I am not sure I would count it as a ‘failure’ just yet. According to your statistics, it may look that way - but there is NOTHING that says you can’t change some things to reverse the effects.

Overall (and I have seen it since you first started the site), I never got involved for a few reasons:

1. Community. I know, I SHOULD have gotten involved to help this. But, sometimes its hard to post your story when it’s to a majority of strangers. I, for one, wasn’t too inclined to tell any stories. But, if I knew several of the people there - I would be more inclined to share stories and comments with those I know. It seems like a catch 22 there - but that was my initial thought. This goes along with some people needing to feel comfortable before really opening up.

2. Lack of pictures. I know this is somewhat of a dumb reason - but it leaves the site feeling ‘empty’. What kind of pictures could be added? Im not sure. Maybe user icons that they could choose. Maybe some different pictures on the homepage. I just know that it felt a little (As you said) ‘drab’ without some visuals. Maybe even some more colors/contrast would help ‘pep’ it up a little bit.

I know that sounds like a lame reason. But I am more inclined to get involved/tell stories on sites where there are people that i know (Reason 1), and when the site is aesthetically pleasing. I visit 20 or so sites a day, regularly (some via RSS). Some of those I will only look at the feeds because the site is not that inviting. Others I will instantly click to get more involved.

3. Value. As you said, this is very tough to really place value (or even emphasis) on the different stories. It is a great resource for those who want to read from a screen - but sometimes its hard for people to sit and read stories from a screen (maybe a printable option? Im not sure...). There are some stories I do see value, and others I question. This goes hand in hand with the need for context and understanding before really seeing the true value.

Whatever you do - don’t give up with it! Its the tough part of the digital age (getting people involved), yet its the great part in that you can change and evolve over time.

I am just one opinion, and I hope to see your site succeed!

God Bless,
Nate

Mike: don’t give up! Echoing AJP’s comment, I’ve stared at the screen at StoriesAboutGod a few times, thinking “What story should/can I tell?” Always coming up blank, I think to myself, “I’ll come back later and maybe I’ll have something to say.”

Would another round of mentions in the blogosphere help? I have a feeling that ongoing PR (as versus a static link in several blogrolls) might help - it would keep the site fresh in people’s minds perhaps.

Michael,

I was just pointed toward your storiesaboutGod.org site this past week because I’m thinking of starting something similar for our local community (only mine would probably be open to life-stories in general, not just stories about God).  Anyway, I like it! 

Two thoughts that come to mind:

1. At the start, you’ll probably need to personally encourage (arm-twist, guilt-trip, etc) individuals you know to submit their stories, until you reach some sort of tipping point or critical mass or whatever.  I’m thinking that once you provide a certain amount of content yourself (through your personal contacts), the variety of content will attract more visitors and provide more examples of the types of stories you’re looking for.  You might consider spreading out those stories over time, maybe one every week, so people keep seeing new content regularly.  I’d think that after 15-20 weeks of that, you’d have people submitting their own.

2. You might consider adding some helpful hints on how to tell a good story.  Right now your guidelines seem to be more oriented around guarding against the stories you don’t want instead of helping people write the stories you do want.  I like your guidelines, and they need to be there, but maybe you could have a page like “Need Help Writing Your Story?” with ideas for topics, plots, outlines, etc.

To me, the site is a little bit intimidating.  It’s not like a forum or blog, where people just post whatever, whenever.  It seems to be asking for more thoughtfulness, more polish, more depth, etc.  That’s why I think perhaps a “Need Help?” page might, well, help.

Keep up the good work!  Don’t give up on the site yet.  Some of us are just discovering it…

Mike - Don’t give up on it, i think it’s a fantastic idea.  The thing that I feel about the site has to do with the design.  When I go to the main page, it doesn’t look like “Stories about God” but rather “about storiesaboutgod.org” along with “Headlines of Stories About God.” The content, the stories is buried another click away, and that next click isn’t obvious.

Why not organize it more like a blog where the stories, or at least the intros to them, are right there on the main page.  I’d go as far as having those prominent quotes that are on each story page there on the main page as well.  Those are great and help draw me into the stories.  That would serve to draw people in to read them.  The more they read, the more likely they might be to get sparked to tell their own.

I think Tim summed up the comments of most here, which I agree with:<blockquote>5. also maybe people need “helps” on what to tell a story about—maybe create areas to for stories about abuse or recovery or teens or whatever.</blockquote>Maybe in the sidebar or somewhere on the main page, you need a “Think you’ve got nothing to say?” link.  There you might have a series of questions intended to prompt the stories out of people.  When did you feel God’s presence the most?  When did God rescue you from your self?  Have you witnessed a miracle?  When have you gone out on a limb for God?

Another idea would be to pick stories you find on various blogs and ask if they’d post them to storiesaboutgod.org.  That would serve two purposes:<ol> <li>Fresh content</li> <li>introductions to storiesaboutgod.org</li></ol>

Anyway, don’t give up, it’s a great idea.

Personally, I like the design & think it works better than a “blog” layout/style.  The titles of the latest stories are right there, and the topics addressed (categories) are right there, too.  And, of course, it looks great.  Maybe you could include, along with the story titles, a brief, compelling snippet on the front page.  Just enough to make the reader think, “Ooh, I want to read that!”

Whatever.  I’ll be interested to see what you do with it when you have time. 

so, this is going to take a different direction here Michael… have you prayed about the site? And what has your conversation with God been about it? I’m not saying to wait until God bestows the perfect design or inspiration on you, but it is a ministry site. And when I see a ministry site questioning its existence that generally speaks to the heart of persons behind it. If I were in your shoes I’d gather up a couple close friends and spend 1 hour in prayer about the site once a week for a month and see what happens.

This isn’t an accusation or anything. I know that in my own life when my ministry stuff (or anything else actually) starts hurting the first place I need to go back to is Jesus and see what he has to say about what I’m doing. Unfortunately my instinct is instead to look at the technology, the design, the PR, the other people involved, etc… instead of turning to the source of Life.

Second thought:

Writing a story and telling a story are two very different beasts. I have a 1000 stories to tell about God but when it comes to writing a short, condensed, non-rambling, presentable version of that story in written form, its difficult.

I think for a site like this to work, it needs to provide a more focused approach that helps people transition a story they could tell in person to a story they can write for the site. Maybe instead of an open-ended submission it would have interview style questions or have “theme weeks” like the Friday Five where there are specific opportunities to tell specific types of stories.

For example, if we sat down in a coffee shop and you simply said “tell me a story about God” i’d have a difficult time knowing where to start. I’d get there, but it wouldn’t be as easy as asking me “so, tell me a story about when God provided for you financially, or helped you through a time of great sorrow or did something small, but significant just to show he cares or turned your world view on poverty upside down or...” you get the idea. Now I have a starting point and a context.

However, back to the first point. If you don’t have that conversation with God about the site, no idea, regardless of brilliance, is going to make it come alive

Maybe you’d better be more specific… because all I can picture right now is “a Christian knockoff of Digg.”

I think it would increase the activity, but would it decrease the authenticity? Not sure if it would or not - just a question. The easy answer is that there’s not much authenticity when there aren’t many stories, and I understand that. I’m just thinking out loud at the moment.