Online communities connect people all over the world. Through the Web, people engage in conversations and create, discuss and share stories. No matter the story, whether people fight to be a voice for those in need or if friends make a podcast together across the region, communities can affect us all.
The Connected by Distance project, created by Jake McKee – The Community Guy, aims to collect and share positive online community stories. Fifty of the best stories submitted to the project will then be edited and presented through book form. Connected by Distance emphasizes the power of online communities and showcases them through these stories.
To get involved with the project all you need is:
- A great story to share about the online community’s affect on your life. Any topic is acceptable.
- To read the submission guidelines. Just remember, maximum word count is 600, all entries must be in English, and any stories with foul or offensive language will be rejected.
- To click on this link: “Share Your Stories.” Start writing! If you need help, refer to the writing tips.
- Tell your friends about Connected by Distance. Have them submit stories, read the ones already submitted and rate those they’ve read.
Buzz Meter Ranking: 4 out of 4 Buzz Bees
Positive: The project is a great way to hear about people’s cherished online community stories and it’s easy to participate in! The writing tools are also very helpful.
Negative: Although stories can be rejected (“story submissions that are terribly unclear, aren’t focused on the power of online community, or have grammar so bad that it gets in the way of the storytelling”), it is still necessary to keep the project’s standards of high quality submissions.
Conclusion: Connected by Distance is a brilliant project. It brings people together through stories and also makes them aware of how powerful the online community is, as well as social media tools. For instance, “How Lauren Got Her Groove Back,” shares how Twitter and blogging helped her meet her Brazilian beau. As I always say (sorry if you think this is corny), “Sharing is caring – it can be fun.”
Thanks for the kind words! I’m excited about the project and working on stories of my own. My hope for the project is to not only collect up stories because they’re fun and inspirational and interesting to read, but to also provide a resource to be used in convincing the uninitiated why online community is worthy of attention (and budget. and resources…).
Thanks again! I’m looking forward to seeing your story…. :)
@Jake – I do believe this is a great project and I’m excited to see the results!
FYI – we’ve completely overhauled the site design with a tasty new look from designer Jeremy Harrington. The story list is growing too!