These are the 8 reasons why good #writers should hate hashtags.
1. Hashtags are the bane of your life if you're a #grammarnazi - and every #writer should be close to this politically. Evidence? You cannot add any punctuation to a hashtag otherwise it breaks into two. For instance, #itsbeginningtolookalotlikechristmas is one floating about the Twittersphere this December. #ImGladThat someone had the sense to create #AmWriting instead of #ImWriting...
2. #Cramming words together in one giant blob is not attractive. Although #itsfunnyhow your brain can still compute what the tag is supposed to say, #IMiss the spaces in between the words.
3. It's even worse when the hashtag's spelt wrong! See #faulsehope and #thatakwardmomentwhen.
4. Sometimes they’re used excessively to emphasise things (e.g #amazing or #epicfail). I do like this about hashtags, as it can add #emotional flavour to your tweet, but #oneisenough, people! Try to express how you feel with actual sentences, please, for me?!
5. Hashtags are ruining speech in the English language. Much like the ‘txtspk’ phenomenon which threatened #English essays in every #school, a hashtag speech #addiction is developing. #Youcantbetakenseriouslyif you name drop hashtags into #daily conversations.
6. Hashtags can breed negativity. #ImSickOf, case in point. Writers don't need that vibe, and it doesn't help the person tweeting about it either. #Getoffyourass, try to #makeadifference to your or someone else's life, or quit complaining!
7. #Whatwomenwant is an example of ridiculous hashtags which yet again make me despise their use. If you take #twominutes to read this kind of #junk you’ll see what I mean. 90% of them are being detrimental to their sex by #playingon their #stereotypes and slagging off their own or their ex. If you're #venting, I won't #follow you. Writers, you know you're #wastingtime better spent #writing if you're using these!!!
8. Hashtags can be (unintentionally?) #racist. Take a look at #firstworldproblems and #stereotyping for examples. I'm sure not all the #questionable tweets intended to sound racist, but you have to be careful how you come across when you hit the 'tweet' button, even if it's supposed to be a #funny comment on #society.
And now I'm going to tweet this #blog post. Probably with a hashtag or two attached. Feel free to #retweet!
Lou x
P.S. Apologies for being a little late with my blog this week, haven't been feeling too top. I'm beginning to #bounceback though - see you next week!
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