For long-term intellectual work, the cognitive risks of frequent Twitter use are at least as great as the influence benefits. Use Twitter, but beware Twitter.

Here are my best tips for using Twitter as a writing medium and a networking tool—while maintaining a healthy mind.

The key to writing on Twitter, and growing an audience on Twitter, is to read real books, write real writing, and complete important projects *off Twitter.*

Most people do not read books. Most people do not write. Their brain is fried by social media. Therefore, reading and writing off Twitter—and using that material as tweet fodder—is the best way to rise above all the unhinged, screen-addicted zombies on here.

If you spend too much time looking at Twitter, your capacity for original thinking melts into a vague stew of popular opinions. It’s easy to call this a trite observation, but it’s true and the stakes are extremely high.

I try to treat Twitter like a cold bath, to paraphrase Nietzsche: Get in and out quickly.

“That one does not get to the depths that way, not deep enough down, is the superstition of those afraid of the water, the enemies of cold water; they speak without experience.”

Never login to Twitter without a conscious intention to post tweets. If you catch yourself non-consciously “checking” Twitter, close tab and silently shame yourself for a second.

When logged in to post tweets, you may also contribute high-value replies to worthy and more influential people. Rarely reply to your replies, unless they are really good or you already know and respect the person.

When logged in to post tweets, you should also amplify worthy people who are less influential than you.

Automate the sharing of links to your new content, using tools such as Zapier and Airtable, but these automated tweets should only be ~10% or less of all your tweets, most of which should be original and .

When possible, don’t RT viral tweets but paraphrase them and post them as new tweets.

Great artists steal.

Create a personal pantheon, for endless evergreen tweets. Organize into a spreadsheet quotes from your favorite philosophers, paintings by your favorite painters, the best clips from your own content, and any other historical materials that reflect your philosophy and aesthetic.

In sum, create valuable work off Twitter, post and engage very purposefully. Act, never react. Then log off before your brain melts like the other 99.9% of people on here, almost all philistines. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone, but the problem is grave.

Good luck.