Whats The Deal With Discussion Lists? (Part Three)

Why Do People Start Writing Discussion Lists?

Angela Gillaspie, who owns Southern Angel, says she created her list for a very simple reason. "I started the list because there were so many folks that wanted to read my writing, and I had a hard time remembering everyone's addresses."

Gillaspie's list, which is a newsletter-type list where only she can post messages, was officially launched on March 24 and currently has 40 subscribers, most of whom joined after receiving an invitation from her. "I hope this list would make my subscribers smile and *think*," she says. "I'm not trying to make money, I just want others to enjoy life. Making some one laugh is almost a religious experience, in my opinion!" The main thing that Gillaspie gets from the experience of being a list owner is "very useful feedback," she says. "My list is currently humor-oriented.

Recently, on a whim, I sent out an inspirational story and immediately lost one subscriber. She claimed my stories were too long. Indeed that particular article was 1200 words, but the story right before that was a mere 320 words....so I really wonder if her true reason for leaving was because I used the word "Jesus" in my article. This prompted me to conduct a poll to see if my readers want inspiration *and* humor. So far, the majority wants both -- but, I may create a separate list for the inspirational-type stories." Gillaspie, who is a work-at-home programmer/analyst, freelance writer, and "proud Southern Momma," created her list with the hope that her "readers will get a "lift to their day, a grin, and maybe even a big belly laugh knowing that there is a strange woman living in Alabama that experiences the same spilt milk, bad hair cuts, worms in the fridge, and missing toilet paper that they do."

"I started The-Ethereal-Pen as a way to build a bit of community in the sci-fi/fantasy world that women seem to be over-looked in," says Victoria, who runs a few group lists online. "I, myself, am a writer, and I know that exposure for stories is sometimes very hard to get. I set this group up as a way for female writers to get opinions and ideas about their on-going works, as well as possiblly getting editors and publishers to come and post a little bit about submission requirements and how to present their works to publishers."

Victoria also owns Where-Is-Love, which she created "because, well, it was a rant. I got tired of seeing women being objects for sexual abuse and torture," Victoria says. "I found it hard to believe that these sexual fantasies were considered all there was in the world of Erotica, and so, I created Where-Is-Love as a means for women to express passion, love and sex, in a very positive light with no vicutums and no violence. They are free to post stories, poems, ideas thoughts or whatever is on their mind, whether on-topic or not. The basic idea was to get over the modesty and down to the real heart of love."

"Then, I decided to make it a e-group as well, to further the feeling of community among the web-sites," she added. She says she gets a lot out of her experience as a list owner. "I know this sounds hokey, but I really do get alot of satisfaction that I've brought people together in a "safe" environment to share ideas and thoughts on the subject matters regarding the list, or not, depending on the case. :) I think one of the best things we get from e-groups is friends," Victoria says. "I would like the members of each group to get what they put into it. Participation is what makes a group strong and happy. Sure lists can get petty and mean, but I think as long as you can start off with a general understanding that we are all here to grow and learn from each other, it's a bit easier to listen to what other people have to say."

"I wanted to find a serious list where working novelists would discuss the art and craft of writing fiction. I couldn't find one," says Melisse, MJ Rose, who runs The Novelists. "I belong to many lists and wanted one that was not chatty - though I have nothing against chatty - so I created the list I wanted."

Rose started her list a year ago and currently she has about 100 subscribers. What she gets from the experience is simple - "Great dialog between serious writers about the craft of writing," she says. "The biggest problem - since its not chatty - unless we are in the midst of dicussing a topic - the list gets slow."

You will find more information about discussion lists on the following website -http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art16926 .asp

© Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of the Free Ezine for Writers featuring news, reviews, and continuously updated links to the best resources for writers online like - freelancing & jobs, markets & publishers, literary agents, classes & contests, and more... Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art157.asp

---

Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

How to Market on Forums and Message Boards Without Upsetting Anyone

Believe it or not, you can market on forums and... Read More

Make Money From Forums

If you have a website about a topic you enjoy,... Read More

Forum Signatures to Build Back Links - Helping Your Search Rankings

Building Backlinks! There are several ways to build backlinks. We... Read More

10 Commandments To Maximizing Your Time In Forum Participation

1) Gain an idea/keep in touch of what is happening... Read More

How To Maximize Your Profits With Forums

Forums are one of the most effective free internet marketing... Read More

Get Traffic & Sales Using Discussion Forums

Message boards, discussion forums and newsgroups can all produce very... Read More

Milton Keynes - A City For The Future?

The two main features of Milton Keynes which distinguish it... Read More

5 Reasons You Should Market Online

If you've got a website you'll need to let the... Read More

Intro to Health Forums

Health forums are great for gathering information, resources, advice, tips... Read More

Forums ? Should You Have Them On Your Website?

Forums have become a common feature in many websites. With... Read More

Business Forums

Forums are a community where a group of webmasters can... Read More

Seven Must Follow Rules While Participating In Message Boards

Participating in message boards (forums) discussions is a great way... Read More

Forums: How DO You Get People to Post!?

Running a web forum is no easy task. If you... Read More

3 Reasons Why PHP Message Boards Rock

If you are web designer, chances are you include forums... Read More

6 Forum Management Essentials

If you are tasked with managing a forum, congratulations to... Read More

Why You Should Use (Not Abuse) Forums to Increase Your Traffic

There are dozens of reasons why you should look up... Read More

The Benefits of Hiring Forum Posters

There are many business benefits to be realized by including... Read More

Using Forums to Promote Your Business

When is work not really work? When it's fun!Using online... Read More

Marketing Via Messageboards & E-mail Discussion Lists - An Alternative View

One of the most suggested means of getting traffic to... Read More

Internet Forums - Six Ways To Avoid Disaster

Internet Forums are highly popular, they cater for all tastes... Read More

How To Get Free Advertising By Participating In E-mail Discussion Lists

Posting messages to e-mail discussion lists is a great way... Read More

Forums: What They Are And WHY Theyre Essential For Anyone Considering Starting An Online Business

Well... first off, let's define exactly what a Forum is... Read More

Chat Forums and Blogs: The Unofficial Internet Posting Rules

Have you been hanging around in internet forums and/or making... Read More

Using Online Marketing Forums to Jumpstart Your Home Business

One of the most wonderful things that I have discovered... Read More

8 Tips for Starting and Maintaining a Successful Online Forum

Nothing promotes a business online better than staying in touch... Read More