So I've finally given in and faced up to the fact that I could use a little help around here. This place is wonderful and would I'm sure survive a nuclear apocalypse let alone a mod not being around as much as she'd like, but you guys deserve more.
So I don't want to make this too formal, but I think it's the easiest way of explaining how this works.
What your modly duties would be
Help me to:
- Tag posts. This is the only thing that constantly needs doing, to be honest. (By the way, all community members can do this, and your help is greatly appreciated). Other stuff comes up occasionally such as:
- Respond to requests for new tags (yes, I know I'm behind, and I'm sorry!)
- Delete inappropriate or offtopic posts (e.g. 'how do I do an LJ cut', unrelated community promos, spam)
- Warn rude posts/comments, ban trolls (I've only needed to do this a couple of times ever)
- Delete comments-disabled posts and warn people who are screening comments
- Keep an eye on the buying and selling, and delete things that look dubious
- Respond to the occasional email that arrives to the menstrual_cups@livejournal.com email address (mostly foreign-language people needing help using LJ, occasional other queries)
- That's it!
Entirely optional stuff (just to let you know it's a possibility, not at all expected of you to do any or all)
- If you know your HTML/LJ theme layer code, you can help maintain the sidebar and userinfo
- You're very welcome to make official community resource posts
- Any work in promoting the community on or beyond LJ is greatly appreciated
- Do something (anything!) with the website
- Any other bright ideas you can think of! Use your power for good :D
Personalish/opinion stuff
I don't expect that community members agree with me on everything, and please rest assured that if you disagree with the below points you are still very welcome here. However, from a fellow mod and thus an officialish voice, I'd like support and agreement for these personal preferences of mine for the tone of this community.
- Don't push a particular brand no matter how much you love it.
- This is a mostly-female space, and that is very important to many of the members. At the same time, we do have some male and genderqueer members. As the userinfo says: 'We want people of all ages, genders and confidence levels to feel comfortable here.' Fostering trans awareness here is important to me. And the occasional cis-guy who wanders through should be made to feel welcome too.
- I'm not up for tampon-bashing in this community, calling disposables 'gross', etc. I think cups are amazing, but in conversation here I prefer to treat using cups as a personal choice and preference, not as a moral/feminist/environmental duty.
- I also don't see it as the duty of cup users to 'evangelise' and 'convert', particularly when they meet resistance. I think telling people about cups is great, important and fun (duh, I run this community, and I do it all the time outside of LJ too) but I don't think people who are happy with other choices are doin it rong.
- Don't let the e-fame go to your head too much, this community works much better with minimal intervention. I'd prefer someone who is quite laid back.
So. I'd estimate that in general, this would not take up more than 10-15 minutes a day. It is not a heavy commitment despite my immense wordiness.
I do need someone who is a regular reader and participant, but don't feel you need to be obsessive about it or have internet access 24/7. If stuff doesn't get tagged no one's going to cry over it.
Crises only come up very rarely, but when they do they can take up hours and require at least one of us to be available to sort it out.
That's it from me! So if you're interested, what I want to know from you is:
- Hi! Who are you? LJ name or other nick is fine.
- As much basic demographic information as you're happy to give me would be great, thanks. (Age, gender, location, favourite colour, air speed velocity of an unladen swallow...)
- What time zone do you live in? What times of day are you typically around on email/LJ?
- Do you have any other experience of maintaining LJ comms, or other internet communities?
- Does all of the above sound okay? Any opinions on it?
- Would you be content to just do housekeeping/admin type stuff, or do you have any grand designs? (note, both answers are absolutely fine, I just want a heads up)
Plus anything else you want to tell me, of course.
Comments to this post are screened for privacy on the first couple of questions. However, if you have any questions or other comments (whether you're interested in being a mod or just curious about the stuff I've said here!) I'll unscreen them.
Thanks everyone, I love you all :)