Image by Brenda Starr

There are several ways to get published.
1. be a supergenius – and lucky
2. be famous

Okay, maybe not that many ways to get published, then.

It’s the second point that sends writers scrambling online, writing blogs about their cats, their illnesses, and – above all – their writing.

Twitter is growing fast, making the news all over the world, and writers are leaping on board, posting rejected novels 140 characters at a time, or writing novels just for twitter. High school girls in Japan have become well-known as they tweet novels while going about their school day. But the phenomenon hasn’t truly taken off in the Western World – yet.

Are we sufficiently excited about new technology for this writerly get rich quick scheme to ever work here in Australia (particularly since Australian twitter lacks the capacity to SMS)?

Can twitter produce great literature 140 characters at a time?

I think so.

My own twitter tale doesn’t begin until August 1, but already I’ve been interviewed for local radio and newspaper outlets. Twitter novelling is novel enough to cause people to at least take a look. All I need is an excellent story, and I may yet bring a wide group of fans to my first print-published book.

So here, for the first time online, is a preview of the first post.

1 August. 8:00am
Sun. Pain. One eye dried shut. I cracked open the other and saw land. ‘Sol!’ I said.
‘Captain Sol,’ she rasped – and collapsed.
‘We’re saved,’ I said. ‘Right Sol? SOL!’

To follow Louise on twitter, search for:
Username: Louise_Curtis_
Name: Felicity Bloomfield
Email: fellissimo@hotmail.com
Or go to the blog of the story for more information, including help with twitter.
twittertales.wordpress.com