Do Online Friends Make Good Real-Life Friends?

“The social scene can be fun today.”

drinkWriting used to be a lonely profession. With the advent of modern technology, it’s turned out to be more of a creative party.

Boundary lines between online friends and in-person ones are getting blurred. In fact, I’m meeting more and more with virtual buddies in real places. I’ve gotten valuable critique partners from online classes. And years of connecting via the Web led me to a side trip last Christmas to meet up with Wordsmith Studio buddies.

But where do you draw the line? With Facebook, I have both an author page and a personal page. Fans, for sure, head on over to the former. What about people I meet at writing conventions or on forums? I’m still navigating that one.

Any clues on how to chart these unmarked territories?

Anyway, I’m off to a coffee date to meet some new in-person/online friends!

Foodie Friday First: Mantu
Foodie Friday: Pineapple Fried Rice

Comments

  1. Veronica Roth says

    Good question. I figure you can just as easily click with someone on line as someone you meet, say, at a writer’s convention. And just as easily be disappointed in the friendship. I guess it depends on the personality and not the situation. Have fun meeting new people. :D

    • Jennifer J. Chow says

      You’re right, Veronica. It does depend on personality. For the most part, that writer bond is a nice connecting factor.

  2. Sadly, or maybe not, I feel more of a connection with some of my online writing friends. It’s because of the “kindred” spirit. Now that I am older, newer friends are met online rather than at social gatherings because I am too busy for that since my time is mostly spent with family. I am so glad I got to meet you in person, Jennifer!

  3. I had missed this post, Jennifer. In a funny way I posted an author’s interview and compared our blogs to new cafés where we meet, share experiences, and support each other. I still have friends that I meet in real cafés but I have also found great support through my online activity and met people I would like to meet in a real café too. Both are necessary but I admit liking the new connections I have recently established thorough my blogging. Great post, Jennifer.

  4. I live a dichotomy, because I’m quite visible online, but I’m an introvert in “real life.” The thought of meeting a fellow blogger strikes terror in me. As for FB, I have an author page, but I keep my personal page pretty private. Mostly just family. I know marketers say we shouldn’t do that–we should friend most everyone on FB–but I figure that’s what my public page is for. If I post an occasional picture of my family, I don’t want it public. Maybe over time I’ll loosen up about this. We’ll see.

    Thanks for visiting my site. Much appreciated!

    • Jennifer J. Chow says

      Hi, Carrie! I’m an introvert as well (aren’t most writers?), but I’ve noticed bloggers & authors in real life are quite friendly. I’ve been recently accepting more online writer friends on my personal FB page, so we’ll see how that goes.

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