A Discussion Thread on Discussion Threads

[Astinus]

I don't even know anymore.

So one of the ideas for activity in FF&W is more discussion threads. We're kind of stuck on what exactly we would be discussing, so let's get some ideas going.

In other words:

If all else fails, I suppose we could set up a general discussion thread to discuss what our topic of general discussion is going to be - which, while sounding like a joke, might actually kickstart a discussion and grow into a true discussion thread.

[Volcanix769]

I guess that this whole Fan Fiction thread is in the dumps now. I mean, I glanced back in the past few years of this thread and a lot of people were more active in writing and discussing. But it must have sucked right? What should we be doing to make this Fan Fiction thread better?

[InkFrog]

I have a suggestion for some threads! Why don't we have a few "game" type threads related to writing? Something like the games that you can find in the other trivia section. I've seen places that do a Character Development thread where one person asks a question, and then the person below answers the question from a character's voice and perspective and asks a new question in the next post. Or a game with one word prompts and the person below does a one sentence fill. How about a game where we add one sentence at a time onto a story until it's complete?

I don't know if games are appropriate for this forum or not, but I figured as long as they're writing related it shouldn't be too bad?

[bobandbill]

Originally Posted by InkFrog

I have a suggestion for some threads! Why don't we have a few "game" type threads related to writing? Something like the games that you can find in the other trivia section. I've seen places that do a Character Development thread where one person asks a question, and then the person below answers the question from a character's voice and perspective and asks a new question in the next post. Or a game with one word prompts and the person below does a one sentence fill. How about a game where we add one sentence at a time onto a story until it's complete?

I don't know if games are appropriate for this forum or not, but I figured as long as they're writing related it shouldn't be too bad?

Might be worth a try, certainly. We've had a 'add to the story' thread before a couple christmas' back and could be fun as well.

[Astinus]

Yeah, games are fine. We've had them before, as bobandbill said. Besides, they're fun, low-pressure ways to practice writing.

Volcanix, we're trying to make it so FF&W isn't in the dumps. That's what we're working towards, making people want to post and be more active.

[PhantomX0990]

Also maybe putting forward the section could be a thing. Like maybe posting it on other forums or having a person in the introduction threads point towards it or something.

Otherwise, not too many ideas, sorry.

[mosaicrole]

Hey, I just joined to forum, and I plan to be a some-what active member of the Fanfiction section. Guess I've arrived just the time this place needed new members, huh

I participated in other pokemon forum who also used to have this really agitated fanfiction section, that suddenly became really inactive, with no apparent reason, like this one. It's really sad to see this happening... I think, one of the reasons for this, at the time, was because, at the same time, all the popular writers started getting too busy with school/uni and stopped writing. For a while the only type of fic that would pop up there were OT fics, that were either poorly executed, painfully uninspired or trying to be something different, but in the end just being more of the same, really.
With time, people from the forum just stopped going to the fanfiction section, giving up hope of finding something nice to read.

Maybe something similar is happening here? Or maybe people nowadays just rather spend their times on tumblr or something than bothering finding something good to read? hmmm

Anyway, I like Phantom's idea. Posting in introductions thread is such a good extrategy! We could recommend the good fics in here to the newcomers, or something.
Posting it on other foruns is interesting. Like fanfic foruns. And maybe find where the rest of the pokemon fandom posts their fic (fanfiction.net? Livejournal?) and tell them about this forum. Even if they don't want to post their works here, having a Writer's Lounge to hang out is still pretty sweet.

And I guess that's it? Long post is long.

[bobandbill]

I'm not really keen on advertising the section on other forums, as it's just typically against the rules to go advertising other forums anywhere. We don't allow people to advertise their own forums to others outside of their signature, so to then do it ourselves would be hypocritical.

Pointing it out to people in the New Users/Welcome forum section if they mention they like writing (roleplaying, etc) would be fine though. Raising it in convo with friends outside the site is also fine. Just don't go about to just advertise.

For a while the only type of fic that would pop up there were OT fics, that were either poorly executed, painfully uninspired or trying to be something different, but in the end just being more of the same, really.

I don't think it's so much a problem with types of fics or standards (there's plenty here that's good to read including a number of fics that one may call an OT that's pretty decent). At the moment it is the holiday season so it's not unnatural to see fanfic sections (not just this one) have a bit of a lull. This one has been quieter than what it has a few years back for a few reasons though, evident in say the poetry forum's lack of activity.

We could recommend the good fics in here to the newcomers, or something.

That's what the thread sticky in the main section is for, on that note. (As well as the current nominations thread in this section too).

[Volcanix769]

I'm out of ideas. How about we ask our peers to read our stories; not all the time.

[Astinus]

I like the idea of telling people about this section in introduction threads. I think Cid and Cirno do that already if someone mentions it in their introduction, but maybe it would be better if FF&W's regulars do it as well. This way, we show members that we are a friendly bunch who want them to join us, and they won't feel so intimidated.

Also, I agree with what mosaicrole mentioned about fandom moving over to Tumblr. Other sites I used to go on for a lot of in-depth forum discussions are now slowly dying in favor of Tumblr. Still, there will always be people who prefer in-depth discussions (that are way more difficult to do on Tumblr), so it's just a matter of reaching out and finding them.

[Cutlerine]

Hm. Much to my surprise, my suggestion about having a discussion thread to discuss discussion threads has not only been followed through but actually seems to be bearing fruit. I honestly never really thought that would happen.

The problem with reaching out to the other people who desire these kinds of interactions, Astinus, is that we don't really have many ways to do that other than by advertising, which we obviously can't do. I might be missing something blindingly obvious here, but is there anything we can do other than mentioning it in introductions in the New Users forum?

Assuming for the moment that the answer to that question (and I'm probably wrong about this; I'm well-known for my bad ideas and inaccurate assumptions) is no, that leaves getting current members to engage a little more. This thread seems to have been a good start; I suppose if we can think of some more discussion topics, we'll get further still. Game threads also sound fun. I mean, sound like a good way to get the community engage. I'm totally not in favour of them just for their fun value. Definitely not.

F.A.B.

[Astinus]

Originally Posted by Cutlerine

The problem with reaching out to the other people who desire these kinds of interactions, Astinus, is that we don't really have many ways to do that other than by advertising, which we obviously can't do.

Other than a hopeful word of mouth? Not really.

I know that PC comes up first for "pokemon forums" in Google's search, and on my Google it shows little links to different forums. All of PC's leads to ROM hacking, while SPPf (the second result) has their Fanfiction board as an extra link. I don't know at all if those are chosen in a way or not. Either way, PC's fic community isn't really all that known. (Actually, in a few fandom discussions I've been in, PC wasn't really talked about as much as BMGf and SPPf, but I guess that's because those forums also have main websites to go with them.)

The above paragraph may make little sense. Feel free to question what I'm talking about.

I think right now that the best course of action would be to start small in getting new people in. Get those who sign up to PC and just so happen to be interested in writing to check us out by posting in introduction threads. And then, if they stay and make FF&W active, then we should look towards the outside. But first we need to start small.

So first: Discussion threads ideas. We'll get those going, along with the game threads.

[EvilSkittles]

I have a bad habit of popping in for a few days and then disappearing for a while. A game or something of the sort would give someone like me an extra incentive to keep checking back in. Basically anything that would hook people in, I think would be good.