Diversify Forums

I see many forums trying to revitalise and revamp which is good, but at the same time they are all offering challenges/contests which sort of come down to the same challenge. I'd like to see each forum handling different aspects in writing, thus having any challenges coming out of those forums and sub-forums pertain to that aspect. For example, The Hospital Wing (CC, Skele-Gro, Reference Desk, EoM, GFFD) could focus on characterisation and plot; The Burrow (SPEW, Fiction Junc, SBBC) could focus on styles of writing and proper reviewing; Hogwarts and Beyond (The Great Hall, TTB) could deal with SPaG and a little bit of everything else. This way when we look at the challenges, we can do the ones that will help us work on our weaknesses or do the ones that play to our strengths.

I'd also like to see more inter-house unity. (I wasn't here for it, but I've heard about Sparkly Poo! ;) ) After all, Hogwarts held the Yule Ball and Hogsmede trips where everyone co-mingled. I think we should have special days out of the year/month/what have you, where a special sub-forum can be unlocked and we can mingle together and perhaps be a bit more spammy just to get to know one another. I know spamming is greatly frowned upon here, but if it was limited to a "Hogsmede Trip" where it was a few hours of one day out of a month, or even a term, I think it would be brilliant.


~Michelle (The One Who Marauds... for happy, shiny MNFFers)

I love the idea of a Hogsmeade trip, say two or three times a year. There was a lot of co-operation between the houses when we were searching for the MerMuggle clues and it was great getting PM's from people in other houses.

Carole
xxx

I also agree there should be more ways to get to know members from other houses. I participated in the Interhouse Co-op challenge, and I had fun. But, if it hadn't been for the fact I beta for the girl I asked, I probably wouldn't have entered as I really don't know anyone from any of the other houses.

A thread for all houses to post in once a month would be great. Especially if it could be a spammy so we could get to know each other.

I think interhouse unity would do a lot for this board. Right now the only contact we really have is posting in one of the help threads and we don't really 'get to know' each other through them.

I really think that we should have like a All House Common Room that could be opened once and a while so we can get to know eachother. I only can think of one non-Gryffie person I know semi-well. I think that once every two months would be a good time period.

I like Michelle's idea, but i can't see it working. There's a reason why spam is banned, and if people start to say offensive things, or reveal too much personal information, there'd be no one there to stop that because the spam aurors wouldn't be on watch. If we were to have a mod check in every now and then to see if things are okay, this would be more work for the mods and they're so busy at the moment, i don't think a big project like this would be very do-able.

The same thing goes with the All-House common room. I was thinking about this earlier actually (how weird is that? lol), and i really like the idea but again, a mod or two would have to be watching this and that's just more work for them. The main issue at the moment is that there are so few mods and so much to do, and i really don't think another project or another area of the forum to moderate would be a good idea.

This is just my two-knuts, obviously. The mods probably completly disagree with me and are thinking it's not a problem - in that case, i'm all for the idea :D

I really, really love the idea of a house-unity activity, but i can't think of one that is do-able because of the mods busy schedules and how spam can be a problem...



-Heather (who doesn't mean to be a bubble-burster)

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Originally Posted by Heather25x

I like Michelle's idea, but i can't see it working. There's a reason why spam is banned, and if people start to say offensive things, or reveal too much personal information, there'd be no one there to stop that because the spam aurors wouldn't be on watch. If we were to have a mod check in every now and then to see if things are okay, this would be more work for the mods and they're so busy at the moment, i don't think a big project like this would be very do-able.

The same thing goes with the All-House common room. I was thinking about this earlier actually (how weird is that? lol), and i really like the idea but again, a mod or two would have to be watching this and that's just more work for them. The main issue at the moment is that there are so few mods and so much to do, and i really don't think another project or another area of the forum to moderate would be a good idea.

This is just my two-knuts, obviously. The mods probably completly disagree with me and are thinking it's not a problem - in that case, i'm all for the idea :D

I really, really love the idea of a house-unity activity, but i can't think of one that is do-able because of the mods busy schedules and how spam can be a problem...

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I agree with Heather that this could mean even more work for the mods.

However, such an all-houses common room could be like our badger bar where we can post what we want as long as we answer HP related TQs. People are also very creative with coming up with new TQs, and at the moment we have around 13 or so new TQs that everyone can answer. As long as everyone posting in this all-houses bar keep in mind that they should answer one or two TQs every time they post or come up with new TQs, then I think it would work really great and keep spam at a minimum.

And why wouldn't the Spam Aurors be on watch? Because they would join into the mingling? I don't see this as a problem - you can have fun and join in and look out for spam. Therefore it's confusing me a little what you said, Heather.

Just my two Sickles.

~Bine

I would quite happily offer to be a temporary Mod to oversee posts and check no one's getting offensive- I've done this on another site.

Mind you, Bine's idea that it's set up like our own wonderful Badger Bar is a good one. TQ's are a great way of finding out what you have in common and the tears I've had rolling down my cheeks recently attest to the fun.

The other suggestion I have is if we could prevail upon our own beloved Schmergo to host a spectacular MadLibs that we could all participate in.

MadLibs is a truly sublime game where Schmergo gives us a numbered list like this.

1) verb
2) noun
3) body part.

You each take 2-3 numbers and fill in words you'd like there

1) Kneading
2) Kneazle
3) left toe

Then Schmergo rewrites a passage from HP with all your words. It is truly brilliant and is the reason my location at the moment is 'Fighting Bine's Fighting Hen'

Carole
xxx

I am of the idea that spam can be done freely in other places like AIM or Live Journal if one wants to, and I don't think it is the best way to get to know people from other houses. TQs I also tend to have a problem with, because the Gryffindor Tower, if I understood correctly, works pretty much the same way as the Badger Bar, as in we have to come up with and answer TQs in order to prevent spam, and despite my fear that other Gryffs may frown upon me for saying this, but I really don't think 'let's get friendly and get to know each other' environment is working best that way.

I was around for Sparkly-Poo and had immensely disliked it. I may be in minority for saying this, but working with other committed people in projects, be it classes, challenges or any sort of other project that might be come up with is a much safer way to really get to know other people than getting out random facts like their hair color or boyfriend's profession in complete spam chats. Of course that might be only my understanding of getting to know people, so if more people prefer warming up to each other by learning about such randomness, by all means, I've objection to something like that, seeing as I can easily avoid it.

All that said, I actually do like Michelle's Hogsmeade Trip idea, on the condition that it is not a spammy/TQ-based free environment. If it could somehow be modded and projected just to make sure people really do get to know each other while staying somewhat on a HP theme and not complete spam, that would be nice because as others have said, we all can do with some inter-house unity.


On another note, Michelle's other idea seems to have gone unnoticed - that of diversifying the forums to focus more on different aspects of writing. The main reason I had stuck with MNFF in the first place was the concrete help I got on my writing. Recently, though, I feel that this emphasis is somewhat shifted/disappeared. The most recent condition with the mods being overworked and mod shortage is completely understandable; I actually think that this focus on improving writing has begun to disappear before this situation came up, and actually it isn't necessarily about the mods. I think it would be much more benefical if the auhtor in the members is challenged rather than being exclusive focused on, say, canon facts and characterization, which can be remedied as easily as looking up in the books. I'm not saying these shouldn't be focused on, but there used to be a lot more emphasis on different elements of writing, such as plot, description, and even poetry - and one could write better fics with this help. I don't think this is how things are anymore.

The most concrete suggestion I can offer at this time to remedy this situation is individual revivals of each forum, especially that of the Hogwarts Classes and the Hospital Wing forums. I wish I had more concrete suggestions, but alas, my own recent effort to put up a forum and get it running smoothly is draining enough. I wish all of the mods lots and lots of patience, as I can't even imagine what it must be like to try to do the same thing for the entire boards.

I LOVE the idea of a Hogsmede Trip. I think this could generate alot of innerhouse meetups just like it did in the movies, espically if there were only 3 or 4 a year. Perhaps an "outline" of what is to be expected can be written up and I think there are enough of us MNFF Mommies to keep the thread from getting too "personal". I know that there are a few others like myself who have PM's or posted when newbies and such have given out too much information. I think the only serious work by the MODS would be unlocking the thread so that everyone has access.

These trips could also be set up to visit ceratin shops in Hogsmede where certain aspects of writing are discussed. These would be similar to classes in iedea only. If you wanted to chat about romance sotries you would visit Madam Poodifoots, DA fics are discussed in the Shreiking Shack, Comedys discussions are held in Zonko's (you get the idea). THe Hogsmeded Trip could be open for say 24 hours (due to the various time zones).

There would be basic rules but I really think this is a great idea and those that arn't in classes could join in.


I also like the idea of the various areas of the forums zeroing in on writing styles anc such. While I have enjoyed the classes I have taken, I just don't have the time to commit to my classes the way I have in the past and it would help me more if the class subjuects were covered in a thread that I could step into when I had time.

The classes could be more specialized, like the World Building Class and such but the clases on characterization and plot would be better for me if they were threads instead of classes.

I think that if there's only 4 'visits' a year they should be open for longer than 24 hours. I think that 2-4 days would be better.