team_nag - Profile (original) (raw)

This is a community for people who are bursting with creative ideas but have productivity issues due to phenomenal laziness, an unfulfilled need for feedback during the creative process, or simply the running-in-circles-and-screaming that tends to come with not knowing how to extract a universe from between the ears.

What we do: We'll try to meet up for group chats roughly once a week, where each person gets to speak their piece about what's giving them problems at the time. It's like Alcoholics Anonymous or Remaining Men Together except that it's far less morbid and infinitely more fun. In addition to seeking advice, members are welcome to simply talk about what productivity-boosting methods are working for them and to brag about how stunningly keen their latest ideas are. I think that 90% of artists, especially those of us who struggle with productivity, could really use an outlet for creative enthusiasm. NO SHAME IS ALLOWED. Nobody has to feel self-conscious about dominating meetings with their ideas or needs. This is to be as informal as your fourth birthday party, are we clear?

How we do it: This account will be the hub where meeting times, dates, cancellations, re-schedulings, etc. are posted. Ideally we'll get together weekly for a live AIM or MSN chat, but if this turns out to be difficult for anyone you are still welcome to post in the community with your questions, brainstorming, etc. If the turnout is huge or snowballs to the point of hugeness then we'll probably need to break off into different groups, and that is just fine. We want everybody to benefit from this and here at NAG we fly by the collective seats of our pants.

THE NAG MEETING RULES

If you want to be a part of NAG:

You need to be serious about your creative project/s.
This doesn't mean that you have to be pursuing art or writing professionally, but unless you honestly aspire to improve and start accomplishing more, there is no point to joining NAG. You join this community ultimately to help YOURSELF, not to hang out with the cool kids ('cause we're all cool kids here).

It's okay to have motivation issues!
This is why you joined NAG, isn't it? Just remember that we're about overcoming these issues and you should be making a serious effort!

Order in the court

Each person gets a starting turn of twenty minutes.
This will be tailored individually based on each person's needs that week and the number of people present. If we have so many people that it stacks up to too much time, we'll break into different groups.

Turn order is determined by a) who has to leave soonest and b) who feels they need the most help.
In the freak event that we're all nothing but time, we can go based on alphabetical order. The coordinator, after a respected tradition of two whole weeks, goes last.

Coordinators will record each person's goals in a post following the meeting.
In the event a coordinator has to leave before the meeting is over, they can turn the aforementioned duties over to a replacement. If nobody can take over, the chat log will be saved and we can continue from the LJ hub.

Courtesy

Respect other peoples' turns by staying on-topic.
It's okay to use your experiences (your own work, movies you've seen, books you've read etc.) as examples to help others, but don't let the conversation be diverted from their work.

It's okay to remain silent if you can't think of anything to say.
We honestly won't forget that you exist or think less of you just because you're not being a fountain of advice! I recommend listening in on everybody's turn because almost everything that is said can probably be applied to your own projects.

Avoid spamming.
We won't kill you for tossing out the occasional emoticon or silly remark, but don't let it get to the point where it slows our progress and distracts from the subject at hand.

Take personal conversations and off-topic chatter to private messages.
This includes expanding on your ideas to someone who wants to know more, talking about impertinent TV shows, and filling newcomers in on what they've missed.

Refer to the member directory when you don't recognize somebody or one of their projects.
(Instead of spending time on drawn-out introductions in the chat.)

Be mindful of others' feelings.
Do not use unnecessarily blunt or insulting language when reviewing/critiquing others' work! Never forget that we all love our projects and are sensitive about them.

Critique is not to be taken personally.
Advice is meant to help you bring your ideas to life! When somebody tells you that something isn't working as-is, it is NOT meant as a slight on your personal character or worth.

REMEMBER THAT NONE OF US HERE AT NAG ARE PROFFESSIONALS, and our advice is to be taken for what it is.

And now the most important rule of NAG: At no time and under no circumstances is guilt permitted.
Ever ever. Because we're all awesome.

Who are you, crazyperson? I'm dumpysaurus and I am y'all's friend. I am by no means the evil dictator of this monster; it is to be community-run. Do not await my approval on anything, kiddos.

A final note: The name and logo of this beast is a deliberate spoof of The Mohawk Assassin's Guild, which you all really ought to check out.