Anyone Interested In Contributing to A Blog?

[Andy]

The possibility of a blog at YWO is underway (although it's at a halt at the moment due to real-world commitments), so in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in contributing content to a blog once we get one.

It wouldn't be a big commitment. Though we still need to work on details, I'm thinking it would involve making at least one post per week, and each person could have one or two areas in which they usually post. For example:
word/quote of the day/week
literature news (we have a link which you would easily borrow content from)
humor
tips
writing prompts
general reading and writing findings
contest information (probably be handled by me or Shaun)
statistics and very minor site updates (again, me or Shaun)
other websites (literary and/or interesting)Again, there's still a lot of things Shaun and I have to discuss about this, but I'm just throwing this out there to see a show of hands, pretty much. :)

[Imelda]

No, I am not interested. However, I can provide a useful method of procrastination for Shaun while he writes his posts, which may result in an interesting conversation, which may give him a good point to write about.

Or just make him take twice as long to write it. Either way, it's contribution. :groovy:

[Andy]

No, I am not interested.
I'm shocked. :P But then again, your own forum has a blog you've got to worry about.:rolleyes:

[GeorgeMichael]

I am very interested :) I'd like to write in some of those areas :P

[Imelda]

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Yeah, I can't write for that either. Don't pick on me. :(

[Nyx]

I'm very interested...I'd like to contribute to the literature news, but I'd be glad doing any thing really:)

[Carraka]

I'll be interested after November.

Aww, November's already over.

I guess I'm interested? Will I be forced to contribute weekly?

[Andy]

I'm really exited by these responses!

I guess I'm interested? Will I be forced to contribute weekly?
Again, weekly is just an estimate, and it still needs discussion. If you're asking if I'll hunt you down if you forget now and then, then the answer is no. :rolleyes: But if you go a really long time without doing anything, I might ask what's up.

[Carraka]

I'm really "exited" too. xD

I guess I'll do what I can. Maybe I can give you those block writer's block tips that I once wrote for Sara.

[Shaun]

Just a note guys. Andy and I are interested in having members contribute to the blog, but we also have to be very realistic about this. We can't have 50 people all writing for it, because nobody who reads the blog could keep up. Half the stuff wouldn't get read. I know this from experience. My Google Reader has over 175 blogs in it. I only read posts that catch my attention, and skip ones that don't. Blogs that have a lot of stuff I like get read a lot more often than others, but all the blogs in there are ones that have had some good, interesting posts before. So, imagine if all those posts were in one blog? You can see what I mean. So we're certainly looking for people who would be interested in contributing, but we also want to make sure you're committed to it. It's sort of like a job, only you can have fun with it :).

Anywho :D. I don't want that to put anyone off of this though. Just don't expect we'll use everybody who is interested. We have to be a bit selective or we'll have a million posts on the blog every week and it will drive people crazy.

[Zaphkiel]

This is a very good idea. I would love to do the quote of the week!! Since you guys don't want a bunch of people doing the blogs, then I suggest you hold a popularity contest in order to select a few members to contribute. This way, other members will consistently look at the blogs, or you could hold some other contest.

[Shaun]

We're going to look for the people who demonstrate the greatest ability to provide useful content :P. Andy and I are patently against any sort of popularity contests. We've been down that road before and it doesn't work. Popularity contests are how we end up with Presidents like Mr. Shrub.
We'll figure it out. A lot of it has to do with what Andy and I decide needs to be in the blog in the first place. Too much junk will make the blog seem pointless.

[Imelda]

Mr Shrub was popular? O_o

That scares me.

Spamspamspamspamspam.

[Shaun]

Well...he WAS popular. Not so much anymore. Well, he's popular, just not for good reasons :P.

[Nyx]

Yea a popularity contest wouldn't be fair, specially for new members who want to contribute...

[GeorgeMichael]

True, a popularity contest wouldn't be fair.


Oh and since I didn't put it up before I'd be interested in writing in the Humor section, as well as tips :)

[Eve]

I can contribute. Just don't know how...

[Zaphkiel]

So how do you guys plan to find people? Are you just going to handpick those that you think are good for the job?

[Shaun]

Hmm. Andy and I need to think about that. Perhaps we need to find out how many people are interested and maybe ask all of them what they are going to contribute and why they think they should be allowed to contribute. Some of what will factor in is your actions around the site. If you don't do anything here, then you're not getting picked. It would be unfair to let someone write for the blog if they're never around. I don't think that will be a problem though.

We'll figure that out. We're not quite ready to get the blog going full steam. Andy is still fiddling with the template and we're still ironing out all the little sidebar gizmos.

[Andy]

I think I've got the template and widgets done, actually. Other than colors, I don't think there's anything left to do.

[Zaphkiel]

I see...I understand then.