Wednesday 17 February 2016

Bea-ing Xenial


Xenial means being hospitable, especially to strangers. Which is exactly how I find the writing fraternity to be.

It is often observed that writing is a lonely occupation. It is not a group experience. Even if we choose to write surrounded by other people, such as in a coffee bar, we nevertheless must exclude from our consciousness the world around us and focus only on the words we are writing.

In a normal office environment people pass by one’s desk, and there is a staff room or canteen to share coffee and chat. As writers in our metaphorical lonely garrets we do not have the benefit of that interaction.

Which is what is so great about social media. On both Twitter and Facebook I meet fellow writers who form a welcoming, supportive, informative and fun group. Facebook is my lunch hour chat; Twitter is my coffee break; #writingchat 8-9pm each Wednesday night is my weekly after-work social.

So today, I wanted to say hello to my writing buddies in the virtual staff room. Even though we’ve never met, thanks for being xenial.

12 comments:

  1. Hello back, Beatrice! I was just considering this morning how lonely and isolating this work can be, and how I miss having work colleagues to gossip with. But then that it balanced out I guess by the luxuries of having no commute and working to your own schedule. I don't do Facebook, but agree, my day would be lonelier without the contact with other writers on Twitter; just knowing other people are sitting and doing the same as me is a comfort at times!

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    1. Yes, I don't miss crowded buses, traffic jams and boring meetings. I much prefer this writing lark.

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  2. If I worked surrounded by people, I could just lift my head and ask 'what's the word for ..?' or 'can you suggest a character name?' or whatever. Instead I type the question into twitter - and get almost instant replies.

    Same thing if I want to moan, or share good news, or catch up on gossip. There's always someone online ready to join in.

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    1. Yes, the Twittersphere is full of helpful people.

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  3. If Twitter is the communal office kitchen, then I'm the person constantly hanging round it, doing no work and just waiting for someone to pop in for a chat...

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    1. Put the kettle on, Michelle and I'll fetch the biscuits. Now, have you heard about...

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  4. Great word, Bea. I agree that virtual online friends can give just as much support and encouragement as our friends we meet and speak with every day.

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    1. Sometimes it seems easier to ask for support from online friends. Perhaps it's because, and this sounds selfish but it's not meant to be, we are not as intimately connected to their private lives and so can focus on what links us together - in my case our writing.

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  5. A big hello back to you and I agree with all the comments, especially your last one about being connected and yet we still have the ability to shut ourselves away when necessary. We can reserve our emotional attachments to family, and by Jove that can take up plenty of time!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Maggie. Family do indeed demand, and deserve, our time too.

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  6. You'll never be a lonely writer whilst FaceBook and Twitter are around. No matter what time of the day or night it is... :-)

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    1. So true, Maria. There is always someone to talk to who'll stop for a chat.

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