi / Tammi Sauer
@ScottWesterfeld / Scott Westerfeld
@slamballonbooks / Shawn Lamb
@SPrineas / Sarah Prineas
@StevenHornby / Steven Hornby
@stewtheline / Kinsy McVay
@storyconnection / Dianne de Las Casas
@susanwrites / Susan Taylor Brown
@taramichener / Tara Michener
@thaliachaltas / Thalia Chaltas
@TomiUngerer / Tomi Ungerer
@tWeenBooks / Elizabeth Atkinson
@TwinHappyJen / Jennifer Miller
@zenmother / Jennifer Karin

CYA Non-Fiction (10)

@annerooney / Anne Rooney
@bjzi / Bobbi Ireland
@doeray / Doeray Griffin
@jonedm / David M. Jones
@kathytemean / Kathy Temean
@kimchatel / Kim Chatel
@marilynhilton / Marilyn Hilton
@rochellestrauss / Rochelle Strauss
@saradonkersloot / Sara Feriante Donkersloot
@william2233 / William Sawyers

POETRY (7)

@AdeleWard / Adele Ward
@crackedpoems / Alice Shapiro
@dobbygibson / Dobby Gibson
@helenaharper / Helena Harper
@MecumHaiku / Ryan Mecum
@pascalepoet / Pascale Petit
@PremoSteele / Cassie Premo Steele

With all the excitement and novelty and momentum surrounding social media tools such as Twitter, people sometimes forget the “social” part of the equation.

Twitter is like any other community or network where abiding by a few friendly rules helps everyone get along.

You know that annoying n00b who shows up at parties and networking events? You know the one I mean — the person who dominates the conversation with loud talk that’s all about them. The person who’s telling you all about their manuscript or book before you’ve even had a chance to finish saying your name.

Don’t be the Twitter equivalent of that n00b. Instead, practice the Twitter KISS: Keep It Short and Sociable.

Short: Well, duh. You only get 140 characters per tweet. That’s the easy part.
AND
Sociable: That’s the really important part.

Being sociable on Twitter means:

• Participating in conversations
• Asking and answering questions
• Being helpful to others for no immediate gain
• Being supportive of others
• Being enthusiastic
• Freely sharing resources and information
• Building relationships

Yes, you can talk about yourself sometimes. That’s part of sharing. But make sure the conversation isn’t all about you all the time.

And don’t forget that Twitter isn’t a way to lob your manuscript or book idea over the virtual transom of every publishing employee in the land to see if someone wants it.

If you’re not using the Twitter KISS, you might find yourself getting the kiss-off.