How Can We Attract More Readers From Other Parts of BMGf?

[Legacy]

So this kind of goes along with other conversations we've had about getting a bigger role in the big world of BMG, but I think it's important.

What are some things we can do as a collective community of authors (not individually just to get our own fics readers) to get more Bulbagarden members interested in fanfiction and more interested in coming here to read/hang out?

We've talked about it before, but can we at least request the higher powers to at least consider giving us a bit of attention in Bulbanews or something like that, which would get us a bit of exposure?

What say you guys? Is more exposure to the entire community something that you think would actually help and is actually attainable, or is it just a pipe dream of mine?

Thoughts?

 

[Falconwing]

Frankly, there are people who just don't like reading fanfiction. We do have a decent amount of dedicated readers here, and occasionally we get outsiders, but really, I see no way we can promote this section to get it more active. Readers will come if they are interested. You just have to be patient.

EDIT: Although, now that I'm thinking on it, a bulbanews article about awards isn't a bad idea...

 

[some colour no doubt]

Any publicity would be useful, yet i suppose the moderators would have to take a more direct role to get us more renowned,
Unless we publicise ourselves in other places?

 

[Kayi Rowling]

The best way the fanfiction community can advertise its works is through signatures and blog entries, as well as telling friends and such.

And Bulbanews... I don't really know. Always seemed so much for me.

 

[Sarcastically Insane]

We do a forced takeover of the site, of course! With help from the Fun and Games section!

Besides the sigs and blog entries (which I myself usually skip over, truthfully), we could ask for a monthly or bi-monthly (or something) article in Bulbanews, possibly. There could be some sort of desicion by the mods or users (perhaps the award winners?) here what fic to do a short summary/review/something over. After all, the reason I usually skip over sigs is that I have no idea what I'm clicking on- I actually have stuff to do, and I'd rather know about what I was going to spend a nice chunk of time reading than just jump in and feel my brain melt away at something that seemed interesting at first but just decided to fail a little ways in.

 

[AceTrainer14]

I usually always tell my friends when I've updated one of my stories or something like that, and I think that helps them see other stories around the place.
Like Kayi said, blog entires and signatures and things like that are a good way to promote things.
But maybe we could get the Fanfiction Awards made into a forum wide announcement? Than everyone will see it at some point

 

[TPJerematic]

Hmmmm, As a fanfic writer I would love any and all extra attention I could garner for Cherish the Moments.

However it would be an abuse of BulbaNews to flat out advertise.

Using it for the awards however is much MUCH better ... it would make them a bit more public.

Maybe have magazine-style articles on the FanFic's once a month ... with interviews with a prolific writier and study on a fic ...

I dunno, just suggestions.

 

[moosie]

I could do it with some help, and well.... a lot of permissions and pics related to their fics. The fist one could like one having a few newer-ish stories, but the authors of them shouldn't do their own for obvious reason... but it could be done...

 

[Legacy]

I have tried to do something in my blog, see: "Fic of the Month" but I'm having trouble keeping up with it. If someone else wanted to take that up, I think that could be a reasonable thing to pitch towards the higher ups to have published on Bulbanews.

 

[RainbowMoondust]

I recently suggested that the Shippers' Paradise keep an archive of shipping fics links, and Luna Hivern thought that was a good idea. Hopefully that will help once it gets implemented.

 

[RaccoonGoon]

Whenever the next awards come around, I think using Bulbanew would be a great idea, but other thatn that, I can only see blatant advertising elsewhere, which will get a few readers in, and only keep fewer reading.

 

[Erasmus]

I would imagine the Awards would be one of the best things to do. By its very nature, it will present the best the community has to offer and show off exactly what a fanfic can accomplish.

But other than similar such things (Legacy's Fic of the Month seems like a good one) I don't think there's much else new that would be effective. Some people just don't like a lot of reading, or perhaps just fan fiction. And it doesn't seem like there's much that can be done to convince them.

 

[Legacy]

I really think having a catalog will help in some ways. Probably not at attracting users who don't love reading, but it will help in that people who like reading will be able to navigate the fics here by author, by genre, by length, etc.

I think this is something we should work on doing soon. If the mods are intent on not allowing one of us 'regular' users to start it, I hope that ball gets rolling soon. Otherwise, I'm sure there would be a bunch of us willing to help.

 

[Falconwing]

I'll check with the bulbanews guys on running an article next time, but that's all that really seems appropriate.

 

[Lugion]

Speaking of the Fic of the Month, when will you be updating that, Legacy?

Topic:
I think it'll get better once the mods get that library/catalog up. Until then, we just need to keep writing.

 

[Gama]

I think Legacy's fic of the month idea seems like a fantastic idea and if it were at all possible for that to reach Bulbanews, we should do everything to try and make that happen.

If you read his interview with Flame Haze, it looks really professional and I think it sounds really good and once a month hardly seems like a painful frequency.

Also, whenever this catalogue can be made would be fantastic. We've been talking about it for a long time but nothing has happened. Can I get a word from one of the mods about this?

I understand Ryuu might not know because I think this idea was brought about before his modshipification.

 

[Sith Droideka]

Simple. Replace "Real Life" on the Google page about with Bulbagarden Forums with "Writers Workshop", which is actually Pokémon-related.

 

[Kayi Rowling]

Well, the Catalog issue...

Apparently, since the vB4 update includes a special module for content such as fanfics and stuff, the Workshop will have to work independently and aim very high with the Catalog project so that it survives the night after that module gets implemented.

For this, I now formally request the community's help for ideas on how to make our community's Fanfic Catalog good and important enough.

For example, I'm a programmer; I can do all the functional parts of the page. But still, I fail at graphic design, and I at least need someone to help with that.

And I was also thinking of extending our hand to other Pokemon forum-based fanfic communities, so we all benefit from this project or something...

 

[Sarcastically Insane]

^That's a great idea.

I'm sure we could get some help from the Alcove in graphics, and if someone reminds me (I will forget otherwise X() I can actually organize a good catalog, and only need help filling it in. It would be best if someone reminded me after Friday, when my Christmas Break starts.

 

[Dragoness]

Hmm. The best way to get attention from 'outsiders' is to advertise yourself. Talking about yours and other writer's stories in your signatures, blogs and VM/PM/AIM/ect. conversations will get word out.

And yes, doing a little piece in Bulbanews doesn't sound so bad. The catalog of stories also sounds really good.

One other thing. I don't post often here, though I do drop by and browse through the stories from time to time. I've discovered that a lot of authors don't put at the start of their story what genre their story is, or rating or if it's just part of a larger story or is completed. Or summaries.

I don't think it will open a flood gate of posters/new readers xD But if more authors remembered to include some of that information about their stories, then it would help out casual readers/passer-by and set a better impression of the writing forum in their mind.

EDIT:

And I was also thinking of extending our hand to other Pokemon forum-based fanfic communities, so we all benefit from this project or something...

That seems to be a good idea. How exactly do you propose extending the olive branch to other fanfic forums?