Forum Brainstorm!

[Catherine]

Hey friends!

So per our town hall conversation last weekend, we mentioned that we wanted to focus more energy into curating the Forum. We’ve started a little bit of reorganization (you’ll notice the book club category is now “Bookish” and the Creationary is its own category), but I need your help to figure out what comes next!!

We know there’s potential for overlap in the Discord interest categories, and real quick want to clarify that we’re not trying to discourage activity there, just want to play to the strengths of each platform. Discord is great for general steady chat and quick questions/immediate responses, or if you want to share something with the core Mounties but don’t necessarily want it up on the Internet for everyone to see (which is tooootally fair and valid). The Forum is more permanent, more public, slightly more structured, and more easily searchable.

We think it’d be really cool if the Forum was more of a free play space for artists, writers, thinkers, crafters, chefs, etc. to create, discuss, and explore everything that you’re interested in. Specific to the Creationary, I figured things like regular challenges/prompts/contests are totally on the table, and then it would be open for you guys to use as a space to share your creations if you want to, source feedback from others if you’re comfortable, and just share general tips/tricks in a more structured and easily searchable place than in the Discord. We love the idea of the Forum being this great resource for full book reviews and discussions, creative tutorials, charms and herbal remedies, mundane (or magical!) food recipes, and the like. But at the end of the day, it’s not really about what CJ or I think is cool, but what you guys want to see and how you want us to help facilitate it. This is a platform for you to have fun and connect and build together, we’re just the ones who are gonna put it in the calendar and give you the foundations to work your magiq.

I’d love love love to hear your thoughts and help me brainstorm! It’s really so special that the Forum even exists in the first place, and because it represents pretty much the living heart of Ackerly Green, it’s more than worthy of investing our time into it to make it fun for you guys and attractive to newcomers.

Thanks!!

[Catherine]

Okay bumping while it’s quiet! And with polls to make things easier.

Please click all that you’re interested in! Bonus points if you comment and tell me which ones you’d like more if you’re picking multiple

• Creative prompts
• Creative contests
• Creative games
• Creative tutorials

And how often you think you would realistically be interested in/able to participate? (i.e. how frequently should we schedule something?)

• once a week
• every other week
• once a month
• every other month

How comfortable do you currently feel about posting your creative work to the Forum?
1 being “I’d rather die” and 5 being “super comfortable sharing my work with friends is my favorite”

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

And lastly, a follow-up to the previous question: In what context would you feel most encouraged to post your creative work?

• Just for fun/others’ entertainment
• Specifically for feedback (general or specific)
• For a contest/challenge

Thanks friends! Might add more later as I think of things, and as always PLEASE feel free to add your own thoughts and ideas, ask questions, and expand on these suggestions!

[Revenir]

I don’t know if this is just me, but I find I’m more likely to do something if it comes naturally from conversation? Like if someone mentions something really cool off handedly, I’m more likely to draw it, if that makes sense.

Something I’ve noticed is it tends to go well when someone comes up with a basic concept that people can riff off of, rather than a contest or a prompt. The unmasks comes to mind in this case? It might be cool to explore pitching random lore tidbits like this and seeing how people interface with it.

[Catherine]

Makes total sense!! Great suggestion, thank you!