Why do you belong to a forum?

I am curious as usual.

Lately I have been snoopy. I see people come and go. Some of them I know, some I don't have a clue about.

I want them to talk or say something--they often go without a peep.

Is there any reason they can't start a thread on something that interests them?

How about clicking on the unanswered posts and seeing if you can start a discussion on somethng there?

Just an idea!

I had a great time once doing just that, Alice. I clicked and responded to a bunch of unanswered threads and it renewed several discussions. Great idea.

Bless you DK, if more were like you, we'd be bursting with chatter

In Lancashire they say there's nought as queer as folk. So it must be true. I set up the Published Authors Network on Ning and attracted over 1,500 members. When I asked them to move to a new network, less than 300 joined. What happened to the other 1,200? They had joined, set up their pages and left. 500 of them joined here on the forum and did the same thing. This isn't unusual; it's the way humans behave: a few givers and a lot of takers.

I've belonged to two other forums that had lots of members, and when the admins moved to a new host, at least half did not move with them. I don't know why. They had been active on the old forums. Was registering at a new site so onerous? Apparently so.

To post or not to post
that is the question.

A small quote from william shakepen.

Here is another:
Friends writers countrymen
lend me your editor.

Thanks for the laugh, David.

Alice, your point about people who come and go. Visitors start by lurking, it a confidence thing. The question is how to move someone from lurker to poster? A lurker might begin with a read of the welcomes and our responses have been a bit mistrusting recently for obvious reasons. I guess we need to be more open/encouraging, me included.

I take your point about lurkers, Mike, but this is a forum for writers. I am putting together a book of interviews from my Literature & Fiction blog. I am still waiting for three authors to send me an excerpt from their books. The attitude seems to be that readers should be persuaded to buy their books without having first read anything they've written. It's like someone who only sings in the bath wanting to become a professional singer. It doesn't make sense.

Thanks for your responses.

I guess I have given up selling my book.

I come here to yap and I lke to hear what people think.

The more yappers, the better--in my humble opinion.

If I want to talk to myself, why join a forum?

I start my day by looking in on this forum. Like a virtual family, you all are. There are people who post here that I have posted with for several years. All have been dear to my heart. Some have never posted a thing in response to one of my post, but I feel that I know them all the same through the words they post here. Some may not be the person they post as, but most people have some honest portrait to put forth.

Some people's words will go with me always, even if they never posted another word, they are imbedded in my brain as the character they have put here on this board, the words they have written in books, their hopes and dreams. Real people to me.


Love,
Betty

Shelagh, sorry to hear about your frustrations in getting contributions to your book of interviews. I found here searching for a forum for writers and this is a friendly, supportive place and that is special. I don’t do crowds well and tend to hid in the kitchen if there are too many people, so I couldn’t handle somewhere like absolutewrite for example.

For sure some visitors sing in the bath, I guess too some are professional. Does it really make a difference if in the first instance they all searched for a writer’s forum? I agree with Betty and Alice 'The more yappers, the better', wet or professional.

Betty

I feel like I know you. You are one brave, gutsy lady.I will never forget you standing up to a bartender on the PA board.

You became a much admired person to me and have remamed such.

7/11/2010

I post here because I have so many friends
I've known over the last five years from the
PA days, Shelagh, Betty, Alice, Carol, oh my
God their all women.....Great I have a lot of
great girlfriends...And I treasure each and every
one of them..


Cheers..Joe

I was kicked off the PA board but I found it a great place to meet a variety of people with ideas they shared as well as hopes and dreams. There were lots of people posting at all hours of the day and night, so if I was writing all night, I could read something there or post something of my own.

We also shared lots of writing bits that were instructive and constructive.

It had its controversy, etc., but overall, whatever it had I miss.

Extras in movies, (those in the back ground) say..."Yada, yada, yada."
Those who don't comment, should at least give a yada or two.

alice wrote:

Betty

I will never forget you standing up to a bartender on the PA board.

What! They had a bar on the PA board? What an expensive novel idea.
Mind you I would settle for small cafe or tea room myself.

Yes, David, We had everything. Ann took the bar down. She is a real heroine.

dkchristi wrote:

I was kicked off the PA board but I found it a great place to meet a variety of people with ideas they shared as well as hopes and dreams. There were lots of people posting at all hours of the day and night, so if I was writing all night, I could read something there or post something of my own.

We also shared lots of writing bits that were instructive and constructive.

It had its controversy, etc., but overall, whatever it had I miss.

Everyone was kicked off the PA board, even Dick. Consider it a badge of honor.

It's very embarrassing to have never been banned. I thought exposing the reality behind the spin on the tacky comments the "twosome" made on Carol's thread would do it. But even taking the bar down didn't.

Go figure.

Ann

Why do I belong to a forum?

If it wasn't for this forum, I wouldn't belong.

alj wrote:

It's very embarrassing to have never been banned. I thought exposing the reality behind the spin on the tacky comments the "twosome" made on Carol's thread would do it. But even taking the bar down didn't.

Go figure.

Ann

We love you anyway!

I could tell you how to do it--never too late!

Post questions about the PA contract on this forum. That did it for me.

PA's insistence on staying positive never bothered me. It still doesn't. It's their board, and I can see why they want it that way. I don't see the point in saying negative things about my publisher; it's like biting the hand that feeds you.

My problem with the PAMB was that it was ruled by a few authors who thought it was fun and perfectly OK to hijack threads and say tacky things about other authors. That's why I left. Too many cyber-writer friends were treated rudely and then banned, just for defending themselves and their friends.

I poked my head in the other day, and it looked like the place has become a lot more friendly.

It serves its purpose for the new authors.

I like it here, and I post on a couple of other boards, even help moderate one, so I don't have time for the PAMB anymore, nicer now or not.

Ann

I come here less than I would like...work, life, other deadlines.
Still, I know this is like home; I can visit unannounced, put my feet on the coffeetable, chat awhile, then leave for other reality. I appreciate that!

I wasn't a PA author. Didn't experience all of the not-so-nice aspects of that forum (from what I have pieced together).

I'm just little ole me. Kind of the crazy old auntie who shows up with her cats and magical elixers, maybe a bottle of cheap wine...