more ideas about how to attract more fans to edit

[ratcreature]

I commented in that discussion linked here earlier with some thoughts I had about what would make contributing more attractive: I think that maybe a "focus on" feature would be nice. I think it is more fun to contribute when others are working on related articles at the same time (for example "focus on fandom X" or a genre or a fanactivity, like "focus on conventions" or costuming, even recurring popular kerfuffles that could be tracked through fandoms or whatever), because then there is more opportunity for discussion and feedback, talk about what article structure would best, and you learn interesting stuff from other fans in the process or can reminiscence about how kerfuffle such and so was on mailing list X, so then there is less of that feeling of toiling in the wilderness full of frustration. Also newbies wouldn't have such a steep learning curve because they'd co-edit with more familiar people, so they wouldn't have to know or find the code for templates or advanced formatting on their own, but would just have to say "it would be cool to have this as a table/have a gallery here/get an infobox/..." And even if you didn't know anyone personally you'd be still in a group. It would be easier for people familiar with the fanlore to remember to talk to newbies too, because there'd be a common topic.

Comments

[ratcreature]

Yeah, I imagined that these focus topics would be more widely advertised to generate interest. I mean, maybe a first trial how such an event works should be tried with this small group first (at least it is still many more people than regular editors), before it is expanded, but it should be used to lure new people to expand on whatever pet topic or favoirte fandom appeals to them, just with a support structure in place. And then maybe some of them will stick around for longer.