Building a community
August 13, 2007 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
Hi All,
As you know, I’ve been working hard these past few months to build up this community. My hard work is indeed paying off and I’m rewarded with lots of comments featuring good advice or friendly agreement – or disagreement. Now it’s time for me to give something back.
If you look at the bottom right, you’ll notice a “Top commeters” box. (Thanks Ajay for installing the plugin.) At the end of September, the person whose name is at the top of the list will receive a $50 Amazon gift certificate.
Before you get too excited, let me tell you the rules. You knew there would be rules, didn’t you? Here they are:
- It should go without saying that anyone who works for FWJ is out of the running. Sorry Jodee and Ajay, but I have your back anyway.
- Anonymous comments don’t count.
- Comments actually have to say something. Posting just to say “I agree” or “me too” won’t cut it.
- No spam.
- Your comment has to do with the discussion. If we’re talking about freelance wages, comments about Aunt Francis’ corns won’t cut it.
- No mean, insulting or abusive comments.
- You may go to past discussions and comment – do check back often to see if new comments are added. Again, comments have to contribute to the discussion.
- The contest begins right now. As in this minute….as in well…what are you waiting for?
- The first person on the list when I wake up October 1st (or remember to check) wins.
- You must take this in the spirit in which it is intended and have fun!
What a fun idea! Just in time for holiday shopping!
Sandy
This sounds really fun, and a great way to boost views, you really are a smart woman! Hope I can contribute useful comments.
“Amy Ulibarri Wrote
This sounds really fun, and a great way to boost views, you really are a smart woman! Hope I can contribute useful comments.”
Heh – Looks like you’re on to me, Amy!
Deb
Deb! What an awesome idea! This means I have to come up with something intelligent to say though huh? I can’t wait to see who wins, even if it isn’t me!
Deb,
This is a great idea! A gift certificate to Amazon would be perfect for us bookworms. I hope you bring in a lot of new traffic so you can build an even better community here.
Thanks so much for all you do!
What a way to get us “lurkers” involved. You got my attention.
Deena
You said Amazon Gift Certificate and all of my spidey senses went off! I’m in, see who can keep up with ME!!
Oh, I’m second so far if you don’t count Deb and Anynomous!
Deb, this sounds like a lot of fun! Not that I need an incentive to put in my two cents
This site has been so useful in my “full time freelancing” quest… Thanks so much Deb!
How much fun! I’ve been stopping by pretty regularly lately and have gained so much from your site! I just landed 3 writing/blogging gigs this week and some other great and credible leads. Thanks for all you do!
Ps- way to go with this deb, too, because I am not re reading everything from when I was on vacation in Mexico. thanks a lot, I have enough distractions! hee. No this is a great idea and I may have to borrow it sometime far in the future.
You know, I’m actually embarrassed to be at the top of that list right off the bat. And to be ahead by 16!!! :O
“Hi, my name is Katharine Swan, and I’m a blogaholic…”
This is a wonderful idea. I always read the comments and check out what’s going on, but now I’ll definitely contribute more. Thanks!
hey Katherine, at least you are not at the top of a blog like…ohhh I dunno, Celebrity Cowboy…which is my latest guilty pleasure lol.
Allycat –
I’d never been on Celebrity Cowboy before, and certainly didn’t know it was one of Deb’s. I browsed around a little, but I think I’m a little out of touch with the whole celebrity scene, because I don’t even know who half those people are.
Great idea! I’ve been meaning to comment about your daily discussion points, and this gives me the incentive to do so! Really though, I think I speak for everyone when I say how much we appreciate these daily discussions — of course it keeps us coming back, but it also gives plenty of food for thought and has created a great community. Many thanks!
Ahh, Celebrity Cowboy! I’m a celeb blogger as well, so I’m always checking in there as one of my sources. Gotta love “researching” celeb stories
Wow. That is absolutely fantastic. Good luck everyone (including myself) and congrats for being on top, Katharine!
OK, first of all, I can’t believe October is so close!
But second, a word of advice to those interested in following the discussion–leave the box checked on the bottom of the form to be updated when new comments are posted! I’m trying to figure out how to install something like this on my blog, but I think for now I’ll just wait until I switch servers.
Great idea for awarding the top commenter
I’ll be adding this to my “Tuesday Giveaway” list. This one sounds like a lot of fun. Heck I come here every day.
I’m happy everyone is enjoying the contest. I wanted to do something everyone had a chance at winning. It doesn’t take much to add your two cents so I figured this would work.
Guess I should stop keeping my opinions and agreements to myself, huh? Fun idea, Deb!
So let me get this straight ….
You have a contest among writers to see who is the most locquatious?
My hunch is that this will eventually be ruled a suicide.
Deb, you knew everyone was going to comment on this. Thanks for giving us the incentive (as if we need it).
What an awesome idea! I love this site, and I’m excited about this opportunity!
uh oh Katharine, your age is showing….
everyone else, I’m dying to win this thing…and trying hard…but I am realizing that I am just too ridiculous busy! so good luck to all!
Well, your plan is working, Deb — lots and lots of comments! I am signed up for email updates for all of the more recent threads, and when I got up this morning and checked my email, I couldn’t believe how many updates I had in my inbox! I guess a $50 gift certificate sounds just as good to everyone else as it does to me.
Katherine -
I receive email everytime someone comments. I woke up this morning to over 150 emails, 85 of them due to comments!
Enjoy yourselves guys! This contest is intended to promote community spirit.
Katharine:
I think you’ve got the certificate in the bag! (Unless you decide to take the rest of the month off–hint, hint)
Okay, I need to stop having all the comments e-mailed to my inbox because I almost just glossed over a VERY important e-mail trying to get through all the FWJ e-mails. It looks like the only way I can turn them off is to make a new post because it says “uncheck this box” at the bottom but there is no way to uncheck.
This is a test to see if this works.
Katrina –
I figure all I have to do is maintain my lead, right?
But, seriously, there’s only so much commenting I can do. I am still struggling to complete my really big, really miserable summer project.
When I am done, I will be taking a few days off, and the sooner the better!!!
Okay, didn’t work.
DEB! What do we do here?
You got me.
I would think you could just go back and uncheck your boxes? Robin it might not have took because there were comments in the queue at the same time you checked?
Katharine:
Everyone deserves a day off! Go to the beach, sister!
Robin –
There’s a link at the bottom of the emails that says “To manage your subscriptions or to block all notifications from this site…” Have you tried clicking on that? (I haven’t, because I don’t want to accidentally disenroll myself!)
I’m not entering this contest, I just want to say what an awesome place this is.
Disenroll sounds silly. Unenroll would have been better.
Neat idea! The comments here can get as interesting as your blog posts!
As a technical note, the post list is not appearing in Safari.
Oops–never mind. Now the list is showing up.
It wasn’t at first.
What a fun way to bring repeat visitors to your site and to help foster a community!
Hi all,
As usual, Deb came up with a great idea. Building community is extremely important in a world full of WIIFMs. This virtual writer’s colony has provided me with encouragement, suggestions, friendship and last, but not least, job leads. I’ve come back to the fold after a loooooooong hiatus and am having to learn new writing skills necessary for the virtual world. This is the place to do it. Many thanks to deb and everyone else.
Hi everyone, I just started posting, here every day too and waiting for the new leads today. Can’t seem to break from the pc lately.