National Storytelling Network Forum

Tim E

Holly--
I love the new forums! Much better than the Memberclicks version or the old Story Cafe.

However, I don't think the Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced forums will be that helpful. It adds a barrier to entry. You have to assess your own level before posting. It also adds a class system to membership, which I don't think is what you intend.

I will predict right now that the Advanced forum will get little to no traffic.

May I suggest an alternative organization:

Under the Storyellers Forum:
* Storytelling Discussion (here's the questions on what's
storytelling, what isn't, types of stories, ideas for programs)
* Storytelling Business (here I learn the ins and outs of running my
own business, or producing events)
* Festivals, Workshops, Conferences, and Events (here's where
everyone promotes their upcoming events)

Under the Stories Forum:
* Share Your Stories Here
* Find a Story (put requests for stories here)

Instead of "Chat," might I suggest "Off Topic".
That forum could have:
* The Front Porch (to discuss life, trade recipes, talk about current
events, books we're reading)
* Silliness
* Journals (invite a few people have decided to use the bulletin boards as
their own blogs)

I would add one more forum: NSN
* Conference
* NSN News/Business

_________________
Tim E
http://www.storyteller.net/tellers/tereneta
http://www.myspace.com/storiesbytim
http://storytelling.blogspot.com
http://storytellersunplugged.wordpress.com

holly · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject:

Tim, Thank you for your thoughts. I will chat with the other staff members about this and see if we can change the names of the categories Smile

. Thanks again! I will post once we make a decision.

Rivka · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject:

Tim,

I agree with your point about classifing tellers. There are some questions which are good to hear many times, and different tellers talking to each other will promote community. I think the rest of the catagories are fine, but the NSN business forum might be good reinforcement for the newsletter.

Seeing where posts are being written will also show the success or lack of for any given catagory.

Rivka

holly · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:36 pm Post subject:

I agree with both of you. I think after a few months we will see which categories are used the most and which ones need to be renamed. I'm sure new categories will emerge, it will just take awhile to figure out which Razz

.

holly · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 9:52 am Post subject:

Hey Tim,
I'm sure you have already seen this, but I loved your categories so much I change all of them Smile

. Thanks again for being so perceptive and thoughtful Smile

.

Paige218 · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 6 Location: NJ/WV

I tell stories almost exclusively within my faith tradition, both ancient stories and those that illustrate the principles they contain. Because of these parameters, I have a number of specific comments/questions. Any idea which forum would be best suited to my more specific questions? Idea

Or could one be created where tellers of all faiths are able to exchange ideas/stories/information?

_________________
I wonder what sort of tale we've fallen into.
~J. R. R. Tolkien
LOTR

jradner · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 2

At this early stage in the development of the NSN forum, I think it makes best sense to post discussion of faith-based storytelling under the general "Storytelling Discussion" heading, because more readers will see the postings and there will be more discussion. As long as you create a clear subject line, people will find the discussion.

My two cents,
Jo

Tim E · Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:04 pm Post subject:

Wow, Holly! Thanks for making the changes so quickly. I hope the categories will prove useful to people.

_________________
Tim E
http://www.storyteller.net/tellers/tereneta
http://www.myspace.com/storiesbytim
http://storytelling.blogspot.com
http://storytellersunplugged.wordpress.com