Hi Gina!

Since my picture contests are part of a business venture, then yes if I was getting only 5 entries, I would consider that an issue. I would do several things to fix it though. I'd go out and try to drum up some interest. I'd retool the contest to try and make it more exciting to increase interest. If those two things didn't work, I'd ditch the contest and come up with a new idea. If something's not working as expected you have to put out some extra effort to make it work.

Maybe since my first experience with message boards was at the Xena forum, I just have a completely different view on this stuff. In the first years of that show, that message board was just chalked full of talented and creative people. Many of whom went on to be published. One even got to write for the show. If you didn't post something creative, well written and thought out, you got ignored or worse flamed. You couldn't just slap any old thing up there, just to be posting.

So there's of course some negatives that come with that. It's a very intimidating atmosphere. But there's also a HUGE positive that came out of it too. You were challenged to rise to the occasion, to put out your best effort to be more creative. And low and behold, with each effort you get better and better. Then when somebody posts to you with kudos, it has real meaning behind it. You focus on the praise and a sense of accomplishment
of bettering yourself, not the numbers.

Fast forward to today and my posting on dog forums and I pretty much try to keep the same posting philosophy. Post when I'm inspired and post things I can be truly happy about. Personal satisfaction. If it connects with anybody else, then that is gravy. I went back and looked at the numbers for my Murph post and there was only 7 comments. I was happy as a lark with all the wonderful things said and not disappointed at all that 20 more people didn't respond. The thing I loved the best was lizbud getting my joke. That's one person out of how many 1000s here, but I was tinkled pink.

So in conclusion, strive for your best, don't sweat the numbers and for gosh sakes, let's have fun out there people.

Par...