| M |  This rant: "Reaching the Top" 9-18-98This rant was inspired by Kate's article in the AQ's Lemure Files. I wrote this a week ago, but seeing the number of similar rants, I just couldn't wait to post it up. ^^; Actually, this isn't the only reason why I've decided to post this--there have been quite a number of newbies asking similar questions such as: "How do we attain the same level of recognition?", "How do we become that popular?"
It's simple, really. Sure, your SM website has to have good, orginal, fresh and creative content. And a good layout will get most of the visitors to stay. But the most important thing is...humility. Yes, humility. 98.5% of those "high and mighty SM webmasters/mistresses" started out with it. They didn't enter the SMC with fame pasted all over them already. They started out as NEWBIES, too! Most of them (probably all of those in the 98.5%) were friendly, helpful and approachable.So you're asking how to be popular like them. Why not start out like they did? Why not grow some tact--be humble! Let your viewers/visitors be the judge! Because to be frank, the only attention you'd be able to gather when you brag about how good you are is one of annoyance. Annoyance to the people whose attention you're clamouring for and annoyance to fellow newbies. Let's not deny it--some newbies, those who want to be popular like the SM webmasters/webmistresses who are now, would clamour for the attention of those who are already popular (subtle or not). Usually, the main reason is to get them on their good side, to have an edge, to have a great start. Well, there's nothing really wrong with that. Until they start to bother ask for their (those popular webmasters/webmistresses) awards; or until they begin beg to get interviewed by someone like Apatt or in the Luna Ring Newsletter (which is pathetic really. Begging to get interviewed, I mean). Well if you continue pestering them like that, you'd no doubt get popular quick enough, but not in a good way though. And if that happens, blame no one but yourself for it.We all have to learn to be humble. Take Arisa (creator of Eien Sailormoon) and Kotono (creator of Sailormoon and the Sailor Senshi) for example. Arisa's webpage has won numerous prestigous awards; she herself has been reviewed by Apatt in his Shrine Keepers special and is what one would consider an SM-elite. Do you notice the way she talks about her page when someone asks her about it? She's extremely humble about it, and genuinely happy about the compliments she receive. Kotono is also considered as an SM-elite. She has gained a lot of the SM fans' respect, and her webpage has also won countless of those prestigous awards. But do you see her flaunting it? Do you see her snobbing every newbie she sees? Of course, she and Arisa has the right to get excited whenever they receive a pretigous award or honor as to posting it up or announcing it in their sites. But you don't really see them acting like know-it-alls, do you? You don't see them sneer and say, "Hey notice me 'cuz I just got this big award!"This rant may come on the others strong and I'm sorry, but I, for one, am disgusted with the way people beg to get noticed. I certainly hope all of you got my point across: If you want to be popular, if you want to gain recognition--being humble is the only way to start. | M |
