It’s been a while since the League of Extraordinary Bloggers had a weekly challenge. After 2+ years of weekly posts, participation in the weekly challenges seemed to be wearing thin and the number of participants started to dwindle. So, what do you think? Do we let it rise from the ashes like a phoenix, or let it die a slow peaceful death?
Personally, I know that my blog postings have slowed as a result of the League going on hiatus, and I truly do miss it. The weekly challenge topic gave me a sufficient kick in the pants to inspire at least one extra post per week. I also miss the camaraderie that each post delivered. Many of us have moved on to other things or had our blogging time diminished as real life stepped in the way, but the fact of the matter is that the League is dependent on its members. If only the same half dozen people participate every week, that tends to be more on the cliquish side rather than the “arms wide open” ideal that the League was built upon — I want 20-30 responses a week, but that may be greedy.
So, rather than me spouting off in a vacuum, let’s open this up for debate. Do we rebuild it and make it better than it was before? Do we stick with weekly topics or make them less often? How can we engage more blogs to participate every week? Do you have any topic ideas that would be fun for the League?
I’m open to ALL ideas and input, so leave your comments below.
I admit, I hadn’t done anything for the last few topics. But I am up for more. I am going to make it a goal to participate at least every other week with the end result of participating every week. And I enjoyed reading everyone’s articles.
Great! Reading the other responses is clearly the highlight for me — but we need more than just a few to make it worthwhile. I’m interested to see what others have to say.
I second that emotion. Every other week.
I enjoy the league assignments and reading the variety of responses. I wonder if making it every two weeks rather than every week would be beneficial?
It’s certainly worth considering. The advantage of doing it weekly is that everyone knows exactly when and where to go for the topic, but maybe it’s too difficult for people to keep up with the rigorous schedule.
I’ve missed it too.
I think doing a topic every 2 weeks is a good idea. I love participating but, life gets in the way sometimes.
Well I just started posting with the League recently, and have really enjoyed having a good push to post, as well as let me learn about a lot of other great blogs I was missing out on. I myself will do my best to post every week or other week whatever it becomes, but maybe having the first poster be the one to decide the next week’s assignment or something along those lines, or maybe the last to drive them to get on to posting to it earlier. But I for one do like the idea and would like to see it continue in some form.
I like that idea! I wonder if it would make people reluctant or more eager to be the first one to put up a post.
I’ll admit I haven’t been the most active in posting League related topics, but I have enjoyed contributing as well as reading what others have written. Plus the weekly format inspired me to start off the year with a post a week to maintain my online presence, even if its just something quick and sketchy. So its been a kick in the seat for my work ethic, yet I can’t promise I can deal every week on a League topic as thing have started heating up in my neck of the woods lately.
Maybe a new topic every other week would lend more time to prepare and think things out.
This idea seems to be fairly popular. 😉
Thanks Erik!
I’ve just been thinking about joining the League as my blog is due to launch over the next few weeks. So I would definitely like to see it start up again and would love to take part. I do of course understand that real life can get in the way so I may too not be able to post every single week 100% of the time but whether it was weekly or every two weeks I would certainly hope to blog as often as I could.
After seeing what you’ve been bringing to twitter and instagram, I can’t wait to see your blog!
Is this what happens when I go away for a few months?
Yes. You broke it.
I actually just discovered “The League” this morning…how can I join and jump in on the posts??
It’s easy! Whenever a topic suits you, write up a post and leave a comment with the link on the topic page. Here’s more info on the League:
https://www.coolandcollected.com/the-league-of-extraordinary-bloggers/
And check out this page to see how things have gone in the past:
https://www.coolandcollected.com/category/league-of-extraordinary-bloggers/
I could never commit to a weekly schedule due to other commitments like my 2 kids, my 2 podcasts oh, and MY JOB. Hell, I’ve been having a hard enough time lately writing up my own blog ideas.
However, I enjoy the League, I enjoy doing the League when I can and I’d hate to see it fade away.
I hear you. Wouldn’t it be nice if we got paid to do this? 😉
Sooooooo… Since I kinda mentioned it first, can I take credit for the every other week thing?
As another suggestion, how about revisiting some of the older topics? Perhaps ones that lend themselves to an update?
I liked that idea that the first one to submit gets to choose the next topic.
You got it! 😉
I’d love to revisit some old topics. We’ve done that a few times in the past and had responses like “I wrote about this topic before, check it out here.” I guess that’s not necessarily a bad thing — some of the topics definitely could be revisited..
I NEEDED a break to be honest. I think putting the League on a hiatus was a good idea, and I’m sure that was your intention all along. In the interim I was trying to get my new blog up and running and had so much going on and so many other commitments that the League wouldn’t have even worked for me. I was also getting severely burned out as the Holidays were closing in, and so let my contributions slip a little.
But I NEED the League! I haven’t even gotten to contribute a League post from Really Rather Random Guy yet! I honestly prefer the weekly format, and point out that most folks can just choose to contribute when they feel they have time. sO if you only want to contribute to the posts on a bi-weekly basis, that’s fine.
But if that seems to hectic maybe another idea could be: New topics are posted bi-weekly. On the off weeks perhaps we could choose an old topic to revisit? That way those of us who have posted a number of posts already could take a break (or even another crack at one we liked in the past). And newer, more eager contributors could level the playing field a bit. Sort of like publishing Uncanny X-Men and X-Men Classic simultaneously.
I think we all needed a break around the holidays. It’s looking like the interest is still thee,so we’ll get you some topics to work on for the new site! 😉
A holiday break every year isn’t a bad idea. It was the perfect storm of everyone having life get in the way. But sounds like we’re all recharged and back.
What about a recruitment topic one week. Get some new blood. Strange Kids Club or Dinosaur Dracula or well there’s 100s.
Would there be any way to have a League site or Twitsr or something that updates any time a League member posts a new article.
Personally, i think every week should be a recruitment topic but I hear what you’re saying. SKC and Dinosaur Dracula would certainly be welcome additions, but they seem to be doing just fine without it! 😉
I’d love to hear any ideas about how to get the word out better when people post their write-ups. The topic page’s comments section takes care of that now, and I try to tweet many of the responses, but there could certainly be other, better options out there.
I too miss the challenges and would be very open to doing them every other week.
Excellent! I’ll hold you to that Mike! 😉
We’ll echo all the “every other week” suggestions. Maybe a prize to the League Blogger of the Month/Quarter or something? Nothing big, like a pack of TOPPS cards or something. Might help to encourage a larger number of participants? Definitely missing the League!
I do like the idea of prizes, and wide a month would be manageable, but how do we decide on a winner? Random drawing? Best response via vote?
Let’s get it up and running again! Every other week is a good idea. I’ve met so many awesome people through joining the League. It would be a shame to have it wither away.
No don’t let it die! It should come back as the holidays are over with.
I hope these topics come back. I appreciate the pop culture topics and while I don ‘t need more things to post about I always look to these ideas to do more research on.
I always enjoyed the League topics but must admit I sort of put the blog on the back burner to work on the youtube channel. My vote would still be to stick with weekly assignments. Maybe instead of having an assortment of stuff to pick from have every other assignment be chosen by a league contributor? Just a thought.
Either I’ve missed recent calls to arms or there hasn’t been one in months?
We can’t let it die, either way! It’s brought a lot of us together and for that reason alone, it must go on somehow. Heck even if you only want to do once a month, as long as we keep on truckin
I’ve been limited to posting sporadically on my own Blog as of late, but I’d love to get back into the League if it were every other week. I miss the spontenaity of writing on different subjects, but I just run out of time on the weekly schedule.
I don’t want to see the League go away! Every other week sounds like a good idea. I would really go for that as I have been swamped with stuff too. I love reading what everyone comes up with. I don’t want to see that end. I hope everyone has been doing well!
Don’t let The League fade! I don’t participate as much as I want ( ok not much at all) but I do love reading them. As you can see I haven’t participated on my own site for quite some time! Busy writing and filming but this 2-week idea seems more than manageable. As far as prizes I’m sure all of us together know of places that would love to sponsor a little prize like Hake’s does.
Hake’s has been an awesome sponsor, and it would be great if we could get a bunch more. I’m open to any sort of prizes and incentives if anyone has any ideas.
I haven’t participated because I usually have a hard time thinking up something for many of the topis posted. I’m also not a toy collector so it could be difficult to come up with something worthy of the community. However, it’d be fun to bring it back, it’s a good way for bloggers to know one another.
You don’t need to be a collector to take part in the League! Sure, many of us are, but if you have a blog that focuses on any nature of pop culture, you can probably figure out a way to respond to the weekly topics. 🙂
I would love to see the League return. It would really give me the kick in the pants to jumpstart my blog and get back to work on it.
I WANT MORE LEAGUE!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring it back!
The League can be made each two weeks, that would give us leaguers more time to post and re-post. Most of the times, I couldn’t post because of traveling, work, some online programming courses I took (now I can code in Python!) or lack of inspiration. Two weeks will give us more time to get inspiration 😀
We need more one word assignments!!
Plus, when I couldn’t participate, I enjoyed reading ALL the posts. I rarely comment, but I always loved every post <3
Plus Plus (this post looks like C++ programming language) I noticed The League gave a lot of sense to my own blog. I was posting on the Traveling Picture Show during almost 8 years and, eventually, I started to ask myself "Why do I keep doing this photo toy stuff? I rarely receive any comment, and most of the time it seems I'm the only one that reads it". The League gave me enough reasons to keep posting. I know there are other people like me that doesn't comment, but love to read and see geeky photos, specially if they come from a country far far away….
I always love your posts, Yelinna!
This discussion has quashed any doubts I may have had. Fear not, the League will return very, very soon. 🙂
That’s what we all wanted to hear! Cheers!
Diez Mil Gracias, Brian!
Ten Thousands Thanks Brian!!
Greetings from a country far far away!!
Fun fact: In the last Indiana Jones movie, there’s a character named “Satipo”: Satipo is a city located in the Amazon Forest Highlands in Perú. Satipo is also the name of the river that passes through Satipo city.
Satipo is also the name of the province where Satipo city is.
I was there in 2006 😀
I am a recent addition to the league and would hate to see it go. I use it like a kick start to get my brain moving in a specific direction. Soooo every other week is cool with me.
I have been so busy with 4 podcasts I’m involved in (Random Nerdness Podcast, Geek Fallout, Geek Fallout: The Comic Book Episodes & Trek1701). My blogging itself has taken a hiatus….but I do love reading the League posts!! Maybe the 2 monthly posts would be just right…
don’t let it die! it’s far to good reading, fortnightly seems like a plan?
After the baby, I’ve had to take a break from everything and focus on him and the full time job search (which I’m still doing) The toy room is now a play room and all my stuff is in storage. I do want to contribute more so I’m up for whatever you guys do. Sorry for a year of slacking.
Babies can do that. 😉
(congratulations, BTW)
I miss the league 🙁
Long live the league……! I’m in.
I too am a newish member of The League and I have loved it! Like everyone else, life has been happening like crazy as I work 2 jobs and search for a new job in between. I would hate to see The League fade into obscurity. The League brought new life to my blog and I still discover new blogs and forge new friendships because of The League. Thank you for that Brian!
Some ideas for The League of Extraordinary Bloggers:
Assignments that are in some way related to the Cool & Collected Magazine. (An opportunity to contribute to the next issue could also be a possible prize!)
With Saint Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, I believe a simple “Green” topic would be perfectly appropriate. Shortly followed be an Easter assignment, of course.
“Top 10s” Leaguers post their top ten favorite toys, trading cards, comics, anything!
I had a reminder set for each monday to check the League page and check out the topic. Every week when there was no topic I was a bit sad.
I’ll mirror the responses that other have said and agree that this is something that should continue. Brian, if you feel that you do not have time each week to put something together perhaps there is a way to “crowdsource” the weekly topics, such as discussion over a Twitter hashtag, or as previously suggested, first person to post gets to choose next week.
I’m super new to all of this community, but I credit the League for allowing me to find and meet all the rad people that suffer from Nostalgia in the same way that I do. It would be a shame to see it all disappear, but at the same time it shouldn’t have to fall on one person to rally the troops. I think by the responses in the comments there is enough interest to keep this going. If you need some volunteers to help keep this alive, count me in and I can lend a hand whether it is design, development, writing, social, eating hot dogs or anything else.