Writer's Guide To Twitter > The Basics > Anything I should keep in mind before I start following people?
To see an index of topics, please see the Main Twitter Guide For Writers page. To go back to my blog for kidlit/YA writers and illustrators, see Inkygirl. You can find me on Twitter at @inkyelbows (focus: craft & biz of writing) and @DebbieOhi (chatty replies, Twitter chats).
PLEASE NOTE: Twitter's interface has changed since I first created this FAQ, so some of the technical details and screenshots may differ slightly. The essential info remains the same.
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Before you start following people
Have at least a few posts online. The best chance you have of attracting followers is when they check out your feed for the first time. When someone first follows me, I usually check out their page right away. If they have no posts, I'm not inclined to follow them back unless their bio is unusually interesting -- why should I follow them if I don't know how they post?
"What's the big deal?" you may ask. "They can always start following me LATER, when I start posting." My answer: How will they know what you're posting, if they're not following you?
Yes, you can always mention them in a post -- that way your post will appear in their feed. From my experience, however, I've learned that people may assume they're already following you if they see your post in their feed. More on this later, but my point is this:
If you want people to follow you, make your feed as interesting as possible. DON'T leave it blank.
Last updated on July 13, 2010 by Debbie Ridpath Ohi