People want information quickly: A short blurb is better than a long piece of text and a sound bite is even better. Nowhere is that more evident than Twitter, the “microblogging” site that limits each post to 140 characters.
To improve your writing, take a few lessons from some of Twitter’s most skilled users:
| Write like a human Connect with readers by avoiding jargon and acronyms, and write the way people speak.  NPR (@NPR) does a good job writing compelling Tweets with a conversational, human voice. |
| Be compelling Start with the old adage: Know your audience. Ask yourself, “Will my audience care about this? Will anyone?” If not, rework the message, or reconsider sending it.  The FBI (@FBIPressOffice) tweets about potential scams, wanted criminals and safety tips, and its audience clicks like crazy. |
| Lighten up Humor doesn’t work in every situation, but nearly any message can be improved by taking a more informal approach.  Humorous posts by writer and entrepreneur Diana Adams (@adamsconsulting), keep her 47,000 followers coming back for more. |
| Be clear Make sure people understand what you’re saying right from the beginning; otherwise, the rest of your message can be lost.  Guy Kawasaki (@GuyKawasaki), an entrepreneur and Twitter guru, shares dozens of links a day with one thing in common: a short, clear subject line that lets people know exactly what the link is about. |
