by LittleMissSunshine - Shel & Barney Rule L.
Member since:
August 22, 2006

Group Management

March 22, 2007 08:34 AM EDT (Updated: March 22, 2007 08:36 AM EDT)
views: 53 | comments: 20

I've been pondering how to manage my ever growing list of groups. I've been substitute teaching for a while, and I haven't been as caught up on Gather as I used to be. As a result, my groups waiting list has grown very long. Last night I weeded out about 10 groups. These are groups that have authors who don't publish to my groups and don't respond to my posts. I'm sorry if I offended anyone whose group I dropped.

I have decided that maybe I need to be more picky in which groups I join. This is hard because I love joining and posting in new groups. So I'm thinking of only choosing five groups a week to join. Of course, that still adds up. But, I received 27 invites in two days for groups. I think having too many groups starts wearing at your sense of community. When I had only a few groups, the same people responded to my stuff. Now that I have many groups, I have different responders - but not more responders. Maybe it is just me, but it seems that way. Of course, I haven't been on as much as I used to be. While I love and appreciate my new responders, I miss my old responders. 

 If Gather would kindly consider finding some way to allow us to divide our groups into subject areas, this wouldn't have to be done. I know I'm supposed to be appreciating Gather today. But, I think part of appreciation is making suggestions for improvement. 

 Do you have a Gather group strategy? I am open to suggestions.

 

(Read my favorite of my own latest articles at Reflections of a Substitute Teacher )

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Comments: 20

Connie C. Mar 22, 2007, 9:04am EDT
I so agree, I am in just too many and it is hard when I go to submit an article to know just where to put it
Karen E. Mar 22, 2007, 9:28am EDT
I only joined Gather last week, and only have about 20 or so groups, but I was thinking this same thing last night. Maybe they could just keep the synopsis of the group with the group name so that you could remember what to post or not post to that particular group.
☃ Aunt Shanny Mar 22, 2007, 9:44am EDT
I no longer join every "post anything" group that invites me. Why do we need more of those? I am thinking of removing myself from some just to reduce the number of groups I have. I also removed myself from groups that I will probably never post to.
What I did and this probably won't work for everyone, but I've saved every group that I'm a member of in a few, ok a lot of folders named gather1, gather2, etc's in my favorites. If I was really ambitious, I'd separate them myself into the groups that most go together, but I haven't done it as yet. The reason for the folders is when I have a question of whether to post to a certain group or not, I can pull it up quickly and re-read the description and also see what's being posted on there.
On days when I'm not posting, I look through the folders and go from group to group and read and comment, it's helped me a lot to do it this way, though I agree with you, Shelley, your idea is better. :)
Marilyn
Eric D. Goodman Mar 22, 2007, 10:41am EDT
There are a lot of groups here; I haven't quite figured out how to manage them yet. I try to join the ones that interest me most -- such as writing and creative groups. But even then, there are so many of them.
LittleMissSunshine - Shel & Barney Rule L. Mar 22, 2007, 10:43am EDT
Marilyn that is a good idea. I do look bookmark my own groups. I could do that for reading purposes. I just wish for posting purposes the list on the groups page were divided a little better.
Terry S. Mar 22, 2007, 10:57am EDT
I have asked them the same months ago. I was told it is in the works....
Shawnee G. Mar 22, 2007, 12:08pm EDT
I agree with needing a way to organize groups.
Linda M. Mar 22, 2007, 12:11pm EDT
I think it would also help if the list of groups we get when we're posting articles included clickable links so we could easily pull up a group page to see if it is appropriate to post to.

I like Marilyn's idea for organizing groups.
Elaine A. Mar 22, 2007, 12:16pm EDT
Having a list would be a great idea.

I have been getting at least 6 or more group invites a day, many I have not joined as they are of no intrest to me.

I find it hard when posting to know where to post an article as it is.

I have a new group Not so Disney news, I have sent a few invites out for it.
donna h. Mar 22, 2007, 3:17pm EDT
I belong to a few groups but not as many as you guys- I dont know who to post to- and I don't want to offend anyone.
Vicky, my hubby took some and I just saw one on his computer he's going to be emailing them to be and then I'll be putting them up :)
Rob Appell Mar 22, 2007, 5:13pm EDT
I have too much on my plate writing, reading and commenting to worry about managing my own sanity let alone groups. I let 'em site and just check off what I want to post to when it's time to publish. I've been invited to join a little over 80 groups so far. Some, I may never post to but it's good to know they're there just in case I ever need them.
Carol Lloyd Mar 22, 2007, 6:35pm EDT
thanks for sharing
Dawne Joy Mar 22, 2007, 7:01pm EDT
Being able to organize our own groups would help. But, I accept most (not all) of the groups. Even if I don't post this week, maybe that subject will be on my mind next week.
Sandra L. Mar 24, 2007, 4:49pm EDT
You make a lot of good points. It is hard to contribute to all of my groups, but it's nice to have a choice of groups for different subjects.
Karolyn Q. Mar 27, 2007, 9:53am EDT
Thank you for sharing.

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