A former colleague announced today on Facebook this he has created a book of his tweets.
He uses the app that posts the identical status update to Facebook and Twitter. They are usually sentence fragments with hashtags and links to related content — very Twitter-friendly, but I’m not sure how they will translate to the printed page. Will they be as rich in meaning outside of their original Internet home?
I find those tweets jarring even on Facebook, where hashtags have no relevance, since they are meant to help Twitter users find related content easily.
It all goes back to putting your audience first when you write….and I would argue that posting the same status update to Facebook and Twitter doesn’t. I know everyone who follows me on Facebook; I certainly can’t say that about Twitter, so I treat the two audiences differently.
And if I were going to write a book based on my Facebook status updates or Twitter posts, I would use them simply as inspiration. The medium is different, so I think you should use different language.
Let’s face it — my reader can’t click a link or follow a hashtag in a book. And if they are nice enough to read my stuff, I certainly won’t bother them with ’em.
Posted in Blogs, Books, Business, Entertainment, Humor, Internet, Magazines, News, Technology, Writing
Tagged app, application, blog, blogging, blogs, book of tweets, Business, entertainment, Facebook, hashtag, Humor, Internet, link, links, live feed, magazine, magazines, news, news feed, post, printed book, printed page, publishing, status update, technology, tweet book, tweetbook, Twitter, Twitter-friendly, writing
A bird in the hand
I can accept the fact that The Angry Birds Movie won this weekend’s box office.
Animated films have broader appeal and a wider audience. Plus, last week’s number one film and very close runner-up Captain America has been out for three weeks.
My beef with the Birds?
What took them so long? This app used to be all the rage, but Candy Crush and other games occupy the top spots now. This movie is so late to the party, there is no party anymore.
Obviously kids will still watch it, but they — and their long-suffering parents — shouldn’t have to.
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Posted in Animals, Commentary, Games, Humor, Movies
Tagged Angry Birds Movie, animals, app, box office, commentary, games, Humor, Movies