Remember there's a lot of noise in real life too

There’s a lot of talk about whether Twitter is just a lot of noise cluttering up the internet from narcissists intent on telling us about when they’re having a cup of coffee. I think that if you can “get” Twitter and learn how to filter it, then you’ll find it a really useful tool. Like I do. And loads of artists and cultural organisations do. Here’s why:

1. It’s being used for artistic distribution:
The Bookseller reports:

R.N. Morris is serialising a slightly abridged version of his 2007 crime novel A Gentle Axe in bite-sized chunks via regular updates on Twitter.

Alex Holroyd, press officer at Faber, said: “His intention is to do the whole thing online, although it will depend on feedback and interest. It’s a bit of an experiment – he is already a keen blogger and has quite a presence on the net, so we are hoping it will transfer over.”

Morris updates his Twitter account “a few times a day” and followers can send him questions about the book, which he then responds to. Twitter allows followers to receive updates either online or on their mobile phone.

Although there is no target number of followers, Holroyd said Faber was keeping an eye on the experiment, and would consider using Twitter to build pre-publication word-of-mouth interest in future books.

Follow @rnmorris!

2. Cultural organisations are using it to develop audiences: crowd source ticket buyers, participants, fans and peer-funders – @brooklynmuseum; @Culture24; @americanart; @brooklynmuseum; @cincinnatiartmuseum; @MilwaukeeArtMuseum; @Mass Moca; @PalmerMuseum

3. Cultural organisations are using it to promote what’s happening NOW, and that’s the point: that’s why people tell you they’re having coffee. Because is you use a good Twitter client, then you’ll know which Twitter users are in a 2k radius of you, when they’re having coffee and at which fab cultural organisations’ coffee house you can join them in, to have a meaningful real life conversation.

Let’s remember: people don’t half talk some hot air in real life sometimes, and we know how to filter that don’t we?…