User:Robertinventor/Ca2james

Short reply
Yes, things got heated last March. The conversation between Ca2james, Gryllida and me became charged and repetitive. Since then, I've been working on ways to minimize conflict on Wikinews talk pages. At the suggestion of Wikinewsie Gryllida, I started writing essays about my experience on Wikinews. I'm particularly proud of Suggestions. I also wrote two conflict resolution essays. They didn't get past draft, but they got me thinking. If I find myself in a two- or three-person conversation that has gotten heated but is serving the needs of the project, simply writing up an answer and then waiting twelve hours before posting it slows everything down. Then heads are cooler and responses are more calm, productive, and even occasionally artistic.

If the conversation's getting heated and not serving the needs of the project, then the trick is to get it to end: either let the other person have the last word, set the other person up for the last word, or give a last word that the other person won't feel the need to respond to.

I can also add that during the last time I was unblocked on Wikipedia, I was involved in no arguments of this kind. Unlike Wikinews articles, Wikipedia articles have no time limits. That makes it much easier to say "no thanks" and walk away.

Middle length reply
Yes, things got heated last March. The conversation between Ca2james, Gryllida and me became charged and repetitive. Since then, I've been working on ways to minimize conflict on Wikinews talk pages. At the suggestion of Wikinewsie Gryllida, I started writing essays about my experience on Wikinews such as. If, for instance, I find myself in a two- or three-person conversation that has gone heated but is serving the needs of the project, simply writing up an answer and then waiting twelve hours before posting it slows everything down. Then heads are cooler and responses are more calm, productive, and even occasionally artistic.

Here are a few things I've tried since the conversation in your linke:


 * Tell the other person I need a break. "I wrote up a response to your post, but I think we need to slow down, or at least I do. Okay if I respond in 12 hours instead of now?" The other party responded well.


 * If the conversation's getting heated and not serving the needs of the project, then the trick is to get it to end: either let the other person have the last word, set the other person up for the last word, or give a last word that the other person won't feel the need to respond to.

I've tried all these things, and they work.


 * If the mentorship goes forward, I will be asking questions like "What am I missing?" and "Do you know a conflict resolution technique that would work?"

I can also add that during the last time I was unblocked on Wikipedia, I was involved in no arguments of this kind. Unlike Wikinews articles, Wikipedia articles have no time limits. That makes it much easier to say "no thanks" and go work on something else.

My plan for the future is if I ever notice myself going back and forth with someone else, and I feel the discussion might be getting even a little out of hand/uncivil, I'll step away from the discussion where I can, or do the things that I've tried in the past since the discussion that was referenced by you/Ca2james

Long reply
Ca2james, thanks for bringing these points up, and it is a good opportunity to explain how I will be doing things differently and how a mentor can help. These conversations cover the topic of MoS on Wikinews which will be very relevant when I return to MoS on Wikipedia. Note, there were no conflicts at all when I was unblocked in areas outside of MoS. Hopefully Steven Crossin will have an easy time for the first year before the appeal!

I reread my whole Wikinews talk page starting in March and some other talk pages from around the same time. You're right; that extended conversation between Gryllida, Ca2james and me is repetitive and charged. I've been trying to find ways to have more effective, cooler-headed conversations on Wikinews ever since. I will add that Gryllida has been invaluable toward that goal, both through their deliberate actions and things I noticed about G passively.

Gryllida suggested that I write essays about my experience on Wikinews. I wasn't hot on the idea at first, but I gave it a try and it turned out to be a real winner. I think I managed a few good ones. If you've got the time, I'd like you to take a look at. During the March conversations, I found one thing that helped was finding a way to slow the conversation down. The more time there was in between posts, the cooler-headed my posts were, and usually the other participants' too. I wrote Slowdown and Downturn. Although SVTCobra is probably right that they're unenforceable, they did get me thinking.

I find that when someone makes a post addressed to me, I take it as an invitation to continue. And then they take my post as an invitation for them to continue, and so on. Here are a few of the things I've tried since the conversation in your link


 * Tell the other person I need a break. "I wrote up a response to your post, but I think we need to slow down, or at least I do. Okay if I respond in 12 hours instead of now?" The other party responded well.


 * Finding a way to end conversations: I always knew telling people to stop talking just made them angry, but the trick is to either let the other person have the last word, set them up to have the last word or say something that I don't think they'll mind being the last word.


 * If the mentorship goes forward, I will be asking questions like "What am I missing?" and "Do you know a conflict resolution technique that would work?"

My plan for the future is if I ever notice myself going back and forth with someone else, and I feel the discussion might be getting even a little out of hand/uncivil, I'll step away from the discussion where I