Research Paper Observations

[Rynturning_Light She/Her]

Hey all! I'm doing an research paper on Discourse communities, and I chose Brandon Sanderson readers. Part of the research requirements are observations of the community "in practice." 

As weird as it sounds, would ya'll mind just, like, interacting in the comments? Or, recommending posts/forums to look at to get the gist of community interactions

Edit: If you have any comments/thoughts that you're okay with being included in my references, please comment them!

Edited October 2, 2025 by Ryn

[KaladinsSenseOfHumourSpren He/Him]

So, I recommend you check at least a few threads in each of the main categories we got:

• Cosmere/Emberdark Discussion for Theorycrafting
• Forum Games and Random Stuff (I recommend looking at Battle for the Sandwich)
• Some RPs 

I highly recommend looking at TLT, The Longest Thread, a gigantic RP with about a thousand plotlines and a wiki. I also recommend looking at Sanderson Elimination, as it is a more structured RP. I'd say look at a third RP too.

Also you should check out Sanderson Memes. Start reading from about Page 100, because the thread was created in 2015 and all the memes from back there are from when Words of Radiance was new.

[#1 Taln Fan he/him]

Seconding KSOHS, and I'll add that Sanderson Elimination, Writing Excuses, and the Cosmere Q&A might be other good subforums to look in. 

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

54 minutes ago, Ryn said:

Hey all! I'm doing an research paper on Discourse communities, and I chose Brandon Sanderson readers. Part of the research requirements are observations of the community "in practice." 

As weird as it sounds, would ya'll mind just, like, interacting in the comments? Or, recommending posts/forums to look at to get the gist of community interactions

All the other recomendations are good, but some good threads for just people talking is The Last Post Wins, and for some threads where people share more personal stuff could be Mental Health Club or Certified Gay Disasters, both of which have a bunch of people basically crying at each other and hugging each other

[Treamayne]

Welcome to the Shard. Please consider an Intro Post to let us know what you have or have-not read (whichever list is shorter). Also, please consider checking out the Sharder FAQ for some useful forum info and tips. 

1 hour ago, Ryn said:

Hey all! I'm doing an research paper on Discourse communities, and I chose Brandon Sanderson readers. Part of the research requirements are observations of the community "in practice." 

As weird as it sounds, would ya'll mind just, like, interacting in the comments? Or, recommending posts/forums to look at to get the gist of community interactions

Without repeating the above excellent recommendations, I would also note the "Reactions" threads for new book releases (and how fans relate their initial reading experience)

• Older Example - since we don't know what you have or have not yet read: Shadows of Self Reactions (should be easy to search "Reactions" in the thread titles in the Cosmere section for books no longer in their Spoiler Period).

Also consider the "What are you <blank>ing" threads in Entertainment for sharing non-Sanderson information in the community 

• Example: What are you Reading?

Edited September 30, 2025 by Treamayne
SPAG

[Through The Living Ash he/him]

What a neat project! Here are some subforums you might want to check out: 

Forum Games & Random Stuff contains lighthearted games and whimsical topics. These are threads which serve mainly for people to just chat and have fun. 

Roleplaying has a wide range of interaction, much of it through character although also a lot not, ranging from very well thought out to more storybook style. 

Cosmere and Emberdark Discussion threads are generally more formal and people are less likely to just talk, though they have some awesome theories in their own style. 

Social Groups, Clans, and Guilds is a section in which people may talk more about their personal life or things affecting them, and relate with others, although there are also some groups that are just there for fun. 

The other Community forums (Entertainment, General Discussion, Creator's Corner) can show people's current interests and what they are doing right now. 

Hope that helps!

[Rynturning_Light She/Her]

Y'all are amazing! I really appreciate this. I've been stressing about getting my research turned in and this is gonna be so helpful with getting my observations done.

[Keke They/he]

21 hours ago, CoderDrag0n8 said:

All the other recomendations are good, but some good threads for just people talking is The Last Post Wins, and for some threads where people share more personal stuff could be Mental Health Club or Certified Gay Disasters, both of which have a bunch of people basically crying at each other and hugging each other

Ooooh yeah 

also peak description of the mhc XD

1 hour ago, Ryn said:

Y'all are amazing! I really appreciate this. I've been stressing about getting my research turned in and this is gonna be so helpful with getting my observations done.

Like others say, most of the friendly interactions happen in forum games and random stuff, general discussion, entertainment discussion, or social groups clans and guilds. 

The more cosmere centered discussion go to anything cosmere related. Basically just vibe around to see different parts. 

Also if you go back farther in mental health club there’s more interactions. Nowadays it’s slower but before there was a lot more casual conversations. Especially closer to the beginning.

[Rynturning_Light She/Her]

21 hours ago, CoderDrag0n8 said:

All the other recomendations are good, but some good threads for just people talking is The Last Post Wins, and for some threads where people share more personal stuff could be Mental Health Club or Certified Gay Disasters, both of which have a bunch of people basically crying at each other and hugging each other

Would you mind if I quote you in my observations? Specifically "both of which have a bunch of people basically crying at each other and hugging each other," for my observations about members supporting members

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

40 minutes ago, Ryn said:

Would you mind if I quote you in my observations? Specifically "both of which have a bunch of people basically crying at each other and hugging each other," for my observations about members supporting members

Yeah

[Rynturning_Light She/Her]

Any advice on specific references/jokes to include?

I know things like the stick, no mating, and anything related to Hoid, but anything else?

[Kansas Stormcursed he/him]

13 minutes ago, Ryn said:

Any advice on specific references/jokes to include?

I know things like the stick, no mating, and anything related to Hoid, but anything else?

Might be worth it to reference Ookla season, which is coming up soon-ish

[Treamayne]

3 hours ago, Ryn said:

Any advice on specific references/jokes to include?

I know things like the stick, no mating, and anything related to Hoid, but anything else?

 

2 hours ago, Kansas Stormcursed said:

Might be worth it to reference Ookla season, which is coming up soon-ish

Ookla Season is summarized, with references, in the SHARDER FAQ.

Another possible community reference to check out (also linked in the FAQ) is the history of Reputation and Titles. Years ago, there used to be "negative rep" or downvotes and it included Reputation-based titles for people with a negative cumulative score - but those were removed. So, the evolution of the original Rep system to the new System (positive and negative) to Positive-only - and the various threads on why we have a Rep limit per period (24 hours, not aligned to any specific time-zone's day change) and also how various "neighborhoods" in the 17th Shard Community view the giving of a Rep (Reactions/Upvote) can provide another axis on how relationships form and maintain themselves on this forum. 

Edited October 1, 2025 by Treamayne
SPAG

[Rynturning_Light She/Her]

51 minutes ago, Treamayne said:

 

Ookla Season is summarized, with references, in the SHARDER FAQ.

Another possible community reference to check out (also linked in the FAQ) is the history of Reputation and Titles. Years ago, thre used to be "negative rep" or downvotes and it included Reputation-based titles for people with a negative cumulative score - but those were removed. So, the evolution of the original Rep system to the new System (positive and negative) to Positive-only - and the various threads on why we have a Rep limit per period (24 hours, not aligned to any specific time-zone's day change) and also haw various "neighborhoods" in the 17th Shard Community view the giving or a Rep (Reactions/Upvote) can provide another axis on how relationships form and maintain themselves on this forum. 

You have no idea how helpful this is. My main research question is basically "how does Sanderson's community separate/differ itself from other book communities" and one point I'm making is we're more supportive/positive than most. Having join 17th Shard extremely recently, I had no idea about any of that.

Would you mind if I quoted you in my primary sources (basically testimonies/information from people in the community)?

[Treamayne]

39 minutes ago, Ryn said:

Would you mind if I quoted you in my primary sources (basically testimonies/information from people in the community)?

I do not mind at all. Feel free to post here or PM if you have any specific questions. 

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

8 hours ago, Ryn said:

You have no idea how helpful this is. My main research question is basically "how does Sanderson's community separate/differ itself from other book communities" and one point I'm making is we're more supportive/positive than most. Having join 17th Shard extremely recently, I had no idea about any of that.

Would you mind if I quoted you in my primary sources (basically testimonies/information from people in the community)?

If this, def the Mental Health Club or Certified Gay Disasters. its just a bunch of people, crying, hugging, and acceping each other

[Keke They/he]

On 10/1/2025 at 8:10 AM, Ryn said:

Would you mind if I quote you in my observations? Specifically "both of which have a bunch of people basically crying at each other and hugging each other," for my observations about members supporting members

I love being quoted *huffs profoundly*

On 10/1/2025 at 9:42 AM, Ryn said:

Any advice on specific references/jokes to include?

I know things like the stick, no mating, and anything related to Hoid, but anything else?

Hehehe

one is “pulling a coder” which is when you have a spoiler box and then put so many words it lags out  everyone’s computers

 

[CoderDrag0n8 He/They]

2 hours ago, Hawks said:

I love being quoted *huffs profoundly*

Hehehe

one is “pulling a coder” which is when you have a spoiler box and then put so many words it lags out  everyone’s computers

 

i thought we got over that T^T

i stopped!

[Rynturning_Light She/Her]

17 hours ago, Hawks said:

I love being quoted *huffs profoundly*

You've been added to the master document. Thank you for the contribution

[Kansas Stormcursed he/him]

14 hours ago, CoderDrag0n8 said:

i thought we got over that T^T

i stopped!

Yeah but some of us still reference it. And @Hawks it's not words, it's emojis that makes it pulling a coder

[Keke They/he]

1 hour ago, Ryn said:

You've been added to the master document. Thank you for the contribution

YAY!!!

KANSAS KANSAAS,

IM FAMOUS 

AHAHAHAHAHA

1 hour ago, Kansas Stormcursed said:

Yeah but some of us still reference it. And @Hawks it's not words, it's emojis that makes it pulling a coder

Trueeeeeeeeeee

[Kansas Stormcursed he/him]

Just now, Hawks said:

YAY!!!

KANSAS KANSAAS,

IM FAMOUS 

AHAHAHAHAHA

Trueeeeeeeeeee

I see that

Very nice

[Keke They/he]

Just now, Kansas Stormcursed said:

I see that

Very nice

AHAHAHA

LETS GO

Spoiler

r u pwoud of me???

 

[Kansas Stormcursed he/him]

1 minute ago, Hawks said:

AHAHAHA

LETS GO

  Hide contents

r u pwoud of me???

 

Yes, I'm very proud of you. Good job. *head pat*

[Keke They/he]

10 minutes ago, Kansas Stormcursed said:

Yes, I'm very proud of you. Good job. *head pat*

YAY

*smiles big smile*