Neil Diamond likes immediacy of Twitter

Neil Diamond has revealed that he enjoys the "instant gratification" that he receives from his fans via Twitter.

In an interview with Parade, Diamond suggested that the social networking site has helped him to connect with people from around the globe.

"First of all, it's instant gratification," he said. "I get responses almost immediately from everywhere in the world. And it's somehow very compatible with the way I think as a songwriter."

The star added: "On Twitter there's a limit to the number of characters you can use, and when you write a song you have to tell your story in a limited format - sometimes 100 or 150 words. It's natural for me."

The 'Forever in Blue Jeans' singer also remarked that he is not a fan of televised talent competitions like American Idol.

"No, I’m not a weekly television kind of guy. I'd much rather devote my time to writing or performing. I wish them luck, but it's not for me."

Diamond recently explained that he is planning to record a new song that is inspired by the worldwide economic recession.