Meet and Greet Ettiquette

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Foinah

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Here are a few suggestions and caveats for setting up meet and greets.

When setting up a meeting, please take into consideration the age of the members attending. Are they under eighteen?

We have a large and diverse community here at AW with a number of underage writers. I think it is a great idea to include everyone, but I think that these particular members should be accompanied by a parent or guardian if they plan on attending an event. It's a liability/safety issue and protects everyone involved ;)

When hosting a get together, it might be best to avoid doing it in your own home. While AW is a thriving community of intelligent, witty people, it is still an internet based interaction. You never know who might be a member! Putting a face to the name, meeting your fellow writers can be a lot of fun, but the meet and greet should take place in a public forum : a coffee house, a pub, a pot-luck in the park, a restaurant - even crashing a convention and organizing a meet-up during the scheduled activities. Once you meet your fellow members face-to-face the decision to share personal information is your own to make. Never feel pressured into giving out your number or address. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable then listen to your gut!

None of this is meant to squash the enthusiasm of the meet and greet, but rather to make some safety based suggestions that will keep everything on even ground ;)

The most important thing is to have fun! Remember, I'm just a PM or an email away if anyone has questions or needs help with anything!

Cheers!
 
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Maryn

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I'd like to add a few things that have arisen when I've met other AW people.
  • The public place you choose should be open to hosting people who may linger--or you need to make sure those meeting up don't stay too long. Restaurants depend on table turnover.
  • If you choose a place where alcohol is served, you also choose to make sure nobody is driving impaired when the meet-and-greet ends.
  • Seek a location where parking is plentiful and free--and is close. Older members or those with mobility issues might find the walk from the parking garage to the restaurant quite a challenge.
  • Know ahead of time if your meeting place is handicap-accessible. Flip side: Know ahead of time if any potential attendees might need assistance and figure out how to provide it. Just ask them. They'll tell you what they need.
  • If you meet at a restaurant, keep costs in mind. Is there a choice of entrees someone on a really tight budget can afford?
  • If you meet at a restaurant, keep dietary needs and preferences in mind. Are there healthy choices, vegan choices, and gluten-free choices on the menu?
  • Figure out a way to recognize one another. Wear a red scarf, carry a particular book, like that. Let the restaurant hostess know writers will be looking for your table.
  • It's exciting to meet so many people you know online, people who get what writing is all about, but rein yourself in, i.e., keep your noise level no louder than the other people where you are meeting.
 
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