Comments on: When You Want Someone to Know Your News…

By: The Daily Square – I’ve Got A Woman Edition | Booksquare

The Daily Square – I’ve Got A Woman Edition | Booksquare — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:30:28 +0000

[...] When You Want Someone to Know Your News…It’s true! Not everyone follows every moment on social media. It’s *a* way to get the message out, not *the* way. [...]

By: Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

Wendy Nelson Tokunaga — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:14:29 +0000

Good advice! And sometimes when you post an important shared link on FB even those who might normally see your status may very well miss it. And if you want to mention a URL in your status, FB automatically turns it into a shared link, as far as I can tell.

By: Stephanie Denise Brown

Stephanie Denise Brown — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:54:05 +0000

I assume that very few people follow my Twitter, Facebook or online Livejournal closely. If I ever wanted to make an announcement about signing a publishing deal, getting a new job, graduating from school, etc.–I’d send an email to different groups of people I’m close with who would be interested in hearing the news.

I’d still announce such information on Twitter and the other aforementioned sites; it’s fun to feel like I can “shout something to the world”, but I wouldn’t expect people I don’t know on a personal basis to care too much about my personal news.

By: Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Debbie Ridpath Ohi — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:59:54 +0000

Whoops, my angle brackets were interpreted as HTML. The “But I posted that on !” in my comment above should have read: “But I posted that on –FILL IN SOCIAL MEDIA HERE– !”

By: Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Debbie Ridpath Ohi — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:58:21 +0000

I *strongly* agree with this, both for personal and professional news: never assume people are regularly following your tweets / blogs / Facebook status. I don’t. If you want a particular person to know something, send them a note or e-mail or phone them.

I’ve had friends in the past who have expressed hurt because I didn’t know a particular piece of information that they posted online. I’ve had people look at me askance when they find out I don’t know info they’ve been posting, saying, “But I posted that on !”

I could rant on for much, much longer on this topic.

But I will restrain myself.

Debbie

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:06:38 +0000

I so agree – and thanks for mentioning it. It’s been one of those assumptions floating around out there leading to miscommunication.
The cool thing is – no matter how we do it – I think we’ve returned to being a note-writing generation.

e

By: Greg Pincus

Greg Pincus — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:27:11 +0000

Tara (and deborah) – to follow your tangent… I’m not sure I agree. We have the choice to follow or not follow people. They can update as they wish, and if I don’t like the way someone updates – too personal, too automated, too much about their Farmville Mafia Family Quiz results… I can block their updates or stop friending/following. Also, some people I follow because I enjoy their take on the details of life. I feel closer to some people because of details shared, or I see the world differently (and I like that). And yes, some people share tooooooo much! But that line is different for each poster and each reader. But even within that… even with someone who I follow because of their level of personal detail… if they want to make sure specific people know news, they need to direct that news specifically to those people.

And I love handwritten notes, too. Heck, on rejection letters I even love handwritten signatures

By: deborah freedman

deborah freedman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:42:16 +0000

I completely agree. Personal should stay personal.

And I so love real paper and ink, an actual voice – it’s interesting how both hand written notes and phone calls really emphasize the specialness of a communication, now that we have so many other ways to connect.

By: Tara Lazar

Tara Lazar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:21:22 +0000

I’m going off on a bit of a tangent here…

I find that there are a lot of status updates of a TMI nature, mostly having to do with a child vomiting or dog pooping in the house or general nastiness. (And there I’ve given you TMI as well.) I don’t think people realize their status/tweet is going out to hundreds of people, some of them business associates. Things sometimes get a little TOO personal.

If it’s a piece of news that, had it been five years ago, you’d only share by telephoning your best friend, don’t distribute it via social media.

I also agree that a hand-written note is an exquisite surprise and a symbol of true caring and friendship.

By: Jen Robinson

Jen Robinson — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:16:32 +0000

I’ve had this happen a couple of times recently, where someone assumed that I knew some important bit of personal news because they had mentioned it in their Facebook status, and I had missed it completely. I agree completely – if you want people to know something, you need to tell them directly. Also, having particular news to share is an opportunity to get in touch with people you care about – NOT doing so is a missed chance for strengthening ties.