Re: [-empyre-] this is not a spectator event ::

[Adam Nash <adam@yamanakanash.net>]

Melinda et al,
I think the timing also corresponds to when the moderator/facilitator role 
expanded to include more than one, which is naturally going to pull in an 
exponential number of subscribers. That, and the fact that -empyre- has an 
extraordinarily good signal-to-noise ratio. This is not only due to the 
monthly theme model. I think often people are very interested in the 
discussion at hand but lack what they consider to be expertise on the 
subject compared to the guests and are therefore reticent to post. I'm 
guilty of this myself - I've been a subscriber since the beginning, but if 
I recall correctly the only post I ever sent was one to tell somebody else 
to shut up! Terrible!

But thanks for the call for us all to wake up - it's too easy to think 
"lurk and listen to the experts" - if you've subscribed to this list in the 
first place, then chances are that the questions that spring to your mind 
are good questions that the guests will enjoy considering. And if they're 
not framed in high-falutin' language, well, all the better.

It's been a great 18 months, here's to a more talkative future :-)

Warm regards,
Adam


At 07:47 PM 29/04/2003 +1000, you wrote:
> -empyre- started about 18 months ago as a way for artists, writers and
> curators to discuss their work in an open forum and get critiques,
> suggestions, perhaps even unending praise -  in short, some responses on
> it.. sometimes that maybe be academicaly slanted..  sometimes technically
> slanted, sometimes aesthetically slanted..  it could even be humourous..
>
> but in the last 6 months something wierd has been happening..
> the subscribership has doubled and the interaction has halved..
>
> now i like the balance of that inverse proportional thing  as much as anyone
> else....but i dont think the effect on the list is positive.. guests
> generously give of thier time  and really appreciate your reponses.. despite
> the facilitators getting mail from subscribers saying they really enjoyed
> this or that aspect of a discussion, or a guest posts, or thankyou for
> putting a particular topic on, the online public posts have dropped off.
> you all seem to have become a little shy in responding on list...
>
> for the list to keep going -empyre- needs your interactions, as guests will
> not  give up their valuable time if they get no response to thie posts.
> noone gets paid to be here.. the facilitators wont keep putting in time and
> enregy to seek out guests if there is no dialogue happening.
>
> Interaction is particlarly important in the next few months, especially when
> a reader is being produced from the June discussion.  As it said in the
> inital statement you recieved when you joined -empyre- , it is an amorphous
> organic community, and as part of it you make it happen.
> the vitality and sustainability of the list is up to =you=
>
> -empyre- faciliatators
> Christina | Melinda | Michael
>
>
>
>
>
>
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