Serious About Your Skills

G'day my fellow SAYSer's,

Before you all run and hide from me, please hear what I have to say ;)

I was oddly disappointed by the SAYS Newsletter. Its the same as its always been, I even had a little yay moment when I saw my story was featured (thank you, btw..and its titled Locked In Secrets ;) ). But something was still just buggin' me. It wasn't exactly the Newsletter itself nor the news committee, who are wonderful people....But I think its just...SAYS in general.

I'm kinda in a world of my own here and I hate the fact that SAYS is a little dead lately. People are busy with life, work, school, exams, college apps and everything and anything else that is keeping us away from SAYS.

I'm kinda not all that busy...LOL...I still have time for the net (not really, but I'm sick right now and housework can wait!). So here is my idea.

I want to expand the Newsletter into more of a 'real' newsletter.

Yes I know! I can just see y'all shaking your heads no. But I'm not finished yet...*giggles* I so know that some of you just wanna poke me!!!

I'm prepared to be a ...Roving Reporter...of sorts....

Read and give proper review of stories, which may rejuvenate the review circle threads or the Fic Clique. To have articles about helping people with Novel Writing in RL...Fan Fic help...Or anything else.

We can have a Mock - Ask Marissa section and I can give answers or someone else may want to do this...

Its all basically a way to get more excitement happening and get the board to be alive again.

We can also have reviews/articles about certain threads, Graphic galleries, competitions/challenges etc.

Its a big idea, but I'm willing to get it all happening if you like the idea. Even if this just runs till everyone is a bit less busy? A dead board won't attract new users and I'm all for saving SAYS!!! :)

Okay...Now you may all object ;) or not!

This post has been edited by Devoted Secrets on Mar 5 2009, 12:11 AM

Something similar to what you suggested was actually discussed last fall, but the idea seems to have fizzled. I'll bring up to the admins once again and see what comes of it.

You know, I think that's a great idea, and I would love to help if it happens. ^_^ If you need help, that is. :P

Yes, it definitely IS a great idea but you guys do realize what a load of work it is? Marissa can't do everything alone and that Roving Reporter thing almost sounds too good to be true.

All that sounds really nice. In fact, the word "review" makes my brain go into overdrive. lol. But you can do all that you mentioned right now. We don't need to turn it into a great mission to bring SAYS back. Marissa, if you're so passionate about it and want to review stories, debate in the Fic Clique and help around, you can still do it. It's a shame very few people actually comment in the Fic Clique. You can be the one to break the record and pull people in. :)

If you ask me, I'm quite satisfied with the present pattern of the SAYS newsletters. Newsletters are supposed to present people with the latest news and so, I think we're doing just fine. However, I would very much like to mention that I absolutely LOVE the idea of Mock-Ask section. I imagine it more like a private forum where people can post their problems and get their solutions or else PM a particular person if it's something personal.

Still, I don't see any point in going through all that pain if the members aren't going to respond. We do what can do, it's really up to the members to make SAYS an active place. We don't always have to urge members to post, enter graphic challenges, participate in Fic Clique discussions, enter the drabble competition.... frankly, I'm tired of constantly poking graphic artists to enter graphic challenges. I know that everyone has RL problems and I know that they're the priority, but if I am so enthusiastic about it and take time out to make some graphics for challenges, why can't others?

So yeah, I stand by what I say. Newsletter's fine, we just need those golden days member-hyper SAYS back.

This is probably the first time I've spoken out about an important issue and I hope I haven't offended anyone. If I have, I'm terribly sorry. :)

No, you can't force anyone to do anything.

I don't think it was about getting members to respond as much as making members feel like they are still a part of something.

The old days of says are gone - taken its toll....we're all getting that bit older, life is taking us in various directions - Life is busy, yet some of us...still hang on in hopes to see it revitalised.

Basically, every man and his dog can make a forum/community. When SAYS first opened, it was one of the best and original of its kind. But now??? How many others have gone off and done the same???

I just think that instead of staying the same, change things up a little, try and make says a little unique again....but its just a suggestion :)

I understand your frustrations about participation :) I feel it too...I think besides the group collaboration comp....i've participated in pretty much everything.,..every exchange etc...If I made good enough graphics, compared to you guys...I probably would enter there too ;)

But, as I mentioned above, everyone's getting a bit older...life is changing...Some of you are growing up and discovering life beyond school, some are just stuck with work/school or just 'life'...It happens...we can't blame anyone for choosing to dedicate time away from the computer...

So what can we do?

For any new members that sign up..What can SAYS show that is a cut above the rest? What's on this site, that isn't anywhere else????

We know and love SAYS cause we've either been here from the start or when SAYS was too hot to trot...now...its dwindling, and just wanted to suggest something that's not like everywhere else....

I agree. And we're doing our best to achieve that. We're putting up writing and graphic challenges, there are competitions and fic exchanges, loads of games and funny videos, spam place in the common rooms and SAYS has also made way for other fandoms like Twilight. We are doing ALL of this for the same reason - to make the members feel like they a part of SAYS and that they can do and participate in anything they want.

But, I can see where are coming from, Marissa. You're urging us to do something that'll make SAYS totally unique. And trust me when I say that there's lots of brainstorming going on in the staff forums. Your idea has sparked lots of interest and we're prepared to do absolutely anything to revitalize SAYS. All we need is a little more support and enthusiasm from all our members.

No one is suggesting that you (the staff) aren't doing your best...this was merely a suggestion I made a few months ago, that's now being discussed. *shrugs*