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Engagement

Hitting send.

February 2, 2007

Posted by leah.jones

Just a friendly reminder to everyone: the conversation doesn't start until you hit send or publish. Before you hit send or publish you haven't participated in the conversation. You have listened, but you haven't actually entered the conversation.

Huh? Why am I saying this?

Once upon a time, I got flamed in a forum after expressing an opinion that was the opposite of the majority of the community. One of the members that flamed me, then wrote me a private apology email asking that I not to take offense. In the email the writer insulted me a couple more times, but each time said, "Oh, that's sounds bad, it isn't quite what I mean."

I just want to remind everyone that the conversation doesn't start until you hit send or publish. Do you have any idea how many times I rewrote the previous paragraph? No, you don't. You aren't sitting at my desk watching me type, delete, edit, and publish. You are reading the finished product.

If you find yourself typing, "That isn't what I mean, that's not the right word, I don't mean to offend you." then delete it and try again. That is the beauty of the send key. You hit send after picking all of the right words.

The conversation starts after you publish the response, not while you are writing it. Remember that and take advantage of the delay that the publish or send button builds in. Your reader doesn't need to know all the words you threw away while you were crafting your response.

Consider this a public service announcement. No, wait, consider it unsolicited advice. Oh, that isn't quite right. How about Friday Free Flowin' Opinion? Hmmm, I'll get back to you on that.

posted by leah.jones

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