Legal Writing

Can Twitter Improve Your Writing? (Part I)

First, spend a minute or two with Twitter, an on-line service that lets people write and publish short entries (for all the world to read).

An entry can be about anything (many use it to say what’s happening like “I’m getting ready for dinner,” or “the Mrs. awakes; she’s in a good mood; it’s gonna be a good day”) but it can be no more than 140 characters long: about 20 to 30 words.

Go ahead and write an entry. Write a response to Twitter’s essential question ? “What are you doing?”

Here’s a fair response:

Right now, I’m reading an article that discusses whether Twitter can help turn you into a better writer. Actually, I’m reading two articles about Twitter.

Oops! You can’t publish that because it’s 14 characters too long.

So, you start cutting.

Right now, I’m reading an article that discusses whether Twitter can help turn you into a better writer. Actually, I’m reading two articles about Twitter it.

That gives you two characters to spare:

I’m reading an article that discusses whether Twitter can help turn you into a better writer. Actually, I’m reading two articles about it.

That, you can publish.

Now, suppose you want to say something more significant. Suppose you want to say you agree with the article that claims using Twitter (writing Tweets) can make you a better writer, and you disagree with the other article that says writing Tweets has no such benefit.

Then you must do more than cut; you have to rewrite.

Right now, I’m reading an two articles that discusses whether Twitter can help turn you into a better writer. Actually, I’m reading two articles about Twitter.

With that, you have 29 characters to spare:

I’m reading two articles that discuss whether Twitter can help turn you into a better writer. I believe it can.

Better yet, let’s suppose you want to identify the two articles; you want to include links to those articles.

First, you shorten the links. You use an on-line service like TinyURL to turn:

http://www.thecomplexlitigator.com/post-data/2009/1/20/do-the-benefits-of-using-twitter-include-better-writing-for.html

into:

http://bit.ly/TTG6u

And you turn:

http://socialmedialawstudent.com/twitter/using-twitter-to-become-a-better-legal-writer/

into:

http://bit.ly/18wErp

You could revise your entry like so:

I’m readingThese two articles that discuss whether Twitter can help turn you into be a better writer. I believe it can.

Then you have 50 characters to spare:

These two articles discuss whether Twitter can help you be a better writer. It can.

Add the shortened links and some space, and you have a Twoosh, a 140-character Tweet:

http://bit.ly/18wErp        These two articles discuss whether Twitter can help you be a better writer. It can.        http://bit.ly/TTG6u

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More about how Twitter can improve your writing tomorrow.

Full post as published by Set in Style on May 31, 2009 (boomark / email).