After my rather unfortunate hiatus from Gather I started going through my moderated groups of which I have three. The reason they are moderated is because they are not submit anything groups, but each has a specific subject in which they are for. As long as articles or images have something to do with the subject matter of the group I accept them. So I only moderate to keep articles like Name a Word That Starts With W out of Art - Any Medium or political articles out of All About Film, Movies And Actors.
Normally I get alot of submissions for things that do not fit the subject matter of the groups. If I am online everyday I can keep up fairly well. But, when I came back from being gone about a week there were over one hundred articles and images in All About Film, Movies And Actors and at least three fourths of them had absolutely nothing to do with film, movies or actors. There were alot of jokes (none of them about the subjectr matter). Now please don't get me wrong, I started the groups as a way for people that enjoy the subject matter to share their enthusiasm with other people. I want people to submit to the groups and share what they want with others here on Gather.
So what to do. Some group moderators comment on the article that it is not appropriate for this group or that. I didn't want to do this because (1.) it takes a lot of time, and (2.) it might embarass people. I could e-mail the people that do it the most, but they might feel hurt or that I am picking on them. So I was trying to figure out a way to convey my wish for people to submit content that is pertinent to the group without singling anyone out, hurting or embarassing them. So I thought this is the best way.
I am not saying I am perfect. I have submitted things to groups that did not belong in that group. My article on (I think it was) Leo Tolstoy's birthday I submitted to some writing groups because he was a writer and I thought people in those groups might be interested.
What I am asking is that when you write an article or publish an image instead of clicking on every group you belong to try to submit it only to those groups it pertains to. I know I would appreciate it and I am sure others who moderate groups would also. Submit anything groups are great, I have two of them (long story), but it is also great to have groups we can go to for a specific subject. Let's all help each other with this.
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 48
good article chana
I am glad that you posted this to Fiction Only. It is a good reminder.
http://friendsofdanh.gather.com.
Our goal is to help you further your exposure and to support other gather members.
I would like to further suggest that groups put their criteria, right after their name, in as few words as possible so it shows up in our list. I mean, Gather won't give us the ability to make notes so we will know or to divide our groups like we can our friends so this criteria would help.
But I find that the group I have, that says it is for special photos, paintings or sketches, gets submissions for articles...which I don't want to decline to keep from hurting feelings, but it is not an article group. It is for images. And during that summer time pics promo, one person who never commented on anything I have ever done, nor did they comment on any other artist's submissions, over loaded with photos of strangers walking their dog or fishing with the caption...'someone walking their dog' or 'someone fishing' and duplicate photos of roads with cars. My group is for those artwork or for photos that the photographer taking the photo feels are 'special' not of strangers, etc.
So, even though I don't want to decline, I feel that I must to keep with the theme of the group pages. That way, one doens't have to wade through pics of strangers in cars or dogs to see what the artists among us have put so much time and energy and love into.
So, I appreciate your position.
which means, y'know...
...ev'rywhere.
to wit: Bravo.
but you're tossing a pebble in the Pacific, darling.
Thanks Tomas, you are chivalrous!
but in this case, it seems to have done no good as you have again submitted an article that does not comply with the group profile...that being celebration of collaboration and inspiration..
Maybe it's just me and my mindset, but if I am respectful and clear and the other person's feelings are still hurt, I am not going to take responsibility for that person's feelings. That's overstepping boundaries in my opinion.
I do try to watch where I post.
Certain groups I belong to, I've nver posted to because I didn't have anything on topic to say yet.
One problem I ahve is that I moderate two groups, which are in the single digit numbers of members and the only one posting content is me. So, in a way we are in exact opposite situations.
Working on DELETING all irrelevant content NOW.
PROPHETIC PULSE ~ A Paradigm Shift
Next I'll have to just delete the people who refuse to be respectful of the other Group Members.
This is one aspect of gather that drives me crazy, all the inappropriate posts that have nothing to do with the groups they are posted to. I think this year the biggest offenders are the political posts.
I belong to certain groups because I'm interested in their stated subject matter. But some are so full of political posts all the time that I don't even bother looking at them anymore.
At least, gather could state a no-nonrelated-posts policy up front when someone is registering to become a member. But so far I see no effort to remedy this even though all the nonrelated posts make groups seem like trash bins.
I know when I'm submitting, the little description helps. Maybe an "only" will catch someone's attention.