my love affair with google+

So, today is the first day in a long time that I don’t have a post already planned or scheduled, but it just so happens that yesterday, Google Plusser Sean Cowen asked a circle of people to share what Google+ means to them—what they love best about it, any neat stories, etc. I happened to be in this circle of Cool People Who Matter, so today’s post is for Sean (who is writing a book about his experience with Google+).

Google+ first drew me with its Facebook-and-Twitter-but-better appeal. I was one of the first plussers, jumping in while it was still in beta, and it was interesting feeling my way around the new digital space, slowly finding interesting people to toss in my circles. After my first post last July, I’ve circled 900 people, and I’m flattered to say that over 1700 people have circled me—a number which seems to grow every day. Sometimes, I’m not sure why people circle me. I’m just a goofy girl who posts about writing and other things—Doctor Who, steampunk, science, publishing insights, various nerd-doms, music and movies I love, and random things I find interesting or pretty or funny. I guess people like that, or they wouldn’t keep circling me. :)

 I have never had so much fun on a social network as I do on Google+, and when I go there, I can easily spend over an hour just talking to people. Actually talking. Conversations. That’s what I love about it. Everything I say means something. I’m talking to friends and having important discussions about science and fiction and what ifs, and of course, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, who are very important topics. When I post something new, I feel like people are listening, and I feel like these people, separated by a few states or countries or sometimes oceans, that we’re all a big family, that we would do next to anything for each other. I consider a lot of people on Google+ as friends, and if I’m ever in close proximity to some of them, I will definitely let them know so we can meet up and have real life hijinks.

Now, I don’t interact will all 900 of the people in my circles or the 1700 people who have circled me, but there are a good 100 or more people that no matter what they post, I’m going to read it. I’m going to comment or +1 or share it, because they’re just that fascinating and fun.

As a writer, I’ve found Google+ to be a great place to talk about writing with other writers, whether they be novelists or screenwriters or poets, at all levels of experience. It’s a great place to mine information, test waters for an idea, share stories and updates about my writing experiences, talk about books, and debate about this publishing method or that one. It’s a community. And on the flipside, I feel like I’ve really connected with readers (who are sometimes writers too). I can talk about my book to people who actually care, who want to know how my next book is going so they know when they’ll get to read it. I have fans on Google+, people who will support my writing in any way that they can, and that’s fantastic. My experience as a writer on Google+ has shifted my focus from sales numbers and ratings and reviews to readers, to people who love books as much as I do, who love my books (or will, once I have more published). I feel like these people will stick with me and support me as long as I’m putting books out, and they make me feel like my writing and my books are worth it. They make me feel like I’m worth it.

I love that Sean has me in his Cool People that Matter circle (I hope that’s what it’s really called. It should be, if it isn’t already). I love that I stand out in a sea of other writers, artists, curators, and generally awesome people. I love that I matter to someone I’ve never met, that I’m interesting enough to be singled out, especially when we’re constantly bombarded from all sides with this picture and that video and ooh look! a funny gif and an interesting article, and so on. I feel like I’ve actually made connections with people I never would have met had I not tried this new social front, and I don’t think I ever would have really showcased myself—who I am, what I like—as I well as I have on Google+. And really, I’m more myself there than anywhere else.

Google+ is my digital home, where I can talk and discuss and rant and promote and share without constraints, without judgment, without hesitation, and I love it.

If you want to join me there, be sure to add me to your circles. :)

Also, gifs.

also, this is probably the most distracting gif ever.