This is the first installment of a four-part series on Twitter and building an author platform. In this installment, I talk about why an author would want a Twitter in the first place and the benefits it can bring.

In speaking with my fellow writer friends, I’ve seen three possible reactions to the word “Twitter.” There’s the whole-body shudder, coupled with a wrinkled nose and a glimmer of fear in the eyes, as they say, “No, thank you, I prefer my sanity.” Then, there’s the person who visibly perks up, smile widening and fingers already twitching for their phone, as they ask, “What’s your handle? We must immediately connect!” (This is me, if you haven’t guessed). And then there’s the third, who this post is lovingly dedicated to, as they cock their head to the side and say, “Eh? Twitter?”

Twitter, like many other social media platforms, has both its rabid adherents and those who disdain its very existence. Up until two years ago, I was in the latter group. “I don’t have anything to say,” I’d tell myself. “140 characters is not nearly enough space even if I did have something to say. Besides, shouldn’t I be spending that time writing?”

But, as I finished my latest manuscript and desperately hunted for beta readers who weren’t well-meaning friends who would tell me the book was “great” with no other feedback, I turned to Twitter. What I found was a vibrant writing community full of resources and people willing to connect. So let’s dive into the three reasons you should be on Twitter as an author.

Let’s take my example from above. I had a recently finished manuscript, in all its first draft ugliness, and I needed someone to read it who wasn’t my mom. Not that I don’t love my mom, but, as any writer knows, you need tough love for your first draft. You need someone who is going to read through it all in its messy glory and tell you what needs fixing – because, don’t kid yourself, something always needs fixing.

For a genre author like myself, you also need a reader who understands the intricacies of worldbuilding, magic systems, and all of the unique elements that make sci-fi/fantasy such a fun genre to write in. While I was a part of a local writers group, there weren’t too many genre authors in the group, nor was there enough time to really dig into an entire manuscript in our group sessions. Perhaps you face the same issue, or perhaps you’re in a rural area where it’s hard to connect with writers in person, or perhaps you’re new to writing and haven’t made those connections yet.

Twitter is the perfect place to find other writers to connect with. There are dozens of hashtags where you can find the exact community you’re looking for.

Searching for a couple of beta readers? Try out the #CPMatch hashtag, where you pitch your book and swap sample chapter with other interested writers.

Looking for motivation to get that early morning writing in before your day job? Look no further than the #5amwritersclub.

Have a writing question you just can’t find the answer to? Throw it over to the amazing people at #ontheporch.

Or maybe you just want to have some fun, be creative, or commiserate with other writers on how this stupid scene is just not coming together the way you want it to. There are so many threads of conversation out on Twitter where perfect strangers come together and share writing memes, one liners, story aesthetic boards, and even just facts about themselves and the writing process.

Writing can be a really lonely process. It’s just you and your laptop (or notebook) and your characters’ voices in your head. Having a community that you can turn to for advice, resources, or even just support when you receive your umpteenth rejection letter is so valuable. I’ve met some of my best critique partners on Twitter, read some fabulous material, and have been introduced to new books and resources I’d never find otherwise. Especially for those of us who aren’t able to spend a lot of time with a local writers group, for whatever reason that may be, Twitter is an excellent place to find your people.

Plus, to put the marketing hat on for just a minute, your readers are also on Twitter! And many of them may be exactly the writers you’re connecting with now. We’ll get to how to build a following and communicate with them in further installments, but, briefly, Twitter is also a great place to showcase your work and connect with would-be readers. You can use it as a place to announce when your latest book is up for pre-order, to showcase your latest piece of flash fiction from your website, and to even drop sneak peeks of scenes you’re working on. The reading community on Twitter is also incredibly lively, and they’re always looking for new books to devour.

Twitter is also a great place to flex your writing muscles by entering some contests or even just fun Twitter games.

One of my favorite Twitter games is #1linewed. Every Wednesday, you have a new word: “puzzle,” “rain,” “cry.” You can either find that line in one of your works or really push your creativity and craft an entirely new one. This was such a great exercise for me, especially when the character count was still 140. I’d find the perfect line and realize…oh no, it’s too long. But wait! I’ve got passive voice here. This piece could be said more succinctly. Do I need both of these adjectives or will one do? It’s the perfect exercise for self-editing. Plus, if you’re like me and tend to have favorite words you overuse, you may get an editing red flag when you search your latest MS for “sigh” and see that it occurs 245 times. Twitter games are a great way to have fun with your writing while growing your skills and enjoying the creativity of others as well.

The contests are also too numerous to count, many with great rewards. For instance, #PitchWars – the gladiator games for those looking to get traditionally published. PitchWars is “a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to make the manuscript shine for an agent showcase. The mentor also helps edit their mentee’s pitch for the contest and their query letter for submitting to agents.” (Check out their website here if you’re interested in learning more.) PitchWars and other Twitter contests are a great way to get exposure as well as genuine feedback on either your work itself or your pitch. Twitter is chock full of these contests, so there’s certainly one that works for you. I recommend checking out Free Writing Events, which does an amazing job keeping track of them all.

Finally, Twitter is also where a lot of people in the publishing industry love to hang out. Editors and agents are often very active on Twitter, as are well-established authors. While there are certainly boundaries you need to respect (we’ll get to that in a later installment), Twitter can be a great place to connect with those experts and gain some really valuable knowledge.

Take #QueryTip. Many agents, as they’re heroically trudging through their mammoth slush piles, will post common errors that they see in query letters. Even just a quick browse through the tips could save you instant rejection because you know now not to write “Hey Judy,” instead of “Dear Ms. Smith,” in the intro to your letter.

Or #askagent, where literary agents bravely make themselves available to answer burning questions from the writing community. Maybe you’re interested in how a contract is created or you’d like to know what trends they’re seeing in the marketplace. #askagent is a great resource to connect with these experts and get your questions answered.

Agents and editors (some, not all) are often active on the aforementioned contests too. The pitching contests in particular often have a system where “likes” mean that an agent is interested in your pitch and would like to learn more. While querying is still incredibly popular, pitching contests are becoming a great way to catch an agent’s eye.

Finally, #MSWL, otherwise known as Manuscript Wish List, is a great hashtag to follow if you’re actively querying, or even if you’d just like to see what’s hot in the marketplace right now. Here, agents and editors post what types of manuscripts they’re looking for currently. Especially if you’re building a list of potentials to query, this is a great place to start.

There are dozens of other reasons why Twitter is a great place to be as a writer, but that covers my three most important ones. While it is certainly a powerful procrastination tool (don’t get me wrong, I spend plenty of time just browsing and giggling at jokes), it is also a valuable platform for you to find community, venues to showcase your creativity, and people in the industry who may be interested in your latest work. I encourage you to go check it out and see for yourself. And if you’re interested in learning more about how to use Twitter as an author, stay tuned for my next installment of this blog series. Until then…happy writing!

Kristen Bickerstaff is a writer, editor, and marketing coach at Rooted in Writing. You can find her @kristenbwrites on Twitter.