Dan, RareNet Editor, Goes Wonky with Wiki (2)

What's the most unusual thing that has ever happened to you because of the fansite?
I guess the strangest thing would have to be getting recognized by strangers. It's one thing to have people know your online moniker but for it to translate to the real world is a bit disconcerting! It has been a sort of brush with being a Z-list celebrity, which is something I never expected or wanted when I set up RareNet.

Have you made many new friends as a result of running the fansite?
Yeah, I made a lot of friends through the site—mostly editors of other sites like Nintendorks, IGN, and Nintendojo. I meet most of them once a year at E3, but I actually went to the wedding of one just this year. That was pretty cool.

What do you think are the 3 most important elements of a successful fansite?
Insightful unique content, a community focus, and loyal readers. If you provide creative and well written content you'll develop a community that reads and discusses the topic you are covering—and as a result, you'll develop a loyal readership.

Was there ever something you tried on RareNet that didn't work? Why didn't it work?
Through what was probably no more than dumb luck, most of the innovative things we tried actually ended up working, and much of the stuff you see on other fansites today was a RareNet original—which we see as a great compliment. The one thing we have failed at is finding a website host that didn't burn to the ground!

What do you see as the next generation in fansites? New technology?
I think the next generation of fansites will actually give meaning to that description—a site run by the fans. In the past, RareNet was one voice that was read by the masses. The problem with this is that you are putting out just one perspective. As I have learned over the past 9 years, your readers have a lot of great things to say as well. You can tell that there is an incredible interest with the huge number of Rare Fansites that followed in our footsteps.

The new RareNet is supposed to bring all these sources together with its Wiki format. Now any reader can contribute to the site as they see fit. I think the result is a totally brand new type of Fansite—and hopefully, the start of the next generation of fansites.

What advice would you give to others who want to start fansites?
Put the time and effort into producing something unique. Don't be an "also ran.” Find a new angle or new topic and cover it. Success doesn't come overnight but if you create something new people will find it—and when they do it is an incredibly rewarding thing.

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