Shel Israel launches Twitterville in Vancouver
This week Shel Israel is launching his new book Twitterville: How Businesses Can Thrive in the New Global Neighbourhoods. He’s on a cross-Canada tour that includes Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and tonight in Vancouver at the Third Tuesday meetup at the Canvas Lounge.
“Why did I call it Twitterville? Because everything about Twitter I love has a certain retro feel – a certain small town feel, the sense of two neighbours talking over a backyard fence,” Shel told us. “Over time we get to know each other in some depth and the shallow conversations about the weather and what we had for lunch at the cafe becomes deeper. We talk about our feelings, our backgrounds, our lives.”
Shel said he collected stories for his book by posting questions on Twitter. He learned about how people were using Twitter for business, education, non-profits, government, and politics.
“I got some really cool stories,” Shel said. “Every time I asked for something, I got more information than I needed. Sometimes I got an overwhelming number. And I got to cherry pick the stories I put together in the book.”
He said if you type “twitter” into Amazon’s search box, you will get 14 books on the subject – and his is thirteenth. Shel said he has read about half of them so far and that they are “really really good.”
“Why is my book different? It’s not because I’m trying to tell you why to use Twitter and I’m certainly not telling you how to use Twitter,” Shel said. “I simply went out and I continued doing what I’ve been doing for quite a few years. I talked to a whole mess of people about how they were using Twitter.”
Shel said: “My hope is that people who know Twitter will come to the book, read it and say: ‘Yes. That has the ring of truth. That’s what the thing is about.’ My hope is that all of you who know Twitter already, when you’re asked about twitter for business, with a boss, with an employee, with a friend, you will say: ‘Here read this book.’ And every time you do, an angel doesn’t ring a bell. I make five bucks. I urge you to buy early, buy often.”
Hi Susan,
Between your post and mine, I think we’ve got a good chunk of Shel’s presentation covered!
My favourite bit was: “and every time you do, an angel doesn’t ring a bell. I make five bucks. I urge you to buy early, buy often.” I haven’t read the book yet, but based on the presentation alone, it’s a shame that he only earns $5 per book!