Trope Report Revival

So over 10 years ago or so, we used to have a newsletter called Trope Report, which covers all of the changes that happened on the wiki weekly. I have been nostalgic for it recently so I thought of it and it seemed to be a fun way to inform tropers about the changes going on around the wiki.

The sandbox for the project can be found at Sandbox.Trope Report Dummy Edition and the sandbox for ideas/plans can be found on Sandbox.Trope Report Ideas. After a new issue is published, revert the Dummy Edition back to a template using the text on Sandbox.Trope Report Template.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Aug 8th 2023 at 1:16:11 PM

That sounds like a good idea to me.

It will need someone to maintain and run it, though.

I'm sure many of us would be happy to help out and do so. We've already basically volunteered to do mod grunt work as engineers and heralds, why wouldn't we help out with this too? As a group effort, though, which I'm sure is possible.

Yeah, I am sure there are a plenty of people who would support the idea of a newsletter. I don't think it would be hard to get more than 2-3 people to maintain it. All we have to do is wait for more people express interest and see how we should do things if we decide to revive the newsletter

Edited by MacronNotes on Jul 23rd 2022 at 9:14:05 AM

I've been chomping at the bit to do something like this. It helps a lot with cleaning efforts.

I think this would be an excellent idea.

So the old trope report had these catagories:

• Forumwatch:For forum news (also introduced new tropers to the forums and announced new mods).

• Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Mostly wiki clean up announcements and TRS changes.

• Spotlight Stealing Trope: A trope spotlight. We kinda already have that on the main page of the website but maaybe we can use this one to write about a trope we like

• Needs More Wiki Magic Love: A section that advertised tropes that need help.

• Edits From the Editor: A special message from other tropers (usually FE or another mod). Maybe we can keep this one? Not sure?

• Add More Here: Anything extra like a work spotlight light or a meta humor section

I think we can keep all of these and maybe add more sections if needed. But I think these are good enough.

Edited by MacronNotes on Jul 13th 2020 at 2:42:17 PM

Spotlight Stealing Trope might actually be really useful for new TLP launches. We can try and shine a spotlight of the best obscure tropes and new launches to help get them more editors and attention. Though that might be covered by the "Needs Magic Love" one- but that could also be used for work pages too, I feel.

Wonder if something related to the TLP would be possible to add too, since that's been a hot subject lately.

Edited by WarJay77 on Jul 13th 2020 at 11:09:20 AM

A section for TLP launches for the week or a section or a section highlighting good TLP launches could work I think. Also maybe a high light for new drafts created within the TLP within the same TLP section.

Not to mention drafts in need of discussion, crowner votes, or the like.

Getting people to volunteer to write the sections was usually not an issue. Getting those volunteers to remember to have something written by the end of the week definitely was though. I (Scholastica is my old name) distinctly remember usually having one or two other people saying they'd take care of this section or that, only to find myself writing it all the day it was supposed to be published because someone forgot.

I procrastinate like a motherfucker, but when I have a deadline I'm pretty good at doing stuff on time. Shouldn't be a problem with me.

Writing an whole article on my own doesn't sound too hard so getting certain section done on time should be no problem for me.

Should we advertise this thread somehow, to see how many potential volunteers we can get?

If you want to draft up a bulletin (keep in mind how short that has to be) and a longer version for a forum equivalent, I can post the latter and pin to relevant subfora like this one, Trope Talk, and the Projects.

Um would this work for the bulletein?

"Check out this thread to discuss bringing back the Trope Report newsletter"

or if we are definitely bringing it back:

"Check out this thread to volunteer for the Trope Report newsletter"

Forum equivalent (dunno if its long enough buut)

"See the Trope Report Newsletter and thread for weekly wiki updates and changes"

This is basically the same message but not sure what to add to it.

Edited by MacronNotes on Jul 14th 2020 at 1:13:30 AM

I'd say it works. I don't think I'll volunteer as I'm not a new trope expert, but I support this project.

I mean, there's all sort of things to report on besides new tropes, but hey, it's your call.

Yeah its just that a newsletter to brings awareness to changes on the wiki and forum.

I am not sure about keeping the newsletter weekly as I don't think much happens on the wiki nowadays besides new TLP tropes and not nearly as many people are active on TRS. The first issue will probably mostly cover past TRS/wiki changes and that crash from two weeks ago.

nombretomado

Would these work?

Bulletein message:

"Check out this [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=15946040340A55436600&page=1#comment-19 thread on Wiki Talk to discuss bringing back the Trope Report newsletter."

"See the Wiki Talk thread for the Trope Report newsletter to see recent forum and wiki changes."

Edited by MacronNotes on Nov 5th 2022 at 9:40:51 AM

Yeah, bi-monthly or even just monthly should suffice.

Bumping.

I think the old categories would still work, except maybe the Editor section (not sure who would take over this section — I don't want to add more to the mods' plates. The contributors, maybe?). I strongly support a "New Launches" part as publicizing newer tropes has been an issue.

Edited by Synchronicity on Jul 29th 2020 at 1:41:37 PM

This sounds excellent.

The editor section could be done by us users I think.

So, after I get more feedback, I will draft up some sandboxes of how I would write an article.

One thing though is that the old Trope Report pages are in Main/. Would the new ones be in Administrivia instead?