We expect feedback and criticism from readers, even though the vast majority aren’t experienced writers. In a similar vein, while I’m new to Twitter (February of this year, I kid you not), I know enough from a professional background to question if certain kinds of tweets are really the best use of an author’s time.

A disclaimer: at the time of this post (April 11, 2012) I checked to make sure these Twitter handles were not in use. That said, I can’t control Twitter signups in the future. Similarly, I’m not trying to single out or insult anyone. Treat this as just constructive feedback, because that’s all I’m intending. So there!

Off we go…

CaptainPolitics38: The #PurpleParty is showing their ignorance again by not passing referendum 238. Apparently every owl doesn’t need a ski mask.

Writers tend to be passionate creatures, and that passion doesn’t stop at the [end] marker on a manuscript. We’re driven to get things off our chests, particularly of a political nature (especially on the sensitive issue of owl ski masks; poor little critters).

I will rarely make a political point, but it is done very, very tactfully.

That’s because this stuff can carry a real cost. @CaptainPolitics38 just walked into a space full of coworkers and potential readers, and started up about politics. @CaptainPolitics38 just lost sight of the fact that he is in public, that his networking is ongoing, and that he is always defining his brand.

In exchange for forgetting that, if for a moment, he gets to blow off steam, and possibly endear himself to others that might share his views. But I argue that none of this justifies the very real chance he could turn away potential readers and followers.

Would repeated such posts establish a glass ceiling on his reader base?

Not if part of the author’s branding is his political beliefs, and even so it’s not like every reader follows @CaptainPolitics38′ Twitter feed. But such tweets might make waves, and I’m not necessarily sure those waves wouldn’t lead to rougher currents for an author.

I’ve stopped following a few authors because this kind of tweet was incessant in their feeds.

It blows me away when I see an author with real notoriety doing this as well. Recently I watched one such author chide those unfollowing them, after just such a tirade. I wonder if it ever occurred to them that cash was being diverted from hitting their account? Wouldn’t it be valuable if there was some way to quantify just how much it cost them?

But isn’t there value in more than just expanding your reader base?

Sure there is, and a fair counter-argument to my point is that these sorts of posts can sometimes make you more approachable, and appear more genuine. It’s up to you to decide if you want to push that envelope.

Oh, and using a #hashtag to make sure your political tweet hits a big block of potential readers? That’s bold.

Have you ever stopped following an author or other professional because they got political? Because they touched on another hot-button issue? Why?

Let’s see another.

HAMWayGirl: Check out my book! http://wejfl.2rr4 HOT FOR OWL SKI MASKS Carly wasn’t ready for the great outdoors. #owls #skimasks #amazon #selfpub

Nothing wrong with this, right? We all plug our books, blog posts, etc now and then, as we should. You might have even come here from an embedded link on a tweet (and I thank you, dear reader).

But what you don’t know about @HAMWayGirl, and will find out quickly if you follow her, is this is all she ever tweets.

She never connects with other writers. She never retweets, or even comments on their tweets and on their links.

She is static. She is unapproachable. She is a HAM radio operator in the arctic circle. To @HAMWayGirl, the act of using Twitter is done in a manner that suggests she simply checked it off her list for the day, and is moving on, rather than using Twitter to establish meaningful connections and enhance her content.

Sometimes she tries to account for this by dialing up her number of Tweets, hurling them out by ten, or twenty a day. Her followers come aboard, then drop off over time, so that’s she endlessly shuffling through her community.

She may have lots of followers. But they don’t really care what she’s saying. She might as well be placing post-it notes on random seats in the subway train.

Do you follow one-way Twitter users? Is there a reason why?

This post ended up covering so much ground, I had to divide it into two parts.

On Monday, we’ll explore two other types of questionable tweets (edit: here you go!). For now, your thoughts and comments are welcome below. And here, because you knew it was coming, is the obligatory follow button for my own Twitter account:

Follow @JCGauthor

Stay tuned!