Giant non-fandom friending meme
Mar. 15th, 2010 12:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livHere's the thing: a lot of people are about ready to leave LJ over the latest shenanigans. But they don't want to make the leap to Dreamwidth because, frankly, there isn't enough going on here. The site is smaller, so there are fewer posts, and fewer cool people to meet. And all their friends are on LJ, which is of course a self-perpetuating situation: if "everybody" is still on LJ, then there's a huge disincentive against moving, which means that everybody continues to be on LJ.
Lots of people have realized that the best way to address this issue is, well, creating content. Some people are organizing collective efforts to create more content. This is a great idea, except for one small problem: the people who are really good at organizing and creating content are mainly fandom. I have nothing at all against fandom, but I'm not really part of it, and I think that a lot of other people who feel similarly are being put off because they see DW as yet another clubhouse for the cool fandom kids.
But I am going to take a leaf from fandom's book: I'm going to cease sitting around complaining about how DW is too quiet. Instead I'm going to participate in creating content and drawing attention to the cool stuff that already exists. So, I propose a giant non-fandom friending meme (thanks,delight). If you would like find some new, interesting people to read, or make new friends, or just help highlight how much cool stuff there is on DW, please comment to this post.
You're welcome to say whatever you like, but here's a suggested template:
Your identity: doesn't have to be A/S/L, but anything that you think people should know about you to be able to decide whether they're likely to be interested in getting to know you.
What you are passionate about
How you use Dreamwidth
A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading, even if they don't know the writer personally.
Footnote 1: Some people have moral or technical objections to Dreamwidth, or actively prefer LJ. That's totally cool with me – this post isn't addressed to you. I'm looking to involve people who would like to make the move, but are put off because there isn't enough to read or enough people to meet here. I am not at all proselytizing, in other words, just doing my bit to fix what I see as the biggest glaring problem with DW. Other people may see other problems, and I am not trying to fix those.
Footnote 2: If you are involved in fandom, you're extremely welcome to participate. Perhaps you'd like to meet someone who shares some of your less fannish interests. Or you are welcome to go and join in some of the more explicitly fandom-related activities going on instead.
I am going to post this now, rather than waiting until the official three-week fest, because I think now is while the iron is hot and people are motivated to move to a new site. But I'll link it again when the fest starts up on 26th April, around the one-year anniversary of Dreamwidth entering Open Beta. I don't have any strong opinions about the DW-only content thing, and you don't have to be participating in that to participate in this meme.
So, go forth and friend!
ETA: And if you like the idea, please link this post all over the place. Or make your own version, or whatever, but mainly spread the word as much as possible
Lots of people have realized that the best way to address this issue is, well, creating content. Some people are organizing collective efforts to create more content. This is a great idea, except for one small problem: the people who are really good at organizing and creating content are mainly fandom. I have nothing at all against fandom, but I'm not really part of it, and I think that a lot of other people who feel similarly are being put off because they see DW as yet another clubhouse for the cool fandom kids.
But I am going to take a leaf from fandom's book: I'm going to cease sitting around complaining about how DW is too quiet. Instead I'm going to participate in creating content and drawing attention to the cool stuff that already exists. So, I propose a giant non-fandom friending meme (thanks,
delight). If you would like find some new, interesting people to read, or make new friends, or just help highlight how much cool stuff there is on DW, please comment to this post.You're welcome to say whatever you like, but here's a suggested template:
Your identity: doesn't have to be A/S/L, but anything that you think people should know about you to be able to decide whether they're likely to be interested in getting to know you.
What you are passionate about
How you use Dreamwidth
A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading, even if they don't know the writer personally.
Footnote 1: Some people have moral or technical objections to Dreamwidth, or actively prefer LJ. That's totally cool with me – this post isn't addressed to you. I'm looking to involve people who would like to make the move, but are put off because there isn't enough to read or enough people to meet here. I am not at all proselytizing, in other words, just doing my bit to fix what I see as the biggest glaring problem with DW. Other people may see other problems, and I am not trying to fix those.
Footnote 2: If you are involved in fandom, you're extremely welcome to participate. Perhaps you'd like to meet someone who shares some of your less fannish interests. Or you are welcome to go and join in some of the more explicitly fandom-related activities going on instead.
I am going to post this now, rather than waiting until the official three-week fest, because I think now is while the iron is hot and people are motivated to move to a new site. But I'll link it again when the fest starts up on 26th April, around the one-year anniversary of Dreamwidth entering Open Beta. I don't have any strong opinions about the DW-only content thing, and you don't have to be participating in that to participate in this meme.
So, go forth and friend!
ETA: And if you like the idea, please link this post all over the place. Or make your own version, or whatever, but mainly spread the word as much as possible
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 04:39 pm (UTC)I'm not sure you could teach me to make some, though. I would be horribly intrigued by it all, but I don't own a sewing machine and I believe the last thing I sewed was a lopsided windsock in home ec class in like... 7th grade. ;D
I'm also still trying to figure out how to stitch leather. Here's what depresses me about trying to learn leatherworking skillz: I can't find tutorials that are like, "here's how to stitch leather. Here's how to put in a rivet. Here's how to put in a snap." It's just all implied that those things are easy enough to figure out, and by God, they are not. Not if you're me. It'd really like to learn, though... I really want to learn how to do my own tack repair and whatnot.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 04:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 04:46 pm (UTC)Why yes I am a rocket scientist
Date: 2010-03-17 04:55 pm (UTC)What you are passionate about Everything, but especially education, engineering, clothes (in a less than shallow sense, I sew), writing, reading, positive self-image, and fandom somewhat. My journal is more real life than fandom, so.
How you use Dreamwidth I post what's on my mind? XD
A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style. Body Image Rant and The cliffnotes summary of my life so far that I point anyone who wants to friend me to now. I do have some entries that are more bulletpoint, when I'm busy. Usually on those days I'll at least have interesting links.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading, even if they don't know the writer personally. Not for reading, but
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 04:56 pm (UTC)What you are passionate about: Books, reading, animals, music, gardening.
How you use Dreamwidth: As a journal to record my person high-points, to talk about happy-making things, and to connect with and discuss fandom and fannish interests.
A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style.: response to "Why Strong Female Characters are Bad for Women" and a happy-making moments post.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading, even if they don't know the writer personally. My entire circle, but
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 04:59 pm (UTC)I was once a scruffy little teenage
Then I piped up.
"Nice horse".
My friends have still not let me forget it D:
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:00 pm (UTC)If you need help finding your local SCA group, let me know. I will certainly know how to track them down and may even have contacts there. :)
Re: Treed Turkeys and the Shetland Buss
Date: 2010-03-17 05:04 pm (UTC)Plus, you rock.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:10 pm (UTC)http://dw-nifty.dreamwidth.org/3415.html
So yeah, let's totally do it and see!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:12 pm (UTC)AND - I totally have that script added already! I LOVE IT.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:15 pm (UTC)What You Are Passionate About: Reading and writing, music and movies and life and love. Family and friends, and people in general as opposed to ideas. I like ideas, but I'm more interested in what you think of the ideas, in how the ideas affect you and the living of your life, and why. I am passionate about life and the living of it, in giving life meaning, in the belief that not seeing something doesn't mean it isn't there. I love words and language and the myriad ways they can be put together to form thoughts, ideas, expressions. I love food and video games, and mostly just spending time with those I love. I love - deeply, wholly, unconditionally.
How You Use Dreamwidth: I'm mostly a chronicler, on average 3-4 times a month, sometimes more, sometimes less; I post about life and how I view the things that affect me, things that happened to me, things that amuse me or that I find interesting. I vent about work and family, anything that comes to mind. And I always enjoy knowing what others think about things, hearing about similar things that others go through, and even just opinions from others about anything I've mentioned in my journal. I love the crosspost function because I write many posts while at work, where LJ is blocked but DW is not - and all my friends are there with no intentions of coming here. But I like DW better, so I've been stepping up my search for new people here, to find friends and pull them into my life, and hope they enjoy me enough to pull me into theirs.
Link to a recent Post: Here, here and here.
Link to something on DW: I don't have too many I read yet - I'm hesitant about adding things or people I don't know well, but there are some comms I enjoy reading, including
Please feel free to add me if you're interested!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:25 pm (UTC)Re: hi, i'm ursamajor, and i'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.
Date: 2010-03-17 05:32 pm (UTC)And thank you for the compliment. *blush*
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:37 pm (UTC)What you are passionate about: writing and reading all sorts, I'm trying to expand my library and try out different genres. I love science having been bright up by my chemist father, our day-trips consisted of visiting the local power-station or chemical plant. I used to be more into my fandoms but seem to have slipped out of them when I came to uni, so they don't really crop up in my conversations as much as they used to. The main exception to this would probably be video games, and in particular pokémon--it's that thing that get me really excited, so with the new games coming out soon I will be gushing. A lot.
How you use Dreamwidth: I haven't been on DW for a while because I was having problems with depression and housing and uni work and all that jazz, but I plan on staying! My journal is mostly me rambling about what I've been up to, complaining about things that bother me, and getting excited over seagulls and ice-cream.
I don't really have any particular post that's typical, but pretty much all of my entries are public if you want to have a poke around. I'm hoping to become more active than I have been in the past couple of months, so I should be around more!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:39 pm (UTC)What you are passionate about: Graphic design and computers are at the top of this list. I'm trying to get back into web design because a few years ago I used to be militantly passionate about html. My favorite kind of web designs are the ones that serve no purpose other than to exist or perhaps entertain me :D. I hate Flash except when it is used to make stupid games and yet I still have to know how to use it. I also love typography! Suffice to say, I'm probably overinvested, and given the chance, would probably share my ~feelings~ on any of the aforementioned subjects.
Also I ♥ comics and manga! :D?
How you use Dreamwidth: Usually my posts are brief and accompanied by images. The subject varies from complaining about work to posting comic scans that make me lol. Sometimes I post sketches. Everything is still cross-posted to my LJ and JF accounts.
A link to a recent post of yours: This post is a typical non-fannish post, while this post is a typical fannish one.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading:
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:45 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:46 pm (UTC):D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 05:53 pm (UTC)