We’d like to welcome DB Ferguson, the mastermind behind the highly successful fan-site, No Fact Zone for fans of Stephen Colbert and the ‘Colbert Report’, a pundit-style news satire on the Comedy Central network, featuring Stephen Colbert as a professed “well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-class idiot.” No Fact Zone is a volunteer run site built by a huge community of fans on the WordPress site with almost 6 million pageviews, over 6,000 posts, and 54,000 comments.
Ferguson will be sharing her insights and expertise on fan-blogging and community building with WordCast readers. Give her a warm welcome as she begins with a poem dedicated to Stephen Colbert and the motivation he provides to keep her blogging.
Because it brings me great joy to celebrate all that is Stephen Colbert, all grace and glory to his name, peace be upon him.
Because it’s awesome to devote time to doing things I want to do, not just the things I have to do.
Because I like knowing that I’ve created the site that I wanted to find when I first started watching the “Colbert Report.”
Because of the Zoners [the No Fact Zone community].
Because the Zoners look forward to the episode guides and the Fangirl Suit Reports and the Apopcalypse posts and the Zeitgeist posts and all of the other things people can’t find anywhere else in the fandom.
Because I love working with a team of bloggers who like to talk about Stephen Colbert as much as I do.
Because nothing wakes me up better than watching the “Colbert Report” over breakfast.
Because he’s raised $1.5 million for charity.
Because I got a little teary eyed when Stephen testified before Congress, and when asked why, he said, “Because migrant workers suffer, and have no rights.”
Because of the friends I’ve made at WordPress meetups.
Because when I figure out how to hard code something into a WordPress template, I feel like a rock star.
Because I love slapping a gratuitous eye candy slide in when I give presentations at WordCamp.
Because of those moments watching the “Colbert Report” where I want to simultaneously clap and scream and cheer and laugh until tears come out of my eyes.
Because of the Vanity Fair photo.
Because donut mathmatics makes me giggle uncontrollably.
Because of the fangirl outpouring when I post really hawt photos.
Because it makes me feel better to know that I’m not the only one to laugh inappropriately hard at “Strangers With Candy“.
Because sitting in the press room at a Post-Rally press conference with Arianna Huffington and Christiane Amanpour is seriously cool.
Because it feels good to hear the Colbert writers say that the show had to redesign their site because they couldn’t compete with us.
Because of days where I’m feeling stressed and crappy, and one of the Completists posts something I didn’t know about, I get to enjoy my blog without actually having to do the work for it.
Because being an administrative assistant as my “day job” isn’t nearly as glamorous as it sounds.
Because of the thanks I get for a job well done.
Because of the rush of publishing a red hot scoop.
Because I’m addicted to Woopra.
Because if I didn’t have a venue to talk about my fandom I’d drive my husband crazy.
Because it’s cheaper than drinking and easier than exercising.
Because I’m loyal.
Because blogging rocks.
© 2008-2012
Three Ways to Transform Comments to Conversations
When I clicked on the button, sure enough, there were dozens of comments by Groupon community members. A blogging epiphany!
As soon as I saw that prompt to “Join the Discussion,” I thought to myself, I can do that, I can join the discussion, and immediately clicked the button to see what others had to say. I sat there reading the comments and it dawned on me that this is some fantastic inspiration for a change that I could easily make on my own site. Read more…
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