Are you a Reader or Writer

That stuff about requiring links to the group is bad. Don't do that. I don't think it actually gets people to join. Maybe a few, but in comparison to the bad feelings it generates, I don't think it's a good trade-off.

People show up for content. If we have good content, they will join. Real quick here are some ideas for good content.

A weekly post where we ask a different LitRPG author to answer 10 questions. These could either be set and standard questions that everyone answers or custom tailored to each author. The second option is better, but it's more work. The reason this is good is because the first thing almost every single author does once they've been interviewed is link to the interview. This is the better way to get links to the page and group out there. We give the author an opportunity to promote their work by participating in an interview, in exchange they give us content (the interview) and they will organically link to that interview for their fans.

Ideally, I would like someone (maybe @Felicity Weiss) to write a regular column (if you will) that is a 250- 500 word review of a different book she's recently read. Just "This book is good. Here's what I liked." We wouldn't post about books we didn't like.

I would like to see @Larakel write at least one article about women as main characters in LitRPG. Honestly, I think there's enough different angles on this one that it could be a series of articles.

@Seagrim @Matthew James @Matthew Siege are all fantastic at talking in general terms about the genre and what is right or wrong about it. Get some of those discussions going on in the FB group on a semi-regular basis and people will show up just for that.

If we can pull this stuff off consistently, then our members will tell their friends who enjoy the genre. "Oh, you've got to join this group because there are so many great conversations."

I think another great column or topic could be "It's LitRPG, but it's not." Talk about things that are part of the genre, but aren't generally accepted as being part of the genre.

There are a ton of other people and topics that can and will make that place interesting and once we get them there, it's only a matter of time before they start to show up here because we'll be talking about this place as well.

 

Ha, no need to apologize. Not like it's set in stone or anything.

I like building small or fixed projects. And making posts on the forum. Though running a group may be a bit too much. I'm happy to be a moderator, or interim-admin. If Felicity wanted to run the group, I think she would do a marvelous job.

And I totally get that this is just an experiment. It could help get more people here.

 

My experience in engaging the community was definitely as a reader....I searched out for FB group sites when I was trying to find anything anywhere on the web about when the second release of Fay roll came out. Saw John's group and joined. In between then and now have been toying with my own story and saw John's post about the forum. As a reader I didn't know there was such a thing. As a writer I thought it would be interesting. There are definitely some interesting stuff for both groups here, book lists and recommendations....the one thing I will say though is that as a reader I want to be able to talk about what I liked and don't like, and at times be heavily critical even though I may not have any experience to back that judgment. On amazon I can leave a critical review in anonimity and move onto the next book. I can do the same to a degree in a FB group. People can use that review or not to decide on reading the novel. (OP characters and wish fulfillment aside). As a reader I don't think I will get or give that level of critique here. Not to say it's not impossible to grow the forums reader base, it is possible. Just to say I agree with Dustin's theory on fb vs forum

 

Dude - Paul, you've got yourself an Admin right here! These are all very good ideas. They are fair, interesting, unique, and valuable. They don't focus on negativity, they focus on exploring the genre, discussions, and learning. Fantastic post my friend. I nominate John for admin. Again, happy to help be moderator.

 

Second Dustin's nomination: he even touched on the types of reviews to be done.

 

I completely understand where you are coming from. Given that a lot of authors frequent this community, it would be hard as a reader to provide critical feedback. Yet, critical feedback is important for authors to grow. LitRPG is full of new authors still learning their craft (me included). We need critical feedback on how we can improve, or we won't improve. Perhaps we can have a Book Review / Discussion forum where each author that wants critical feedback are listed at the top with a message explaining how we welcome critical feedback (the positive kind, no insults please).

 

You've went on the same leadership training courses I've went on then...

 

I feel something like that could easily fall into the wrong hands. When I ran my writing forums, I had around 20 moderators. Of course, I also had a few thousand members too, lol. Anyway, the point is, perhaps members could create a conversation with the moderator over the book reviews. Send the mod their thoughts and have the mod post them if they want to be anonymous. The mod would say, "This is a review from a member who wishes to remain anonymous."

 

Book club. Everyone listens to/reads the sa,me book and discusses it. Could do it monthly or something.

 

Totally agree. A book club is a great idea and the discussion would be interesting for the author to read. Kind of a win-win.

 

The main problem here is that in the 30 or 40 or however many LitRPG books I've read, I've come across 2 female MCs.

 

I'm a writer, but not under this name and not in LitRPG - and I don't know if I will be because I keep having issues with my story here. So I might end up just staying as a reader and just writing in other genres under other names. Or I might get it to work. Who knows?

 

I'm planning to write a perma-free reader magnet that introduces my trilogy. The protagonist will be a female game streamer of sorts (future world, this is handled differently). I have female friends that stream games and plan to pick their brains on the topic. I know the community can be quite ruthless to girl streamers, especially other girls. Anyway, there will--sooner than later--be another book for you to try.