During the first six months of Lobo Luna’s existence as a writing community, the activity was constant. New members were joining and introducing themselves. I was busy finding moderators that would support my goals for the community. I worked on new content for members to discuss. Members talked about what they wanted from the community and what they felt they could offer.
The community was founded with sharing the love in mind. I’d been following the writing business, a few authors, and four small presses for years while I finished up my degree in accounting. I wanted to write but felt I didn’t have the time. Instead, I spent any free time I had getting to know some talented writers and editors. I got involved in promoting their work. I encouraged them at every opportunity. I did this because they were so involved with bringing up the new writers. I was one or at least fancied that I would be in time.
By the time my college career drew to a close, I knew that I wanted to establish a community that would connect experienced writers with new ones. I wanted to share what I had learned and encouraged other members to do the same. I was also able to empathize with those just starting out. I could pin point things that they might need to learn to help them. Our more experienced members offered anecdotes about their career paths and the struggles they still faced. Story placements were lauded. Interviews were conducted. Reviews were posted. The critique for short stories never really got off the ground, but poetry, while unexpected, flourished on Freewrite Fridays.
The community opened its virtual doors in June of 2008, the day after my last class. By fall of the same year, workshops in the community lost participation. The prompt activities were not drawing the crowd they once had. There was less discussion in comments on posts. The crickets had come to Lobo Luna.
As a new moderator and new writer, I panicked. I was concerned that I wasn’t doing enough to meet the needs of the members. I took the responsibility very seriously. I would post an entry asking what could be done to return the community to its previous fervor. Traffic would increase for a few months and then fall away again. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
When the writing community turned one, there was a surge in membership and activity. I mentioned to the members that I was intent on making the community work for them. In discussions with them about the crickets, a couple of the oldest members mentioned something very important, “It is a writing community. If we are quiet, if the crickets are singing, that’s a good thing. Hopefully, it means we are writing.”
That lesson really hit home for me. So much of what I do in my writing life is filler for what I should be doing, writing. The community is still active. I post when I have something to say. I try to remember to post when I learn something new about my writing. I hope what I am learning helps others. I just want to encourage them to keep trying. I do find myself less involved with my usual internet activities; I’ve grown quiet as I strive to write. This year is all about words on the page. I welcome the crickets. I am grateful for them.
The day after my last class, I opened Lobo Luna.
M.G. Ellington lives in Greensboro, NC with her family. By day, she crunches numbers. By night, she plays with words. She is also the founding moderator of Lobo Luna, a writing community, and Long & Short of Fic – Reviews, a fiction review community, on LiveJournal.com.
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Faith. So much of our reality is determined by what we believe, and it can so easily be... undone. 
I’m a member of a couple of writing forums that go through similar clouds of activity and quiet. You just have to accept the flux, I think.
Hi Rachel,
You are absolutely right. There is a distinct ebb and flow. You can’t force it. The same is true in many aspects of my life. I just tend to try swimming up river too often for my own good.
MG
Great job on the post!
I hope you do well with these and look forward to reading more.
I hadn’t thought about it, but yes, the fluctuations might be a good sign. If all the posts about writing gear readers up to actually start up a new story or poem, then the community is working. And when the writing is complete, they have a place to return to in order to rejuvenate and catch another spark and share what they’ve done. It’s nice if the community is kept open and easy, I guess. It allows people to have their hectic lives and still find that good haven for writing.
Thanks for providing the community!
When I first noticed an ebb, after coming online, at some of the places that had previously been active, I was really distressed and sad–I think I feared the whole online world would disappear on me. But then I realized it was like Rachel, above, said–that there’d be an ebb and flow.
With something like a writing community, I think people go through stages of growth and types of involvement–probably most active at first, then becoming less active (though still interested) as they start focusing more energy on the writing part. But if new members keep on coming along, and if some of the long-time members spend time with the new members, I bet your community will continue to flourish.
Thanks for this essay!
A.R. – Thank you so much! Thank you for being such an active part of our community.
Patricia – It actually took me a while to catch on. We have a great cycle going there. One of the reasons we tried to structure the community like we did was to enable writers of different experience levels to encourage and support each other. The crickets are a sign that it’s working.
Asakiyume – A.R. in the comments above is a great example of someone that still spends quite a bit of time with new members and just throwing in content as needed. We have other members like that too. The crickets mever chirp too long. For each of us, we have times when we can really focus on the writing. If we can, we should. When we surface, the community embraces us. Thanks for checking this post out.
So if it goes quiet when everyone’s writing, does that mean that not writing isn’t cricket?
Everything does go in cycles, as others have noted. Also, anything NEW tends to have a few months of a “honeymoon” period where there’s lots of activity, then it dies down as the newness wears off and something else attracts the attention of the more distract — OOOH, SHINY! SQUIRREL!
A community that grows past a certain point can maintain or grow itself especially if it has some … how do I put it… positive feedback for the participants beyond the simple conversation. That is, a feeling of accomplishing something, getting access to stuff that otherwise wouldn’t be available, etc.
Ryk – so far, if they aren’t writing, they aren’t telling. No, our other responsbilities often get in the way. For instance, I have a large family and a day job that does not involve my writing. Somethings things are hectic on that front. Yet, we seldom bring that stuff the the writing community to discuss. It is nice to know they think I am writing. I might rather be writing depending on what is keeping me from it. We did manage to cycle out of the “honeymoon” phase at Lobo. Yet, we wind up with fresh members often enough to be revitalized. That is one of the things I enjoy about it. Also, when anyone posts many members often try to comment. It is a very good group. Thanks for reading the post here.
Although the Internet is a very real place for many people, when it comes to writers, especially working writers, it is forgotten when the muse is whispering in the ear and the fingers are busy. It’s difficult to get everything in when the muse is calling. All you can do is check in from time to time, keep up the lines of communication and get busy with your own writing. In other words, nothing everyone else here hasn’t said. Crickets are good, but that’s not to say that not hearing the crickets is bad. Keep doing what you’re doing and everything else will sort out.
Great post, MG! I’ve been a cricket because of the little one, but I hope to get that machine cranked up soon.
I think it’s sometimes a good thing to have that ebb rather than a constant flow…I’d rather read occasional entries that were meaningful and insightful than several more entries that were just “writing for the sake of writing”, you know? So I completely agree that “posting when you have something to say” is the best way to go.
It seems to me that every online community in which I participate has an ebb and flow. Sometimes those cycles can be measured in weeks, sometimes months. Just when I think something is DOA, activity begins again.
If we could pin down our muses, would they still thrive?
Funny, I just posted something similar in the western writing community I moderate:
http://community.livejournal.com/western_writers/
I think you’re overall take is correct, however, there is an ebb and flow, a busy time and quiet times that communities go through.
I really liked this essay, it was thought provoking and well written. Thanks for sharing! :)
As a proud member of Lobo Luna, I’m glad you started the community :)
J.M. – It’s difficult to get everything in when the muse is calling. All you can do is check in from time to time, keep up the lines of communication and get busy with your own writing.
This is very well said and one of the things I often struggle with, balance.
Chris – What I stumbled upon this morning on your website looks exciting. I can’t wait for you to get back to the machine. Your darling baby is a very good reason to be a cricket, though.
Danae – That is the point I’ve reached. I try to focus more on content than frequency. It has helped quite a bit.
Ruth – You make an excellent point. My muse is not into being pinned down, unfortunately for both of us at times.
Mark, you and I often think on similar levels. You are one of the people I discussed our crickets with in the past. Thank you for your insight. Thanks for taking a look at the blog entry. Ya’ll come back next month, ya hear! Ok I couldn’t resist.
Jon – I’m glad you joined. You write a mean blog yourself. What you bring to our community is always helpful and encouraging. I appreciate what you do for us.
Hi MG,
Congratulations on the guest blog. Apex is a great place, and there are good people working here.
Over the years, I’ve also seen the ebb and flow of online (and in person) writing groups. I think it’s a natural process, and your approach is probably the best one: let it breathe at its own pace.
Hi Stace, I’ve gotten to know a few of them over the years here at Apex. It feels great to have something here.
Letting it breathe is the best thing, yes. Thank you for coming here and reading my post. It means a great deal to me. I hope you will check out the other bloggers here. I will be back the first Tuesday of next month.
Great post!
I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I’ve been busy churning out words lately. We may be a quiet community but I think our community is quite good. I think we’ve developed some good friendships out of Lobo Luna, I know I have.
Like Jon, I’m glad you asked me to be a part of the community. I’ve enjoyed every minute — when I’ve had minutes to spare, of course :)
“I’ve grown quiet as I strive to write.” I think that’s important and for me the crux of the message. This was a great read and I do need to learn how to embrace (and be grateful for) the crickets. :)
I love getting anything that helps me keep my own crickets at bay. So, every post and bit of advice is appreciated, whenever it may come.
Hi T.J.,
Thanks for reading the post. You have been selling stories like crazy! I am so happy that you are getting words on page. We do have a good, solid community. You’ve been instrumental in keeping it that way. I am grateful for the work you’ve done as a fellow mod squad member. I agree we’ve developed some strong friendships. For that alone, it has all been worth it.
Suzy, we’ve been friends a very long time. You know what a big deal it is for me to shut up and write. There would be no Lobo_Luna without you. Thank you for that, for reading this post, for posting a link, and for everything else you do for me. You just make sure and continue writing your poems. Those prompts have made a real difference for me and others. Your poems though, they will be with me always.
Hi JW,
Thanks for reading this post. Thanks for your encouragement. That always helps keep me going!