Many people have used twitter for the purpose of documenting and serializing every little action they take in their daily lives but few have approached the medium in any real capacity for creative writing or fictional storytelling. It’s not surprising when you think about it. With a 140-character limit for each post, creative-types are strained with limitations on just how much they can write. However, like the flower that blooms in the desert, innovation blossoms best through limitations and this guide will help any would-be writers out there looking to master social media for creative purposes.
Here’s what you’ll need: a twitter account and a computer. Preferably you’ll want a netbook or wireless internet for laptops because, let’s face it, inspiration can strike at odd moments and you don’t want to be caught with nothing to writer or type with. The next thing you’ll need to do, like any other storyteller, is come up with a story: a protagonist, antagonist, situation, climax, resolution. Not all stories need to be this formulaic but it is the accepted norm. The next thing you need to do is start writing.
You would be surprised how many classic stories have adopted the format of periodic journal-like entries with success: Frankenstein, Dracula, etc. Make good use of the 140-character limit. And take time between posts. You’d be surprised how much suspense you can build just by refraining from uploading a post.
And that’s really all there is to writing a story on twitter. It’s pretty simple and, because you’re telling a story incrementally, there’s plenty of room to diverge from the predicted path. And always remember to have fun with it.
