Green Room - Week 12 - Day 4

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

After the discussion a few days ago, I was thinking about “How do you bring ‘single contestant voters’ into the fold?” Because that’s something that happens quite a bit, people will start off just showing up because they really like their friend, and end up checking out other writers, and before they know it, they are hooked! Next thing you know they are hanging out by the dumpsters at libraries, hoping that someone might throw away a short essay and getting treated at the Free Clinic for a broken F5 finger.

I happen to really like “rec lists”. I know there are times when they aren’t the most popular things, but for the life of me I can’t understand why. Unless of course, the people who oppose them never tell their friends about anything else they like. “Did you see a cool move? Hear a new band? PLEASE DON’T POST ABOUT THEM!” No one wants to hear what you like! That’s not what blogging is for! Spend more time posting cat pictures! Unless of course, you can post rec lists in the form of cat pictures. “This cat wants a cheeseburger – and another entry from (fill in your favorite writer)”

When they see someone they trust – you – telling them “Hey, check this out” – it has a way to transforming single contestant voters into “willing to go on a blind date with that entry” people – maybe even into “it’s complicated”! Until before they realize it, things aren’t all that “complicated” anymore and they are full on “in a relationship” with many different writers, like the poly-LJ users that they are, embracing diversity and gender-neutral pronouns!

***
Check out the entries as they come in: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/642519.html
And hopefully the remaining 6 will get on it, and start posting their entries there! : D

Comments

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

I think next go around I'll start doing rec lists. I love it when other people would do them. It's a great way to spread the love. :)

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

No reason to wait! If you see something you love from the Top 6, go ahead and tell other people about those entries!

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

It's harder to do a rec list when all of the writing is strong. But I will try. ;)

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Then maybe a "hey, these are entries - and this is what I like about them!"

Yeah, I know it's an extra piece of writing on top of whatever else you are doing. But we all know that the Ron Weasley/Jon Snow fic can wait for a few minutes! ;)

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

That's true, I could do that this week. :)

Lol I haven't been punching out as much the past couple of weeks. I'm sure I can find the time to do this extra thing. :)

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

Maybe I will, too. Because I copy everything Alicia does. I think I did make them near the end of s8 but I was so out of it by then I don't remember for sure.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

I can understand the divide between doing vs. not doing rec lists:

Pro: Spreading the love.
Con: You're highlighting your competition.

Pro: Bringing new readers into the fold.
Con: You're highlighting your competition.

Pro: Actual proof you're not the competitive sort because if you were you wouldn't be rec'ing.
Con: Your fellow competitors will see right through it.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Of course, for those of us no longer in the competition, your Con point is moot.

Or maybe mute, if we just don't talk about it!

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Which is actually the point that I am continuing from the other day - that a lot of the "single voters" from the last poll were supporting people who were eliminated.

Which means the strength seems to have been in multi-person voters. So, how do you take this crop of voters and get them to read other people?

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

That's easy - by Doing THIS! (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oxbuA5BxEEE/S-u31Ce6-dI/AAAAAAAAB1c/MOTRd8o_EbQ/s1600/a-clockwork-orange-2.jpg)

I think it will work... :)

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

It may be moot in our case, but it isn't moot for those still competing ;)

Or maybe mute, if we just don't talk about it!

;)

[porn-this-way.livejournal.com]

Hahaha ♥ this comment! The pros are true, but the cons are so damn true-er!

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Early in the competition, in a crowded field, there is actually an advantage to the Cons, in that you are increasing your own name recognition!

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

This is true, although it might also have the potential to backfire by putting a target on your own back! (see #3)

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

REC LISTS ARE ONLY GOOD IF I AM IN THEM.

I'm only half joking. I always feel slightly disappointed if I don't make a list -- even if I liked all the people on the list, and even if my piece for the week wasn't that strong! Hmm, perhaps that's just oversharing my neediness for approval. Good thing I'm not planning to play under this LJ this season.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

That too :nodding: I think it's natural to feel that way, and even more so when the numbers dwindle and you end up sticking out like a sore thumb for not being mentioned.

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

THIS. <3

And what? Are you in there under and alt? TELL ME TELL ME.

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Good grief, no, are you kidding? Make it to the top 6?!! No, I meant I'm wanting to compete next time, and I'll be using bringing_words. That's if LJ doesn't delete it first, since I've been so slack at keeping up with it.

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

I think you had top 6 potential in season 8. :D

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

<3 Aw. Now I'm blushing :)

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way, really, especially those weeks that I felt that I did a very strong entry, but nobody rec'd it.

Honestly, I'm usually more surprised to be rec'd than not, just because I know there are a butt-ton of better writers out there!

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

My main problem with doing rec lists is my wanting to get everything read before doing one, so that I'm not leaving out an awesome entry by mistake. I know that's silly, because then I'm not reccing the *other* dozen awesome entries, but that's just the way I roll, LOL.

Maybe now that we're down to such a small amount of contestants, I'll get a rec list done before the poll is over!

[kandigurl.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way, though I try to make them anyway. But then I feel HORRIBLY GUILTY.

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

xo_kizzy_xo mentioned both the pros and cons of rec lists.

I'm like ecosopher-- I love to be mentioned and am sad when I'm not, so I'm sure there are others who feel that way.

There's also the awkwardness of someone on your f-list pimping for someone else but not you-- especially if you think your story is better. I ran into that last Season, related to alliances I knew nothing about (alliances? Yes, I watched 'Survivor,' but still-- that strategy doesn't really occur to me. It goes against my grain).

It's easier early in the seasons when there are more people, so you don't necessary feel as if your rec is harming others as opposed to bringing attention to something special.

But to be honest, if there's something that I think is CAPSLOCK AWESOME, I'd probably rec it before I even thought about the big picture. Because I'm just like that. o_O

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

There are two types of "alliances" (well, more than that, but the two main groupings): Organic and non-organic.

Organic is "I like this person. We are friends and share similar tastes. We vote for and support each other".

Non-organic is "We just met, but we really don't like so and so. Let's support everyone but them!"

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking more of, "I will blanketly support this person regardless, at the expense of other people."

So even if those start organically (and yes, I have my own favorite authors!), they can have more purely strategic components.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

*Nods* I'm all in favor of the organic variety. The non-organic is just rude!

[zephyrly.livejournal.com]

Despite having a seizure this morning, I wrote my entry. And I wrote the hell out of it, even though typing was difficult and it took me forever.

Now I'm going to sleep for a while.

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

That sucks.
I know full well as I have epilepsy myself.
I hope the disorientation passed quickly for you. I know a lot of people do not understand that you have pre symptom and post symptoms with seizures. Now if they could make bronchial dialaters that don't lower the thresh hold for them

[impoetry.livejournal.com]

You did a great job too, and I hope you're feeling better!

[tatdatcm.livejournal.com]

"people will start off just showing up because they really like their friend, and end up checking out other writers, and before they know it, they are hooked!"

This is how I came aboard. lilycobalt pointed me here with her entries and rec's and I felt guilty just reading her entries so I would read others and vote for the ones I liked. Then the mini-season came along and I decided to give it a try.

I should have done more rec lists during the season. I wasn't very comfortable doing so and I'm kind of shy about it. Stupid, dumb-ass excuses, I know. But I will try to be better about it as time goes on.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you did!

I love hearing things like that, especially since Idol is mostly word of mouth! So knowing that people are keeping that going always makes me smile.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Yep - I came aboard the Idol train via spydielives, who was a contestant in Season 3 (and latter seasons as well). I started off mostly just supporting her, but then got to reading other folks' stuff, and voila - I've been competing myself since season 4, with 99 weeks under my belt (alas, Ex A doesn't add to my totals, dagnabbit).

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

I came aboard by doing the Home Game during season 3 because both welfy and adpaz (who sadly is no longer on LJ) were playing and were both on my FL. I'd read their entries, wonder what this Idol thing was about, and figured, hey, why not write something on whatever prompt they wrote on? I had no idea there was such a thing as a GR until Season 4!

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

CAN YOU IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT A GREEN ROOM?


*Will be sad when there are no more GRs*

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

HERESY, I SAY, HERESY!

:doesn't want to think about no more GRs:

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

I am stuck using my kindle for everything.
At lest until I am able to replace mouse and keyboard.
I did write a home game thing here.
http://ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com/263084.html

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

THREE HOURS UNTIL DEADLINE, and only 2 posts in the topic thread?? Geez... y'all better get cracking!

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

They're probably scrambling right now :eek:

[zephyrly.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that you guys have all heard about what happened in Boston by now. There is also always a national blood shortage; too many people need it, and not enough give it.

As some of you may know, I am a lymphoma survivor. Therefore, I cannot donate blood (people with a history of blood-based cancers, like leukemia, simply aren't allowed since our blood could really make somebody sick.) I worked in the medical field for a long time, and it absolutely killed me that I couldn't help somebody by donating blood (since I was able to see the necessity firsthand).

So, please. If you are physically able to donate blood, please pick up my slack because people really need it right now -- and every day, but we often forget until there's a big disaster.

Remember, needles aren't so bad. If I was able to put up with them so long, then you can, too.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, per a tweet from the American Red Cross, there is more than enough blood "on the shelves" in the Boston area.

That said, it's always a good thing to do.

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

So, I don't know if anyone is still reading/tracking this thread, but my problem with rec lists isn't promoting the competition, it's leaving people out.

I don't like to upset/disappoint people by leaving them off my list, because I know how it feels when I'm not on a list.

Also, it makes me kinda crazy when someone is way behind in the poll, and suddenly right before the poll closes two or three people on the friends list will post something saying, "Hey go vote for my friend whosywhatsit" with a link, and a bunch of people comment about voting and having everyone who is with them vote, or that they voted on all their journal IDs, and you know there's no way those people read the entries.

That said, I came into the competition after reading about it on rm's LJ, though I remember her posting a 'hey, if anyone is interested in joining this writing contest, there's still time to get in' kind of post, which is what caught my eye.

(Of course I had to ponder it too long, and ended up home gaming until Spydie powered me in. :)

Anyway, advertising and promoting = good.

Mobilizing people to click a box and have no other involvement or interest in the competition whatsoever, notsomuch.

Being left off a rec list = ouch.