Friendships Around the Globe #IWSG
[I wrote this post as a member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our worries and also offer support and encouragement to each other on the first Wednesday of every month. If you’re a writer like me and you’re looking for a bit of support, you can click the link and sign up here
Thank you to our awesome co-hosts this month: Louise – Fundy Blue ,Jennifer Lane,Mary Aalgaard,Patsy Collins at Womagwriter, and Nancy Gideon!
Check out our IWSG homepage for recent news and events. And as always, thank you to founder Alex J. Cavaugh 🙂
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Ten years ago, I was lonely, at my low, and wanting someone who loved words as much as I do to talk to, to be a friend. I had two little babes then and finding free time to go out and mingle in the world was a chore. I started blogging and another author found me and we chatted through her blog and mine. She encouraged me to seek out writing competitions through publishers. I did. I published my first piece in 2014 and met several other wonderful writing friends also published in that book who I still admire today. Because of those friends I found the IWSG group.
This month’s question asks: “Blogging is often more than just sharing stories. It’s often the start of special friendships and relationships. Have you made any friends through the blogosphere?“
Yes, and turning to the online world for support with writing was the best decision I ever made. Thank you writing friends! This circle has become a link of invisible hands for all sorts of inspiration. Especially during these scary COVID times when going out and mingling with others isn’t the safest way to be right now.
How about you? Are most of your writing friends online? How did you meet them?
Happy IWSG, friends. I hope you are safe and well. I hope, HOPE still lives in your heart.
Posted on February 3, 2021, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 22 Comments.
Cloud Nine Girl 
I love that quote about friendship encircling the world.
Thank you Patsy. I thought it was pretty beautiful too.
Blogging keeps us connected when we can’t do it in the real world.
Going online was a great decision for me too. I’ve met so many people that I’ve come to think of as friends. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Thank you for sharing this beautiful quote.
That is a really good point, Erika. The support of our writing–that probably stands out as the greatest value I receive from the blogosphere.
And we’re glad you did turn to blogging and connected with other writers here.
Dear Erika,
actually, we made some friends through blogging. Even blogger friends from Texas, Vancouver and Ireland visited us here at the coast of East Anglia. But we didn’t blog because of wanting to make friends, we blogged because our dear Master was an author and our beloved Hanne-Dina a photographer and we Bookfayries are – as you can guess – very interested in books. We wanted to do something together. And now we love blogging – most of the time, sometimes we hate it – and it’s a kind of side effect to make friends. Of course, to be friends in social media usually means nothing. But as I wrote, with some people it clicked and we visited each other and worked together on shared projects.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’ve made some great connections through blogging, and even more through author-centric social media. People have been so generous in sharing advice and opportuntities.
I am happy to know you’ve had a really positive experience with the online world 🙂
Finding someone who loves words and being able to “talk” to them–no matter the venue–is very special indeed. Glad you found the right person at the right time.
Thank you Lee. It did help me a lot back then 🙂
Aside from two people I’ve met in my local area, one’s more of an acquaintance, all my writing friends are online, met through the blogosphere. I’m glad blogging was able to help you through a tough time.
Thank you Toi 🙂
Yes, I’ve made a lot of friends too through blogging. And it is a really good way to connect, even if friends only blog once a month.
I agree Natalie. I love hearing from everyone when I do post once a month.
I’ve made so many wonderful connections through blogging with people like you 🙂
You make me smile Ellen 🙂
I met my best writing buddy through a forum that no longer exists. But it has been an invaluable friendship!
That’s funny. I met one of my friends the same way. I’m not sure if the forum does exist. I should check!
Yes, blogging often meant support and opportunity for me. Some of my online friends critiqued my stories, when I asked. Others provided lists of publishers accepting submissions or simply egged me on, when I was down. Overall, it’s been a marvelous journey and, like your quote mentioned, allowed me to travel around the globe while reading my friends’ blogs.
For many years, blogging was the main source of my writing friendships, but I’ve also met a few local community groups of authors and I really appreciate the combination of friendships from both places.