Challenge schedule question

[newbie]

Do people like the monthly schedule of the challenges or do you think that a challenge every other month would be more attractive? Would you be more likely to participate if it were every other month than every month?

It has been suggested to run the challenge over two months but we have agreed that we do not want to do that. It feels too long to the runners of the challenge and like more work.

We may post the topics of the challenge if we get it together enough to do so, but sometimes a host may want to change it close to the time of their challenge, so we aren't sure how that would fly.

Very interested in any feedback about monthly versus every other.

 

[jewels621]

I can’t wait for the first of every month for a new challenge! Every other month would seem awfully long to me.

 

[jcandleattic]

Although I have never participated (as of yet) I like monthly challenges. IMO it seems like less people would participate if it's stretched out too long because then they will think, "Oh I have time" and then just never do it, or forget about it.

But as I said, I haven't participated yet, so take my answer for what it's worth.

 

[artemis]

Even when I don't participate, I like to see the challenge every month. I agree that giving people two months to do one challenge is a little much. I think, if it's too much trying to get one out every month, it would be better to just have one every other month, but we still would only have a month to complete our entries.

 

[SaltedFig]

I like the challenge once a month. There's always interesting discussions about the challenge idea and then a lot of fun photo's and entry stories to look forward to! I don't think it would change my participation rate much, I just reckon I'd do 50% less challenges, if the time they ran for was doubled.

I can see where the extra work would come into it, especially if it were to be made more formal because of the infrequency.

But, this could be simply resistance to change - really, it's up to you. I'm still in whichever way you go

 

[scard]

I 'm new to all this but I look forward to the monthly challenges. I love the pics and new ideas and it really pushes me to try new things whether or not I enter. I've learned so much from them already. Just sayin.

 

[dibbles]

I love the monthly challenges. It seems that if people only want to participate once in awhile they can easily do that, or wait for a challenge that appeals to them. I like trying new things whether they work out or not. I also don't think the challenge time frame should be more than a month.

 

[mx5inpenn]

I also like the monthly challenge. I have only been able to participate a few times in the last year, but I look forward to them every month. I hope to be able to participate more once I get through the next month or 2. Major life changes are happening around here, so I just haven't been able to devote much time to soap.

 

[Misschief]

I'm with everyone else on this. I look forward to the monthly challenges. I may not always have time or energy to participate but I do love the challenges and seeing what everyone comes up with. There are times I have tried the different techniques after the fact only because I'd followed the challenges.

 

[Cellador]

So, I guess I'll be the one to say a challenge every other month would be preferable to me. I'm a stay-at-home mom, and I get to make soap one night a week (if I'm lucky). So, considering most of the challenges are, uh, challenging, I just never feel like I have the time/energy to participate. But, I am also pretty new to soaping, and I'm still pretty terrible at making pretty, creative bars.

 

[SoapAddict415]

I like the schedule the way it is. But I do understand that people have lives outside of the forum so for that reason I would have no problem with every other month if the current schedule is too much for the challenge hosts.

 

[newbie]

Jcandle, people procrastinating and then just never doing it was exactly what we thought could happen and why we nix'ed that idea. I see others agree that a two month time-frame would be too long. Good to know.

Well, I am glad to hear that people look forward to the challenges so much! I wasn't certain if monthly resulted in people making more soap than they wanted to or felt too frequent, but of course people can hop in and out as they desire. We shall keep it at monthly barring a deluge of posts to the contrary.

We may always take December off. We'll see. We may have a couple glitches in the coming few months as we re-work the schedule but we are working on smoothing it all out and being more in sync, so that monthly gauntlets can be thrown down with clock-like regularity. If people have more feedback, feel free. It's always helpful.

 

[SaltedFig]

Just an idea (so you can keep your December and have a challenge too!), what about having a longer holiday challenge over the Christmas period?

 

[penelopejane]

I like the monthly challenges even though some months (this one) I can’t enter due to other pressures.

I think taking December off would give you organisers a much deserved break. Thank you and all the organisers for all the effort you put into the challenges. I really enjoy them and greatly appreciate all the work you organisers do to make them happen.

 

[Soapprentice]

I m with every month... coz if I don’t get to take part because of life, in a challenge like this month, I always look forward for the next month’s challenge..

 

[DeeAnna]

It wouldn't work for me to participate in a challenge every month, although I do follow most of them whether I'm involved or not. Some challenges don't interest me, and some months I'm super busy at work. I also need to pace myself because I can't use soap from challenges fast enough if I did each month's challenge. Also some soap from challenges is odd enough that I don't want to use it.

I know challenges can be wearing on the hosts and people burn out. A challenge every month is nice, but if an every other month schedule will help prevent host burnout, far better that than no challenge at all. Regardless of how often challenges are done, I think each challenge should be done within a 1 month time period, not two.

 

[Primrose]

I like the challenge schedule the way it is, I don't always have time to participate or sometimes the challenge doesn't appeal to me, but a month is enough of a time frame if you do want to try it out, and there's no pressure if you are signed up but don't get anything done on time. Any longer than a month I think people would forget about it

Do you need to see if you can get more volunteers to help out as hosts maybe?

 

[CaraBou]

I feel less strongly about the frequency of challenges than the time period we have to respond to one. I have a demanding job and a hefty commute that banish my creativity to weekends, which tend to fill fast. So, I would love having more lead time, whether that be due to challenges being announced in advance, a longer opening, or whatever.

I actually really like the idea of advanced announcements, so I could pick -- and commit -- to what interests me most. Ideas are often half the battle, so just being able to explore thoughts, inspiration, etc. longer would be helpful. I also find that I learn a lot more when I try something a few different times, which is hard to do in a typical month.

 

[lrpolillo]

I haven’t participated in one yet because I am so busy but I love watching every month and look forward to each one to see if my schedule with allow me the time to participate

 

[penelopejane]

I haven’t participated in one yet because I am so busy but I love watching every month and look forward to each one to see if my schedule with allow me the time to participate

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As they’re for active members.