Google+ For A Non-Joiner

I've been on Google+ for several days and my opinion of it at this point is: So far, so good. This, from a reluctant joiner.

It's like Twitter, in that you can view the public post stream or just those from people in your "circles" -- People you've chosen and sorted into as wide or restricted a grouping as you like. I have a big circle called Fellow Writers and a tiny one called For My Eyes Only, where I post links and reminders and direct them only to myself. I have small circles for writers' groups I'm in. If particular people from various circles were to be attending the same convention or working on the same project, we could each make a circle for that event or project with each other in it and use G+ as a glorified email program.

Google+ has "Hangouts", which are chatrooms--video and/or text. I like the possibility of having virtual writers' meetings or interviews or appearances. I know there are other places where these are possible, but what interests me about G+ right now is how many useful internet features are integrated into this one product. As one of my elementary school teachers might have said, "Someone had his thinking cap on."

There are a LOT of writers on Google+, with more joining every day. I think it's going to prove to be a useful professional tool, if nothing else. Want an invite? Leave your email address in the comments section or email me at marian.allen.author at gmail dot com and tell me why. I'm interested in knowing your thoughts about it.

Marian Allen
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