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On June 16th, the Many Shades blog will be closed.
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Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Loopity Loop

Are you a member of a yahoo group? Do you participate or are you a lurker? If you lurk, what would make you become an active participate?

I love yahoo groups. We call them loops, groups or a cafĂ© and it is a great way to meet people who have similar interest. I know over the year and a half I’ve been involved with groups that I’ve met some of my best friends from groups.
It is also a great way to meet author and for authors to meet fans. I know I’m a Stalk…er…fan of a few authors. Authors have their own groups and their publisher have groups as well. The cool thing about the publisher groups is you can meet more than one author. I have a few favorite places I like to “hang out”.

At first I was a big time lurker. Always afraid of what I might sound like to others, but then I bit the bullet and just started talking. I was amazed at how many people I met and how nice they were. I think the only problem I have now is how many groups I’m a part of. lol
Using yahoo groups can help you as well. I’ve learned so much from the different loops I’m one. It is like a small community. The funny thing is how many people I share multiple groups with. It is nice to join a new group and see people you’ve talked with before. It makes you feel more comfortable.

How do you view your groups? For me, I use the individual email. It makes it easier. I know some people will go the digest route. I recently did that with a few of my groups and I can’t wait to get back to individual mail. I know some people also go web only. I can’t do that because I would forget to check them. lol

So tell me…What would make you become more active? Do contest lure you out? If they do, will you stay involved or do you go back to lurking? Do you like questions? Will those bring you out to play?

16 comments:

Lisa Alexander Griffin said...

Hey, Jambrea! I usually do individual emails too. If I go digest I don't feel a part of things and only tend to scan the messages.

Right now, most of my groups are on digest and I can't wait to change the setting. *grin* I've had company home with no time to keep up.

That said, I only have a few groups that I actively participate in. Just seems some are more welcoming than others.

Anonymous said...

From the writing aspect, I use Yahoo Groups the same as I still use Usenet newsgroups for my technical life. I'm a member of either because I find information I need, or people with the same career/interests as me.

I have noticed however that during certain events, Yahoo Groups can get just as much, if not more, traffic than some of the busiest Usenet groups.

Myst Bloodstone said...

Hi Jamb! I do individual, unless I'm sick and at the risk of my mailbox getting full. I too, was a lurker at first, but now I think I'm one of the rowdier ones. I've joined loops just to leave them a day or so later. I don't expect people to answer every post I send..but feeling invisible is an entirely different ballgame. As far as contests, they're cool; but not necessacary to get me talking. Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

I do individual unless there is going to be a chat/contest promotion thing that I don't have an interest in.
On most groups I am a lurker, although Samhain has pulled me out of that. Once I started there, I can't stop. I am chatting all over the place now! :D

I know you helped me overcome my lurking Jambrea! :D

I am a contest ho, so contests always work for me. I love questions, I love it when there is participation that everyone can get involved in.

Anonymous said...

I love yahoo groups!I used to be a lurker but I can say that is in the past.I have joined some groups that are really friendly.I don't need a contest to stop lurking but if nobody answers then I don't feel like part of the group and I usally give it a couple of tries before I leave the group.I have had that happen recently.I love talking to the authors and other people with the same interests as me.

joyroett said...

Yahoo loops rock. I'm a member of quite a few and I'm on digest for most of them.

They are a great place to make lasting friends and chatting with authors is the coolest thing ever!

Tess MacKall said...

As an owner of a yahoo author group. I worry whenever a member unsubscribes. I feel certain I've done something to offend them. I always get this urge to email the person who unsubscribed and ask why.

But I don't do that because I feel like it would put them in a bad spot.

I've tried just about everything on my group to get lurkers out. Contests, topics of discussion, jokes, pics, general chatter, poety, etc. Occasionally someone new will poke their heads out and I absolutely love it. But usually we have the same members chatting all the time. Nothing wrong with that, but I worry that people feel like we have this little clique going on and they aren't welcome. Not so. I'd love to have more people chatting.

AJ Llewellyn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AJ Llewellyn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AJ Llewellyn said...

Hey Jam,

As you know,you and I belong to many, ,any yahoo groups and I actively visit at least a few a day. What I cannot stand is people who turn up and bang out a dozen excerpts then vanish - especially at an author chat. I like to chat and post excerpts...and I definitely gravtitate toward the groups where writers and readers do both.

Anonymous said...

@ Tess - If I ever leave a group it is usually because I just don't find I fit there. Topics being discussed just don't matter to me. I have actually had a mod email me when I left to ask why I did. It was...odd! lol

Tess MacKall said...

Hi Natasha,

Good to know I'm not the only one who ever thought about emailing someone. I just don't think I could ever do that. It's everyone's right to unsubscribe when ready for whatever reason. I had to unsubscribe from about twenty groups a few months back because I just needed to narrow down a bit. I wasn't participating on the groups and my schedule was just too hectic. I sometimes wish group members would pop up and post some things they are interested in talking about. I am always trying to come up with topics of conversation and it would be great if a reader did that too.

Thanks for posting about that Natasha.

Anonymous said...

As a reader I will keep that in mind Tess :D

Savannah Chase said...

I love yahoo loops too..I'm on over 300 of them and the number keeps growing..

I had to do digest on a ton of them because I am swamped with work and the emails were getting crazy....

I try to stay active when time lets me....

Jambrea said...

Thanks for all the wonderful responses!!!

I love my yahoo loops and have fun. I can't wait until I can take the ones I have on digest off so I can go back to individual mail. Hopefully by the end of March. :) Magnus won't write himself. heehee

Stephani Hecht said...

I have to put my on digest as well. I remember I forgot to do that with one group and I got 700 emails in one day.

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