Hiding Under the Bed

Final Writeup for Mr. E's Monsterous Monster Wiki Project

About eight weeks ago, knowing that a project was coming up for my wiki and weblog class, and also having just learned about the awesomeness of wikis, I embarked on a daring and dangerous project of cataloging the monsters of Mr. E's imagination and putting them into an online encyclopedia.

The dangerous monsters nipped at my fingers and crashed my phone's camera, but I claimed success after the initial cataloging of 26 of these monsters, and prepared plans for a further expedition. Expedition and cataloging plans.

Over the last 6 weeks of hacking through jungles of paperwork, crossing rivers of maple syrup, and peering around mountains of pancakes, we captured and cataloged 55 different species of monsters.

The key components of success were listed as:

• 2-4 pages added to the wiki each week. That would be 24 pages for 6 weeks. We got 61!👍👍
• Pages on dyslexia and social media and dyslexia. 👍
• Wiki is well organized, with an index. 👍
• Wiki should have several contributors. (with the aid of pumpkin cookies, I did bribe someone onto the wiki, who fixed a spelling error) 👀
• Share on social media 1/week in an attempt at marketing. We got about 5 social media posts and 40 followers. I also blogged about online marketing for Mr. E. 👍
• Weekly reports (available below) 👍
• Readings that helped me to write and understand more about wikis 👍

Overall, the expedition into monstrous territory was a success, but getting other to tread where angels dare not is a challenge. There are a lot of people interested in and enjoying the humor and creativity of the monsters as cataloged, but few are brave enough to peer underneath their beds with their cameras ready, although at the wiki we welcome all contributions.

Mr. E became impatient with me, while he was creating and I was writing my seminar paper so that he began to take matters into his own hands and started taking pictures of the creatures himself. He did all the sock monster photography. I gave him a few tips on needing full light and a flat camera angle. But this excited me. He was participating in the wiki!!! Now, to see if we can move to the next step (someday).

When writing on the wiki I tried to keep it "wiki wiki," as quick is the nature of most internet surfing. For more or deeper information I linked to my sources. I  was amazed at just how much research goes into a good summary or introduction of a topic or new idea. Like, any good technical writing: the clearer and shorter the better.

Things I would change if I were to plan the expedition again: 

• I would look a little longer at wiki hosting sites before choosing one. But this one does have the largest 2 features I was looking for. (free! and easy to use) The downside is the side ads.
• I would set up a scanner to scan all monsters that come to light in 2-D, for higher quality resolution and better lighting.
• I would be more consistent on my marketing efforts. Having something worth posting every week is a challenge. Mr. E does not create monsters according to anybody's calendar.
• Bring more people with me, and more equipment (like cameras that don't crash every time they see a sharp claw)

What I like best about this whole project is that it does not end with the class (I can not deny it started with the class, though), the project is designed to continue indefinitely on the web, adding to that great curiosity cabinet of all real and imaginary things.

I have really learned to value the web for the voices it gives people. No longer do we need to interest a publisher to be heard, or have money behind us, we have the internet. And the internet has search engines that catalog and list the things they find even in the farthest corners. I don't like to brag, but my most viewed web post over the last 15 years has been the one discussing, in medical terms the impending birth of a 5th child and what that means for labor, that post has had over 500 visitors. The second most is a short post on universal health care and taxes, about 300 visitors. It excites me to be found as much as it excites me to find. We have a voice even if we refuse to pay for marketing.

And speaking of voice, (this connects into my lit project, which is focusing on women writers.) The web has given women a voice, who for centuries were silenced by the concepts of not needing education to bear children. Women came forward and blogged things that were specific to women, and often culturally taboo and connected with other women who have been in the same boat. Women's issues have been left out of literature for hundreds of years, But, it is precisely that it is left out that is so fascinating. There is a long history of not talking about the biological aspects of being a woman, for men either find it gross or uninteresting, or as my husband says "both." That is why we buy books on puberty for our girls, as it is not discussed in polite society: in case a man might overhear. At least today, the internet has helped bridge the gap. We have women willing to post pictures of miscarriage or early birth, husbands willing to show how their wife looks in the net panties after birth, no end of blog posts on pregnancy or those who are hoping to conceive. The internet marketing on period panties actually brings the word out of whispered obscurity and into our Facebook feeds.That is power, that is connection. Not only does it link us to the world, but most importantly to each other.

Weekly Refelction on Final Project week 5?

Yup, The wiki project is still going on. However, I agree with Bonnie, why can't school just be over yet?

Breathe, only 2 more weeks. You can do this.

Yes. I finished all my readings, played wiki fairy and fixed little details on the beast. And then added more monsters, because Mr. E just keeps making Monsters. I peered into his room this morning and what did I see?

A whole heck-a-lot of monsters waiting for me.

I haven't yet got Mr. E on his own wiki. I have barely been in the same room as him all week. So I managed the pics, the uploads and the new pages on some of these babies, but not with much input from their creator, as Dad was taking him to a movie. Maybe a chance tomorrow evening?

I also managed to put this pic on our Facebook page, inviting people, once again to that great wiki.

The readings I did this week did not provide further insight, but in some ways supported the written work on the wiki on dyslexia and wikis.

Weekly Reflection on Final Project #2

Wiki grew by 2 whole pages this week. One of the pages was a step up in design than the others. It not only is a monster but shows a monster society in evolution, so it has section headings and a picture for each section.Some may argue that is too much info for one simple wiki page, and I am considering it, but as of yet, we di not have enough info to break it into a page for each section.  I am not thrilled with the layout for the pictures, perhaps that needs more work. See for yourself: http://mr-es-monsterous-monsters.wikia.com/wiki/GoblinMouth

I also worked on the readings. Marketing got its own post (see below) and by the time I was done with it, I felt thoroughly chastised as to how well I was not doing with it, especially in the continuity needed for a good marketing campaign. Luckily, I am not trying to make a living off of it.

I've dabbled in the readings for dyslexia, but only got through the first 2. I'm am just going to have to jump in and make an "about dyslexia" page on that wiki and add to it as I can.

The Facebook post went well this week. It was well received and shared. We reached a whole 17 people from the post on Mr. E's page, and another (or some of the same) 11 people from my personal page with that post.

Bonnie responded to last week's reflection and I invited her boys to add to Mr. E's Monsterous Wiki. I hope they do. (hint, hint). It would be greatly appreciated to have others enjoying the wiki too.

Discussion of Marketing Tactics and How it Relates to Mr. E's Monsters

Marketing something on the internet, according to www.entrepreneur.com, should add "add value rather than clutter to their lives." It should also be very focused. Focused is doable. Monster Art is Mr. E is nicely focused. But how does it add value it people's busy and hectic lives? I mean if I'm perusing Facebook (the main focus of the Monstrous Art marketing) what stops my scroll? Cute things. Funny things, or things that are not about Trump. I know I am going off topic here, but Facebook is more cheery when politics is not 90% of it. . . so things that make me laugh or kick in those cuteness hormones. Monsters are cute? Maybe they're funny?

The whole purpose of the monstrous art is to be a diversion. So how do I go about diverting people's attention from political posts? I feel if I continue on this train of thought I will go back to cuteness. Some of the monsters trade on cuteness...like this one.

Quality gets people to share it and discuss it. What is quality in cuteness or funniness? How do I get someone to like it enough to share it? Always make it funny or cute? The post I made about the Pancake Eating Hippo, was cute, not just the monster but the reaction to it by cute little boys. Between the cuteness of the pancakes and faces of the boys, it did gather more likes and responses and shares than any other monster posts up to that point. 

Plan for it to take time and grow bit by bit. Marketing involves patience? you mean it's not instant? Being that there is nothing beyond time and energy involved in this adventure at this time, the monsters have learned to wait. Mister E's mommy just doesn't have enough time to do it all right now. She made some excuse about being a grad student.

Connecting with influential people/groups can introduce you to a whole new group of people. Good ideas. I wonder who Mister E should connect with?

Build relationships with everyone that reaches out to you. Oh oh, this is beginning to sound a little bit like work. Respond to people? Maybe even in a timely manner. I have ignored my brother when he reached out to talk about picture quality. Since then I figured out how to crop and relight pictures on my phone before uploading them onto the net. I still haven't responded.

Consistently publish good content. I think this harkens back to the concept of better photographs. And making the posts worth stopping for. But what about that word "Consistently"? That goes back to the idea of trying to get new content on Facebook every week. So far I have managed every 2-3 weeks, probably not enough.

Share as you want to be shared. Think I could get my Sister-in-law to share my posts if I share hers? Maybe I could even make a deal of it. And perhaps even expand to other's . . . 
Sigh, marketing sounds like a little work, all the time.

Weekly Relection for Final Project #1

Monster Wiki is up and running. Good news. I have made/set up an awesome wiki. Once I learned the new system it became a breeze to load up pictures and put introductions on each monster. We have 46 pages on the wiki. The most work went into the Index, which is a great place to get an overview of what is currently on the wiki. I am not a programmer, so I am not sure how to make the index to build its self... so it will probably continue to be done manually.

To be honest I did not do all 46 pages of the wiki this week. I started several weeks ago, hoping it would work as this project, but knowing it would be worthwhile effort even if it did not. The additional pages of monsters that I thought might take longer, went up quickly with my son's drawing and input all week. These are fun because they create a connected reading and linking throughout that section of the wiki. I hope to introduce more of this interlinking between monsters. The Squawkapus is a good one to start this bit of interlinking tour on.

Moving forward, my largest obstacle will be to get the reading done and written about. The other large stepping stone is drawing people to it. The Facebook page and posts have drawn more interest on average each week. We get a few new views every day or two. Each post we make we invite viewers to the wiki, but so far the wiki has remained mostly viewerless, not to mention without other participants. I have a backup plan of offering pumpkin cookies to my father to add things to the wiki, but first I will see if there are less obvious-bribing ways to draw participants.

Power of Re-vision

The first pass at notes on wikis I made were very similar to my blog posts- personal viewpoints with lots of quotes and material taken from my sources, but as I read up on how to write wikis, I had lots of revising to do.

And that ability to easily revise is what really helps give wikis power, not only is there a process to get better, but is it about as quick and painless as those processes can be.

Re-vision suggests seeing again, perhaps through another lens or from another point. Wikis not only allow our personal re-visioning processes but also allows collaborative processes. The power of collaboration is in essence what wikis are all about.

Now, I like google docs for collaborating in formats like a word processor or a spreadsheet, but wiki formats are for quickness and are always works-in-progress.

For general information on the real wikis work really well- whether a wiki on the local party scene or something as massive as Wikipedia. I am debating of the usefulness of wikis for my son's Monsterous Monsters. There a wiki would collaborate to create information on each monster and how it works within the Monsterous ecosystem. He is always creating new monsters and I think a collaborative work environment would make it fun to create monstrous puns and ideas with other creative people. A wiki full of imagination.