Twitter is the most recent Web phenomenon to prove that even the stupidest of ideas can be transformed into marketing brilliance. Many who left MySpace for Facebook have now graduated to Twitter, the new Internet time-waster of choice.
Twitter is a free service that allows users to tell what they are doing in 140 characters. And it is freakin’ addictive. Plus, it’s the perfect ego-builder: People who don’t even know you care about what you ate for breakfast. Writers, who often tend to work in isolation, are especially taking to it. More and more authors are taking advantage of Twitter’s power to connect with readers, distract them from finishing that manuscript and show that they are just as crazy/weird/normal/boring as everyone else.
Below are just some of the authors, along with their Twitter bios, who are letting you peek inside their lives. Disclaimer: This is far from an exhaustive list. Add to it. Tell us which authors you’re following in the comments section.
Abiola Abrams: @abiolatv
TV bigmouth, author of Dare, goddess passionista.
Donnell Alexander: @donnyshell
At work on forthcoming book, or hustling up freelance journalism gigs or trying to get paid from those gigs.
Keith Boykin: @keithboykin
CNBC contributor and editor of The Daily Voice.
Carleen Brice: @carleenbrice
Writer. Children of the Waters hits July ‘09.
JLove Calderon: @jlovecalderon
Author, educator, activist, who has worked passionately on social justice, race and gender issues for over 15 years.
Farai Chideya: @faraichideya
Former host NPR's News and Notes; author of Don't Believe the Hype & Kiss The Sky, plus two more books.
William Jelani Cobb: @jelani9
Writer and blogger at American Exception.
Lolita Files: @lolitafiles
Woman. Writer. Lover. Multi-pet owner. Occasional bitch. Friend.
Nelson George: @nelsongeorge
Aging B-boy, graying boho who loves movies, books and what was once called good music.
Donna Hill: @donnahill
Author, editor, mom.
Jimi Izrael: @jimiizrael
Screenwriter and author of The Denzel Principle due out Fall '09 on St. Martin's Press.
Kenji Jasper: @youngjasper
Screenwriter, novelist, journalist, photographer, warrior, cook.
Writer and a blogger.
Aliya S. King: @aliyasking
Writer based in New Jersey.
Melissa Harris Lacewell: @harrislacewell
Princeton prof and MSNBC regular.
Miles Marshall Lewis: @furthamucka
Bohemian B-boy expatriate in Paris blogging at Further Mucker.
Elisha Miranda: @elishamiranda
Published novelist, award-winning filmmaker and entrepreneur who creates profitable media for artists, networks and businesses.
Scott Poulson-Bryant: @SPBVIP
Writer/novelist, co-founding editor of VIBE magazine, and soon-to-be PhD student.
Felicia Pride: @feliciapride
Me.
Sofía Quintero: @sofiaquintero
Ivy League homegirl, cultural activist and urban goddess.
Lawrence Ross: @alpha1906
Author.
Earl Sewell: @earlsewell
National best-selling author.
Yasmin Shiraz: @YasminShiraz
Award winning author. Keynote speaker. Mentor. CEO. Producer.
Danyel Smith: @danamo
Novelist. Editor-in-chief VIBE Magazine/VIBE.com.
Lori L. Tharps: @MeltingpotLori
Writer, author, speaker, intensely interested in cultural collisions.
Toure: @ToureX
I got two kids, and I can't believe it either.
Colson Whitehead: @colsonwhitehead
Another down-on-his-luck carny with a pocket full of broken dreams.
Sekou Writes: @SekouWrites
Author. Editor. Writer. Editor-in-chief of Uptown magazine's Web site.
Felicia Pride is the book columnist for The Root and the founder of BackList. Her most recent book is The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop’s Greatest Songs. E-mail her here.
is a writer, speaker, author of books for adults and youth, and the book columnist for The Root. Her most recent book is \"The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop’s Greatest Songs.\" Visit her at feliciapride.com.