Going Viral

 I think that going into the Menagerie project we were all anticipating different outcomes. Some people wanted it to be a place for writers to collaborate and work together, to share ideas and use each others' ideas for new works of art. Some people wanted it to be social, a place where writers and creators could really discuss what they liked. Some people wanted it to be somewhere to come and browse the submissions and vote for what they liked best. Me? I wanted all of these things. But I really wanted it to be a hit.

What I realized really quickly was that it is really hard for things to go viral. You can't force something into popularity. It's like in middle school when you try so hard to get in with the cool kids that they just make fun of you for it. I really pushed this site on some of my friends. I even pushed it in one of my classes. And that's a big deal for me. I don't talk in classes.

One of the first viral videos I saw was the OK GO music video for "Here It Goes Again." It was released in 2006 (yes, I was a little behind the times when I was 16) and everyone was obsessed with it. Somethings I did learn about going viral though I gained from my own little intuition and what I've heard from other people:

• Accessibility - if you can't find the site, how are you supposed to share it?!
• Interest - sites like youtube, facebook, and twitter really have something to interest everyone. 
• Production span - I couldn't think of a better way to say this. Our site didn't stand a chance of going viral with submissions posted on it.

Part of me still has hope for our tiny site. If we can just get more submissions. Maybe 50 more? 100 more? What will it take?! What are we doing wrong?! Nothing. There are a ton of things on the internet. I don't even want to venture a guess. So the chances of going viral are kind of slim. But if we generate some interest, get some people excited, then I'll feel like our mission has been accomplished.