Assistance required to keep our forum going

[AJ Konlucko]

Maybe you would be a judge?

[Josilver]

How much exactly does the forum cost to maintain per year?

I cant do much on the admin side due to family/work commitments and my technical skills are zero.

Seeking advertising is definitely a good idea. Members are always asking about editing professionals so ability for them to advertise here for a small fee may be advantageous for them.

[Peter McLennan]

...initiating an Australian Writers Forum Awards may help...

Top idea. There are heaps of precedents for this.

[Peter McLennan]

How much exactly does the forum cost to maintain per year?...

$117.03.

[AJ Konlucko]

That would mean somebody would need to step up to run them, anybody keen?

[Terence Charles]

Perhaps with the 'Awards concept' and looking at the responses, it could be considered that the Judges tasks would be not really be any more onerous than that of a reviewer, except that the Judge would need to give the work a 'score' to be compared against other works for the award.
Additionally maybe it could be considered that as the Judge's role exerts additional pressure on the members that the Judge could enter their own work into the award scheme without the nominal fee, but in a different category from the one they are judging.

[Rkcapps]

I like the idea and I like the idea of Rob being a judge. Perhaps being a judge can earn kudos to enter another category? One not being judged by that person? I share Rob's problem rubbing pennies together especially with Christmas approaching. Egad! Again? I'm happy to help out

[AJ Konlucko]

Excellent points and ideas.

[Peter McLennan]

Perhaps $ are distracting us. I'm not wimping out because running the forum is too expensive. We've probably got enough $ in the donation kitty to tide us over until mid-2018.

People with time and people with technical expertise are also needed, as I understand it. PGB can clarify, since he's the one stepping back the slowest.

[AJ Konlucko]

Thanks Peter. Having been burnt in the past with running a forum, I have a lot of experience with how it can go wrong, which I want to avoid happening here.

I am keen to lead it in to the future but don't want to end up doing it all myself or put in time and money, only for it not to be used and active. If even one other member is happy to be my offsider and help me out when needed, I am happy to do 99% of it myself when and as I can. If anybody wants to step up or has questions they don't feel comfortable posting on here, drop me a PM or an email: tanger32au@gmail.com