TruConnection believes what your write/create is the best first impression when meeting online — that is, it’s a more telling first impression of your character and personality than detailed self-description and questionnaires.
If you’re a user, visited the site, or read this blog at all, you already know this. And hopefully you agree.
But there’s a peripheral benefit to this approach that I will attempt to articulate, because I’ve been thinking about it a lot since a few users recently brought it up to me: The idea that the writing itself is therapeutic, a form of mental release.
I’m not referring only to short stories, poems, creative non-fiction, or other types of literature. Consider Twitter updates, Facebook updates, the endless comment streams on news sites like CNN or video sites like Youtube, or personal blogs. In all cases, users are putting their thoughts on paper (so to speak) and receive nothing in return (except perhaps a comment or a ‘Like’).
Yes, there is a self-conscious and narcissistic element to some of this writing. But there’s something else to it, in my opinion; there is something the writer gets out of it beyond a simple ‘ReTweet’.
The act of writing itself, the act of having an independent thought and putting it to paper, is satisfying. How many times do we write something, and then immediately go back and re-read it? There’s a sense of gratification in this. We had something on our mind. We put it to paper. Now it is out there to be seen by others. It’s no longer only in our minds.
What does this have to do with an online dating site? If it’s true that what you write is a strong first impression of your character, and writing itself is therapeutic and gratifying, then what better place for singles than a place to write and meet others? What better way to meet like-minded singles than to put your thoughts to paper, reveal a bit your character and beliefs, and make a connection?
TruConnection will be rolling out a discussion forum feature, in addition to the current free-form writing structure and Daily 5 Minute Write prompt.
Keep an eye out for this over the next week.
