Our Plan to Fix the Internet for Creators & Fans

After seeing just how broken the internet is for indie sci-fi and fantasy creators, I started to look at how I could design a better website. Some basic principals leapt out:

• Keep it local. When fans visit a group, the website should help them focus on building and connecting there. Don't distract them by advertising other groups and turning the experience in to a global competition for attention.
• Build a permanent content base. Constantly filling up a disappearing feed is an exercise in futility. Organize creators and fans around building content that lasts like wikis, fan art, and fan fiction. Lasting contributions are more meaningful and will help future fans find the fandom!
• Allow different levels of engagement. A real community has a mix of talents and skill levels, not just creators and consumers. Allow creators, creative professionals, hobbyists, commenters, and consumers to build the community in their own way.
• Design for the average group, not just the biggest. Many sites couldn't care less about small to medium creators because the large communities bring in the money. However, in the long run, the most successful website will be the one that consistently helps small communities grow large.

The principles above are secret weapons in the Ubiquitous Tavern arsenal to build a better internet for creators. Still, going toe-to-toe with entrenched social networks and sites won't be easy or quick.

So UT came up with our Grand Plan, with five phases.

1. Phase 1: Research. Talk to creators to hear more about their goals, what's working for them, and what's not.
2. Phase 2: Test. We'll create an in-person network of indie SFF creators in Austin, TX. Here we'll test marketing and fanbase building strategies.
3. Phase 3: Network. Invite sci-fi and indie creators to join our newsletter and try out the UT approach to building a fanbase.
4. Phase 4: Build. Create a space where creators and fans can build better communities together.
5. Phase 5: World domination. DOMINATE the WORLD with high-quality sci-fi and fantasy entertainment & inspire the internet to build better communities.

Read below to see our progress and find out how you can help us change the internet for the better.

Phase 1: Research (Finished Iteration 1)

We talked to artists, authors, and podcasters about their goals and obstacles. We found that indie creators struggle to create an engaged fanbase because?

• Lack of direction and feedback. Trying out several social channels and not getting consistent engagement or clear signals on any.
• Lack of time. Learning to use social media is slow, time-consuming, and takes away from the time they have to work on their craft.
• Lack of desire to engage in social media. Let's face it, it can get ugly. Creating a positive, supportive environment for your community is challenge.

Fairly stright forward. However, we also discovered a particularly interesting nugget. Storytelling and visual art have different business strengths.

A book, for example, sparks a lot of conversation, wikis, etc. It's easy to build community around a book. However, books on their own don't make a lot of money. Also, novels take a LONG time to write and few people shorter fiction.

In contrast, visual art is easy to merchandise. You can sell it in a lot of different formats. However, it tends to generate less conversation and needs some more help in creating a consistent fanbase.

Outcomes

Based on our research phase, the future U Tav site will need to:

• Create a clear playbook for building an fanbase, focused on building a core of highly engaged fans rather than on mass-outreach to casual fans.
• Help creators get more quality outreach done in less time. Likely, this involves helping excited fans to help build the fanbase themselves.
• Creating a positive environment. We think this will be easier when the focus is on creating together, rather than commenting and criticizing. We have a lot of ideas on that front.
• Foster collaboration between different types of creators so they can combine the strengths of their different media.

You can still help!

Although we've got enough research to start Phase 2, we'd love to keep improving on our findings. You can help us fix the internet for fandoms by:

Let us interview you! We'll interivew any indie sci-fi or fantasy creator, though we'd love to hear more from streamers, game designers, comic creators, etc.

Reply to one of our newsletters or find us on Twitter and let us know you're an indie creator we can interview.

Phase 2: Test (In Process)

We've started a test group in Austin where we can start solving the problems from our research, starting from square one with creating a fanbase-building play book for indie sci-fi and fantasy creators.

Help us fix the internet!

If you're in Austin, Join our U Tav Austin Group!

If you have a favorite creator in Austin, let us know on Twitter! We'll reach out.

Try our guide for getting a highly engaged fan. Then, let us know how it goes!

Phase 3: Network (In process)

We take the learnings from our U Tav Austin Group and share them with our newsletter. This allows a broader audience to give us feedback and ideas. It also prepares us to launch our website in Phase 4.

Help us fix the internet!

Join our U Tav Creator Letter!

Try out the tips from the newsletter, and reply with your feedback!

Invite other creators to join the U Tav Creater Letter

Phase 4: Build (Future)

We have the principles above to guide us (we may discover more), but the devil is in the details. In Phases 2 & 3 we'll be working out some of the details and building a strong network for our initial lanuch.

Help us fix the internet!

Join our U Tav Creator Letter! No, serioiusly. This is how you'll find out when we launch our new website.

Phase 5: World Domination (Future)

We believe that enabling collaboration more indie creators will result in amazing art, fiction, and other creations. We hope that people will take note and more of the internet will be designed for creativity and collaboration instead of consumption.

Help us fix the internet!

Don't wait for us to dominate the world for you. Go out there and dominate it for yourself! Apply our principles with the tools already out there:

• Don't get disctracted by global trends or names. Focus and build where you are.
• Invest your time in building something that lasts.
• Connect with people that have diverse experiences and skills.
• Never get so big or busy you can't give back. Give some love to up-and-coming creators and enthusiastic hobbyists.