So… my next foray into the great unexplored vistas of social media is… Twitter. Now, the trick with this form of communication is to keep it short – very short! 140 characters – including spaces!
Those of you who know me even a little, will know how difficult this is! Even at book-signings, I can never just sign my name on the inside cover. I want to write something personal, something meaningful, something memorable. Come to think of it, the number of characters that I typically add to my signature would likely top the 140 count!
Another thing that is a real challenge for me is the Internet language, acronyms and symbols. Some of this is simply a lack of familiarity. AKA, ASAP and FAQ have been around for quite a while. Christians have used PTL (praise the Lord) and writers POV (point of view) for decades. I’m getting used to LOL, FYI and BFF. Acronyms like B4 and L8R, I can figure out okay. But WIBAMU (Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!) or ne14kfc (anyone for KFC?) leave me ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing)!
This is likely also why I can’t seem to get a handle on texting. I don’t want to just send a link to an event and then write, “r u goin” but instead write something like, “Hi Jan. I heard about this event that you might be interested in attending. I’m going to be in town on that date. Maybe we could meet for coffee first…” Right about that time, my thumbs are starting to get muscle cramp!
Anyway, back to Twitter. For those of you who haven’t signed up yet, it’s easy. Just go to http://www.twitter.com/. Pick a user name that no one else has already chosen (one of the few occasions when I am thankful for the unusual spelling of my name: Dorene). Then you search for interests and/or friends to “follow.” This means that you can read their tweets when they post them. It’s different than Facebook because they don’t have to accept you as a friend and there doesn’t seem to be a limit on “followers” as there is on “friends” (you can’t be a “friend” to Jerry Jenkins, for example, but you can be a “follower” of Steven Harper).
I was able to find (and ultimately follow) some fellow authors: Sheila Wray Gregoire, Grace Fox and N. J. Lindquist; my favorite radio show: The Drew Marshall Show; McNally Robinson Booksellers; Christian Week newspaper; and the aforementioned, Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper.
Social media is making it possible for us to connect in ways that we never could have before. I recently chatted with someone on Facebook who was from India! It’s so awesome to meet people from the other side of the globe – brothers and sisters whom we might not otherwise have met until we got to heaven! I hope to twitter and tweet with some of you soon! My user name is DoreneMeyer and there’s only one of me so I'm easy to find!
TNT (Till next time),
Dorene Meyer http://www.dorenemeyer.com/ Author of Lewis, Jasmine, The Little Ones and Deep Waters
Now in book stores across Canada Distributed by Word Alive Press http://www.wordalivepress.ca/. Available online and as ebook on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/ (key in title of book and publisher: Word Alive Press).
Please join us for the Manitoba Launch of A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider: http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/event-10330/Dorene-Meyer
5 comments:
facebook and twitter diminishes the quality of communication. but they can be used to message the time and location.
Thanks for this fun report, Dorene. Your initial foray into twitter and texting offers some encouragement for me, but I'm not ready to take the plunge. Hah! But one o'these days -- who knows!
(158 characters above, already!:( )
Hi small double double,
Yes, I have concerns about the quality of communication also. So, would you say that face to face is best (only way) or do you include phone calls, hand-written letters, etc?
One thing I find is that if I'm not careful, I spend too much time answering emails, going on Facebook, etc and I get behind on the rest of the things I need to do. But that reminds me of visiting with friends over coffee, forgeting the time... Is it really so much different?
I don't know.
Dorene
it depends...
i would say prolonged phone conversation often puts one's body in a stiff position without conscious awareness. it reduces blood circulation and facilitates the development of a couch potatoe lifestyle.
writing letters stimulates imagination and exercises creativity, the only thing is you cannot put your faith on Canada Post, plus, only sentimental fools do that nowadays.
Dorene with the unusual spelling,
Good morning. You have inspired me to seriously think and pray about Twitter. Sometimes there are quotes I read or hear and think - that would be good to share. Maybe twitter would be easier than Facebook.
I am thinking. Thinking. Can you hear the mind whirling.
Good for you..
Maybe SYS (see you soon?) on Twitter.
Jan
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