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Staffing Confessions

Tidal Wave
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I've got a hurricane in my head, I can't feel a thing, but it's better than dead
God what a mood that is. If people could like, leave some kind of constructive reason as to what they didn't like. But to be honest, as an admin, it's usually over things that like... If ya just ask the admins about usually they'll work with you. Please I understand anxiety is a thing, but we're not all mean.

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So, too, is Death possessed of infinite strategies and a gaunt nature.
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When I legitimately want advice and feedback about things but people just dip and leave with nothing to say. I understand no one owes me anything at all, and if the site isn't their cup of tea anymore, that's fine. But how can I make things better for future members or even ones that stick around if I don't know what the faults are?

I forgot how tough it is to be an admin, a main admin, a leader... xD
just some quick advice—would recommend curating a survey for your community to fill out anonymously. that way you get to gauge feedback (whether it be about an event, the site's lore, etc.) without provoking needless anxiety.
last edit on Jun 1, 2021 23:24:36 GMT by PHIMBO
phantom of the black parade
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what do you want to know? my height, hobbies, quirks, the color of my underwear?
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God what a mood that is. If people could like, leave some kind of constructive reason as to what they didn't like. But to be honest, as an admin, it's usually over things that like... If ya just ask the admins about usually they'll work with you. Please I understand anxiety is a thing, but we're not all mean.


honestly, i understand why the vast majority of members don't.

speaking from personal experience, the #1 reason i typically leave a site these days is realizing that i just..... am not invested in the plots i have enough to want to keep sticking around in the hopes one of my want ads for a major character plot gets taken so i can get invested in the site. and that's not really anyone's fault, per se, nor is it something you as a staffer can really change or fix (since i don't really think it's good for people to take want ads they're not interested in just to try to keep newbies around; it obviously won't guarantee they end up staying, especially if taking all those characters means that the taker is then replying to any given thread once a month or every other month).

and similarly, in cases with problems within the community (read: a toxic member, a friend group engaging in clique-y behaviors, etc), which is probs reason #2 or #3.... i've found it's very rare for the admins to actually want to hear that kind of criticism. and i don't know what's the better scenario, that they can't see it in the first place (because they're one of the group or also toxic or just don't want to admit it's not okay) or that they do but their hands are tied (since imo it's very hard to be willing to get rid of a toxic / clique-y group of members if they also happen to be the site's core memberbase and fuel a significant portion of the activity). so i typically don't really think it's productive to try to say anything about that.

then personally? as an admin, i both want and don't want feedback. on one hand, i crave it because i want to be able to improve the member experience if there's a problem..... but on the other hand, i know i'd be really sad to know it was something i was really proud of or that i considered integral to the site (ie, claiming that the reason you're leaving is because you think the stat system is too exhausting + complicated but i built a lot of the site's systems around the stat system + it would be very difficult to untangle it even if i wanted to). so i don't tend to offer that kind of feedback unless i'm explicitly invited for feedback, because i think it's just...... rude + unnecessary tbeh.

just some two cents from the other side of the fence.

Tidal Wave
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I've got a hurricane in my head, I can't feel a thing, but it's better than dead
I like that thank you. I also like the idea of an anonymous member survey, but I really wouldn't know what kind of questions to put on it even. Or just leave it for open ended feedback. I dunno if I could really do something like anonymous feedback though because my brain would go to "I wonder who wrote this" and yeah. It's definitely worth looking into though.

I also have to agree with Kuroya with both wanting and not wanting feedback as an admin and the reasons given are really on point. I like that too.

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I really badly don't want to own a site, but I believe if I want to have what I want... I'm going to get stuck having to make one. Oh please have a site come by so that I don't have to make one...
last edit on Oct 29, 2021 18:53:05 GMT by Deleted
Feline Overlord
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Feel like a terrible admin lately not getting anything done. But life sucks and people can just... Deal with it.

You are a perfectly fine admin! I remembered in my earlier years of role-play joining your site and your community was so friendly to newcomers, it was amazing! You cultivate a good community, and even when things come later than expected, they are amazing! So you’re awesome. ^-^
Feline Overlord
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I really hope I advertise well. I always try to consider things like how many new members we have, since even if only one, I do tend to like to stagger advertising to give time to focus on a few newbies and getting them settled before advertising more. I just feel it gives time for the welcoming, helping and plotting before launching into another influx. It really just lets me help them better personally.
Tidal Wave
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I've got a hurricane in my head, I can't feel a thing, but it's better than dead
I can't honestly remember the last time I actively advertised aside from like a random affiliate request, link backs, or bumping ads.

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I watch everybody else be an admin and I think too myself, do I really want too try this again? It is just a character concept I want too write out after all... In the end, I don't think it is worth it but than again, I'm going too wait and see if I can fit this character concept elsewhere so that I don't have too figure out lore for a site when I really badly just want a place too rehome this character. About advertising.... I should really start up that again. I was doing so well too.
Tidal Wave
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I've got a hurricane in my head, I can't feel a thing, but it's better than dead
That's a really hard part about staffing too, you know? Not accepting all character ideas. I really do try and make characters fit where they need to fit, but I often have to reject certain ideas, even my own, from time to time as they just don't work. It's a problem but ya do what ya gotta do. Still, I do try my best to work with people, it just doesn't always turn out that way.

Feline Overlord
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That's a really hard part about staffing too, you know? Not accepting all character ideas. I really do try and make characters fit where they need to fit, but I often have to reject certain ideas, even my own, from time to time as they just don't work. It's a problem but ya do what ya gotta do. Still, I do try my best to work with people, it just doesn't always turn out that way.

This really is! I do try to work with the member to get to a point considered acceptable. Though you are correct in not everything is acceptable. ;-;