What is required to become a mod here? Do you have to take a test? I know that some forums have an age requirement too.
We don't have any formal requirements, so to speak, but there are some general ones. One needs to have been with the forum for some appreciable amount of time to indicate stick-to-it-ivness. One needs to have the time to actually be here to perform the duties. We look for even, level headed temperament. A history of infractions is not going to go in one's favor in the quest for mod-hood. A readiness to deal with and engage situations, not tip-toe or pussy-foot around them. We also like to try and have global coverage. Minstrel is West Coast U.S.A and I am Atlantic Seaboard, so that covers the Americas and the better part of Euro-forum time. We already have plans in the works for European coverage. We would love to have someone representing the India to Oceania area, though recent conversations with members from Oz lets me know that since they are almost a perfect 12 hours different from the U.S.A. they simply hang out with the Yanks during peak U.S.A. hours, their morning is our evening and vice versa.
Number one requirement: patience. And this is measured through observation by existing staff over time. It also is a reason mods are never chosen from new folks. It takes time to see who will deal well with pressure and aggravation.
I agree with @Wreybies and @Cogito, both of whom have more experience in the position than I do (yet). I especially want to echo Wreybies' point that it's good to have moderators in different time zones, so that the forum can be moderated 24/7 as much as is possible. And as Cogito says, it requires patience. And the ability to sometimes infract members we regard as friends. It's a bit like learning to swim by being dropped in the deep end.
Also, you must accept and make peace with the following: Make all of the people happy all of the time = Impossible Make all of the people happy some of the time = Miraculous Make some of the people happy all of the time = Easy to do, but it means you've alienated every one else. Make most of the people happy most of the time = COMPLETE SUCCESS. Make some of the people happy some of the time = Not a FAIL, but keep at it.
And you mods have either achieved "COMPLETE SUCCESS" or "Impossible". You're lucky, though, as most of us are agreeable and laid-back. I've seen forums where people were literally polling "Should this mod lose her job?" and trolls popped up every day.
Well, I thank you for that, sunshine. We try our best. It's not easy to find a middle ground, especially when there is disagreement over what that ground even is. Some people see things through the lens of political leanings, others are tuned into feminism v. misogynism, others see everything through a religion v. atheism lens, etc. The list of lenses goes on and on. You already know what my lens is. Venue. And the venue here is Writing. But the truth is, the VAST majority of the forum is here for the Venue. They use the forum for its intended purpose, which is perfect and excellent. When I really get to know members it's almost always because they stand out, on one end of the spectrum or the other.
"Sunshine"! That's another good nickname that I earned via this forum. So many lenses. Not even on an external ground, on an internal ground. Optimism vs pessimistic, trust (trustism?) vs. distrust, etc. and surprisingly I have more trouble with that then I do with anything having to do with politics or religion. What is a venue? That's true. Very true. We're a good bunch.
This is why mods are not elected by popular vote. If that were the case, we'd have new mods every day or two. And everybody would wind up pissed off at everybody. (Not that the current system is a guarantee against that ...)
That word can have a couple of related meanings. It can mean simply a location or a path for something, as in "Starbucks is a great venue in which to sell coffee mugs" or it can mean, in a less concrete way, purpose. In this case, I use the word in both meanings. Writingsforums.org is a venue (location) in which to talk about, learn, and improve one's writing. In that way, writing is the purpose (venue) of this location.
