Writing
Communicating in an Electronic World – Group Chat
by Patty L. Fletcher
Hello Everyone.
I hope this posting finds you all doing super great.
Today, I’m going to continue my series on something which is becoming increasingly problematic as we move into a more digital world, and that is communication. Whether we’re communicating via way of Email, or Social Media, the way we speak through our writing can make or break our success. The things I’ll cover in this series can of course be applied to how we speak to people in person as well.
When last I wrote, I talked about communicating via Email.
We already know how important it is to write in a clear concise manner. We know for instants that it is especially important to create subject lines which state what our email is going to be about. We know that the body of our email is the meat of our communication and we know that setting the tone of the conversation is key.
But what if you’re chatting in a large group of people and suddenly the conversation segues off into another direction?
If your conversation is taking place via email, the easiest way to keep things flowing smoothly is to change the subject line to reflect the new topic of discussion or simply start a new thread.
If you’re chatting in a Facebook group, you might write a little opening as you begin your comment which makes it clear that you’re speaking about something else without completely hijacking the topic or as with email, if possible, start a new thread.
When we’re chatting electronically, we must remember even though we’re behind the keyboard, or any device, we’re still talking to a group of real live people. An easy way to keep that mindset is to think about how you’d act if you were lounging about chatting with friends.
Let’s say you’ve just arrived at the party; everyone is already engaged in chatter. Would you speak out of turn, interrupting another with an entirely new topic other than what was being discussed? Or would you sit quietly and listen to the conversation flow until you found an appropriate break into which you could interject your thoughts?
If you’re scrolling through a chat taking place in a Facebook group, on someone’s timeline or page, you’ll want to read through all the comments before you add your two bits. The same applies in an email group as well. When you start reading a chat that’s been going on for some time, it’s best to read all the replies in a thread before you add yours.
Keeping the flow and surge of conversation going just as we would if we were there in the room with those we’re chatting, makes for a great conversation.
What are some problems you’ve encountered in this growing world of electronic communication? And what do you think causes them? Are there things we can do to lessen electronic communication gaps and misunderstandings?
Let me know by sounding off in the comment section. Since it’s clear that this type of group communication is here to stay, whether you’re an author, blogger or business owner, effectively communicating in a group setting is key.
Thank you for reading. May harmony find you, and blessid be.
About the Author
Patty L. Fletcher lives in Kingsport, Tennessee, where she works full time as a Writer with the goal of bridging the great chasm which separates the disAbled from the non-disAbled. She is Also a Social Media Marketing Assistant. To learn more, visit her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/tellittotheworld/.
Related: Communicating in an Electronic World – The Email
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3 thoughts on “Communicating in an Electronic World – Group Chat”
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Thank you Ernest for having me over to your blog, and to all you who are reading for doing so.
I love hearing from readers, so I do hope you’ll share your thoughts on this post.
Have a Happy New Year and Blessid Be.
PS. I forgot to mention that next time I’ll be writing about the import of being engaging with your group members, readers and followers.
🙂
Great advice, Patty. Years ago, when email first began becoming an important resource outside of the business world, folks had to understand that typing in all caps was the same as yelling or raising one’s voice.
Hi Annie.
I suppose it still does. I tend to capitalize the first letters in words I feel are important in some messages. For example, when I write the greeting for a post which is for something such as an intro for a guest author or business owner, I tend to capitalize the words, pleased and privileged. I saw this done in a book I was reading once.
This series I’m doing on communicating electronically has been inspired by some of the problems I and others have encountered while doing it.
I appreciate your having read and commented on the post.
owner,