 Contests & Activities: July 17, 2024 Issue [#12641] |
This week: Community Interactions and Activity Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Contests & Activities Newsletter by Dawn
Taking a look at a few methods of taking part and interacting with other writers here on the site. Also, some thought put into the drawbacks and things to consider when using these methods of communication. |
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One of the aspects that I have appreciated over the 19 years I've been a member of this site has been the general existence of the online community and the interactions that have come from spending part of my time on here. The methods of how we communicate have had some changes over the years. A few of you might even remember when we had our own version of chat room, back in the day. Other things have remained the same and continue to offer options for connecting with fellow WDC members.
Ways to Connect on WDC
1. Forums: This is a good option for various forms of interactions since they can be used for a variety of reasons. Most contests use the forum item for entries but there are also groups and even the site itself that have forums set up for people to be able to have conversations. I have a newsletter, for example, where people can make writing or other goals and post about their progress. During NaNoWriMo it is for anyone that wants yet another place to post word counts and to encourage others whether they have the conventional 50,000 word count goal or are doing something different. WDC has a general discussion option, something to help newbies, places based on case color and even a forum for the official site contest judges when a round has finished. It is a feature that is very well used on the site and now there is even the badge that comes with being active in forum on a regular basis.
2. Groups: These are good places for getting together with a specific topic or connection involved. Some groups are focused on reviewing. Others look at specific genres or types of writing. They will often use items, like the forum, but there are also other things that can be used in a group for communication. Groups also have the ability to do emails, with certain member levels having access to the group email option, which will send an email to every one within that particular group. Taking part in events, challenges and discussions with group members is part of interacting on the site.
3. In & Out plus other items: While forums and groups are the more obvious choice, there are a few other options that include interactions. The In & Out is a fun item that can be used for conversations that can cover a wide range from generic chat to specific topics. You can discuss a variety of things, using this type of item, one message at a time. User polls are good for asking a question and getting opinions on what others might prefer. Even the Interactive has the potential as a form of interaction because the general idea behind them are having a variety of people making a story. I do caution when looking at those items as some of the content can be less desired by some and I'd actually like to see more that focus on traditional genres like epic fantasy and the old day pick your own adventure. Check out some of these with caution and awareness. Instead, one might consider going to a campfire where you can post to the topic or even do combined story writing, just depends on the way the item is created.
4. Scroll: For in the moment conversation, similar to chat, there is scroll. It is sort of like a messenger shape but a chat where you can post and see other posts quick when people are using it but the messages don't last forever. Eventually it gets knocked down off the tiny page. This site option does have particular limits/rules. The content rating is ASR. There is also a requirement for English as the language, which we do understand can be limiting but has reasoning behind the particular regulation on an item that has to be open and in the moment viewing for moderation. For more detail on site rules, I can do another newsletter on the topic in the near future if there is one you want to have expanded. Just like with every method of communication, we have to consider other people when talking, which brings me to the next point.
There are different ways to communicate on the site, which is great. However, this also means there is the possibility of facing problems or having negative experiences when trying to communicate with others. There are times, unfortunately, when messages get misunderstood or people say the wrong things that probably should have been filtered or reworded at the very minimum. One thing to consider is things that can affect communication, which brings me to a model/image that I learned about during my first year in college.
Communication Model
Since I'm not tech savvy enough to post a visual on here with the newsletter, I'll just use words to describe the communication model that I learned about 20 years ago, back when I was in college and took a class on communication. Picture two speakers, one on either side was a barrier between them to separate the self and the other, also just known as one person from another in this case. Above and below are arrows indicating a message being sent from one person to the other. But it isn't an uninterrupted path. The message has to go through some static before making it to the destination. Surrounding the characters/people are also elements that have an influence on what they say and how they understand what gets said to them.
This means we have the online factor that can affect our interactions because we're doing everything online, mostly with text since we don't do many audio things here, as that is only an option for Premium+ memberships. That is the middle part. Each person also has the static of their world and experiences around them that influence not only what they say but also how they interpret or understand what is being written. These influences will range from location, upbringing, psychological development and even age. They are going to either help or hinder interactions.
The Downside and Rule Reminders
While it's great that we have these different options for interacting with other users on the site, that means there also is a downside because we have such a variety of members. This site is world wide, so there are people with vastly different backgrounds, upbringings and general beliefs. Communication is difficult online in part because it's only written. We don't have things like tone, volume or body language in order to get cues to help interpret intentions. Though some people don't have the same understand of social cues in person either, which is understandable. These are things we have to remember and consider the fact that thoughts and experiences are going to be different in this vast world. And we have to consider that some people might either take what we say the wrong way, or it might (intentional or not) be something that causes a negative reaction or downward spiral. Even if you had no ill intentions, know that sometimes you may have to back off or apologize because it hit a nerve. It might be wise to step back for a short time from something if it's getting to a point that is causing emotional distress, or to find a different venue. Problems can also be reported because we don't want members to endure possible harassment or anything of that nature here on the site. We have to remember to keep others in mind and being aware of the different factors when communicating with others online.
When it comes to understanding rules, if you have any questions there are places on the site to post an inquiry. I am also available through email as are many of the other moderators. At the same time, I hope people aren't afraid to interact here on the site. It's still a great place to interact with other writers and we're always hopeful people will find their place here and enjoy the community.
Remember: Kindess and Patience will go a long way to help make time on this site enjoyable. We need to be considerate of others but also have the ability to express thoughts. Let's have fun and interact.
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What is your favorite way to interact with other members of the site?
Last month, I discussed the different things that can be included with a static item to help provide readers certain details. This covered things like word counts, contests and even prompts. Here are some of the comments sent by readers over what they like to include in a static item:
Comment by Write_Mikey_Write! 
Unless otherwise specified, I tend to put details at the bottom of the item. The contest or challenge usually gets a mention—sometimes in the Brief Description, sometimes at the end of the item—as does information regarding a poetry form, and this usually shows up in a dropnote. Word and/or line counts also go at the bottom, but outside of any dropnote, just so a potential judge doesn't have to do anything extra. However, in order to keep it from drawing the eyes away from the text, I'll also use {c:lgrey} for the count(s).
Comment by Beholden 
I built the habit of adding word count (or line count in the case of poems), poetic form when appropriate, contest for which the piece was written, and the prompt, soon after joining WDC. This was for my own information, rather than the readers, since it tells me at a glance all that I might want to know about something I may have written some time ago. To this habitual info, I'll add a Note giving useful info to the reader if it's necessary to explain something in the piece. This is all added at the end of the text since I'm aware that the piece will have to stand on its own ultimately.
Comment by GeminiGem🐾 
This is a very good subject for a newsletter! If I am writing for a contest, I do a drop down note on the top with a b-item link to the contest. I copy & paste the prompt there, too. This is for me more than for the reader because I can refer back to the prompt info while I am writing, plus I have the contest right there if I need to double check a rule or deadline, etc.
I usually put the word count in a smaller font at the very end. I don't bother to put it in a drop down because I don't want the contest judge to have to hunt around for it.
As a reviewer, I appreciate the prompt information being included. If it's a poem I definitely want to know about the form, etc.
Comment by NaNoNette 
During Game of Thrones this year, I started adding a drop note to the top of every item. The note title always shows the wordcount. Inside of the drop note is a link to the contest or activity that I entered and the prompt. That way, my wordcount is immediately visible to judges and my piece still looks clean and picked up.
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