Hi, do you have any advice for first-time organizers?
Sure! General event advice below :))
1) find a mod who is a like-minded friend, preferably one that has skills complementing yours. i.e., if you can write promo posts, answer asks, and do PR (public relations), then your friend should be able to make edits and graphics, and minor HTML. A small event, like a day, might be manageable by yourself.
Note: It is better to start small for your first event! Or partner up with someone who is experienced in event running! You do not want to bite off more than you can chew in your first go round!
2) be objective. Some ships / themes won’t be to your tastes but you can’t exclude them from your event based on personal preferences—that’s a huge turn off to many.
3) do NOT make pages. Mobile users can’t see them. Make posts instead.
4) announce your event with enough time in advance so people can make content. (See our Guidelines for recommendations on timing).
5) Most of the “grunt work” of hosting an event is not the event itself, but the pre-planning. (Making rules, FAQs, graphics, and so forth beforehand is highly advised.) That said, make sure you have time to run the event itself, because dropping your responsibilities for IRL - while understandable - is a huge no no!
Our last advice is less advice and more a word of caution, because lately many fandoms have had a lot of drama around ships: Be careful, some events will receive hateful anons.
If this happens, try to keep a clear head. If the question isn't helpful for people who might participate, just block and move on. If it is helpful, take the question to heart, adjust, and move forward with confidence.
~~ the mods of @narutoevents
