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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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To all,
Please read, then visit the guild : http://www.gaywritersguild.org and see what it is about. We need readers to solicit authors and verify adherance to the Guild's guidelines. We need editors to work with new authors.
Marc.
Maybe I can explain what the problem is. I understand Marc’s dilemma because I am in the same boat. We had a long discussion on this last night and still didn’t get anywhere.
Problem #1 – Past volunteers and staff at the guild have given the guild a ‘bad name’ with things said and did in the name of the guild without the guild’s board knowledge or blessing. This ran off quite a bit of volunteers and authors alike and ticked off quite a few others as well tarnishing the name that others worked so hard for. There is a new board of directors and none of this activity had happened for over a year – but people still think that the trouble makers are still in power. They aren’t! There is also no pressure from anyone associated with the guild for authors to post a new chapter. This was never sanctioned and will never happen in the future.
Problem #2 – Past people associated with the guild were screaming for money to cover costs, turning people away. Money was never an issue – there are a certain number of us willing to gladly shoulder the costs of hosting the site and other expenses. This is only a few hundred dollars a year since moving to our newer and more stable host. We don’t need money. We have vowed to never ask for another penny again.
Problem #3 – Participation of Authors. We need authors to submit work, help other authors get better, and PARTICIPATE in the guild through the message board, pointing out good resources that they have found, etc. The guild is supposed to be a resource for others, but no one is using what is there, or helping to ask or create what others are looking for.
Problem #4 – HELP, HELP, HELP! We need people who have a good strong grasp of the English language and able to work well with others to help with the editing of work. We currently have two editors – one is working on a degree in college and doesn’t have the time while classes are in session, and the other is not able to due to health reasons. We currently have at least eight stories waiting to get assigned an editor to help them, not to mention the others that have asked for an editor to get them started. We have taken a few different avenues to relieve this, but so far nothing has helped.
Problem #5 – They look at us as strictly a story archive. The guild was never set up as an archive like Nifty to hold tons of stories with daily updates. The archive is secondary to what the guild was set up to do. Many people don’t understand this, and as such get upset and bad mouth the guild when updates don’t happen daily or weekly. They will happen when there is something to post.
Marc, Kevy, and I have been working at this for at least eight months trying to get the guild kick started again. Nothing we have tried has done any good other than cause others to take a peak for a few seconds. We even made email and web site hosting available for free to authors – and no one has asked. It gets very frustrating.
I don’t see the guild surviving myself if we can’t get past problems 1, 2 and 5 and see something happen with problems 3 and 4. We have been doing all we can for a while now - the rest is up to the authors and others. There are smaller little nitpicky things as well, but these are the biggies.
Jojoe
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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Problem 1 will pass. It just will. There is no real need even to think of it or mention it again, because the net has a fluid population,and it is not rrelevant to most of the visitors or those who wish to submit work.
Problem 2 has passed. The excesses have been trimmed. Nothing wrong with allowing a contribution, but there is in making people feel beholden to contribute.
Problem 3 is that the target audience of authors is unclear. I feel (just a feeling) that the guild is for embryo authors who want or need help. If this is so, shout loudly about it. If not then the positioning is wrong and needs to be revisited.
Problem 4 should be a non problem, but people dont; realise how easy it is to volunteer. I thought about volunteering, but have no time. But let's get young people involved here, too. Being an editor sounds like a job for an old fart. It isn't
Problem 5 is product positioning. You need to reposition and re-educate people about the brand. You have to get "out and about" with the brand and make sure people see what it says. Why not start with a poll onthe front page of your site? Woudl you like me to put a poll on mine? If so, let's just do that thing. Email me with the choices and I'll get it sorted out. It WILL be displaced by the parade polls, but it will be done if you like.
I think we would benefit from other thoughts here, too.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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I fired before I aimed!
The poll should ask people aboiut their current perception of the guild.
Possible questions:
The Guild is:- for experienced authors
- for any author who wants impartial advice
- for new authors with littel or no expereince
- a repository for stories
- a pain in the arse
- an archive of stories that have been professionally editted
- a club
- boring
- exciting
See what I mean? Pretty ovbviously I do NOT want the answers here, because, if we do it, the poll is YOUR poll and should be set out properly. Your call.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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warren c. e. austin
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Likes it here |
Location: Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 247
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... and we've spoken of this, and other issues, the other night.
We will speak of them again
Three of my Domains will be functional within the time-table I had discussed. Whilst I personally will not be back on-line, arrangements can be made to make the Server available to you should you require it's assistance.
I have removed the "Block" on yours and Kevy's e-Mail style on the Mail-server; you will be able to communicate with me; but kindly remember I will only be checking e-Mail once every week at best. For anything urgent a telephone call would be better.
If I can be of further assistance to you, you have only but to ask. For anything Marc. Kindly remember that, please.
Warren
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You can be of further assistance by not removing yourself. I will miss you something awful. Please let me know how we can communicate.
Thanks,
Kevin
"Be excellent to each other, and, party on dudes"!
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warren c. e. austin
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Likes it here |
Location: Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 247
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Should either of you ever desire help writing, or phrasing, "Poll" questions, you have only but ask, that is after all is said done what my principle Business enterprise has been, and remains to this day; or it's analysis.
Warren C. E. Austin
AustinPalmer Associates
Toronto, Canada
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warren c. e. austin
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Likes it here |
Location: Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 247
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K. C. you have always had the telephone number; nor, are you "Blocked" on my Mail-server; nor have you ever been.
e-mail me, and I will furnish you with the User I.D. of the one IM Service I still use, and will continue to use during the few occasions where I am on-line in the future. This will be the same User I.D. that less than a dozen others possess.
Warren
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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#1 Youre prolly right...
#2 Agreed....
#3 Well, the guild is for seasoned authors to bring their experience and talents together for the benefit of newly budding authors.
Think of it as a sort of mentorship with alot of uncles.
Also there are alot of readers out there, readers that can search out new talent.
Building a repository of resources require (some) input as to what is needed by the users of the system.
Positioning?? I am totaly confused....
#4 Editors, editors, editors.... I know this ties in closely with the "mentoring" aspect mentioned above, but the editing of a story emparts with it a learning process for not only the author but the editor as well.
#5 I think is a bit out of my realm of experience....
Marc
And I think the idea of a poll is a good one....
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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Guest
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On fire! |
Registered: March 2012
Messages: 2344
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since most authors publish their e-mail addresses,maybe one could start contacting some of these authors and get them to publish on GWG also...rob
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Jojoe
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Getting started |
Registered: January 1970
Messages: 4
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That's an idea Rob, and to be honest we have pursued that option, but it doesn’t help the overall picture. All this does is create another area for an author to ‘archive’ their work and basically perpetuate the problem.
It doesn’t tend to get authors involved with other authors or readers. It tends to turn into another email address for an author to send his chapter update. What we are trying to foster with the guild is a fellowship so to speak where authors can work together with each other, and work with readers as well.
It just doesn't seem to go far enough.
Jojoe
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Guest
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On fire! |
Registered: March 2012
Messages: 2344
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well you guys certainly have my best,best wishes.sorry about the misunderstanding and words...rob
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Kevy will email you .......
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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I have made a suggestion or two elsewhere here ... 
Warren ..... 
an idea 
Re: an idea 
