Tweetdropping and Storylines

No matter what we say, we all do it. We watch the stream, something catches our eye and before you know, we’ve commented on it publicly. It’s called tweetdropping.

Tweetdropping poses an interesting dilemma in the Twitterverse. After all, we are here to be seen, read and talked to. None of us perform our storylines (SL) in a vacuum. We all like to make new friends and have our egos stroked by fans.

And yet…

Tweetdropping, like eavesdropping, is rude.

I’m not talking about reading and following here. I’m talking about those unsolicited interjections, be they just a comment or an attempt to worm, uninvited, into an SL. It’s a bad habit that can earn you enemies faster than vampspeed.

Yet without it, we’d never make friends.

The trick is not interrupting.

Take a few minutes to check your stream and/or review the other person’s timeline. It’s pretty obvious when people are in a SL, even if they are one of those people, like me, who is always in character. If they are in an SL, you can still comment, just don’t expect an answer.

There are some SLs and activities that should not be interrupted. Sex, for instance. And murder. Torture, too. Interrupting a vampire feeding, a shifter changing form or a witch casting a spell is also bad form. Beyond being rude, these interruptions can be dangerous. Just don’t do it.

Beyond these activities, tweetdrop at your own risk. Understand this, however: some people hate being interrupted, others don’t mind it. If you do tweetdrop, try not to be too pushy and don’t get upset if the other person doesn’t respond immediately or ever. Remember, you are being rude and they do not owe you a response, no matter how close you are.

Now get out there and tweet! Just be careful who you mention….