Guest Post with Notes on Paper {a lesson in Twitter}

A few weeks ago right here on Oops I Craft My Pants something Erika mentioned in her post about her new-look blog grabbed my attention:

“See those social networking buttons over there to the left?I was too afraid to include Twitter, it still intimidates me” she confessed.

And upon hearing this I leapt into action!!  [OK, so rushing off to open a new email message and copy a blog link isn’t exactly the energetic equivalent of sprinting to the Bat Cave and changing into a rubber suit ... but still, it’s the thought that counts, right?].  Because to me, hearing that someone is intimidated by Twitter does for me what the Bat-Signal does for Batman and I find I can’t not rush to assist whenever I know there’s a soul out there in Twitter distress!

Which is precisely what led me to creating this:

                                                

Tips for the Twitter Curious  is a free instructional 9-part blog series I created to offer instruction, advice and encouragement to anyone who wants to know what the world of Twitter can offer them. And it was a link to this series which I dashed off to send to Erika who, I’m happy to report, has already moved from being Twitter-Intimidated to Twitter-Intrigued after reading through it, which I hope you’ll take as a recommendation!

But I didn’t only write it for those curious about Twitter, it’s also for those already on Twitter but who don’t feel like they’ve made the most of it yet and … it’s even for those who think Twitter’s a waste of time! [My desire to persuade the anti-Tweeters made me work extra hard on the series!]

                                                 

In 2009 BT [Before Twitter] I was one of the Twitter-Curious myself. In fact, I was pretty much Twitter-Ignorant so I do know how it feels when everyone seems to already know what to do … and you don’t want to look silly by asking.

2 years on I’m still there, checking daily Tweeting pretty much daily with all kinds of fun, informative, personal, heart-warming, networking, friendly, networking and career-boosting experiences to reflect upon. And it’s these rounded, life enhancing moments which I wanted to make available to others when I put the series together.

So, remembering all those questions I had as a novice, which I worried were dumb, I made sure that my class covers the basics in detail and filled it with screenshots showing complete novices how to navigate around this brave new world:

                                         

Once the basics are out of the way the class talks you through some uses for Twitter which you may never have considered. Once you’ve made your way through all 9 posts you’ll have discovered:

• Where to find everything on the Twitter site as there’s a full guided tour [Lesson 2].
• How you can happily use Twitter without ever having to write a Tweet yourself [Lesson 3].
• Why it’s like the most incredible fan club you could have only dreamt about as a child! [Lesson 3]
• Whose tweets you should consider following with many of the suggestions going beyond the obvious [Lessons 5 + 6].

And

• Just what all those strange punctuation marks and abbreviations mean so you can learn to speak Twitterese! [Lesson 4].

But it’s not all hard work … there’s even time for fun things like … :

                                               

 Remember this is a free, open-to-all, online series which is hosted indefinitely via a page on my blog Notes on Paper – there’s no rush to get through the classes, it’s self-led and available whenever you are.

Now, before I go, allow me one last attempt to chip away at any of your last objections, [because I’ve already mentioned it’s all free ... right?] let me just say …

Far from detracting from relationships in ‘the real world’ Twitter really can help you stay connected to those who are important to you. Equally it can provide you access to a near unlimited network of people who can inspire you, assist you and even help promote you. For example, in Lesson 6 I share how I got the chance to promote myself in my local paper all thanks to a tweet!

And finally, if you’re wondering if this class could work for you … the proof of the pudding is in the tweeting! Since I first launched the series earlier this year so many people have contacted me to say it worked for them. And exactly how did they contact me? Well … they tweeted me, of course! 

So, like them, will you …

                                               

My username is @notesonpaper and I’d love to hear from you.

I’d also love it if you’d pass on the link to the class to someone you think might find it useful.

And if you’re already a fully-fledged  tweeter and there’s someone [a best friend, a parent, a colleague etc] who you’ve been trying to persuade to sign-up too then point them in the direction of Tips for the Twitter Curious link  and allow me to take on  the task of talking them through how it works!

Happy tweeting!

Julie

 

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Thanks so much, Julie! I have loved going through your courses and have slowly but surely been warming up to Twitter. You are Aaaa-Mazing!

So, what do you guys think? Does this little intro help you feel a little better about using Twitter? A little less intimidated?
You can find me on Twitter with the username @icraftmypants. Let's be friends?

Want to be a guest poster on Oops! I Craft My Pants? Easy! Just email me and we'll talk deets. (erika(at)oopsicraftmypants(dot)net)