Article: Gossiping requires a fine balance. You don't want to seem like an enthusiastic gossiper, because you want to Try to maintain your relationship as someone who is trustworthy to speak to. But at the same time, you also want to spread it around, because, well, it's fun. So, you've got to be a good actor. When you approach some gossipy territory in a conversation, start looking over your shoulder, as if you're worried someone will hear. Ask if the other person has heard the news first. If they haven't heard, make a worried face and wring your hands. Say, "Oh, well, I really shouldn't say. It isn't right to gossip." When you get ready, lean in close and start with, "Well, now, you didn't hear this from me..." Your audience will be locked in. When you have good gossip, you can't just tell everyone you know, unless you want it to blow back on you. Besides, you don't have to tell a lot of people, just a select few. If your good friend told you something in confidence, don't tell all your other friends. Instead, tell someone at work. If someone at work did something super-embarrassing, don't tell all your coworkers, tell your friends. When and if the gossip does eventually get around, everyone will forget who they heard it from originally, most of the time, but you want to be sure to distance yourself from it as much as possible. Gossip shouldn't be something that you broadcast or speak about loudly, for everyone to hear. Make sure you take people aside, use very quiet voices, and don't let anyone you don't know hear what you're talking about. Even if you're spreading gossip, it's important to Try to limit it as much as possible. This goes for gossiping online, even more so. Private messages of gossip? Ok, maybe. Posting on your own, or someone else's board publicly? Just don't. Treat your gossiping like you're treating a friend to privileged information, not like you're just broadcasting gossip to anyone who will listen. Make sure that everyone you tell knows that this isn't something to spread around, even if they plan on spreading it around like you are. This is the code of the gossipers. In some cases, you can learn to suggest your gossip more than you trumpet it. Start telling the detail you want to spread around, but stop just short of telling the whole story. Tell enough to let the other person figure it out, but not so much that you'll need to feel bad about yourself. If you know someone at school just made out with someone else, you don't have to say so to spread it around. Try this: "Did you hear about James and Janet last weekend? I heard they got pretty up close and personal. Not that you heard it from me."
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Pretend you don't want to let loose of the news. Spread it around smartly. Do it quietly. Tell each person they can't tell anyone. Consider only telling a half-truth.