Twitter Tips: Secret Hashtags 4 Novel #Writers (Part 2)
Welcome back, Twitter Ninjas!
In our last (thrilling) installment of Twitter Tips: 20 Tweeting Secrets for Novel Writers, I regaled you with ideas for getting your novel noticed in the Twitterverse.
(Thanks for your patience, by the way. My hard drive fried to burnt-toast crispiness. Even as I blog today on a BORROWED computer -- I'm so dedicated -- my Tech Geek is trying desperately to recover all 2,500 pages in my three unpublished novels. A funerary pall hangs over my office ... My kitten lives in dire fear of hurled books ... NOBODY'S happy in the deWolfe Den ... )
Today I'm going to dish on the mysterious phenom, known as hashtags.
What is a hashtag?
Think of it as a trend, topic, or special interest group.
What does it look like?
# – the pound sign.
How do you use these little darlings?
There are as many ways to use hashtags as there are hashtags (Translation: bazillions.) This comes as good news for us creative folk. I think.
In essence, hashtags extend your market reach. If you're like the vast majority of writers -- who have less than 2,000 followers -- repetitive tweeting to your little corner of the Twitterverse isn't going to go far in generating book sales.
So, you can advertise ... Or you can start stuffing your messages with hashtags, which are FREE.
I mentioned in my previous installment that hashtags make the meat of your message difficult to read, so it's probably a good idea to tack the lion's share of your hashtags on to the end of your message. Other than that, folks, hash to your heart's content!
The following list is by no means comprehensive, but it will get you started in the right direction. Be sure to add to this list any writer organizations that you belong to.
| Hashtags That Target Writers | Hashtags That Target Readers | Genre Hashtags |
| #amwriting | #ebook | #romance |
| #writing | #ebookdeals | #erotica |
| #author | #99cent | #chicklit |
| #novel | #giveaway | #womansfiction |
| #selfpub | #win | #sleuth (also: #mystery, #detective, #suspense) |
| #indieauthor | #free | #scifi |
| #writetip | #amreading | #horror |
| #bookmarket | #BN | #historical |
| #writechat | #Amazon | #fantasy |
| #fiction | #Kindle | #paranormal |
| #RTAuthor (I was told that this hashtag asks other writers to re-tweet for you.) | #Nook | #YALit (Stands for Young Adult Literature) |
| #WeWriWa (Weekend Writing Warriors – http://WeWriWa.com) | #mustread | #teenreads |
| #NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month – http://NaNoWriMo.org) | #hottitles | #MGLit (Middle Grade Literature) |
| #dontmissit | #Tween (Middle Grade Literature | |
| #moms (can’t hurt, right?) | #Vampire | |
| #BYNR (Someone told me this stands for “Buy Your Next Read.” I have no idea if that’s true) |
