Love at First Write

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“Write what you need to read.” – adage

I’ve been mulling over online relationships, specifically the WordPress blogging buddy ones, lately. Mostly because last week when I was in NY, I got to hang out with two blog friends, Libby Saylor aka The Goddess Attainable, and Jack Canfora, from The Writing on the Padded Wall blog.

So now I’ve met three bloggers that I regularly read, including a wonderful hike with the amazing Deb from the Closer to the Edge blog. And a fourth, Betsy Kerekes from the Motherhood and Martial Arts blog is coming to visit this week.

In all these cases, I love to read the writing of these wonderful people – and when I’ve met them, they’ve been exactly who I’d expected they’d be, with the added bonus of being able to feel their energy and presence.

If you add to that Vicki Atkinson from the Victoria Ponders blog and my partner in the Heart of the Matter blog, with whom it feels like we are like-minded sisters even though we’ve only met by Zoom or Teams video calls, and all the lovely people we’ve gotten to meet doing podcasts – it feels like I’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of bloggers.

And in all the cases, they are as delightful to interact with in real-time as they are to read. This makes me realize that when we write from our authentic, deep and vulnerable places, it speeds our ability to get to know each other. In fact, I regularly have more vulnerable conversations in the blogging community than in real life because I’m writing and reading about topics that are really meaningful to me or the author.

So yesterday, when I was reading Vicki’s blog, Finding Our People, it brought the topic full circle for me. I’m grateful to be part of this wonderful and supportive community of people that I cherish. It’s an honor to read everyone’s deep, fun, and beautiful writing. It’s a pleasure to meet people in person. And it’s a leg up on wonderfully meaningful and authentic friendships when we get to do both!

I’ve written a companion piece to this one on the HoTM blog about being open to new people: Love at First Sight. Check it out!

(featured photo from Pexels)

37 thoughts on “Love at First Write”

  1. Pingback: Love at First Sight – The Heart of the Matter

  2. It’s very awesome that you get to meet your blogging friends, Wynne. And that you have a wonderful community that you are a part of and that you also help cultivate. I agree that when writing with authenticity and vulnerability, it does help reduce the barrier and boundary between virtual and physical selves. 🙂 Love at first write is an appropriate title and phrase to capture these relationships.

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    1. I love the way you put it, Ab – “help reduce the barrier and boundary between virtual and physical selves.” Yes!! And, I can’t say this enough – thank you for being part of my community!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Yes, it is possible to make friends via writing and Zoom. Moreover, I imagine your spirit, intellect, charm, and vulnerability play no small part, Wynne!

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Ah, Dr. Stein – what a charming comment. I suspect the same can be said about your ability to make friends! Whatever it is, I’m grateful that you are one of mine!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Cheers to Ab and Dr. Stein’s comments — spirit, charm, intellect and authenticity? You bring it all, Wynne and it makes the relationship and friendship building oh-so easy and wonderful. 🥰

    Liked by 1 person

  5. You express so beautifully my feelings about the blogging community. Isn’t it interesting that we live our lives among friends, family, and acquaintances; we interact face to face, and yet our most cherished relationships are built among those we may never meet? Why is that? I am grateful for whatever the force that has brought this wonderful community together. Even though most of us may never have an opportunity to meet, greet, and hug it is a joy to know that somewhere out there in the ethers, there exists a group of like-minded souls who share the common goal of growing inward and upward. That’s not easy to find out there in the world. Aren’t we blessed to have found each other?

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    1. Oh, Julia — your phrase “like-minded souls who share the common goal of growing inward and upward.” Yes, yes, yes. You’re right – it isn’t easy to find in the world. And somehow being able to do it online helps us feel our way there?

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  6. I’ve been moved by both your post and Vicki’s. I find the relationships that I’ve developed via blogging to be fascinating. I’ve been trying to find a way to write about it. I keep finding myself writing in circles, but you’ve nailed it. I tend to be introverted and make friends slowly, but feel closer in many ways to the relationships that I’ve built here than some real life ones. It definitely goes back to the writing and what I’m able to reveal. My real life friends sometimes don’t get how important my writing is to who I am. There’s a sense of “Oh yea, Brian’s a writer,” they recognize how I’m different than the norm, but no the acknowledgment of what I’m writing is central to who I am, that the stories I tell make me who I am. Where my blogging friends obviously get it, because that’s central to our friendship. That’s my long way of saying, great post Wynne. I can relate completely. Thank you friend!

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    1. I love how you put it, Brian “writing is central to who I am, that the stories I tell make me who I am.” Yes! I’ve come to writing later in life so it’s a new thing for me, at least to put it out there publicly. Maybe it’s that change that isn’t so noticeable to my existing friends but it makes this blogging community so rich to me. Thanks for being one of my dear online friends, Brian!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Pingback: Love at First Write – Sheikh Alhoud International Spell Caster

  9. This is so very true Wynne: “This makes me realize that when we write from our authentic, deep and vulnerable places, it speeds our ability to get to know each other.”

    I especially feel as if I really know the bloggers that I’ve been reading for years. It’s uncanny sometimes how I can predict their reactions to situations, or feel that real connection in what they write about because I’ve been conversing with them as I would a close friend IRL. Honestly, I think sometimes we see more because of what we read than we might IRL. Sometimes, for many and varied reasons, it is harder to reveal ourselves in a genuine way face to face…

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I love your comment about being able to know what your blogging friends might do, say or react. I think you are right that we see more because of what we read because we are laying it out there. Such a neat relationship!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s so funny about the image, Mary! Maybe she’s been modeling for a photographer that posting images on Pexels?

      And thank you for your lovely summary and compliment. So grateful to count you as a blogging friend! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I agree, this is such a nice community and although I’ve never met a blogger, I think so many heartfelt feelings and perspectives are shared that I feel a connective thread between so many of us. Lovely post!

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  14. That’s wonderful that you’ve been able to meet some blogging friends. I, too, really enjoy the authenticity and warmness of the blogging community. I find a lot of the bloggers who were just in it to make a quick buck have dropped off, and those that remain are open to forging meaningful connections.

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  15. The friends who have changed my life most profoundly have been fellow bloggers. Hope Betsy doesn’t put you in one of those death choke grips she’s known for! Did you at least stock up on Chex Mix for her visit? If so, she can write her own companion piece called “Love at First Bite” and keep the theme going!

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    1. Oh, can you see me slapping my hand to my forehead? I forgot the Chex Mix. Doh! Love the idea for Love at First Bite. So far so good – she has neither swept my feet or put me in a chokehold. 🙂

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  16. I love this Wynne. I’ve only had the privilege of meeting in person two fellow bloggers and like you say it was as if I’ve known them for years. But I couldn’t agree more about the authenticity and depth of the blogging community. It brings me great joy and a sense of belonging. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you via Zoom as a guest on your podcast. They wasn’t in person but maybe some day! Hugs, C

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    1. Great joy and a sense of belonging! Yes! And Cheryl, I’m sitting at a lake cabin as I type this and I was just thinking about you and how you describe so well the joys of being at the lake.

      I loved our Zoom meeting and am looking forward to the next (soon, right?)! I’m all in for someday meeting in person too!

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      1. I’m sitting here at the lake house as I type this, enjoying the cool of the early morning, and a warm cup of coffee. I’m thinking about our next podcast. I’ll need time to think and prepare. My kids all leave on the 11th, on the 12th Larry and I meet up with my cousin in Carmel for a few days. So I’m thinking any time after the 16th? Let me know when you can slip me in! I’m sort of excited this time. xxoo

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      2. Oh, I’m laughing about the “sorta excited this time” comment. Well, let’s see if we can ramp that up to super excited. Yes, the week of July 17-21 would be great for us. Maybe July 18 at 11am pacific time? Let’s get this on the calendar!

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