Questions/advice for deciding community content and focus

[trascendenza]

This was going to be another post about tagging. But then I started writing this as a prelude to talking about tagging in communities, and, uh... it developed. *g* This is written in some ways as a reminder to myself, but if anyone finds it helpful, yay! And all usual disclaimers about this only being my opinion and personal experiences apply.

Comments

[scotchsour]

Because I suck on modding a comm, like designing better. So I am stealing your ideas for the LIFE comm, just letting you know. :)

[trascendenza]

Awesome! That's exactly why I posted them, in case someone might find this useful when started up a comm :D

[burntcopper]

oh, I'd probably add stating what the mod is like (and what gets his/her goat plus criteria for deletion) on the userinfo because it saves a *lot* of time. (I run the main comm for the latest tv version of Robin Hood and actually set up in advance fic only, fanart/icons only and slash only comms as well as the main anything-goes one just to provide space for those who want specifics only.) that and I tag the hell out of everything so people can find stuff quickly.

One advantage to pointing out what I'm like and gets my goat? (I warn in advance that my main mode is sarcastic, bitchy, will delete posts that violate the rules and so on) Second year and we've only had one case of wank. And the others actually warn newbies/rule violators ahead of time. It's quite impressive. :g:

[trascendenza]

Ah, good point! I pretty much narrowed in on how to decide the content of the community, but I probably should mention that it's just as important to state general etiquette and behavior rules and the expectations around those somewhere easily accessible, and somewhere that anyone thinking of joining will be able to see them.

Hee, sounds like you've created a self-regulating system. I still aspire to that with some of my communities.

[arby_m]

Thank you so much for this!! Really, really helpful. I had been struggling with some of these questions and didn't really make much progress.

*memories*

[trascendenza]

My pleasure. :) The main reason I typed this up was because I was struggling with some of these questions, too, so I think I know that feeling--very frustrating!