I am particularly touched by your words of welcome to our new members:
All true, including fewer new members. But as for that, the forum is still remarkably dynamic. About 106 fans signed up in 2009, and, for comparison, 56 have signed up in 2014.johnajvide wrote:I still pop into this forum every now and then and I can see that there are fewer active users, as is natural. Still I am amazed by how many there still are, and how you still manage to find things to discuss. And to those new ones that have joined: Welcome. As you probably have noticed by now, this is as warm, welcoming and intelligent place.
From Wolfie's membership graphic, it looks as though the biggest period of growth was 2010-2011. The core of our most active members persist from those first years, and enthusiastic fans continue to join and to contribute wit, wisdom, whimsy and great new art and fan fiction. That has to be some kind of record for persistence and attraction in the short attention span world of the Internet.
It doesn't hurt that you respect your fan base. (LTODD was such a loving thing to give us.) It doesn't hurt that you continue to write best sellers. Still, for my money, the core of your fan base is motivated by your novel and film. "Them's got legs," so to speak. The play in New York comes to mind. It has some serious local press attention (New York Times), and it was mentioned in coming attractions in the Theatre Section of the New Yorker three weeks ago. I'll be one of four WTI members who are meeting for a performance in February. You'll be in balmy Cuba while we're in NOT balmy Brooklyn!
Again I thank you for the attention you lavish on us and I wish you a cool Yule and a great New Year!