Time to Make Some Changes
Letters from the Editor — By Jordan Green on July 28, 2008 at 10:06 amUPDATE:
Hello Burnside Community,
Jordan is on an artistic retreat this week and so I get to give you all a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening with the “new Burnside”, sometimes called “BWC 2.0″ in the flurry of e-mails exchanged between editors and some our regular contributors.
One of our first tasks has been to come up with a new mission statement. I’ve been impressed by the amount of time and creative energy being poured into crafting the three or four sentences that will serve as a guide for everything we do here at the Writers Collective. Soon we will reveal a next-to-final draft of the mission statement, and we’ll want to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
Jordan mentioned in his previous letter that BWC 2.0 will post new articles and reviews every day. In order to facilitate the increased output we are in the process of recruiting thirty to forty regular contributors. (Submissions from new and occasional writers will still be welcome, of course.) If you know of a writer we should try to recruit won’t you send us an e-mail with their name and e-mail address? If the writer has a blog, send the link or post it below. If you yourself are a writer, read the submission guidelines and send us some of your stuff.
We have already gathered some twenty-or-so editors and contributors to form the “Burnside Think Tank.” In a rush of collaborative enthusiasm we have come up with more than a dozen regular features for the new site. I can’t go into much detail here, but you can bet you’ll see more stuff like this, this, and this.
In addition to the items mentioned above we are forming an advisory board with luminaries from the worlds of marketing, ministry, music, books, and publishing. We are working on a new two-page prospectus to send to advertisers and potential supporters. We have also begun the long, complicated process of determining the status of our little community in the eyes of the government (to wit: non-profit or simply no-profit).
There’s a ton of work to be done and a long way to go. Thanks for traveling with us on the journey. We are going to post regular updates on this page, so check back often in the coming weeks and months. And please keep the feedback coming.
John Pattison
Deputy Editor
ORIGINAL POST
Dear Reader,
Burnside has now been in existence for three years, give or take. It’s gone through a few iterations. We’ve survived on the volunteer work of our editors and relied on a vast network of writers who have never received a dime. And you, our readers, have stuck with us. Thank you a million times over for doing so.
We’ve reached the point where we believe we need to change again. We think these changes need to be big. So our editors have been hurling emails back and forth, discussing ideas, compiling lists of what we’d like to see. It’s time to let you in on those discussions and hear what you have to say. It’s also time to ask for some help.
Here are some of the major changes we’d like to make:
1. Daily Content
As I’m sure you’re aware, ‘weekly’ in the internet age doesn’t cut it anymore. Transitioning to daily output works a variety of angles. It allows us to remain poignant, increases our traffic, improves quality and keeps us in the reader’s conscious. The best sites pull you back every day.
2. New Sections
We’ve often received submissions and we’ve had to respond, “We don’t do that here.” Well, maybe we should do that here. We’ll be adding sections for Fiction, Poetry (possibly linked together) and Comedy.
3. Paying for Content
As I said before, our writers and editors have worked on a largely volunteer basis. Our goal has always been to pay our writers for their work, but that’s easier said than done. We have ideas to bring this about. Part of that will require a negative change: more ad space on each page. We promise we won’t go overboard. We think compensation will improve our articles and the concepts we write about.
4. A New Look
David Allen did a lot of awesome design work on this site for very little money, and his time has been tough to come by. He’s given us his blessing in finding other avenues.
You might’ve culled from the “Link of the Moment” (which hasn’t changed since June 2007) or broken links, or reviews riddled with code, that the site is breaking down. You’d be right. Our current structure is cumbersome and unfriendly. It’s time to change that as well.
We’ve been exploring possibilities, and we’ve got some fantastic options for redesigning the site. The changes above aren’t all we’re planning, but these are the ones we’re telling you about now.
The thing is, and this is where you come in, these options cost money. A significant chunk of money. And considering we have around $4 of disposable income, it’d be wise of us to think creatively about how to bring about these changes.
THREE THINGS WE NEED FROM YOU:
1. Donations
We’re not asking for money right now. But we’d like to get a general idea of how much we could raise. Please visit our Daily Poll on the main page and fill in what, if anything, you’d be willing to donate to help us change. It’ll give us a baseline idea for what kind of assistance we can expect. Please vote only once and please be honest. If you’re not willing to pay at all, that’s perfectly alright.
There are great mission organizations out there that need your money, too, and we wouldn’t want you forgoing your tithe to help us. But we do feel we have an important role in the world.
2. Connections
While we have companies in mind for our site changes, we’d like to hear your suggestions. We want Burnside 2.0 (that’s not an official name) to be a major improvement, but we also want to keep the look and feel of Burnside. If you know of a design company, or a friend of a friend, have them contact us.
3. Suggestions
What do you think would improve Burnside and pull you back day after day? What kind of content would you like? What would you like to see reviewed? What kind of topics do you want thoughts on? While the process can’t be totally democratic, we want to be aware of what we’re missing, and how best to serve our readers and our world. Leave your comments below or drop us a line.
—
We get the feeling we’re on to something here, and it’s time to pursue what this site could be.
Thank you in advance for your thoughts and readership. Seriously. We are overwhelmingly thankful for you.
Sincerely,
Jordan Green
Editor-in-Chief
Burnside Writers Collective
20 Comments
I had no idea you needed content contributions. Now that you mention it, it seems to be clearly obvious and I feel a little silly for missing it before. To whom shall I submit?
Donny,
You can read all our submission information in the Letter TO the Editor on the main page (as opposed to this being the Letter FROM the Editor).
We’re always looking for contributors, but we should point out we don’t actually have any money to pay them yet. That’s what the changes are all about, but paying our writers is still a gleam in our eye at this point.
I think if you had more specific categories for posts you could have bloggers & blog readers submit their own writing or something they read to be “honored” to post on BWC.
Most of us write for free on our own blogs and would love the recognition that would come from that and a hat tip to our blogs. It would increase the readership and awareness of existing bloggers and give you content that is already written, just under-read and not noticed.
I think you’d find in a short time you’d have more content (free content) than you can even edit.
I personally read 100′s of blogs and know many posts that are of a caliber to be cross-posted. A short submission process, a few readers and an “award” of sorts would be enough for most bloggers to gladly allow you to post their best work.
I would like to see The Collective take us into a briar patch of taboo thorny topics and turn things upside down a little bit. Maybe hit us head on with fresh Jesus angles on old religious positions in ways that would make Pat Robertson squirm. Show us the elephant in the room.
I like the idea of adding more content, especially fiction; and for that, bring on the ad space!
However, I don’t think you need to offer pay for contributions if your site remains a credible publishing credit. So long as it doesn’t get really bloggy or lowers its standards, I’m sure pay will make little difference (unless we’re talking about SERIOUS pay).
I know of a couple electronic magazine publications that do an annual “best of” print publication and if the contributors are selected for that, they receive a token payment and a couple copies of the magazine. I think that might help draw in contributors and increase the credibility (because it’s an on-line and in-print publication).
(However, if you do indeed have an oil tycoon/ lottery winner type like your daily poll indicates, please disregard everything I’ve said about not paying contributors. If it’s true, then what I said is just crazy talk!)
Yea for poetry!
I’m thrilled that you are considering adding a category for poetry.
I like the idea of adding more content. Although, the first thing that comes to mind when you say more is organization. I hate going to a site that has anything you can think of to read, but you can’t get through anywhere because the site is so cluster… well you get the idea. All I say is yes to more content, just try to keep it neat.
I think we need less nudity. Dramatically less nudity. So much less nudity that it takes you by surprise, like flinging opening a shower door with your camera ready only to find the person fully clothed. What the? We will say. Oh� I�m sorry. I guess I was expecting nudity. Then, we bring back the nudity with a vengeance. Relentless, unforgiving nudity as far as the eye can see. So much nudity we will fall prostrate, begging for the relentless parade of nudes to stop. But they won�t stop. The nudes with continue on in Nazi lockstep fashion. The demonic sound of millions of nude feet pounding, pounding, pounding, will ring in the deep recesses of our minds, all creating a delirious, maddening state of nude drunkenness normally reserved for my Camryn Manheim dreams. Then, we pull back again. Cold turkey, a barren landscape of no nudity. Poor nudity, we will say. How little we knew thee. Then� more nudity.
Have a “Regionalist” column, featuring a different author every x number of days from a different place in the country. The theme, of course, is well-tailored, slightly acidic, and informative commentary on issues which pertain to their Region/City/Farm/What-have-you.
Regionalist writers who garner kudos get repeats.
I nudely agree with aaron.
It would be nice if ads were avoided. Exposure and attribution keeps most bloggers and internet writers happy. Unless of course this site is somehow generating cash flow from merch sales. Then give a writer a free t-shirt or sticker.
Content. Bolder content, strong opinionated pieces, controversial perspectives like being gay is not a sin or questioning the doctrine of eternal damnation won’t damn you to hell…ya know, the fun stuff of evangelical theology. Though it’s not clear to me who the BWC readership is…? Mostly churched folk under 35y? White guys? Northwesterners? Miller groupies?
I like Anna’s suggestion, regional guest blogger, or journalist. Just American? What about international guest bloggers? That could be very cool. How to attract them? Go read their blogs and comment on them.
These are just the random thoughts from a woman who has stayed up way to late and really must get to bed….all the best as you seek to revamp this zine to connect more effectively with your readers.
Oh yeah, one more thing:
cuss more.
Honestly, I don’t think a lot of the idea’s about controversial topics is
really the direction BWC needs to (nor wants to) go.
First off, there are those who like to debate controversial topics till its
buried about 50 feet deeper than they already are. It is full of over
talked subjects when really if you look on the outside of it, its boring.
Its useless, and if they really knew what they were saying they would stop.
What I mean by that is, most people debate a topic for themselves, not the
topic. People want themselves to be right, whether or not their points are
right. Its a “Tool of Validation.” People will use anything and everything
to be made valid among the eyes of others(and/or themselves.) We judge
people now a days on the basis of weather they are Pro-Life, or Choice, for
Gays, or Against, for God, or Godless.
I think BWC should stick to the topics that level headed, well centered,
self-aware people will read and enjoy. BWC I don’t think is for those who
gander and are drawn to all those crappy tabloids lining the checkout
isles, and who have a stack full of them next to their toilets at home. I
don’t really see BWC being the next “JESUS” STAR Magazine.
BWC should, I think, contain alot of inspirational writings that leaves
people wanting more(Good for Ad Revenues), that helps them improve their
lives, and expands their minds. And topics that open the publics eyes to
foreign tragities, life outside of the U.S.
I’m guessing BWC (the WC meaning Writers Collective) gives the idea that
its Topics are from a Collection of Writers. Keeping that theme I think is
vitaly important to its success.
Good ideas, Steven. I think you’re right on track.
(Sorry I accidentally deleted this comment the first time around. I accidentally selected it while I was deleting a batch of spam comments. Thanks for reposting.)
http://www.mindinprint.com
I agree with the comments regarding regional/international writers. As a reader that I would guess is not a part of your core demographic (white, 30′s, Pacific Northwesterner-maybe I’m wrong), it would be nice to see the site mix it up a bit. I may be off-base here so forgive my ignorance as one whose knowledge of Burnside is relatively new, but when racial reconciliation month features few or no articles by people of color it seems that misses the mark. You can add a dozen different features and bring attention to wells in Africa, but I really think growth for Burnside will come from seeking different perspectives through a concerted effort to seek diversity in your contributors. Then your work will resonate with more people.
List segments (weekly?) are always good for discussion and intellectual debate.
Top Tens…
Worst Ever…
Best of…
Favorite…
The category options are endless (sports teams, athletes, musicians, books, movies, albums, websites, cars, etc.), and it usually applies to
a mass audience…
Possible contributor:
http://www.randyelrod.typepad.com/
His blog is alot of pulled in peices, but when he writes…yowza.
Hey I know that you all are hesitant to have ads run on your site, but I linked to the ad of The Twenty Piece Shuffle and I want to thank you. If it werent for your ad I dont know if I would be struggling through this book. So thanks for advertising quality stuff. I guess I should also let them know that it was money well spent!
I’m drafting a piece with you all in mind; if you’re interested, my blog will give you an idea of my style and abilities.
http://www.flashpointe.blogspot.com
Cheers.
Graham
if you’re looking for links to blogs, mine is available –
http://hislily12.blogspot.com
if you’re looking for web design people, i have a friend who does really legit web design work, but he started his own company and works for himself. i wasn’t sure if that was applicable?