A Conversation for h2g2 Feedback - Community Soapbox

Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 1

Effers;England.


Presently it says:-

'We all lead interesting lives, and your Journal is the place to tell everyone exactly what makes your days buzz by. Here you can talk about what you're thinking of doing, what you think about what you're thinking of doing, and when you're thinking of doing it, because, unlike Guide Entries, Journal Entries are associated with specific points in time.

Think of your Journal as your personal diary. If you want to preserve your writing in a more permanent format you might like to create a Guide Entry, but remember that everything you write is always part of the Guide, and other visitors to your page can still read what you've said, and discuss it'.

I'd like to re-write it to make a Journal seem more like what a blog might be. I noticed someone saying as part of NaJoPoMO...that they hoped it wasn't a cop-out to just post a poem.

I like to be very experimental and playful with Journals. It gets rid of inhibition and writers' block feeling.

It can be anything. A view on politics or a Haiku or ANYTHING.

I reckon I could come up with something if you want.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 2

Mrs Zen

Heh... when I was 5 my teacher banged on and on about the difference between "can I go to the toilet" and "may I go to the toilet". Looking back I think that it was a bit mean to expect 5 year olds to understand; particularly 5 year olds with full bladders. smiley - yikes

/\smiley - offtopic Sorry.

Effers, I think it would be great to put forward some suggestions about what the Journal Blurb could be. Remember other people may have good ideas to add in to the mix as well. Hopefully this can be a conversation where people put forward suggestions and get heard.

I am interested to see what your thoughts are on this. I know you've been thinking about this for a while.

Ben


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 3

Mrs Zen

Effers, you might find this interesting:

F21546918?thread=8285371&post=110480623#p110480598

Richard was one of the people who set up h2g2 along with Robbie Stamp and Douglas Adams.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 4

Effers;England.


Yes I do find that interesting.

You said something about other people maybe also having good ideas..and it being a conversation...that's a new one on me smiley - winkeye

No I jest. I like to jam..sort of smiley - winkeye

Yeah I'll mull things over...it would be good if journals could be part of the Guide in some way...like some tube line you could follow out to the back of beyond. Like stations along the way you could stop off at.

In fact we could have a kind of map thing like the tube map as a guide to the whole place...just a thought..


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 5

Vip

I've always navigated a little like that, although I visualise it more like a ball of tangled wool, where I find something I like and then pull it to see where it takes me. smiley - smiley

smiley - fairy


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 6

Effers;England.


I really like the idea of some kind variation on a tube map...that could also be quite tangled. But the actual visuals of a tube map are very cool and attractive..plus you have the colours of the lines.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 7

KB

How many people are agreed on the need to change it?

Just askin', before we get into what to change it *to*...


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 8

Effers;England.


Plus it's UNDERGROUND. I like that association for us. A weird double take on going outwards into the universe..but really deep down underground into the UNCONSCIOUS.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 9

Effers;England.


Change what?

I'm just jamming here.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 10

KB

See thread subject for details smiley - ok


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 11

Effers;England.


Oh you mean the journal blurb.

Yeah fine keep it as it is if people want that.

(I was getting carried away with ideas).


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 12

Effers;England.


I'll have a go at some blurb later. And post here.

People can suggest changes to it.

And yes it will just be a suggestion. I don't know it's decided whether to keep it as it is or not. But I'll give it a go.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 13

Vip

I don't think anything is set in stone to either keep or change (I've no idea about difficult it is to do from a tech standpoint either).

It certainly won't harm to have a think about it. Then if it is decided to change it we already have some suggestions. smiley - smiley

smiley - fairy


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 14

Effers;England.


Yep. I'll just come up with something..and chuck it in the mix.

My own personal view is that that blurb is very constrained about what a journal is. It can be that of course. But it can be so much more as well.

I like the idea of freeing people up to play with journals..and then that might feed into something for other areas like Guide if more people get into *writing* itself.

A journal is a totally safe place for that.ie to play.




Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 15

Effers;England.


I have written something:-

**

'A Journal can be anything you can happen with your keyboard..so long as it's within House Rules.

It can be like a diary..a blog..or somewhere to just play with language.

Don't be scared or cautious, let your imagination run around a bit.

Friends can easily unsub from your journal so you don't need to worry about that.

And it might build confidence in using writing and text eventually so you can contribute to things like the Guide, Post or Underguide.

Or you can just carry on playing..or writing in a very traditional diary/journal way.

The choice is yours. '


**

But I'm ducking out of stuff now because I can't cope with the jargon, and feeling of an in-crowd of volunteers. I'm never going to understand about gnomes, elves and mammoths in that language.

Feel free to use the above in any way or ignore. It seemed churlishand sill not to post just because I've got disenchanted with the volunteer atmosphere on those threads.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 16

Elentari

I think something like that would be good.


Can I re-write the Journal blurb?

Post 17

Secretly Not Here Any More

"Don't be scared or cautious, let your imagination run around a bit.

Friends can easily unsub from your journal so you don't need to worry about that."

Those two lines don't work.

The Journal space needs to be open and welcoming. Instantly bringing up fear, caution and worry, while explaining that people might just unsubscribe anyway doesn't do that.

It adds tension that doesn't need to be there, and comes across as negative.

The rest is great though. I especially like a Journal as somewhere to "play with language". Makes it very lighthearted and bright.


Key: Complain about this post