|
Post by King Richius on Jan 24, 2019 10:20:07 GMT -5
Greetings all,
I woke this morning after a tough night of tossing and turning in my sleep. The source of my insomnia was the WFWF.
I think everyone agrees that burnout, or writer's fatigue if you prefer, can strike any writer at any time without warning. This hit home for me when I found out last night I would be writing the bulk of Resolution. The show may take a little longer than usual to get posted as writing four matches, be they full length or an abbreviated summary, is going to take some time. Rest assured the show will be posted and it will be the best possible show I can put together for your entertainment. Please be patient.
I've been writing Frank Lynn for three years and co-modding the fed for a year now. I enjoy the creative outlet. I also have the luxury of too much free time because I'm on disability. I wrote at least a novel's worth of material in the past year alone so I understand how one might get burnt out and need a break. I've come close on several occasions but some inspiration usually comes along that gets me back into the creative mindset. My enthusiasm is at a high point right now because I want SuperBrawl to be something special and by the end of the year I'd like to have another special show, maybe a Survival of the Fittest event.
In other words, barring a personal disaster I'm not going anywhere. It's my goal to write enjoyable RPs for any of my characters booked for a match, to suggest angles and feuds for active members, write matches that give each of you a moment to shine and plot points to use in future RPs, and MOST IMPORTANTLY to put out one show per month that you look forward to reading. I also hope that others may wander through, see what we're doing, find it fun, and join in. Recruiting isn't my strong point so the best way I can attract new members is to show them a friendly and invigorating environment where they can hang out, test out their writing chops, and have fun.
I guess what I'm saying is that despite low numbers and if we're being honest a lack of willing match writers, the show will go on. I would ask that if any of you can help out in any way it would be appreciated. I'm not going to force anybody to do something they don't want to but I am going to keep reaching out because this is a community that is at its best when we all work together and contribute. Sign up for as many shows as you can. Propose ideas for angles/feuds for your character. Write your match. Read and reply to the RPs. Recruit a friend.
I can't stress that last one enough. I suck at recruiting. If there is one way you can help out, it would be to recruit a friend. Writing is a dying art in the age of "I <3 emojis", everyone speaking in blocks of 256 or less characters, and it being far easier to stream a movie to your phone than read a book but there has to be people out there who are both wrestling fans and writers. I just have no clue how to find them.
Thanks for reading my ramblings. My mailbox is open to any and all suggestions you have for the fed.
|
|
|
Post by Drakz on Jan 24, 2019 15:09:45 GMT -5
My number one suggestion is implementing what me and Trace started. Summarise all the matches barring the main event.
You'll f*ck yourself if you try to write vast amounts of matches every show man. It's just not worth it.
I of all people appreciate how tough it can be running this place, but don't let it effect your life. Losing sleep ain't something you should be doing, no matter how much you care.
I'll continue to submit segs, propose ideas for feuds etc as I always have.
Who knows, maybe I'll write a match for Superbrawl. I've always hated doing it but I also think I'm fairly competent at it as well.
|
|
|
Post by King Richius on Jan 24, 2019 15:33:03 GMT -5
My number one suggestion is implementing what me and Trace started. Summarise all the matches barring the main event.You'll f*ck yourself if you try to write vast amounts of matches every show man. It's just not worth it. I of all people appreciate how tough it can be running this place, but don't let it effect your life. Losing sleep ain't something you should be doing, no matter how much you care. I'll continue to submit segs, propose ideas for feuds etc as I always have. Who knows, maybe I'll write a match for Superbrawl. I've always hated doing it but I also think I'm fairly competent at it as well. This idea is being batted around. I'm considering trying an approach where I go into detail for the big spots of the match, the moments that make the fans go holy sh*t and the moments that are included as fodder for future RPs, but gloss over the usual back and forth chain wrestling or rest hold sequences. I did this style for the first singles match between Trace Demon and Frank Lynn which went over pretty well. I'd rather every match get the chance for a full treatment because not everybody gets to play in the main event but as you say, trying to write it all myself will make me go crazy. I hope you do write the SuperBrawl match. It's the climax to a story you and Kyzer have been writing for years and as such only you two truly know how it should end.
|
|
|
Post by CM Poor: DeepFigureValue on Jan 24, 2019 15:33:53 GMT -5
I have nothing to offer beyond empathy. I never did a big departure post when I stepped down because it wasn't going to do anyone, least of all myself, any favors, but in this short little blurb, you've emphasized reasons 3, 7, and 14 for my resignation.
Perhaps a recruitment thread on your part might bring out slightly better than the bitter musings on "Bulletproof" Bobby Hall.
|
|
|
Post by Drakz on Jan 24, 2019 18:22:03 GMT -5
My number one suggestion is implementing what me and Trace started. Summarise all the matches barring the main event.You'll f*ck yourself if you try to write vast amounts of matches every show man. It's just not worth it. I of all people appreciate how tough it can be running this place, but don't let it effect your life. Losing sleep ain't something you should be doing, no matter how much you care. I'll continue to submit segs, propose ideas for feuds etc as I always have. Who knows, maybe I'll write a match for Superbrawl. I've always hated doing it but I also think I'm fairly competent at it as well. This idea is being batted around. I'm considering trying an approach where I go into detail for the big spots of the match, the moments that make the fans go holy sh*t and the moments that are included as fodder for future RPs, but gloss over the usual back and forth chain wrestling or rest hold sequences. I did this style for the first singles match between Trace Demon and Frank Lynn which went over pretty well. I'd rather every match get the chance for a full treatment because not everybody gets to play in the main event but as you say, trying to write it all myself will make me go crazy. I hope you do write the SuperBrawl match. It's the climax to a story you and Kyzer have been writing for years and as such only you two truly know how it should end. To be honest I'm more likely to write someone else's Superbrawl match. I much prefer reading my own match with no idea of what's going to go down. Also it gives me the chance to try and elevate someone else's work on the show by making sure their match gets a full writeup.
|
|
Deleted
Joined on: Mar 29, 2024 3:05:46 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2019 18:30:32 GMT -5
I'm partly responsible for this post. I really feel terrible about - essentially quitting my writing duties for this show but the burnout hit me hard. I joined the fed in April and it feels like that's all I've done since joining - write, write, write, write, write. Of course, I knew that I was going to get burnt out eventually but not like this. To the point where I can't finish one sentence before getting sidetracked with other things. Every month, I get a spark of inspiration and creativity when it comes to writing but not this month. It felt like a chore. The match Mesh has at Resolution is a pretty big deal and it was the worst time to get burnt out because I know I'm capable of doing better and really bringing it against more experienced writers. To be honest, getting a win over King Richius was something I was looking forward to. loljk
I'm written every Mesh match, most of Needles' matches and every Priceless match and I do like match writing but to me, that's the biggest thing that led to my burnout. I put everything into my RPs, leaving me pretty drained afterwards - then comes the match writing. I only wish I was like King Richius that could write a match in a day because I certainly can't and when I'm writing for other people's characters I feel like I can't rush it or half ass it because I don't want to make their characters look bad. I certainly agree with the thought that more volunteers for matches would be greatly appreciated. I can definitely get behind the idea of summarizing the matches, except the main event. There's just not enough people here to justify writing out a fleshed out match on every show. I volunteered to write matches at my first show because I noticed that nobody else did and that's the same thought I kept up until Resolution.
Under the Dome will always be my favorite show because of everyone involved and the amount of things that were going on in the fed at the time. I know I haven't been here super long but I yearn for those days again.
Of course, I will never get impatient or whatever when it comes to the results because I've only ran one show as co-owner and that was stressful enough so I sympathize with King Richius 110%. Resolution is going to be a great show but I feel as co-owner, I dropped the ball this month and certainly don't like the fact that I dropped everything on King Richius. Not cool man.
I'll still fulfill my duties as co-owner for next month's show and I'm soldiering through until SuperBrawl, but after that - I'm taking a break.
|
|
|
Post by King Richius on Jan 24, 2019 19:13:49 GMT -5
@ballparkb0b Don't feel bad or sorry. You've done a LOT in the past nine months or so. So much that you got the ownership spot because of the enthusiasm you showed for all things WFWF. Perhaps it was too much too fast and that contributed to your burnout but that's on us, not you. Slow down, do as much as is fun for you, and wait for the spark to reignite - which I'm sure it will.
I got this.
|
|
|
Post by CM Poor: DeepFigureValue on Jan 25, 2019 16:58:54 GMT -5
In terms of recruitment, it may behoove either you or @ballparkb0b to "check in" with some of the alumni around these parts and see if they might be interested in coming in (even if you were to dangle that repulsive "just for SBX" carrot in front of them) for a spell. It's one of the first things I did when I took the reins, and while my turnout was largely vacant, if not short-lived, at best, the two of you more than make up for what I lack in congeniality and overall welcome presence, so perhaps your endeavors would fare better than mine.
|
|
Deleted
Joined on: Mar 29, 2024 3:05:46 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2019 1:53:03 GMT -5
In terms of recruitment, it may behoove either you or @ballparkb0b to "check in" with some of the alumni around these parts and see if they might be interested in coming in (even if you were to dangle that repulsive "just for SBX" carrot in front of them) for a spell. It's one of the first things I did when I took the reins, and while my turnout was largely vacant, if not short-lived, at best, the two of you more than make up for what I lack in congeniality and overall welcome presence, so perhaps your endeavors would fare better than mine. I've actually tried getting David Brennan to come back for a future one-off recently but he always expresses zero interest in coming back so....¯\_(ツ)_/¯
One of the things I have noticed about recruiting is that people tend to ghost you. A lot. I've messaged people, similarly to how bad guy™ recruited me and I never get a response. Ever. However, there's two gentlemen that have expressed interest in joining our wonderful band of misfits and reprobates but life has kept them busy on other things or personal issues. At that point, all I can do is wait until they're ready which is fine because the last thing I want to do is pressure someone into joining you know?
tl;dr - I suck at recruiting but I've found two future prospects.
|
|
|
Post by CM Poor: DeepFigureValue on Jan 30, 2019 9:20:48 GMT -5
In terms of recruitment, it may behoove either you or @ballparkb0b to "check in" with some of the alumni around these parts and see if they might be interested in coming in (even if you were to dangle that repulsive "just for SBX" carrot in front of them) for a spell. It's one of the first things I did when I took the reins, and while my turnout was largely vacant, if not short-lived, at best, the two of you more than make up for what I lack in congeniality and overall welcome presence, so perhaps your endeavors would fare better than mine. I've actually tried getting David Brennan to come back for a future one-off recently but he always expresses zero interest in coming back so....¯\_(ツ)_/¯
One of the things I have noticed about recruiting is that people tend to ghost you. A lot. I've messaged people, similarly to how bad guy™ recruited me and I never get a response. Ever. However, there's two gentlemen that have expressed interest in joining our wonderful band of misfits and reprobates but life has kept them busy on other things or personal issues. At that point, all I can do is wait until they're ready which is fine because the last thing I want to do is pressure someone into joining you know? tl;dr - I suck at recruiting but I've found two future prospects.
A word of advice from one owner (albeit, short lived) to another: don't get yourself too entrenched in losing endeavors. I think part of the reason that Shawn is able to turn out such success on the recruitment front is that whatever barrier that might exist between here and the rest of his world is significantly thinner than I think most people would allow for. Whereas you or I might shoot someone a message here and try to entice them into this game and be done with it, Shawn has, historically, developed distant relationships with people. I've got a wall between here and the real world that'd make the president cry tears of joy. I think there's one person on these forums that knows my real name (first only), and he's not even in the WFWF fold. But yeah, people'll either ghost the f*ck out of you, or they'll try and rewrite history so that, from their bitter, skewed perspective, they were poised to be the next great writer but they were just too talented and different, and that upset the status quo so much so that the veterans here drove them out on the horse they rode in on, lest they lose some imaginary precious spot to future Hall of Famer 'Bulletproof' Bobby Hall. Harshly, the reality is that e-fedding is just way, way past its prime. I mean, for perspective, I joined up with the direct predecessor to this fed eighteen years ago. 9/11 wasn't even a thing yet. We've reached a point where less time has passed between my birth and when I started doing this than when I started doing this and now. Think of all the things that have come and gone in eighteen years, then take something that hit its stride sometime between now and then, and try keeping it alive in 2019 with new people coming into the fold. That's always going to be an uphill climb. For every Mesh any owner gets, he or she is going to get 30 Trevor Wolfes, Lazers, or any other short lived lark who quickly realized that this isn't for them. But hey, maybe that Reddit post I made eons ago might get some attention someday.
|
|
Deleted
Joined on: Mar 29, 2024 3:05:46 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2019 17:55:52 GMT -5
I've actually tried getting David Brennan to come back for a future one-off recently but he always expresses zero interest in coming back so....¯\_(ツ)_/¯
One of the things I have noticed about recruiting is that people tend to ghost you. A lot. I've messaged people, similarly to how bad guy™ recruited me and I never get a response. Ever. However, there's two gentlemen that have expressed interest in joining our wonderful band of misfits and reprobates but life has kept them busy on other things or personal issues. At that point, all I can do is wait until they're ready which is fine because the last thing I want to do is pressure someone into joining you know? tl;dr - I suck at recruiting but I've found two future prospects.
Harshly, the reality is that e-fedding is just way, way past its prime. I mean, for perspective, I joined up with the direct predecessor to this fed eighteen years ago. 9/11 wasn't even a thing yet. We've reached a point where less time has passed between my birth and when I started doing this than when I started doing this and now. Think of all the things that have come and gone in eighteen years, then take something that hit its stride sometime between now and then, and try keeping it alive in 2019 with new people coming into the fold. That's always going to be an uphill climb. For every Mesh any owner gets, he or she is going to get 30 Trevor Wolfes, Lazers, or any other short lived lark who quickly realized that this isn't for them.This right here. I kinda agree with this, unfortunately. E-fedding takes time and commitment and dedication and I don't think too many people want to put that much effort into something that's, admittingly meaningless. We do this for fun but we also do it because we love it. No joke, most of my friends ask me if I get paid for "always writing" and when I tell them no, they think that's so strange or whatever, to invest that much time into essentially, a creative writing group. I love this place. I just wish I was around these parts when the fed was truly active.
However, I know there are other e-feds out there that are much bigger and more active than ours. Those feds have their own message boards and whatnot while ours is part of a forum that's dedicated to wrestling figures. It's not the main focus, you know?
|
|
|
Post by CM Poor: DeepFigureValue on Jan 31, 2019 11:08:05 GMT -5
Harshly, the reality is that e-fedding is just way, way past its prime. I mean, for perspective, I joined up with the direct predecessor to this fed eighteen years ago. 9/11 wasn't even a thing yet. We've reached a point where less time has passed between my birth and when I started doing this than when I started doing this and now. Think of all the things that have come and gone in eighteen years, then take something that hit its stride sometime between now and then, and try keeping it alive in 2019 with new people coming into the fold. That's always going to be an uphill climb. For every Mesh any owner gets, he or she is going to get 30 Trevor Wolfes, Lazers, or any other short lived lark who quickly realized that this isn't for them. This right here. I kinda agree with this, unfortunately. E-fedding takes time and commitment and dedication and I don't think too many people want to put that much effort into something that's, admittingly meaningless. We do this for fun but we also do it because we love it. No joke, most of my friends ask me if I get paid for "always writing" and when I tell them no, they think that's so strange or whatever, to invest that much time into essentially, a creative writing group. I love this place. I just wish I was around these parts when the fed was truly active. However, I know there are other e-feds out there that are much bigger and more active than ours. Those feds have their own message boards and whatnot while ours is part of a forum that's dedicated to wrestling figures. It's not the main focus, you know?
Sure, but have you read their output? Yech.
|
|
Cameron Stone
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jan 16, 2013 18:16:15 GMT -5
Posts: 2,014
|
Post by Cameron Stone on Feb 5, 2019 1:23:18 GMT -5
E-Fedding is indeed dying. And as someone who spent most of my time stuck in the mid tier bubble of too good to be a constant curtain jerker, but not good enough to stand in the main event, I can say the biggest issue for new people is losing. Even if they aren't good enough to really win, why would someone want to stay and lose all the time, and watch the same 2-4 people always win, always be champ, etc? It's hard to stick around in those cases. That's a contributing factor to why I quit, let alone new people
|
|
|
Post by CM Poor: DeepFigureValue on Feb 5, 2019 11:33:47 GMT -5
E-Fedding is indeed dying. And as someone who spent most of my time stuck in the mid tier bubble of too good to be a constant curtain jerker, but not good enough to stand in the main event, I can say the biggest issue for new people is losing. Even if they aren't good enough to really win, why would someone want to stay and lose all the time, and watch the same 2-4 people always win, always be champ, etc? It's hard to stick around in those cases. That's a contributing factor to why I quit, let alone new people A) Right now, the hill for newcomers is astronomical, but it's sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy that's directly correlative to the sheer lack of numbers. When the roster is as slim as it's been for some time now, there's nowhere else to slot a potential newcomer than the bottom of the experienced barrel, which is unfortunately going to be basic trial by fire, as most of the regulars here are perfectly top notch in their own right. The hope, I'd think, is that you garner the type of folk like theicwguy, who takes a licking and keeps on ticking, presumably because he's having fun here and sees the value in creativity and slow-burn improvement over immediate wins and losses. Perhaps there's validity in that it should be something of a selling point that "yes, you'll probably lose. Yes, you're going to face writers way more experienced than yourself, but, if you continue to stick it out and heed the advice of others ( presuming more than the owners start R&Ring every RP!!!!!), then you'll improve and start winning, etc. That being said... B) I've totally got to call you on your self anecdote. As Cameron Stone, from the RPs I could still find, I've got you at a 5-6 record out of 11, which is just under .500, and not at all indicative of your real output/opposing factors, given that you'd put forth three self-admitted participation pieces to account for half of those losses. Apart from that, you had three main events to your name (two of which brought out the aforementioned participation efforts, including one at SuperBrawl), a smattering of title shots for your efforts (including an International win over Sam Ahriman), and your losses with effort came at the hands of Kyzer (as Tugarin Zmey), and the pairing of Josh Dean & Drakz. Even setting aside all measurable statistics, you were pretty routinely involved in angles of consequence that anyone looking to dive in fresh would have rightly been envious of, and I think it would be safe to say that your name would easily come up for discussion often enough, were someone to summarize the period of time you ran your primary on the reg.
|
|
|
Post by King Richius on Feb 5, 2019 12:04:06 GMT -5
E-Fedding is indeed dying. And as someone who spent most of my time stuck in the mid tier bubble of too good to be a constant curtain jerker, but not good enough to stand in the main event, I can say the biggest issue for new people is losing. Even if they aren't good enough to really win, why would someone want to stay and lose all the time, and watch the same 2-4 people always win, always be champ, etc? It's hard to stick around in those cases. That's a contributing factor to why I quit, let alone new people I see some of your points and agree. It is daunting to start out in the basement and try to work your way to the penthouse, particularly with writers of the caliber of Drakz or veronicaaaahhhh standing in your path. If someone comes here and wants to be the top dog they're going to have to work for it and also hope for a bad day from the current top dogs. If winning championships is the primary goal of a new writer then they could lose interest in the face of such competition. We can only do so much to help, such as offering constructive advice for improvement and creating the lower/mid card titles so everybody has something to fight for and an accolade to brag about when they do win a belt. There are other e-feds out there where booking for pushes and title runs are predetermined based on participation, quantity, and/or longevity. As CM Poor: DeepFigureValue has noted, these feds can also produce a lot of drek that is simply not fun to read. If I have the pulse of the active members right, that's not a direction people would ever be interested in here. The heart of the WFWF is its competitive aspect. It's not for everybody, I get that. But when we do get a new writer who is up for the challenge, watching them rise up the ranks is its own reward.
|
|
|
Post by ICW on Feb 5, 2019 12:31:41 GMT -5
Former WFWF'er here:
A very similar thing happened to the Fantasy Booking Community. Fantasy Booking was immensely popular in the late 90s (as you can see on book.otherarena.com via the Wayback Machine) and it died around 2006(ish). The community used to be comprised of people who wrote impeccably detailed shows that really captured your imagination.
I've found that there simply isn't an audience for that type of thing anymore. People do not want to write long shows and almost all of them don't read them. That affected me as a writer because, quite frankly, I'm not writing anything that won't get read or reviewed. It's just a different animal now.
I've always thought about returning to WFWF but I'm not sure what the overall structure is anymore.
|
|
|
Post by CM Poor: DeepFigureValue on Feb 5, 2019 12:47:28 GMT -5
Former WFWF'er here: A very similar thing happened to the Fantasy Booking Community. Fantasy Booking was immensely popular in the late 90s (as you can see on book.otherarena.com via the Wayback Machine) and it died around 2006(ish). The community used to be comprised of people who wrote impeccably detailed shows that really captured your imagination. I've found that there simply isn't an audience for that type of thing anymore. People do not want to write long shows and almost all of them don't read them. That affected me as a writer because, quite frankly, I'm not writing anything that won't get read or reviewed. It's just a different animal now. I've always thought about returning to WFWF but I'm not sure what the overall structure is anymore. This, before anything.
|
|
|
Post by ICW on Feb 5, 2019 13:24:13 GMT -5
Former WFWF'er here: A very similar thing happened to the Fantasy Booking Community. Fantasy Booking was immensely popular in the late 90s (as you can see on book.otherarena.com via the Wayback Machine) and it died around 2006(ish). The community used to be comprised of people who wrote impeccably detailed shows that really captured your imagination. I've found that there simply isn't an audience for that type of thing anymore. People do not want to write long shows and almost all of them don't read them. That affected me as a writer because, quite frankly, I'm not writing anything that won't get read or reviewed. It's just a different animal now. I've always thought about returning to WFWF but I'm not sure what the overall structure is anymore. This, before anything. I'd probably still be writing today if the audience existed. It's really a shame.
|
|
|
Post by CM Poor: DeepFigureValue on Feb 5, 2019 13:30:09 GMT -5
I'd probably still be writing today if the audience existed. It's really a shame. Even without an 'audience', it'd be so much less a thorn in my side if the audience that does exist, i.e. the roster here, came forward and, well, existed. There are certainly signs of it letting up here, but just off the top of my head, there are at least two regulars who do what I call the ol' 'dump and run', in that they're nowhere to be found (except in other parts of the board ) when the paddles are needed the most, but they'll still swing through, drop a deadline post, and then they're gone again until it's time re-up, rinse, and repeat. So it's great, in that you've got a warm body to fill out the card, but they don't really offer anything more than that in terms of making this place attractive to someone who might otherwise be on the outside and thinking of taking the plunge.
|
|
|
Post by ICW on Feb 5, 2019 13:47:41 GMT -5
I'd probably still be writing today if the audience existed. It's really a shame. Even without an 'audience', it'd be so much less a thorn in my side if the audience that does exist, i.e. the roster here, came forward and, well, existed. There are certainly signs of it letting up here, but just off the top of my head, there are at least two regulars who do what I call the ol' 'dump and run', in that they're nowhere to be found (except in other parts of the board ) when the paddles are needed the most, but they'll still swing through, drop a deadline post, and then they're gone again until it's time re-up, rinse, and repeat. So it's great, in that you've got a warm body to fill out the card, but they don't really offer anything more than that in terms of making this place attractive to someone who might otherwise be on the outside and thinking of taking the plunge. Right, the community aspect of RPing and Fantasy Booking has completely disappeared.
|
|