Hi, I’m Dan Pouliot. You may remember me from such tweets as, “It was just a joke” and such personalized DMs as, “Hello. How are you?”
“Gee, Mr. Pouliot. I’m curious, but that sounds terrific/frightening/ confusing/maddening/ life-affirming/disgusting.”
I couldn’t agree more, Jimmy. That’s why I’ve created this simple seventy-five step Moderator’s Guide.
“Wow, that sounds easy! So I don’t have to do squat, right?”
No, Jimmy, that’s where you’re dead wrong. Your time obligation will be long and arduous. It will take you more minutes than you have fingers on your hands and feet.
“How many attendees can I expect?”
Zoom’s infinitely superior technology supports enough attendees for everyone on the planet. But don’t worry, only half of them are writers.
“Can anyone really do this?”
Zoom reminds me they haven’t tested their software on the criminally insane, but other than that, yes!
“Will I get to meet new writers and listen to their stories?”
Unfortunately, yes.
Anyone can host a #WritingCommunityOnlineMeetup. Here’s my DIY template. As a moderator, sign up at zoom.us (it’s free). You could copy & paste this template into a Google Doc or whatnot to share the details of your meetup, or heck, just to a multipart-tweet. Replace the items in italics with your meeting specifics.
Date/Time: (this is a global event)
Sunday, April 7, 2019 12:00 PM Eastern Time (GMT-4)
Required Software: Zoom
From your computer: https://zoom.us/
From your phone, download the Zoom app.
Meetings are typically 30 minutes (Zoom allows up to 40 minutes free). The moderator will
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/718743582?pwd=TEYxOEVWVTZkYzNFWGR6cTE4SEJNdz09
Password: writing
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,718743582# US (New York)
+14086380968,,718743582# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 718 743 582
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acc29NFW4k
Do I have to show my face?
No, Zoom lets you toggle your camera on or off. That said, deaf attendees might require video for lip reading purposes. So if you are willing, video would help with accessibility for all attendees.
I’m outside of the US. Can I still join?
Yes!
Agenda
0) Welcome
1) Introductions
2) Topic: your topic goes here.
3) Wrap up. Keep firm end time (30 min total) to respect people’s time
Some Agenda Ideas:
The _____ thing happened to me.
Weirdest
Funniest
Saddest
Most Wonderful
Most Tragic
Most Romantic
Most Profound