Jump to content

Welcome to Green Day Community
Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. This message will be removed once you have signed in.
Login to Account Create an Account




Photo

Closing down 'Words I Might Have Ate' forum in favor of blogs

Posted by Andres , 14 July 2012 · 1,736 views

This is something the mod team has been talking about for months and I'm finally ready to do something about it. I feel that a lot of the 'Brink of your Vision' forums are now redundant with the introduction of Blogs earlier this year. This is a good place for people to have their work posted and viewed, and I believe it's much better than a thread inside a subforum. Why? Because your newest work is highlighted on the blogs homepage and on the board index, rather than hidden inside your own individual thread where it's much less likely to be seen.

The blogs have been a little more quiet than we hoped, but we also haven't done enough to highlight some quality blogs (something that we will be doing much more frequently very soon).

So we want to transition people over to the blogs from the 'Brink' forum, but we're going to try it out first with literature posts (lyrics, poems, stories, etc.) posted in "Words I Might Have Ate." We feel the Blog system works very well for written text (duh) and would fit the 'Words' forum best to start off. So we're going to make the 'Words' forum an archive, read-only place for 3 months before removing it. That should give people plenty of time to move the work they want over to the Blogs system.

I'm interested in making this change in the next week. First, we'd like some feedback from you guys just to make sure there isn't something we're overlooking in this change. If you have any concerns or suggestions, leave them below. Also, like this post if you think this is a good idea. I like knowing how active members feel about changes one way or the other.



Photo
Maria Gloria
Jul 14 2012 03:41 AM
Aww, no. I really preferred Words I Might Have Ate. :( I sort of feel like that and blogs should be kept as two separate things, I dunno if I really want to post things like stories on the front page. That's just me though, most people probably feel differently.
  • Report
Photo
Lúthien Tinúviel
Jul 14 2012 06:11 AM

Aww, no. I really preferred Words I Might Have Ate. http://www.greendaycommunity.org/public/... I sort of feel like that and blogs should be kept as two separate things, I dunno if I really want to post things like stories on the front page. That's just me though, most people probably feel differently.



They can't see them unless they click onto your blog. No different to clicking onto your sub-thread, except it'll just be easier to find.
  • Report
Photo
Maria Gloria
Jul 14 2012 06:59 AM

They can't see them unless they click onto your blog. No different to clicking onto your sub-thread, except it'll just be easier to find.

I know, I just like the idea of having a writing thread much better. But that's just my opinion.
  • Report
Photo
GreenDayBass
Jul 14 2012 07:05 AM
I'm not really a huge fan of the upcoming change mainly because I don't really know how blogs actually work. I mean, I like the idea of having all the written work in a thread instead, mainly because I see it as more organized. If I were to transfer all my poetry into the blog section, how would that work? Would I have to create a new blog entry/poetry? I have at least 150+ and I'm not too certain that would work out very well as it could seem as if I'm spamming, though I do understand that it's basically transferring it over, which would make it seem less spammy.

I also get the impression that the reason why it's not as active as one would suggest is because there is a lack of interest in that area.

That could just be me though. I'm just not entirely sure about how I feel about the change cause I just like the idea of keeping it organized in a thread.
  • Report
Photo
RevDrFunk
Jul 14 2012 08:49 AM
I personally like this idea for the reason you talk about with the front page lingering and the fact that Writing Threads do have a tendency to go on without any discussion. With blogs you at least get the chance to title your new bit of writing and get people interested in IT, rather than interested in YOU, which is all they get when you post in your Writing Thread. It's basically like having a thread for everything you want to post, which is pretty cool.

As for the Archive Panic issue where you already have a lot of stuff posted in your thread, I think there are a few remedies. First, you could post them in chunks, like compilations and use spoilers to separate them, if you're really interested in keeping your backlog together. You could also just reintroduce them in single blog posts, which gives you a chance to start discussion about them anew. Out of those 150, there must be some you prefer, eh?

And speaking from experience...blogs do work a lot like the threads. For a number-watching maniac like me, it's better because I can see which entries are getting more views than others and stuff...and really, though I'd say my blog gets viewed more than my thread ever did, I still get proportionally the same views as compared to other people. You do keep your audience. I dunno, I just see it as more organized since I can go through and look at all the entries and posts and their comments and discussion.
  • Report
Photo
GreenDayBass
Jul 14 2012 10:03 AM
Hmm, that could work.
  • Report
Photo
Elena
Jul 14 2012 11:06 AM
so if i understand it right we'll still have Word I Might Have Ate for about 3 months kinda like an Archive and can see all the posts in there but can't write in there and after those 3 months it's gonna be removed, right? hm...i think it's really enough time to write all those posts into a blog, but then all the answers would get lost...and what happens to the likes we all got for our work? (i really don't care much about those few likes i got, i'm just wondering :D)...but i think i could get used to the idea, though i love Words I Might Have Ate...
  • Report
Photo
Andres
Jul 14 2012 12:24 PM
Obviously the Rep you received will stay on your account, you just won't be able to see those posts anymore after that period.
  • Report
Photo
Honey Emerald
Jul 14 2012 01:31 PM
I have not been able to make a blog, the button to make them does not show up on my page. So how is this supposed to be an improvement?

nm I just found the place to create a blog. I still do not like this idea though. The rules for blogs are different from the rules of Words I Might Have Ate.
  • Report
Photo
Cat C
Jul 14 2012 03:24 PM
This saddens me. My lyrics thread here has been the highlight of my entire memborship at GDC - it's the first time I became confident with my writing, and have had some great feedback and discussions on there.

From the current holder of GDC's "Best Writer" award (due to the activity on my writing thread).

EDIT: So, we'll also not be allowed to see any of the old posts on there? Brilliant.

Also, on the WIMHA forum, the majority of the threads are made by lyric writers. I already have my own blog (on blogspot.com), and it's a lot different to updating a thread with a new set of lyrics. You can't really have a proper discussion in a comments section, either.
  • Report
Photo
Cat C
Jul 14 2012 03:41 PM

I also get the impression that the reason why it's not as active as one would suggest is because there is a lack of interest in that area.


2nd EDIT: This. In my experience, I've been happy with the steady interest in my writing thread, even now that I hardly post in any of the other sections of the forum. I won the Best Writer award after I stopped really posting, which meant a lot considering I hadn't been active. It felt as though people were genuinely interested in my work rather than just following a link in my signature after noticing my posts. So in some individual cases, the interest levels are fine. But yeah, I agree with GreenDayBass in saying that the reason the forum as a whole isn't as active is because not everybody's a writer (and not ALL writers like to critique each other).
  • Report
Photo
drumdreez
Jul 14 2012 04:42 PM
I think it'd be a good idea if we could get more people using the blogs.

Although, it's also easier to go in and find people's artwork and writing if there's a sub-forum just dedicated to people's work.
  • Report
Photo
GreenDayBass
Jul 14 2012 05:15 PM
Why not keep certain threads instead of deleting all of them? I mean you could lock tbe active ones and move them to another section instead. Surely this will be better because we can keep the commenys in our thread? Meanwhile we can still use the blogs.
  • Report
Photo
Artificial Idiot
Jul 14 2012 08:23 PM
What if we make the Words I Might Have Ate thread an archive so that way we can still have it but maybe it won't take up so much space?
  • Report
Photo
Honey Emerald
Jul 14 2012 08:31 PM
This is in the Blog Rules: "You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use this Blog system to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented"

Poetry has nothing to do with accuracy or truth, it can be sexually oriented... I find the blog rules to be an infringement on creativity in poetic writing.
I also find it to be an infringment on creativity in the stories and lyrics people write in Words I Might Have Ate. Basicially , because of that rule, and forcing us to write in Blogs, you are saying that you do not want us to share any of our work with the forum anymore.
  • Report
Photo
Liam
Jul 14 2012 08:48 PM
For the rules we will probably just end up changing them to suit it. I don't see why the blogs should have those rules and the rest of the forum doesn't. The rules should be the same for both
  • Report
Photo
Andres
Jul 14 2012 10:42 PM
Yeah those are just the default rules that come with Invision. We could change them easily to match the rest of the forum.
  • Report
Photo
Cat C
Jul 15 2012 02:20 AM
IMO rules or not, blogs are completely different to most of the threads in WIMHA. I'm not sure why lots of us will have to take the time to transition all of our posts (especially HoneyEmerald) because the blogs are quieter than hoped. Maybe that could be because lots of writers already have public blogs which they take the time to update, and don't feel the need for a 2nd private one. A forum about members"talents" makes more sense than transitioning lots of threads into a format which doesn't already suit them.
  • Report
Photo
Ritz
Jul 15 2012 03:20 AM
I always wanted to start a blog here, but i often update my blog on wordpress very late..

I dont know closing down WIMHA will be good or bad for me but I might end up starting a blog on here soon :P
  • Report
Photo
Maria Gloria
Jul 15 2012 03:24 AM

This saddens me. My lyrics thread here has been the highlight of my entire memborship at GDC - it's the first time I became confident with my writing, and have had some great feedback and discussions on there.

Also, on the WIMHA forum, the majority of the threads are made by lyric writers. I already have my own blog (on blogspot.com), and it's a lot different to updating a thread with a new set of lyrics. You can't really have a proper discussion in a comments section, either.

Very well said... kind of what I was trying to say but couldn't think how to phrase it.

I'm probably really annoying and rambling pointlessly, but I just want to share a few examples why a writing thread was a cool thing to have.

When I was sending my first novel off, I was able to post random bits like my covering letter in my writing thread and have a casual discussion about it with the people who enjoy my writing. I know people will just say "but you can do that on a blog" - well, I personally wouldn't do it anyway. It's just not the kind of thing that's suitable for a comments discussion or a blog in general.

I've actually noticed a massive improvement in my writing since I opened my writing thread. It's been great to get feedback, advice and new opinions, and to be able to just post random chapters or something like that letter whenever I want, so I can get the feedback I need to continue with the next part. Sure I don't have the biggest interest level in the world, but I'm happy with it and my readers are awesome.

I know I'll keep the audience, but none of that would be the same in a blog. I'll end up having to update all my readers by PM if they're still interested in my novels, because a blog just isn't right for that stuff.
  • Report

← May 2013 →

S M T W T F S
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
192021222324 25
262728293031 

Recent Comments

  1. Green Day Community
  2. → Community Blog
  3. → GDC News
  4. → Closing down 'Words I Might Have Ate' forum in favor of blogs