The Twitter Book

July 10, 4:40 PMSF Boomers ExaminerSuzanna Stinnett

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You may already know I’m pretty much stuck on the metaphor of the 'global brain' to describe the impact and function of the Internet. (That’s Peter Russell, from his video work of 1986. Check it out.)

“If the Internet is the global brain, blogs are the global heart,” I said in my seriously goofy attempt at my first video, “Because They Blog.”

Where does that leave Twitter?

That depends on how much you know about the brain. Or how much you’re willing to know. I’ve decided that Twitter is the “pia mater.” For those of you unfamiliar with brain science, the pia mater is the delicate membrane which closely envelopes the entire brain and spinal cord. In Latin, it means “tender mother.” 

Having read O’Reilly and Milstein’s new book, “The Twitter Book,” I am now confident that Twitter can indeed be seen as the pia mater, providing a kind of inner space for the innumerable connections of thought and person we Twitter users make by the hour. Really, it’s electrifying. Twitter, that is.

I’m not surprised that The Twitter Book is especially accessible, a visual and kinesthetic delight from the get-go. The O’Reilly faction is terribly good at producing techno-cultural gems in print. Look at MAKE Magazine if you don’t know what I’m talking about.

But I think even Tim and Sarah must have been super excited about this particular project. They are the perfect people to bring it forward and they must have known that.

Here’s a moment from page 54. Tim’s blog post is pictured there, the one called “Why I Love Twitter,” from November 2008. He says,

“If you care what I think, you know that Twitter is just about the best way to learn what I’m paying attention to…I pass along…the things I could never find time to put on my blog, but that I spray via email like a firehose at editors, conference planners, and researchers within O’Reilly.”

Then, magnified as under a glass, “Like a lot of people, I tried out Twitter early on, but didn’t stick to it.”

Folks, that’s key. Have you checked out Twitter and said, “HUH?” Shook your head and begun to question the authority of a few friends? Well, check it out, so did Tim O’Reilly, and he’s one of the world’s most forward-thinking techno-cultural visionaries and developers. So you’re in good company.

To encourage you back over to Twitter for another look, The Twitter Book has a large number of rich and succinct tips and tactics.

Trend tracking is one of the amazing things Twitter does so well. This book offers four tools for tracking trends. If trends are important to your business, this is reason alone to use the book and get into Twitter’s gold mine.

If you’re shy about making a fool of yourself, and want to understand the culture and its etiquette, Tim and Sarah can lead you through. They address things like how often to post, how to use hashtags, and how to unfollow someone graciously. Is it okay to automate your posts? They’ll explain.

Chapter 5 brings in the delicate question of how much to reveal about yourself. This is an issue I deal with constantly in the blogging classes I teach. Balancing the effects of fitting in and standing out, creating a personalized background for your Twitter page, and the art of listening are a few more items you’ll learn about.

Sometimes it takes a book like this, coupled with direct experience, to help people into the conversation as happy participators. In his recent review of The Twitter Book on his blog, Keener Living, Bruce Keener shares some of his own Twitter development. (And spurred me on to get my own copy sooner rather than later.)

I’d say Twitter is, for the most part, a bunch of helpful people doing their best to show up and assist one another. That’s about as “tender mother” as it gets. The Twitter Book demonstrates every aspect of Twitter with great practicality, while keeping all the fun intact.

Go get your guide and step into the conversation.

I think you'll like it. Eventually.

Suzanna Stinnett

Like my stuff? Follow me on Twitter as @brainmaker.