Poets On Twitter

Last week, Mashable.com listed 100 writers who are active on Twitter. Guess who they totally left out? Yep, poets. Laurel Snyder, a fantastic poet, got a mention, but because of her writing for young adults and children. I know many of you aren't on Twitter, don't want to be on Twitter, don't understand the purpose of Twitter, etc. Basically, Twitter is micro-blogging 140 characters at a time. It works on the same basis as Facebook updates, but is faster and more convenient. You can post "tweets" from your computer, your mobile phone, etc.

I've got more than 600 folks following my stream and more join every day. I didn't get it either when I joined last summer, but I do now. Twitter's strength, for me, is supplying quick and useful links and news I can use. If you'll remember, it was Twitter that broke the news that Amazon had de-ranked GLBT books and made it a hot news item.

As a poet and soon-to-be-novelist, I've found Twitter to be helpful. So, because Mashable couldn't or wouldn't, here's a list of 40 poets who are active on Twitter. A few caveats for this list: I only included the poet if they've updated in the last couple of months. Use it or delete it is my motto. I'm sure I've missed some folks. Please note them in the comments and I will update the list.

Karen Head: @poetphd

Jackie Sheeler: @jsheeler

Laurel Snyder: @laurelsnyder

Didi Menendez: @mipoesias

Charles Jensen: @chasjens

Amena Brown: @amenabee

Montgomery Maxton: @montmaxton

Kate Evans: @kateevanswriter

Karen Wurl: @kittenofpower

Dustin Brookshire: @dbrookshire

Andrew Demcak: @andrewdemcak

Ron Silliman: @ronsilliman

Christopher Hennessy: @outsider_lines

Nancy Devine: @nancydevine

Robert Lee Brewer: @robertleebrewer

Matthew Hittinger: @mhittinger

Christine Swint: @yoginipoet

Oliver de la Paz: @Oliver_delaPaz

Zinta Aistars: @zintaaistars

Tara Betts: @tarabetts

Pris Campbell: @pris2000

Nic Sebastian: @verylikeawhale

Mary Biddinger: @marybid

Deborah Ager: @clickwisdom

Rosemary Nissen-Wade: @snakypoet

Emily Lloyd: @elloyd74

Jon Goode: @jongoode

Emily Benton: @emilyabenton

Cheryl Snell: @cherylsnell

Shann Palmer: @shannpalmer

Daniel Nester: @danielnester

JS van Buskirk: @JSvanBuskirk

Jilly Dybka: @jilly

Vanessa Daou: @vanessadaou

Anne Haines: @annehaines

Amy King: @amyhappens

Stacie Boschma: @stacieboschma

Christian Bok: @christianbok

Ivy Alvarez: @ivyalvarez

Collin Kelley: @collinkelley

Poets On Twitter Update!

Wow, thanks to everyone who has found their way to the blog and to my Twitter stream (@collinkelley) because of the list. I asked for more poets on Twitter and I got 'em! Once again, a caveat: If I couldn't find a real name attached to some of the Twitter accounts, I didn't list them. I don't do anonymity. And if there were no tweets over the last couple of months, they didn't get listed either. Watch my Twitter stream and the blog tomorrow (Wednesday) for an announcement about a special edition of OCHO featuring Poets on Twitter.

Gregory Pincus: @GottaBook
Sherry Chandler: @BlueGrassPoet
Samuel Peralta: @semaphore1
Patty Paine: @expatty
Luisa Igloria: @ThePoetsLizard
Maureen Evans: @Maureen
Zach Buscher: @PoetryTwit
Christine Miller: @ChristineMiller
Zoe Nishimuta: @zoenishimuta
John Hudak: @iamcynical
T.R. "Terry" Hummer: @trhummer
K. Silem Mohammad: @ksilem
Mathias Svalina: @msvalina
Tao Lin: @tao_lin
Dave Bonta: @Morning_Porch
C. Cleo Creech: @cleocreech
Michele Brenton: @banana_the_poet
Ray Succre: @raysuccre
32 Poems Magazine/Deborah Ager: @32poems
Marie-Elizabeth Mali: @memali
Joel Fried: @joeltalks
Will Kenyon: @williamkenyon
Tammy Knott: @lileagle
Cole Krawitz: @ckrawitz
Christine Klocek-Lim: @chrissiemkl
Sharon Brogan: @sbpoet
Saeed Jones: @saeedjones
Samiya Bashir: @scryptkeeper
Rachel Barenblat: @velveteenrabi
Lisa Marie: @thirdrootprod
AnnMarie Eldon: @AnnMarieEldon
Scott Edward Anderson: @greenskeptic
Susan Taylor Brown: @susanwrites
Deb Scott: @stoneymoss
Pamela Johnson Parker: @Pamela12345
Jeffrey Thomson: @jeffreythomson
Peggy Eldridge-Love: @Plove413
James Valvis: @jamesvalvis
Alex Dimitrov: @alexdimitrov
Reb Livingston/No Tell Books: @notell
Sally Evans: @sallyevanz

Poets on Twitter Update 2!

Didi Menendez and I will co-edit a special edition of the literary magazine OCHO featuring poets from both of these lists. For details on how to submit click here.