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(Updated by @inkyelbows on February 24, 2010. -Removed #platformchat.)
Note: To see all my tips on how writers can get the most out of Twitter, please visit my Writer’s Guide To Twitter page.
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Compact writer chat schedule (for details, read further down on page):
EVERY DAY: #amwriting, #writegoal, #writingparty plus others (see hashtag list below)
SUNDAYS: #writechat, #scriptchat
MONDAYS: #litchat, #journchat, #ThrillerChat
TUESDAYS: #kidlitchat, #poettues, #FaithLitChat,
WEDNESDAYS: #litchat, #memoirchat, #wnw, #yalitchat
THURSDAYS: #poetry, #dnchat, #kidlitart, #scribechat
FRIDAYS: #followreader, #fridayflash, #litchat, #scifichat, #StoryFriday
SATURDAYS: #ScreenwritingSaturday
It took me a while to check out a chat on Twitter because I figured it would be complicated, and I lacked the time to learn a new user interface. To my surprise, it was MUCH simpler than I expected…and a lot of fun!
If you’ve never tried a Twitter chat, here are some tips to help you get started:
What IS a Twitter chat?
A chat on Twitter basically consists of people making posts that include a particular hashtag (words that start with ‘#’). To read posts made in a chat, you just search for that hashtag in Twitter. Here’s a sample search for the hashtag ‘#writechat.’
If all you want to do is monitor a chat and not say anything, that’s all you need to know. You’ll need to refresh the page to see updated posts.
If you want to say something in the chat, just post your comment to Twitter, but make sure the hashtag is included somewhere in your post so other people in the chat will see it. That’s the simplest way to participate in a chat so if you’re in a hurry, there’s no need to read further.
It can be a hassle to have to manually add the chat hashtag each time you post (and inevitably you forget) and also to keep refreshing the search result page. To make Twitter chats a more pleasant experience, there are many Twitter chat tools available (for free!); I’ve included a list of some later in this page.
Where to find Twitter chats for writers
These dates/times are accurate as of today, as far as I know. Info may change, however, so be sure to verify this info by checking the hashtag before attending your first chat. Info was excerpted from Meryl.Net’s great list of chats, this Google Docs chat list, Twitter, and comment posts. If you run a regular Twitter chat for writers that is not listed below, please post info in the comments at the bottom.
The following are more motivational groups rather than scheduled Twitterchats, but are still a great way of meeting other writers on Twitter.
#amwriting: Every day
See @johannaharness’s FAQ.
When: anytime.
#amwritingparty: Every day
See this explanation. Hosted by saramcclung.
#mommyswriting: RT @quirkywriter: It’s official. If you’re trying to balance raising kids and writing for them, meet us on #mommyswriting for support.
#writegoal: Every day
Post your daily writing goals and get inspired by reading goals by other writers. Founder: @annadestefano.
Other hashtags of interest to writers: #AgentPeeves, #allaboutagents, #askagent (at least every 2 wks, around 11 am EST), #authors, #cdnkidlit, #editing,#fictionfriday, #nanowrimo, #pubtip, #RomChat (see info), #storystarters, #tuesbooktalk, #wip, #wordcount, #writetip, #novelists, #wordathon, #WriteRomance (see info), #writers, #writing, #writingparty.
Reminder: Hashtags are useful in filtering Twitter posts, but DON’T OVERUSE THEM. You’ll come off as spammy if most of your posts are littered with hashtags.
Here’s a great post about how to use and not use hashtags.
#writechat: Sundays
Topic or topics are usually announced at the beginning of the chat.
Moderated by @WritingSpirit
PST: 12-3 pm
MST: 1-4 pm
CST: 2-5 pm
EST: 3-6 pm
#scriptchat: Sundays
For seasoned and aspiring screenwriters as well as anyone who is curious about screenwriting. The goal: learning and sharing.
Moderator: @jeannevb
PST: 5 pm
MST: 6 pm
CST: 7 pm
EST: 8 pm
#journchat: Mondays
PST: 5-8 pm
MST: 6-9 pm
CST: 7-10 pm
EST: 8-11 pm
#ThrillerChat: Mondays. #thrillerchat is a Twitter chat for anyone interested in writing Thrillers, although you don’t have to be a writer to join in. 1-2 hours. Moderated by: @Selorian. More info here.
PST: 5 pm
MST: 6 pm
CST: 7 pm
EST: 8 pm
#kidlitchat:
Craft & business of writing for young people, board books up through YA. Topic or topics announced at the beginning of the chat.
Moderators: @gregpincus, @bonnieadamson
PST: 6 pm
MST: 7 pm
CST: 8 pm
EST: 9 pm
#poettues:
Discussion of poetry with @robertleebrewer, usually beginning around 10am EST.
#FaithLitChat:
A weekly faith-based discussion of Christian books, writing & CBA market. Tuesdays from 6-7pm PST (9-10pm EST). Follow @FaithLitChat for more info.
#litchat: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Mission is to connect readers with books and authors.
Moderator: @litchat.
Transcripts on blog.
PST: 1-2 pm
MST: 2-3 pm
CST: 3-4 pm
EST: 4-5 pm
#WNW: Wednesdays
Wednesday Night Writer. Fantasy/Fiction discussion group on Twitter.
Moderator: @_decode_ .
PST: 5-8 pm
MST: 6-9 pm
CST: 7-10 pm
EST: 8-11 pm
#YALitChat: Wednesdays
YA
Moderator needed. Please DM @Georgia_McBride.
PST: 6 pm
MST: 7 pm
CST: 8 pm
EST: 9 pm
#memoirchat: Every other Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST.
Moderator: @alexisgrant
For writers of memoir.
#poetry: Thursdays
We talk poetry. Readers, writers, and all others encouraged to join. Moderator: @gregpincus.
PST: 6-7 pm
MST: 7-8 pm
CST: 8-9 pm
EST: 9-10 pm
#scribechat: Thursdays
A weekly chat for members of Scribblerati, or any writer who would like to be a member. . Moderators: @LiaKeyes and @NecessaryWriter
PST: 6-7 pm
MST: 7-8 pm
CST: 8-9 pm
EST: 9-10 pm
#kidlitart: Thursdays
Weekly chat for illustrators, pb authors & author/illustrators. Topics announced in advance via @kidlitart. Hosted by Bonnie Adamson and ( @BonnieAdamson) Wendy Martin (@lyonmartin).
PST: 6-7 pm
MST: 7-8 pm
CST: 8-9 pm
EST: 9-10 pm
#fridayflash: Every Friday.
Writers write/post flash fiction. Readers comment and RT.
See this post for more info.
#scifichat: Fridays
Moderated by: @DavidRozansky. Follow @scifichat for schedule changes and announcements.
PST: 11-2 pm
MST: 12-2 pm
CST: 1-3 pm
EST: 2-4 pm
#platformchat: Fridays.
Moderator: @thewritermama.
PST: 11-12 am
MST: 12-1 pm
CST: 1-2 pm
EST: 2-3 pm
#scifichat: Fridays
Hosted by: @WritersDigest. Collab fun.
#StoryFriday: Fridays
Moderated by: @DavidRozansky
PST: 11-1 pm
MST: 12-2 pm
CST: 1-3 pm
EST: 2-4 pm
#followreader: Fridays
#FollowReader is a weekly discussion on Twitter for the bookish community, lightly moderated by @KatMeyer and @CharAbbott, who provide a new topic each week. Kat and Charlotte alternate moderating duties on Fridays from 4 – 5pm EDT, Kat is moderating from 4 – 5 pm on Fridays, but the #FollowReader hashtag is used all week long to bring excellent ideas and discussions to the table.
PST: 1-2 pm
MST: 2-3 pm
CST: 3-4 pm
EST: 4-5 pm
#ScreenwritingSaturday:
Saturdays (all day)
Moderator: @UncompletedWork.
To see other chats, please visit Meryl.Net’s list of chats and What The Hashtag.
USEFUL TWITTER CHAT CLIENTS
You don’t have to have a special Twitter chat tool to participate in a Twitter chat, but it can make things easier.
TweetChat: This is my favourite so far. Very simple to use. Web-based, just enter the hashtag you want to follow, enter the chat room, and you don’t have to keep adding the hashtag to every post because TweetChat does it for you.
TweetGrid: Also Web-based. You can participate in more than one chat at the same time but this means you have to enter the hashtag each time you post to make sure it goes to the right room. I find it enough of a challenge keeping up with ONE chat and can’t imagine trying to participate in more than one, though.
TweetDeck: If you use this desktop app, then you can create a column that filters the hashtag/chat name.
Related sources:
Meryl.net’s article abou Twitter chat clients
10 Free Twitter Chat Tools
FOR THOSE NEW TO TWITTER CHATS
Tweeting With Your Twitter Community: How To Participate In A Twitter Chat by Jeff Hurt
How to Join Twitter Chats from Meryl.net
How To Participate In A Twitter Chat
A FEW TWITTER CHAT TIPS
If you’re arriving after the chat has begun, try to catch up on older posts to find out what you missed. DON’T start posting right away — you may be interrupting a moderated chat with guest authors or editors, or there may be a particular theme or topic of discussion.
DON’T post promotional info about you or your book unless it comes up naturally in the chat. Imagine you’re invited into someone’s home for an informal gathering of writers; would you start plunge into talking about your book, interrupting conversations already in progress?
Don’t get angry if people seem to be ignoring your posts. In a crowded chat, posts often go by very quickly and people often miss reading some posts. System lag can also delay the public appearance of posts. Wait a little and then try re-posting.
I’ve found it handy to keep an extra browser window open, to monitor any “@” replies I may have missed seeing in the main chat window. I find Tweetdeck really helpful for this.
If you’re replying to someone’s comment, be sure to include that person’s account name in your post so they see it.
If you’re using a regular Web browser, include the proper chat name hashtag, or no one in the chat will see your post.
Proofread your tweet before posting.
Try to stay on topic, if there is a topic of discussion.
Don’t forget that if you have a protected Twitterfeed, people won’t be able to see your posts unless they’re following you. Consider opening a separate (and public) feed for chats.
If you use one Twitter account for regular posts as well as for chats, you may want to warn your followers that you’re about to participate in a chat and may therefore be posting a LOT for the next little while. Or you might consider having a separate account just for chats. Here’s how I tweet.
Even though the environment may seem intimate and casual, ALWAYS REMEMBER that your posts are public. You can always count on someone taking a screenshot of an embarrassing post before you have a chance to delete it, plus certain types of feeds will still retain your post even if you delete it. Never, ever post in anger; don’t forget what happened to Alice Hoffman.
Never post in anger. (see above) I know I keep harping on this, but I’ve seen far too many writers make this mistake and regret it later. If you want to disagree with someone, do so respectfully. Don’t let someone goad you into a flamewar. Also remember that people reading your Twitter page will only see your posts, and not the others in the discussion. These readers may include other authors, editors, and agents whose professional opinion of you may be altered for the worse, depending on what you post.
TWITTER CHAT ACRONYM PRIMER
I’m still learning the acronyms, but here are some you may come across in a Twitter chat for writers:
YA = young adult
MG = middle grade
UF = urban fantasy (thanks to @tom_hummer)
FWIW = for what it’s worth
LOL = laughing out loud
LMAO = laughing my ass off
RT = retweet (usually precedes the Twittername of the person who is being quoted or retweeted)
BFN = bye for now
TTFN = ta ta for now
BRB = be right back
Here are some other chat acronyms
Chat acronyms used in e-mail, IM and text messaging (includes handy search box)
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO RUN A TWITTER CHAT
Twitter Chat Best Practices – Great tips from Deirdre Breakenridge
How to Run a Successful Twitter Chat (from Meryl.net)
FOR THOSE NEW TO TWITTER OR TWITTERCHATS:
10 Ways Twitter Can Help Writers by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
The Twitter Chat Experience – by Swan
What Tweetchats Can Do For You by Ami Spencer
Twitter FAQ: RT, HT, OH, ETC by Brent Ozar
Twitter 101: Clarifying The Rules For Newbies from SheGeeks.net.
The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter – by Michael Hyatt (CEO, Thomas Nelson)
RELATED RESOURCES:
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey! We also just started #memoirchat, for writers of memoir. Every other Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST. (Next one’s July 22.)
Fabulous resource, Debbie–thanks! Will bookmark this one.
Hi, Debbie,
Greg and I have decided to move kidlitchat to Tuesday, to avoid overlapping with other established writing chats. So, starting Tuesday, July 21st, and weekly thereafter, we’ll be “on” at 9 pm Eastern, 6 pm Pacific.
Thanks again for your wonderful support of the writing community!
Bonnie
Hi
That was a very informative Blog Post.
Thank you for sharing, the list & times are very helpful.
Wasn’t sure if I should mention #romfail. It’s a little r-rated.
Anyways, Love from Canada
twitter.com/RKCharron
xoxo
Thank you very much for one of the most useful blog postings I’ve seen. I sometimes feel like an idiot trying to learn new technology and this clarified a LOT. Yay. As I offically hit the double nickel, I can proudly say that this old dog is learning new tricks.
Thanks for the FAB resource! I’ve heard about these chats, but had NO idea how to participate. Thanks again!!
debbie–
i tweeted this and posted it during litchat today, as well, so perhaps some others will be able to find out about other chats of which they were not aware. i didn’t know about the poetry chat, and was glad to find out about it.
i would add that if one uses a third party app, such as TweetChat, there is a pause button; for some of the really active chats, this is a welcome aid, whether for catching up or to make sure to resume where one leaves off while tweeting to the chat.
thanks for the resource.
//karen
@latta
Debbie, Thanks for this great post. I arrived late and lurked at last week’s #kidlitchat. I won’t be able to participate in today’s (7/21), but hopefully, next week.
Jean
@jeanfischer1
Great information, Debbie! Very clear and to the point. You answered many of the questions I had. I think I might try it. Hmmm… I wonder how Mimi would handle multiple chats. She would probably get mixed up and post a comment about horror writing into a romance chat! LOL!
Hey Debbie,
Thanks for the great Twitter lists and resources.
Just wanted to let you know that #platformchat is biweekly.
Hope to see you there again!
This is an extremely useful post, thanks for doing all the legwork! I’ve contributed to writechat a couple of times, but none of the others. I’ll have to have a look-see. Lovely stuff.
Great post! I stumbled across a chat the other day and wondered how it all works. Thanks for all the details, you’ve saved me tons of time.
Great roundup of writer chats! I was looking for something like this because I just posted on why Tweetchats can be helpful (What Tweetchats Can Do For You). I’ll have to add an update that links to this post for more information on the mechanics of chats.
Thanks for posting all of the chats for writers, their days and times. Very helpful. I’ve enjoyed attending #writechat and #platformchat sessions and #memoirchat as well. I will keep this page bookmarked for future reference.
Dawn Herring
JournalWriter Freelance
Be Refreshed!
Great Post. Thx for providing a link to the Twitter Chat Schedule
The schedule is editable so it is the only place where people can add their chat and see the schedule for others in a glance.
Twitter Chatting is really coming into its own. Your readers may also be interested in this analysis of some of the Twitter Chat tools currently available: http://bit.ly/mp2uF
As a novice tweeter and uninitiated chatter, I really appreciate this thorough intro to Twitter chats. Now I can participate in an upcoming #kidlitchat without trepidation… Thanks, Debbie!
Hi! We have a twitter chat for those of us who write fiction for online publication, #dnchat. DN stands for DigitalNovelists.com, which is the platform most of us in the group publish on, but all web fiction writers and fans of web novelists are welcome. Thursdays, 8 pm PT, -7 GMT (or -8, depending on daylight savings time).
Thinking of starting a chat for YA urban fantasy, goth and paranormal writers. Anyone interested please DM me @Georgia_McBride
Otherwise thanks for the very helpful info!
Thanks-
Georgia
Thanks for this very thorough and informative post about Twitter chats specific to writers and books. I will add this link to the LitChat blog.
This is great! As a newbie, I’ve found gold. Thank you doublelattemama for the tip!
This is a really comprehensive list: I wasn’t aware there were so many different twitter chats for writers!
Don’t know if you want to add it to the list, but there’s also #WebFicWed, for authors to promote their work, and readers to share what online fiction they’re enjoying.
Hi Debbie,
Really great to have all this information in one place. Twitter is such a fabulous medium for writers to share and support and the writing chat is such a simple but powerful mechanism to strengthen the network. I find this all so fascinating from a social psychological stance but am also personally looking forward to interacting further with other likeminded writers. A definate bookmark, this.
Hiya, Great links!
Don’t forget #writingwednesday (started by me)
tweet writing topics, news, info, links and retweet other writers topics, news info and links. All day, every wednesday.
This is so helpful that I’ve come back here multiple times!
One question: when you say “I’ve found it handy to keep an extra window open, to monitor any “@” replies” —are you talking about another window in TwitterChat? Or some other application? I can keep up with the rapid scanning of the conversation in TwitterChat (and know about the pause function) but I’m having difficulty replying to people in time.
My name keeps sliiiiiiiding by and when I scramble to reply, I miss another one.
Thanks!
Hi Sara: I usually keep Tweetdeck open to monitor “@” replies. I use Tweetchat to monitor the overall flow of the chat and try to keep up as best as I can. Hope this helps!
I noticed that several of the scheduled chats listed in this post are not on the Twitter Chat Schedule.
Anybody is welcome to add chats to the list. Feel free to use it to promote your scheduled Twitter chat.
This is a terrific post! Just wanted to update everyone on the request for a moderator for #YAlitchat, which I’ve now accepted. From now on I’ll be co-hosting with Georgia McBride! Woot!
Hi,
Very useful post, many thanks. Had to work out how to convert US time zones to GMT but I think I’ve got it!
You do good work Debbie. I posted a link back to here in my tumblog.
Excellent resource. I really appreciate all your hard work. Extremely valuable and I will share with many.
Thanks for the great post. I am fairly new to Twitter and I learned a great deal from you.
Great site.
there’s another every day hashtag: #amwritingparty (it’s fun – update what you’re working on – at any part of the writing process… brainstorming, writing, editing, querying, etc – and be cheered on by all the other party goers!)
As a newbie, I appreciate all your tips and pointers! Thanks much.
I love this entry so much I linked it to a post in my blog! Great stuff, thanks for putting in all this work. I appritiate it every time I forget when a chat is and have to refer to it!
Debbie, I’d love it if you could add #scribechat to Thursdays! It’s a new chat for writers of all genres, courtesy of Scribblerati.com, the social network for writers. Starting on December 31st, 2009. Come and chat before hitting your New Year’s Eve parties!
ps. #scribechat will be on air from 6 pm PT/9 pm ET for one hour.
Seriously, thank you! I’m newer to twitter, and was wondering if there was a place to find all the different writing related hashtags/writer chats!
Once again, you are made of awesome!
Angela
Hi Debbie, thanks for compiling so much useful information in one single place.
See, I was reticent on saying this, maybe shy?, but at some point I thought, what the hell… Here’s the thing, this post became an important reference to me, so I linked to it here and here on my blog.
Thought you’d like to know.
This answers many questions, thank you so much. I arrived very late at #writechat on Sunday and I fear I barged in a bit, though they were very gracious and didn’t appear to mind. With this info, I can be a bit more polite.
Thanks for compiling this list, especially with the chat descriptions. I haven’t participated in any of the chats yet, but I definitely have watched a few. I can say that I really learned a lot, especially from #YALITCHAT
This article is brilliant. Still a bit of a newcomer to twitter and this – along with the other twitter-related posts – are an unbelievable amount of help. Many, many thanks!
Thank you for this kick0butt comprehensive resource. I’m a twitterchat newbie too, even though I co-host one. There’s so much to learn in the twitter-verse and online in general. Good thing I have teenagers or I’d ever keep up!
Wow! Thanks! That was enormously helpful!
i enjoy twitter chats, but i am finding Google Buzz to be FAR easier to follow in this regard. I highly recommend giving one of yoru chats a go there. looking forward to #kidlitchat tonight.
Thanks for the excellent list!
Christina’s #platformchat is, alas, no longer, though.
– Jenn