Get your head back down Guv. A new book and the next TV series will give us fresh topics to talk about on here!
True.
I have to admit that although I've attempted to start many new threads in the past few months, some of these may be too 'niche' for some people on the forum, as they might relate to New Zealand crime writers etc - many of who you won't be aware of, or might find hard to find in the UK etc. I understand this - I just thought it was something unique I could bring to the forum, given my background and location - but I understand why many of those threads haven't kicked off or kept going.
I have been a little disappointed that some other more general threads etc that I've tried to start, or get feedback or discussion going on, haven't really captured the BTZers interest - often it seems when I check in it's just the same old, same old threads that have new comments (eg 'what have i read', 'what have i bought recently', 'tv', 'what are you looking forward to', etc). Though I do understand this becomes self-fulfilling - if those are the threads people are regularly commenting on - and sharing more than just the topic, then those are the threads other people will continue to go back to, while other new threads with perhaps interesting topics wither and die... it's just the way it is.
I'll do my best to help by trying to start a few new threads to get some various crime fiction discussion going - about MB's books etc, about crime fiction in general, and maybe sharing a little bit about NZ stuff, for those that might be interested...
It's up to you guys whether you want to join in with any of them. We'll see how it goes. As Ravens and others have pointed out, it does become a bit disheartening to regularly check in and see not much is happening, or that no-one has responded to a comment you thought might generate some discussion or response. We're all busy, and it kind of becomes 'well, what's the point' sometimes - which can be the star of a forum death if enough people think that. I've seen it happen on other forums too - back in the early 2000s I was a regular poster on a US sports forum, that had tonnes of regulars, and plenty of ongoing discussion - but then that died off, the regulars left or posted less regularly, newer regulars didn't feel as welcome or there was as much going on etc - I checked in a while back, and the forum had changed completely - I missed the 'old forum' I knew (the people, the discussions etc), but that's the manner of these things. Forums evolve and change, just like families. Nothing stays the same forever.
PS I am meant to be interviewing Mark for an article in the Weekend Herald, NZ's biggest newspaper, in the coming weeks - so I will make sure I share that with you all here. At least that's something I know you'll all be interested in :-)
