Are you up for ABC Romance?

Given my past experiences, I don't much fancy the idea of meeting female poets from the Internet.

Having said that, this is still a great idea. Can't see how it'd be a problem.

Only if you can set me up with Howardtheduck Tony.

Anything is possible in the world of internet dating!

It would put me off. Not that I'm against romance or dating or snogging writers or anything, it just sort of 'dilutes' the website. Bet I'll be the first to sign up!

i'd rather write romance personally, its less likely to lead to deseases.

however writing romance to another, is eminantly suitable for improving the romantic writer...
etc etc...

I'll ask my girlfriend.

Now that I'm here it wouldn't bother me, but if I was browsing? Maybe. It would depend on how prominent you make it.

And I should run it past my wife as well Parson!

I'll ask Parson thrus girlfriend as well!

I'll ask my wife too but I'm guessing even if she agrees, any date is going to have to be long, long distance unless the intended lives in Australia.

But seriously, I think it is a good idea in that it put like-minded people together. I hope it works well.

I don't know quite how I feel about it. I think its a interesting idea and may bring some people together, which is good to me. I don't know if I would sign up really though. I've stopped looking for that sort of thing. but I wouldn't mind exploring a deeper relationship with other writers, so maybe.

I don't know about this. I wouldn't be surprised if this site wasn't already 'introducing ' people but its a site I think everyone has joined because they want to write. There was an earlier comment suggesting that a dating side would dilute the site. I think I agree with that feeling.

If the site needs to make money to survive surely writing comps with entry fees are the way to go - especially since the site has a writing credibility. i see no reason why this site shouldn't rival the Fish or Biscuit sites for competitions.

But then, that's just me thinking aloud.

GSOH, own teeth and elbows, too sexy for shirt so doesn't wear one. Ditto underpants. Enjoys facetious forum posts, smelling like a raccoon and drinking pina colada in the homeless shelter. Would like to meet similar and/or different for spanking and white slavery. Possible friendship with the right incentive. Please reply below.

Ah FTSE, you had me at GSOH...

Personally I wouldn't be interesetd in the romance thing and it seems a bit odd to me to have the two sites linked but I'm sure you've done your research. Having said that, I might be interested in meeting other writing types in my local area for fun, friendship but definitely not more. My girlfriend would kill me. And my wife wouldn't be happy either.

I completely agree with Leander42's comments; ABCTales is a really great place and though I have no personal problems with a romance site, to link the two things - I don't know, it dosen't sit well with me anyway, and might damage the credibility of the site and detract from the serious business of writing. More competitions and perhaps even a small membership fee to raise money would better maintain the gravitas.

people who write poetry are never lonely!!! i vote NO. (can i change my name to something more butch if you do tho?)

Mmm - interesting. All that would appear on ABCtales would be a link button (like the Facebook one) on each page.

Comps don't make us much money - the last one lost money! They certainly don't pay for the running costs let alone anything for paying anyone for the hours and hours and hours of work they put in.

Donations keep us going - and I am deeply grateful for all of you who send them in - but this could supply some long term finance and allow us to make some of the technological changes we need and maybe, one day, pay a little to some of the people who do so much to enable it to run.

Does that change any minds?

And Richard - the dating site won't take a second of my time - it's being run by another member on our behalf.

All those other things - shops etc. take techie time to set up and we don't have the money to do that.

I haven't made up my mind about this one so do keep posting!

I'm not much of an online marketeer, but would Google Ads drum up any funds for the site? If payment to the site is on a pay per click basis I wouldn't mind clicking a few links.

I think I'd rather go along blighters rock route to keep in the literary lane of things. I was late at the meeting, came in at the point TC was saying something about love and babies??? All out of that too!

if it keeps ABCTales going and has a clear distinction between the two parts, then I'm all for it.

I love the ethos of this site. I suppose you've considered advertising / banners etc. That might change the feel I suppose. I think if the dating site was a semi-facebook contact site and in a slightly different space it might work, especially if it had a niche that took it away slightly from 'romance' / dating. I bumped into the person who turned me onto this site while working and maybe allowing people to set up 'meets' 'gatherings' or whatever in a really informal way will strengthen the whole community and the site in the process with a small subscription for using the service. Maybe the next poetry impresario could emerge there. I think we should all ask whether we do enough to financially support the site. I confess I haven't but I think I now should.

WLTM creative type with good sense of humour. Must have less cherries than I have.

I'm all for love- I think if it can finance Abctales having Abcromance then go ahead and do it Tony. I also think that those who will use the site are unlikely to admit it here in this comment thread, maybe a little shy? OP we have tried Google ads but we had too many clicks and they stopped it- calling them "invalid clicks" They were keeping an eye on us- Surveillance- gees.. what do you do?
Even though I won't be using the dating site (as far as I know there aren't others in Denmark?) there are over how many users on Abc? and we are a social networking forum- well sort of. You can also develop good friendships through a dating site if it doesn't lead to relationships- who knows?
Not a good idea to take membership fees for Abctales- wrong philosophy !

Would those with partners please refrain from stupid comments. This isn't funny. It's about love and money!
Well I think it is a brilliant way to fund Abctales especially when most of the other options are impossible.

I am all for it...

I think I'm a bit too introverted to go on an internet dating site.

I'd feel a little conceited writing things like GSOH about myself too. If I write GSOH about myself other people may find me dull as ditchwater.

I don't think that charging for stories/poems is a good idea because I think that would really discourage people on very low incomes from submitting work.

JoHn -

"Ex amore victoria". ("From love comes victory".)

I can never understand the abbreviations so I have no idea what they are offering. and if we got charged by the entry, I wouldn't be able to post.

We should use standardised abbreviations. Maybe internet slang would do? Internet users have as many words for laughing as Eskimos do for snow. If you aren't laughing (and experts believe that many people lie about it, they aren't really rolling on the floor at all) your vocabulary is very restricted. Here's a list of popular abbreviations, copied from a blogging site.

•ABN - Asshole By Nature
•LOL - Laughing Out Loud
•LMFAO - Laughing On My *ucking Ass Off
•LMAO - Laughing On My Ass off
•ROFL - Rolling On the Floor Laughing
•SFU - Shut the *uck Up
•BRB - Be Right Back
•FOAD - *uck Off And Die
•GTG/G2G - Got to Go
•HS - Holy Shit
•HTH - Hope This Helps
•OMG - Oh My God!
•IDK - I Don't Know
•POS - Piece Of Shit
•SOS - Some old Shit
•WTF - What The *uck
•R8 - Right
•F9 - Fine

Me? OMG! IDK. ABN, LOL. WTF? GTG.

new cavalcaderl
Editor t.cook
AbcTales.com
Hi! Tony.
I believe the same as Blightersrock.
Think fine for the single not married.
Loads things could go wrong?? And mean safety.
Be dangerous sometimes. I am reading all in paper. Breakups,divorces,
and affairs and arguments. Think spoil AbcTales.
Before I started on here. Just for comp; four did which came from day centre mainly no experience. then closed.
I had leaflet letter,from a certain place?
Stated three poems,so many words,had work all out?
Sent off,fun paid £15 a time,keep other two poems.
About 3 months later,state wanted another poem,or title,choose cover,pay have it in book of so many,
think £14.99. each. Did four times,to costly? Then write and ask for my 'Snowman' poem not paying £14.99p. I said have it. Calenders poems,cd all expensive? But great see it printed. Con paying all time. Soon stopped after four.
So why not charge three poems for £5 each.
Stories, £10 each.
And long chapters whatever? Some many chapters.
Someone on here joined this place! all money!
Once join,never stopped sending for more. At the time.
Money counted although not poet or writer.
I wish you luck (Tony).
Nothing is free in the world.
Local paper big write up,on Poetry.
Pigbaby Brighton Poetry Festival.
Prices are £5 another day £10 Festival £16.
Ray will attach copy, page if you would like
Mine is x b/rail so free on train,otherwise expensive couldn't come. Love going.
If check my poem, not in paper yet,know
it's not first class. 'The young eccentric gentleman'
all gone two daysd ago. Ray sent, but missed send photo of 'Twilight Time' poem one, sent two of young gentleman.
At the end says, join us on AbcTales.com
Editor t.cook if printed should help increase numbers? maybe.
julie x AbcTales.com

Hi ALL :) I hope like me, you are not or have not been flued up.

I firstly after 2 say I love FTSE100 sense of humour so maybe you should set up your own seperate site as I am sure ppl (people lol, laugh out loud ) he he. Would pay to view :)))))

Most of the others made me laugh, which I needed 2 so thanks guys :)

Back 2 Banner question yes, I think if I saw a big bold banner advertising dating site then I would think noooo, however because I have been a member for soooo long hehe,I would not mind it on here now&because at the end of the day,I assume we are all adults, and if like me, older adults hehe.So we realise that ABCtales needs funds&although we fear how a dating section could drive away people or bring Abctales writing section down, we know money has 2 be gained.I also think we can always stop the dating section if any of that starts 2 happen surely?

I also think 4 some it would help their writing, after all a couple who became more than buddy writers, he he. Would have something in common 2 talk about, which is always a good start I feel, if you wanted more than friendship.

So although I do share the concerns of how it would look for ABCtales writing site, I also feel it may help people&if it brings in money great. But I like the Idea of Richard, (Blighters Rock) about writers giving comission 2 ABCtales, rather than book stores. But I know I cannot afford 2 even have mine published nevermind let any1 take a commission even a small 1@the moment. But I would love 2 see a section on ABCtales showing others a snippet of our work which we want published e.c.t&then selling them 2 any1 who wants2 buy&maybe a small small he he, commission 2 ABCtales, which I would try2 find :)))

take care all

Keep Writing
Keep Smiling :)))

P.s he he. There were that many that made me smile I forget what was said he he, but Dymanaso, If you were not already taken , ( by I am sure you will agree a wonderful wife ).

I am sure if there was 2 be a long distance romance, they would move 2 Australia 4 u especially from u.k trust me lolol.

Why on earth would a dating site bring down Abctales? I can't see the connection? I think it is stuck-up jibberish.
It is so common nowadays to meet a partner via internet and dating sites- Creative people are a special breed and need to be together with other creative people or to interact with them to get inspiration. We are not all so fortunate to have creative people in our midst so it is not easy meeting a prospective partner.

Is nobody in favour at all? Who would it harm?
I say absolutely NO to paying for submitting on Abctales.
I think we should give the dating site a go.

I have no objections to a link on this site that takes you to another site. Anything to save having to charge people to use this site.

Prettyrose, see it is this kind of temptation that makes me glad you're living where you do otherwise my wife would definitely have some competition LOL!

cant see the harm in using the dating thing to help with the finance Tony. Hope it doesnt produce an avalanche of soppy bullshit writing.ie angels / the wind was purple / etc.

I've aLways had a great deal of time for angels and purple wind etc. - personally. My poor dear Gerald likewise.

If it would help fund the site and keep it free for us to use, I don't see how it could hurt! It'll only be one wee link after all, I think it'd be worth a shot. If it doesn't work out you can always scrap it and go back to the drawing board.

This coming from someone who is not currently single, so I'm not biased, haha.

Give it a go!

Does that mean you are against a dating site Julie? Well I guess you are set up with your husband Ray.I have heard a lot of positive stories about people finding mates on dating sites. The relationships go on and on.
I don't see why Abctales should struggle more than necessary. If the AbcRomance site can chip in to funding Abctales then the (abctales)site will have even more free hands and the weight won't be too heavy for those few who are keeping the steam up at the moment.

I thought we were discussing a dating site ,not football?

I don't understand. There are tens of thousands of people on this dating site. In what way is it linked to ABC tales? What does it have to do with this site, or with creative writing?

People have been there for months. Where did they come from? I'm confused.

Give us a kiss, Mac. Garn, you know you want to. ;)

gay

Really Archie? that's the response? that's about as ignorant as I can imagine. don't talk like that here, I don't want to read derogatory comments.

Just stand under the Mistletoe Footsie and you'll get lots! I'll be waiting in line !!! hehe

;)Pia

Oh Pia, I've been wearing my mistletoe hat all year waiting for you to turn up! Where have you been? ;)

Paul

Well I'll just have to send you a smooch all the way over the seas Footsie- special delivery with Santas sleigh this year!!! Keep your hat on!!
hehe

;)Pia

you're all gay

Then you are very much alone Mac, eh? Unless you are gay too!!

Maybe I am. Everyone else here seems to be. Gay gay gay gay gay gay gay.

But no-one answered my question. It was a serious one and I'd actually like to know the answer.

I'm gay, tra-la. I'm a male lesbian. I like girls. My mum warned me that no good would ever come of it, girls have pigtails and wear dresses and do things that no boy could ever understand. But did I listen? I suppose I must have done since I've just repeated what she said.

Use your head, Mac. How could you have a dating site with only people from ABC? It's far too small a pond. Anyway, I've just hooked up with Pia, so who needs a website?

Yes, I realise that. But what I don't get is, Tony described it as "a dating service linked to creative people". But really, it's got nothing to do with creative people at all, is it? Anyone can go on there. It has no 'creative' theme to it. So it's not a place to meet other creative people at all. It's no different to any other dating site, like plenty of fish or Match or Soulmates or whatever.

Also what I don't get is, where have these people come from, who are already on the site? Are there a number of sites all sharing this dating service, not just ABC? And do they know the site as something other than ABC Romance? Surely they must do, because ABC Romance has only existed for five minutes?

I just don't really understand what it's all about or what relevance it has to ABC tales.

Archie, this is what it says on the site about its memebership:

There are two ways to start a site such as this one. Either, you can start the whole thing from scratch and hope that people will sign up to the site; or, you can set up an arrangement with an established organisation that has a database of members already. In this site, we have opted for the latter plan. However, it is possible to place filters on who will appear within this site as prospective people to meet. The key filter that we have placed on people appearing within this site is that they have expressed a real interest in the Arts.

The organisation whose database of members this site connects to is called Global Personals. They hold a global database of members and are highly regarded within this area of activity. Currently, this site is only linked to their UK database of members.

I am one of the originators of the site, but only as far as technical issues are concerned. There is a shared database of people to date, from many well-established sites (Dateline, Canoodle, Instant Friends, Savage Hearts, even Cosmopolitan!) The database is filtered so you only see people who have expressed an interest in creative things, books, the arts, and so forth.

Why go through ABC? Because it's a lot cheaper than going through other portals, you can date exactly the same people, and you'll be supporting ABC.

Can ABC guarantee you'll fall in love with whoever you date? No. This is a dating site. It's about as good as dating sites get, but it's still a dating site. You go out with people until you find somebody you like.

I hope that explains everything.

Paul

Thanks Paul for clearing that up - it was all on there all the time. Archie just had to look! We've gone to great lengths to be as transparent as we can be about this but if it proves to be a turn off then we will turn it off!

Oh yes, you're right. All that information was there all along. I just couldn't be arsed to read it.

I'm thinking of changing my name to Gaye Sauna-Balls if that's okay?

FTSE100/Paul, seems like the kind of man who'll do well on an internet dating website; outgoing; affable; bloke-ish. Probably the sort of man
that a woman would have fun dating.

It's not for me though but good luck to all those who decide to use ABCRomance. I hope they all find
love or atleast have fun.

Unbound is connected to a a site called Jottify- anybody familiar with this?
Gees Footsie I didn't know we were hooked up together. New to me. But I suppose that is okay. I am a lesbian Gay so I guess we are made for each other. he he

;)Pia

new Highhat
Hello! Just seen your comments,
on will partner's, Stop the Stupid re-marks. As I have Mentioned myself and all,chat! side of and Friendship. Accepted on AbcTales.
But Dating site or link sensible for the single!
Read you paper's everyday trouble somewhere or someone,on Word wrong! Let alone dating Link.
Be sensible and don't give to much away,states so.
It could lead too couples etc; and loads trouble for
other's. Seems free speech on here!
And re-member we don't get anything in the world,for
nothing! All we do mainly we pay,hobbies anything.
Why! not just all go around Spread the word,AbcTales.
I carry mags; or my book now!
Or have special leaflets made ADVERTISE.
no offence. Taken? How many break ups! happening now! Before Computer,everything on life was private.
Now all scattered everywhere!
Have a good day. Go on write, bad comment back,I can take it! Opinion....
Sad world now. Need more places and Revenues,reader's stories and poems,coffee bars Libraries could have leaflet in windows why! not.
I write far to long now,myself got learn cut down comment. Hope your well.
Fire! back.WHAT suits one doesn't suit all.
It is more like a chat! site! I can truly see and all
want to be published. So then money be needed.
'Song is 'The best things in life are free'
Shows,coffee,sport, anything publishing all cost money? Everthing in life! or touch do ise all money!
So why! not all give a portion. Get nothing for nothing. Anywhere try and get a coffee or a lunch
got no money or on you. "Who wants to know? anyway.
"To Give And Not To Count The Cost".
How many go out and buy best! of everything.
When a little cheaper is far better. Economy now.
I talk load of Tripe!
No! from me I talk too long now!
I am an agony aunt more! Some like chat! But I draw the line too! I started about,three years,ago didn't
couldn't do a comment. Life private some rae that way
some arne'tbut educating and interesting can be,without dating! Married quite long time!
Course we all have many ups and downs. That's life!
Certainly not,have quite enough of one thanks!
I showed respect after seeing interview tv. and photos and story horrific. All in papers,although nevr met or knew,upset terribly!
Anyway who'! incharge on here! aye1
cavalcaderl julie

Can I have a refund?

I spent 30 quid because I wanted to meet new people in the area I've just moved into, but after a while I realised there wasn't really anyone suitable. Most people there haven't been online for ages.

"Please note however, that after your membership has run for one month, you will be considered by Global Personals to be a subscribing member and liable to making a monthly subscription even though you have not entered any financial information into your account."

What? What? What?

What the fuck?

What the fuck does that mean?

Does this mean that after three pointless months I'll automatically have even more money swiped from me?

What the fuck? Give me a fucking break...