WiserEarth Editors

Hello everyone,

Thank you all who came to Sausalito yesterday and for those thinking of us from afar :)

One of the topics that emerged in the meeting was the question, are we expecting too much from an editor? This relates to the requirements, which are:

• Have been a WiserEarth community member for at least three months.
• Regularly participate in adding/editing/commenting/rating content, in discussions and in groups.
• Completed profile page and provide a real photo somewhere in it (doesn't have to be the avatar image but preferably so).
• Show a good understanding of WiserEarth's mission, guidelines and tools.
• Should be willing to spend at least an hour a week or four hours a month committing to at least one editor role.

Do we lower the bar? If so, how far? And what would differentiate members from editors in terms of commitment and passion to grow the site and community?

If we keep the requirements as is, do we need to create a new class of members called 'volunteers' perhaps? We could think of creating a group called WiserEarth volunteers, where any member can apply to join and help with tasks to improve the site on an ad-hoc basis. Then if they decide to step up their commitment, they can apply to be an editor.

What do you think?

Many thanks,

~Bowo

I like the idea of WE volunteers too -- people who might help in certain areas, but not have all of the editor/facilitator roles.  But, I think we should come up with a more creative term than volunteer.

Here are some ideas -

WiserEXpert

WiserWizard

WiserEarth Patron

WiserEarth Specialist

Others?

First I want to say how deeply grateful I am to have joined WE and you.

From my personal experience, when I considered becoming an editor, the major hesitance I had was first of all my sense of incompetence with my English grammar and bad spelling... :) Another, general, factor in my hesitation was that I could not find a clear indication of what I aught to be doing as an editor beyond what I was doing already. (That factor still remains today)

[[I had fantasized that once I'd become one, the whole WE structure would suddenly open up to me and I'll see thousands of people flooding my screen, people joining WE, joining groups etc. etc. I did not imagine my very first epiphany to be the unveiling of suppressed spam comments everywhere... :) ]]

I am sure there are many people on WiserEarth, perhaps even hundreds, who do indeed fit the bar and much more, at least potentially, but hesitate to put themselves forward lest they'd be rejected. Perhaps they prefer to wait to be asked because they're not sure for some reason or other whether they qualify, or, if you have an Englishman/woman 'syndrome' you never put yourself forwards - full stop.

Many of us are linked with quite a few intelligent, passionately engaged WE members. May I suggest we could either ask people directly if they wish to be nominated, or, propose among ourselves people to be considered and agreed upon prior to their nomination. This way their nomination would be already secured by WEditor's endorsement - thus they won't have to suffer the agony of waiting or saving face. Needless to say that all forms of nominations (including self-nominated/elected volunteers) need not be mutually exclusive.

To me, this is really very simple and easy. Very quick! I have no doubt that this direct way of approaching people, with the whole contemplative process involved, will be extremely fun to all engaged and effective in result. A nomination and consequently an editor 'status', could bring about a lot of happiness to many people who will consider it an honor, a privilege, a prize... but above all and ultimately it could give them a stronger leaver to do whatever they do more effectively.