Hey there, hi there, ho there, Bright Siders!
While the Suns have been in flux, we here at the best Suns blog in the nation have been trucking along at a dizzying pace. We've got fresh content on a regular basis, and you guys are reading it and commenting on it like crazy every single day! Offseason schmoffseason.
But it wasn't always like this. I remember when I started fanposting in the summer of 2010, there was a little more time between front-page stories, and fanposts were more relevant in the scheme of things. The authored content was great when it hit the home page, don't get me wrong, but my recollection back then was a more even playing field between authored content and fanposts. I remember regularly hitting the 'fanpost' tab at the top of the page to scour the latest comments and view activity.
Fanposts are where I got my start at BSotS. Same for Eutychus (Leiland Tanner). Beavis used to write a lot more of them, as well as many of the rest of you.
It's time to bring back the Fanpost!
We want to hear from you. We want fresh voices with solid, impassioned takes on the Suns and/or the NBA in general. I know there's good writers out there by the number of long, long comments I read each day in the threads. Many of you have a lot to say. So instead of leaving a 300-word comment on a thread, make a fanpost about it. Step onto the stage and give us your take.
Here's the deal: I promise to front-page any and all quality Fanposts. You will get top-billing based on when you posted, since it's all first-come-first-serve at the moment. Your work can be "above the fold"! All you gotta do it bring it. Give us your best, and you'll get rewarded with big-time readership!
Free hints to a good Fanpost, after the jump.
Hint 1: The TITLE is everything
Your title needs to be relevant, and it needs to be a teaser. It needs to draw the readers in. Too many titles are conclusions, which allows the reader to yay/nay before even hitting the link to read the article. We all want to be provocative, but do it in a way that makes the reader hit the link.
Bad title: Suns will win the championship this season!
Good title: Phoenix Suns Can Contend If ______ Becomes An All-Star
Hint 2: don't make outrageous claims, or predict that 90% of the roster will reach their highest potential in the same season
The quickest way to turn off most of the readers is to make a claim that makes the average person wince.
Sample wince-inducing comment: "Michael Beasley will be an excellent defender and rebounder in 2012-13 because he has long arms and was a #2 pick!"
Hint 3: The best articles provoke discussion, not suppress it
Don't go on the attack before anyone has even had a chance to shoot down your argument. Saying something louder or more vociferously doesn't make it any more believable. Words are words. You shouldn't have to write them in big, scary ways or preface them with slanderous attacks against naysayers. If its a solid take, you will get as many defenders as attackers in the comments section.
So be interesting, get the discussion going, and research your material for a minute or two to make sure it's at least accurate.