If we are friends on Twitter,  it’s probable you may have noticed I’m a little chatty!!  Also,  I participate in quite a few Twitter Chats( I maybe a #ChatAddict).  I am often asked how many, how do you do it and why?? So, I figured it was time to share and by share, I mean confess!   Welcome to my True Confessions…

A twitter chat is any organized discussion held on Twitter at a specific time, day and topic.  Currently, according to the massive, constantly upgrading Google doc, there are 543 various chats.  These can be held weekly, bi-monthly or even monthly.  This monstrous list doesn’t include any Twitter Parties that pop up randomly from various brands, book authors or bloggers.  A chat community is formed on a broad topic,  genre or even whim and each chat  is narrowed down to a smaller topic for each chat.

Confession 1: I have my own personal list of chats, chats I’ve found fit with my goals, relevant to my job or just interest me.  That means, during any given week, I participate in, lurk or just check on 42 44 chats.  Including the two chats  I co-host.  Now, before you start shaking your head in disbelief or even roll your eyes, let me remind you… twitter is personal, what and how you use it, is determined by YOU!!

Confession 2: Interaction, knowledge and growing, that is what I glean from each and every single chat.  Each chat gives me about 45 minutes of clear, focused and intense discussion on a particular subject.  For the most part, each chat has a framing post, questions are sent out ahead of time and the format of the chat is clear.  This allows me to determine ahead of time, if I’m going to fully participate in the chat, lurk or just check out the transcripts.  Yes, it’s true, I don’t always participate in all 44 chats.  I am able to determine if the topic is relevant to me, my goals ahead of time and then decide.   This isn’t anything against the host, the chat or the participants, it’s a personal choice.  Even if I don’t think the topic is particularly relevant, I tend to lurk anyways, why? There is unbridled brilliance in every chat!! It’s true, people come out of the woodwork to participate in specific chats and bring with them their ideas, thoughts and arguments.

Confession 3:  It’s all about the people!! People I don’t normally interact with, people from different industries, all offering up a different perspective on a certain idea or theory.  I think that is often forgotten in chats, when in a chat, we are discussing a topic that is perceived differently by each individual, that every person is viewing the topic and subsequent questions from their own reality, their own situation.  This may lead to an answer that is seemingly off-topic or even an answer that makes you ponder what in the world is going on.  This is partly what makes the chats so fascinating, it’s like sitting in a big room with 30 random people and letting them go! The other part I love is the challenge of making my point, clearly, in 140 characters (120 for retweet purposes) then defending my point of view.   I do so enjoy a good debate!

That being said, I have listed all my chats on a List.ly list, so not only can you see but you can vote or maybe add your own.  I do like finding new chats and meeting new people.  What are your Favourite chats?

**Please add to the List and or comments!!