Heroes of TwitterQuest

(New readers should start here: https://richardrycroft.net/2010/12/28/twitterquest/)

(Readers of TwitterQuest 1000 should also see the charming blog from @RoOkin at http://rookin.wordpress.com/2011/01/06/the-1000th-follower/ – thanks, Russ)

 

 leehutchinson Lee Hutchinson

#ff @richardrycroft for all the gossip you ever need to know

 

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the tweet of someone who understands TwitterQuest. As I have said before, I’m aiming for pointlessness on a global scale. And I really think we can achieve that!

 

There’s been another burst of activity today, which has put 2,000 followers tantalisingly within grasp. This has been achieved by the tweets of friends I’ve actually met, new friends I’ve virtually met and a few… I’m sorry for using this term, but, well… ‘names’. They’re the people who bring in hundreds of new Silent Witnesses with one tweet. But everyone’s contribution is hugely appreciated. All (at time of writing) 1,745 followers are ‘names’ to me!

 

I’ve emailed a few (by which I mean fewer than 15 so far) much-followed people about this utterly pointless project. They’re either people I already respect, or in some cases, they’ve struck me as jolly types associated with technology, who I’d never have known about but for TwitterQuest. Some don’t reply, but a heartwarming number do. A Hollywood based comedian’s ‘people’ liked the idea but for some reason couldn’t pass my message on to the person I’d thought I was writing to. One technology type replied with “what’s in it for me?” , which rather took me by surprise.  I said they’d probably be mentioned here, but mostly what was in it for them was fun. They replied with a list of links to something called apps (whatever they may be) which they wanted to sell.

 

 It doesn’t work like that. Sorry. TwitterQuest is pointless. That’s the point.

 

No, the sort of people I want on board are people like @leehutchinson! And the comedian Mark Steel (http://www.marksteelinfo.com), who took the trouble to reply to my email with this:

Hello Richard, sounds splendidly useless, as soon as I remember I’ll follow you for no reason. Let’s see if you can catch up with Fry and Katy Perry. Cheers, mark.

 

Now, THAT is precisely the sort of might-do attitude I’m looking for!

 

He hasn’t tweeted for me yet, but he will. Or might. If only everyone displayed that level of commitment to futility!

 

A few days ago, the good people of Viz did another tweet for me (thank you; a lovely surprise), which took the total up to about 1,240. Today, I sent emails to broadcaster Andrew Collins (http://wherediditallgorightblog.wordpress.com)  and actor / author / presenter (etc.) Emma Kennedy (http://www.emmakennedy.net), both of whom were kind enough to tell their followers about me.

  CollingsA Andrew Collins

This man @RichardRycroft wants to be most followed actual person on Twitter who never Tweets. Why not humour him? It’s not even for charity

 

  EmmaK67 Emma Kennedy

So @RichardRycroft is trying to be the most followed person on Twitter who never Tweets. It’s just for fun. #ff

  

 Thank you both. It’s a wonderful thing to see 500 people adding themselves to the movement in the space of a few hours.

 

And please be assured that when I promise to ‘follow back’ (as I believe it’s called) everyone who follows me, I don’t just have my account set to automate the process. I look at everyone’s profile and have found myself in some wonderful exchanges of personal messages (they’re not tweets) with people I have never met and probably never shall. That’s why, on a day like today, it takes quite a while for me to return the favour.

 

One of the unexpected benefits of this idiocy has been that I have found the world does seem to be mainly populated by good natured people after all. People who enjoy silliness and virtual silence and following nothing. People who choose to define themselves in their Twitter profiles by their religion, their politics, their sexuality, their job or their lifestyle (and many, many, many Dr Who fans). All lovers of silliness. My kind of people.

 

And many comedians and actors too. I was so excited today to find that two of my favourite actors have added themselves to the virtual calm. Tony Gardner (you’ve seen him as Michael in Lead Balloon) and Samuel West (who you’ve seen in, well, you know… all those great productions you’ve enjoyed so much) both signed up shortly after the Kennedy / Collins moment (as it shall forever be known). An honour to have you both aboard.

 

 

 

Now the, er…

 

 

After someone had retweeted for me earlier today, scouse_craig replied

 

“It’s already been done by Radio 1’s @TOTDS“

 

Well, that stopped me in my tracks, I can tell you. TOTDS (the one that doesn’t tweet) has 10,570 followers, and follows just 42. That’s all I know. Their profile page has a link to BBC Radio 1’s website, but I can’t find any information on there about it, so maybe this is something that lapsed a while ago? Can anyone fill me in about it? Please leave a comment if you can.

 

 

 

This changes NOTHING!

 

It does give me a target to aim for, of course, and if the mighty national music station Radio 1 can achieve 10,000 followers, that just makes my 1,700 in three weeks all the more wonderful. Has TOTDS made new friends through Twitter? Has TOTDS  had his / her world view improved by the experience? Well, clearly I don’t know. But I’m in competition with no-one and it’s too much fun to give up now. The more silence providers the better, I say. Let’s be quiet in harmony.

 

TwitterQuest continues

  

 

 

Here are some of my favourite tweets from the last week or so

 

 

@justinbieber Justin IS music. @richardrycroft IS silence. Everyone should follow!

 

 @richardrycroft enough said!

 

 @EmmaK67 So is @RichardRycroft then, the Thomas Pynchon of social networking? #ff

 

 @CollingsA @Herring1967 @RichardRycroft or better yet send him some abuse that he cannot respond to.

 

i find this rather wonderful

 

After a day of research/blogs/slideshows/creativity/internet-related-mind-blowing-edgieness @richardrycroft soothed me with silence. Bliss.

 

I know you can’t reply,but thanks for the follow..a v amusing experiment..all the best with it

 

 best of luck to you on your quest! X

 

 

 

 

 YOU SHOULD FOLLOW ME AT TWITTER HERE:

 https://twitter.com/#!/richardrycroft