Didn’t we just do this?
asserted
we → do → this
So here is your regularly-scheduled message from Meetups Czar Skyler:
Short version!
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version → schedule → Skyler
If you’re willing to organizer an ACX Everywhere meetup for your city, please fill out the organizer form by October 9th.
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you → ’re → 9th
The plan is:
Interested organizers fill out the form by October 9th
The list of meetups gets published around October 10th
The meetups themselves take place anywhere between October 16th and November 30th
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meetups → fill → 16th
People have more meetups and have more fun throughout the year.
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People → have → year
The form will ask you for a time, date, location, and a way to contact you.
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form → ask → you
It will ask other things too like how excited you are to run a meetup and what kind of meetups you like running.
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you → ask → meetups
I usually say organizing an ACX Everywhere meetup can be pretty easy.
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organizing → say → meetup
Open socials like these are the easiest kinds of meetups to run since you don’t need to prepare any kind of activity or discussion questions, and you don’t need to work hard advertising it since Scott and I will be doing a lot of that for you.
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Scott → run → you
What hasn’t been said in one of these posts is it can be pretty rewarding as well.
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it → say → posts
Obviously I’m the kind of person who winds up with a title like “ACX Meetup Czar” so you can guess I like meetups more than the average person, but most regular organizers report enjoying the experience.
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organizers → ’m → experience
You get to meet new people who are into the same obscure blog widely read publication as you are.
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you → get → publication
There’s the appreciation of your peers to consider; I’m an ex-theatre kid and Boston has taken to applauding the organizers at the midpoint of ACX Everywhere.
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Boston → ’ → Everywhere
Plus there’s the convenience of the meetup happening at a time that works for you and a place you know you can get to.
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you → ’ → you
Also, while running one ACX Everywhere meetup does not mean you’re signing up to be a meetup organizer forever, if you do choose to keep running events you may find that the group mysteriously ends up mostly full of your kind of people, even more than it being an ACX group would lead you to expect.
uncertain
being → run → you
What do I need in order to be an okay meetup organizer?
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I → need → What
A. You need to be able to pick a time and a date and a local cafe or park, write “ACX” on a piece of paper with a sharpie, and show up.
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You → need → sharpie
The sign is honestly optional, it’s just recommended.
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it → recommend → ?
There are ways to screw this up but if you’re the kind of person who’s anxious about making everyone uncomfortable, I don’t think you’re going to do that.
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you → be → that
I am a rationalist, I pride myself on calibration, and without having met you I’m 99% confident you’re going to do at least okay.
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you → pride → you
What do I need in order to be a great meetup organizer?
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I → need → What
Lots of things can improve a meetup, none of which are necessary.
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none → improve → which
Bring name tags and a sharpie to help folks feel less awkward about forgetting names.
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folks → bring → names
Make sure there’s water, either because you’re at a restaurant or because there’s a water fountain or because you brought a case or two of plastic water bottles.
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you → make → bottles
(I can reimburse the water bottles and name tags and snacks, though I’m very slow at it this year.)
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I → reimburse → it
Be warm and friendly with newcomers, learn how long they’ve been reading ACX or what their hobbies are.
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hobbies → learn → ACX
Have a way for attendees to join a mailing list or whatsapp group or the like where you or someone else can announce future meetups in your city.
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you → have → city
I have more advice if you want it.
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you → have → it
Q. When should the meetup happen?
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meetup → happen → ?
A. The meetup should take place sometime between October 16th and November 30th.
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meetup → take → 16th
Q. Where should the meetup happen?
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meetup → happen → ?
The best venues are
easy to get to
not so loud that people have trouble hearing
have things like places to sit and access to water or toilets, and
make it easy to move from conversation to conversation.
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it → get → conversation
Public parks are great, especially if they’re close to a cafe people can duck into if they want refreshments or if it starts raining.
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it → ’re → refreshments
Some parks have water fountains and pavilions to keep out the rain.
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parks → have → rain
Mall food courts or common areas work pretty well.
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courts → work → ?
Apartments or houses can be great, but it does involve posting your address on the internet.
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it → involve → internet
Pubs or bars can work, but tend to be worse for college students or parents with children.
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Pubs → work → children
Q. What should happen at the meetup?
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What → happen → meetup
ACX readers tend to be interesting people.
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readers → tend → ?
If you’re worried about this, a few suggestions are:
Hand out nametags, and ask people to write a topic they want to talk about on the nametag.
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they → ’re → nametag
…and 63 more, not listed.
The Aporia
