Is Twitch the Place for Writers?

Recently I have been on a journey to grow my author platform. My goal by the end of the year is to reach 1000 followers on each platform to prepare for my new book's release. 

Although I have been posting consistently I recently had someone ask me why I wasn't streaming on Twitch.

Twitch? Why would I be on Twitch - - isn't that a site for gamers?

Or so I thought. 

Joining Twitch was one of the best decisions I made and here is why you should consider it for yourself as a writer. 

Live Interaction 

Instead of posting a reel or an image to some social media site and letting the comments trickle in over time, Twitch allows you to connect with your audience in real time.  

I hold live writing sprints as I work on my novel and I encourage a sense of coworking so that other writers or anyone who has a task to do that they might need a bit of motivation to work on can work alongside me. 

Building a Writing Comunity 

As soon as I joined Twitch I was instantly connected to other writers. 

Writers on Twitch support each other, view each other's streams, and offer to read and critique each other's works - it's like I jumped in and landed in the middle of a community and they instantly accepted me. 

Out of all the other platforms I am a part of where I feel like s small fish in a large barrel, Twitch makes me feel like I am seen as well as all the other fish. 

Some people just pop into the stream to say hi and move along and that's perfectly ok, it's more of a greeting that I ever get on Instagram or TikTok or even when I walk my sister's dog around the neighborhood

Showcase The Writing Process

I hold live writing sprints where I work on my YA LGBTQ Psycological Thriller novel. 

But the possibilities of what you could do are endless, you can have brainstorming sessions, share your outlining techniques, or even document your editing processes as I will when I have finished with the first draft. 

Exploring these options can give you the focus to work on them while also helping those that may need to work through their own as well alongside you. 

Writers and readers alike can be drawn to this behind-the-scenes look into novel writing and you never know, someone could be on Twitch to watch someone play a round or two of some video game and your stream inspires them to write their own book. Wouldn't that be amazing? 

Monetization Opportunities 

I don't want to say you should join Twitch for the money, but the monetization options are a bonus when considering it as a platform since sometimes as writers we need the income from wherever we can get it as we work to finish our novels. 

Twitch offers various monetization options that can benefit writers. 

Viewers can support writers through subscriptions, donations, or virtual currency called "Bits." Additionally, writers can leverage their Twitch presence to promote their books, merchandise, or other writing-related products. 

With the right strategies and a dedicated audience, writers can generate income and sustain their creative endeavors in a way other platforms just don't offer. 

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If you're not ready to jump onto the world of streaming I would still recommend checking out Twitch to support other writers or use these productivity streams to encourage you to work on your own novel alongside them.

You can find my channel here https://www.twitch.tv/authorbarbaraking where I hold live writing sprints throughout the week, and your support would mean the world to me. 

Now get back to your writing and I'll get back to mine.

Maybe you'll join me in writing together. 

With love, 

B. King xo xo

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