Using G+ effectively

[Tim C Koppang]

And bluntly, no one uses forums.

Caveats aside, I agree, which is part of my point/complaint. I don't want to sound like I'm merely whining about how things were better in the old days, but in some ways they were. The problem is that social media sites are a dime a dozen these days and people only have so much time to commit to online activity. Social media is also easier, in that it takes much less effort and is all (if you want it to be) self-directed, meaning you don't have to conform to any forum rules, etc.

The end effect is that you can post in detail if you want, but there is a drive towards the bottom. Quick fly-bys gather more +1s, and are just as easily dismissed in the flow of information. That's not to say there isn't long-form content out worthy of consideration, but I don't think social media in its current form is very good at corralling it. I get more value out of the weekly Story Games email (which is actually pretty good!) than I do a week's worth of scrolling through posts on G+.

I don't want to necessarily blow up G+, but I do think that it's much more of a crap-shoot subject to social gamesmanship and emotional whims (i.e., Usenet). For me, that's a personality clash that I have a tough time reconciling with the way I like to spend my time.

[Tim C Koppang]

Dan, your experience sounds familiar. G+ gives the impression of control and curation when in fact it is just like any other general audience broadcast tool -- complete with all the advantages and disadvantages of such a platform. As they layered on more features, its identity crisis only deepened.

[glandis]

I sadly have nothing to add on using G+ effectively - my observations all tend to the "too ephemeral/unsuited to how I'd want to use it." The truth is, I feel at least a little "wrong" every time I try to post there. Finding a way to drive further connectivity (of ... forums? Something else?) WITH Social Media without being subsumed BY Social Media is the only path forward that looks exciting to me.

But I want to second that the Story Games newsletter is often useful. Might a forum (or something else) that specifically discusses what the newsletter points at leverage the value?

[Ron Edwards]

I think you nailed it, Dan. I tried a community or two as well, not successfully. The only really successful one I've seen or been in is Kicksnarker.

[Steve Hickey]

Just wanted to add that I've continued my read-through of Circle of Hands in another G+ thread: https://plus.google.com/116717584408386390013/posts/9R8cnC4Hmww

This one should be publically-viewable.