10 Keys to a Great Guild

ISSUE #1: SUBJECT

Now if you expect to have a popular guild, you want to have a popular subject! It doesn't matter if you have the COOLEST guild background if your guild has a boring subject! Example: If I am REALLY into GELERTS, I would make a guild about them, right? RIGHT! But if it just says "GELERT" for the guild name, it wouldn't be as successful as "Gelert Royalty" or something that sounds interesting. You'll get more members that way!

ISSUE #2: GUILD "STAFF"

I call it "staff" but you might know it as guild council. They are the big shots, the head honchos, but are they responsible? Having irresponsible "staff" can cause BIG PROBLEMS!!! First, when choosing your "staff", there are some things you need to keep in mind.

1 Is this person active on the guild and on Neopets enough to handle problems on the guild?

2 Has this person shown responsibility here in the guild?

3 Has this person received numerous warnings from TNT (The Neopets Team) or tried to bother anyone on the site?

4 Will I want to get rid of this person if they become inactive?

Try not to judge TOO harshly, but if someone applies and you just think "Yeah. Sure. Whatever," you could be putting your guild at risk! Be VERY careful when choosing Guild "staff". It is for the entire guild!!

ISSUE #3: THE GUILD'S LOOKS

Alright now. Don't WIG OUT if you don't have a clue how to get your guild looking nice. Can't copy and paste? No worries! If you have fellow members who agree, the guild has some work to be done, you can give them access to the guild's layout (A.K.A. Looks) and they will copy and paste all the stuff to make your guild sparkle and shine! Remember to give the person who made the guild page credit. If you don't, you could end up on a wall of shame with people seeing your username and knowing you did something wrong.

ISSUE #4: FUN LITTLE EXTRAS

If you want to give your guild something to smile about, you can post jokes on your guild board, or give items to a certain member who has done above and beyond what the average guild member would. It's nice to give the people doing good things and helping other members a small reward and tell of the members' greatness on your guild board.

ISSUE #5: WHEN A GOOD MEMBER GOES BAD

It's a sad tale to tell when a precious guild member breaks the rules of your guild. But on the occasion that something DOES happen, here is what to do with your member.

1 Tell the member through neomail that you don't approve of their behavior and they need to stop doing bad things.

2 If the member does not listen to you, you can ban them for a small amount of time, until they learn their lesson.

3 If they claim they have learned what not to do on your guild, but return STILL BAD, then what? You tell them this is a FINAL WARNING!!! Tell them you are fed up with how they are acting and if it continues, you will block them from your guild. You just can't risk the entire guild going bad because they see this person doing it.

ISSUE #6: WHEN A MEMBER LEAVES

If a member claims they are sooo tired and annoyed in this guild and hits the Neopian road, first DO NOT PANIC OR BLAME YOURSELF! That is the worst possible thing you can do!!! It is NOT always your fault. If the member wants to go, there are some steps to take.

1 If a member packs up and heads out of your guild, do not send them "mad mail" because they might report you!

2 You KNOW you are better than begging. Why do this? "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COME BACK!!! I MISS YOU AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE! WAAA!!!" I am not saying you can't say you miss them, but don't go all Neopian soap opera. You can apologize, in fact. I recommend it! It could be about something you did not know you were doing, and saying "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I hope we can still be friends!" is a great way to keep it rolling smoothly!

3 If the person leaves because they want to make their own guild, that's okay, too! Tell them how proud you are of them for stepping out into the world of guild creating! Don't forget to say, "If you need help there, I'll lend you a hand!" because it lets the departing member know you are still friends! Which, by the way, can prevent times where the former member won't reply to your neomail and refuses all your neofriend requests, and you slowly grow angry at each other.

ISSUE #7: CONFLICT AND RESOLVING IT

When something happens between you and a fellow guild member, you can be up to your eyes in "mad mail". So, how to resolve guild conflict? It is simple. COMMUNICATION. Talk CALMLY with the member you are having a conflict with. Try to understand what is going on in their head. Are they upset at you for doing something? If say, you and a guild member are just talking, and then you say something that wasn't meant to hurt their feelings, but it did, ask "What did I do to make you mad at me? When did I do it?" They will most likely reply saying, "Well, it was blah blah blah ago. You said blah blah blah. And it really hurt my feelings." One you get that message, say, "Oh, I didn't know! I wasn't trying to bother you. I'm really sorry." It is a simple thing. Find out what happened, try to understand, say what you meant, and apologize for the confusion.

ISSUE #8: QUITTING TIME?

Sometimes a guild creator gets bored and wants out of the leadership. When it is you up there deciding, "I'm outta here!" be careful! Is this what you want to do? Will you miss being with these people, miss being the leader? If you say "yes" to any of the fallowing questions, maybe you should rethink quitting.

Question 1: Do you care the most about the guild?

Question 2: Do you enjoy caring for the guild?

Question 3: Do people in the guild always go to you for advice?

Question 4: When you quit, do you think you'll feel empty?

Question 5: Will you miss any of the members left in the guild and will they miss you?

So did you think yes? Then you'll miss the guild, The guild members and you'll miss saying you are the leader of your guild. The guild needs you if you said yes, and you need the guild too.

Said no to everything? Then you are free to go. Tell the members bye, keep in touch, and wish the new leader best of luck.

ISSUE #9 MASCOTS???

If you need a little neopet to keep your guild going, I encourage you to do it! First off, you can adopt a neopet at the Neopian pound, or create one who would love standing tall saying "I'm the guild mascot!" Then choose a neopet everyone in the guild loves! Have you chosen? Great! Now decide who will care for the mascot. Should it be the leader? If not, find a good member who will take great care of it! But be sure EVERYONE in the guild is involved with its care!

ISSUE#10 BYYE BYYE GUILD!

Are you tired of your guild? Bored, into something else? Then I guess deleting the guild is fine. Tell the members you are ready to close down your guild by neomail. If they are okay with it, proceed closing the guild. If it really is time to say good bye, then you won't miss your guild. Maybe you should remain guildless! If so, tell the members just that. They will understand!!!

Author's Note: Hi, my username is sandy9979__41. I will not be taking neomails, sorry.