Written by Minerva
with original elements credited to Catholic Nun & [supporter]Alternative.[/supporter]

Table of Contents:
So....



You are interested in creating a club, yes? Think of it as your future baby. You know the gender of it but you are unsure of how they'll turn out as they get older. That's fine. Clubs in this section work differently than other threads in other sections of the community. As most talk about the current episodes or a certain episode, or favorite characters, or why we hate a certain thing. A club will encompass EVERYTHING in a whole topic or fandom. Theories can be discussed in it, experiences, the future of said topic/fandom. Anything, really. Because of that, they will last longer, but it's all up to YOU: the future club owner in question.

With this guide, you'll understand how clubs work, and tips on maintenance.

[a id]basicelements[/a id]

Basic Elements of a Club: What do you need?

When reviewing clubs, I look at some or all of the main components of the club. I don't accept clubs that do not have the basics. Like a set of rules, or a title, or a sufficient description of what the club is about. Your club needs to be concise enough to be approved and for members to know what it's about.

Here are some basic components that should be included when you create a brand new club:

I – Title.

This is pretty much straightforward. No one's gonna know what your club's about if you don't have a title. Encrypting your title will confuse and drive away future members. Be direct on your title.

Examples: Crystal Power, Make Up! ~ A Sailor Moon FC
I'M READY! - Spongebob Squarepants Fan Club
Disney Fan Club – Where Dreams Come True

II – Information

Most of us might not know what you might be talking about in your club, which is why it's very important to provide some background information in your club opening post. This is ESPECIALLY if you are doing a club on TV shows, movies, books or any media out there. There will be members who'll join your club with little or no background info on the fandom/topic they're interested in, and want to learn more about it. Example: if you are doing a club on Social Media, you must state information about the various social networks around you, and how it impacts our lives.

III– Rules

Club owners must include their own set of rules. You own the club, so that makes you in charge of what goes on in the club. We don't wanna go THAT crazy, do we? It's always best to set boundaries. However, always state that members should also follow both Global PokeCommunity Rules and the FC&G rules. Don't worry! If there's a problem in the club that you cannot control, you should always PM myself or a higher staff member and I/we will control it ourselves.

Some examples of basic rules:
-Follow all PokeCommunity and FC&G Rules
-Respect is a must in this group
-No trolling, flaming, bashing.
-Remain on topic
-Have fun!

The above are some basic, straightforward rules that should set enough boundaries for your members in your group. You may add more to reflect your group, but it's not necessary to create a giant rulebook. :P

IV - Sign Up Sheet & Member List

There is a big difference between a discussion thread in a section and a club in this very section. Clubs are restricted to members who are willing to join in and discuss anything and everything about a certain topic...while discussion threads are open to everyone and don't have any boundaries set, so anyone, whether they like the topic or not, will come in and post in the thread. Clubs have rules, so you are in good hands, which is why we ask for your names when you join up a club, so that way owners can put them on their member list! Each club has their own sign-up sheet, outlining certain requirements or options for you to introduce yourself to other club members. As owner, you should update this list whenever a new member joins.

Example Sign Up Sheet:
Username:
Favorite Character:
Additional Information:
Topic answer (optional):

Doctor Who's Companions [Member List]
-Minerva
-Astinus
-Sheep
-[supporter]Kanzler[/supporter]
-Sector
-[supporter]Omicron[/supporter]
-Autumn Reverie
-Terabyte

[a id]clublayout[/a id]

Club Layout: It needs to be 20% more cooler.

The layout is how you will format the club post. CSS skills are not required to create your club, however, as long as you have the above basic components, you're pretty much good to go! (I mean, you can even hire me to make your thread look prettyful, but that's all up to you haha. :P). Your club must be readable, and understandable for everyone to read and know what it's all about. Pictures, pretty fonts, and accessories are allowed in the club for decorative purposes, but I do recommend them because they can enhance the environment of the club.


[a id]clubmaintenance[/a id]

Club Maintenance: It's your baby!~

This is the most crucial phase of being a club owner: maintaining and taking care of your club! As owner, you have responsibilities when it comes to taking care of your club. Depending on YOUR enthusiasm and interest, your club will either live for a few months or die in a few days. Responsibility of creating discussion, posting new topics, as well as keeping track of members all fall under your hands.

If you feel that being the only club owner of a group is too hectic for you and you are in need of help, you are free to promote a member to co-owner status. However, co-owner status only had responsbilities of welcoming members and bringing discussion. They cannot edit the original post nor add new members in. That still remains your job.

[a id]transferownership[/a id]Transfer of Ownership:

Sometimes, life can be a pain in the butt...or maybe our interest in our clubs have started to dwindle. It's understandable. But, what happens to the club you're apparently in charge of? Well, you have the option to transfer ownership of your club to some other member who may be interested in the club. If you have a co-owner in your club, try asking them if they wanted to take over as owner of the club. Or, tell your group members that you are retiring from your owner position and you are looking for a new owner to take over the club.

If you decide to do this, and you have chosen a new owner of the club, please send me either a Visitor or Private Message, and I'll be happy to pass on the torch to the brand new club owner. The new owner will also have the option to keep the club as-is, or create a brand new thread.

[a id]penalty[/a id]Penalty for inactivity:

Be aware that if for any reason you go inactive on PC and leave your clubs behind, it might be possible that your club could go to another owner. This could work in many ways, and it's also up to my discretion whether the club is deemed worthy of a new owner or not.

If you as an owner go inactive from PC after 30 days, and your club remains active with full of discussions, I will step in and ask the members of the club if anyone wants to take over the club as a new owner. A new owner will be appointed, with the choice of either keeping the old thread as is (with the ability to edit the original post) or create a brand new thread.

If you as an owner go inactive on PC after 30 days, and the club is inactive without any activity, it will be left to die. Unless someone is wanting to join the soon-to-be dead club in order to save it, they might have the option to re-do the thread.

If you as an owner get banned on PC for any reason, you may lose your clubs. They'll either get locked, or transferred to another owner.

Advertising:

Sometimes it's hard to get your club out there. We are close to 500,000 members on PC and getting your club in the know is getting harder and harder. Luckily we have solutions. Here are a list of ways you can get your new club announced, in hopes of getting new members to join!

~Blog about it! - if you have a PC Supporter blog, you are allowed to advertise your club on there. As long as you don't do it frequently, you should be fine.
~Link it on your siggy. - Posting in other sections in the forums while showing off your club in your siggy will guarantee you new members and hits on your club.
~The Club Lounge! - that's also a good way to post your club and gain new members.

[a id]emblems[/a id]

Emblem Information~

What are emblems in general? Emblems are like badges. They're fun to earn, and fun to have. Some emblems are funny, some deserve to others, and some are relatable to you. In Fan Clubs & Groups, club owners have the ability to create their own emblem for their own clubs, showing their members appreciation as well as to thank them for their constant contributions and activity.

There are requirements to create an emblem though! For basic emblem construction, your emblem image must fit the topic of your club (if you are doing an emblem for the Wrestling Club, for example, the emblem image/description must be wrestling related, or your request will be denied!). Emblem images must be 80 x 80 pixels in size, but that's alright…if you are having trouble resizing/cropping your emblem to fit within the limits, no worries. You can PM me the image and I will crop it for you.

In addition, your club must meet these two requirements: the thread needs to be at least five pages, and should contain at least 125 posts.

If you meet the above, awesomeness! Feel free to create your emblem, and be sure to PM it to myself for further approval. If approved and uploaded, I will notify you via Private Message and will ask you for a list of people to issue the emblem to.

See: The Club Index

[a id]conclusion][/a id]Are you ready to create a club?

Then goooo for it! I hope this guide comes out as useful and informative for you. If for any reason you are confused with any of the information above, don't hesitate to send me a Visitor or Private Message, and I will be able to help you as much as I can!

Happy Clubbin' y'all!~​