Most people who start threads would like to see as many people as possible post on their thread(s). Does anyone start a thread to talk to themselves? I don't think so. But it seems (to me, at least) that many people who start threads don't devote more than three seconds to thinking up a thread title that will intrigue people and generate a desire to participate by posting. It's frequently almost impossible to figure out what a thread is about from its title. And it shouldn't be that way. A thread title should be both informative and enticing. It should make the idle PC member flipping through "new posts" want to know more about what people are saying on that particular topic.

I know for a fact that there are many who are discouraged after posting threads in which few people participate. And they wonder about why this should happen. When the answer is right in front of their nose: your thread title is your advertisement, your come-on, your banner, your message to the world. If your thread title doesn't spark interest you might as well not have started a new thread. Want participation? Work on that title until you've got something that Madison Avenue would approve of. Think that's below your dignity? Then forget starting new threads. Sure, once you get a reputation for interesting threads (like Pachyderm and others I could name), you don't have to try as hard. But until then (and that means most of us), THREAD TITLES COUNT.

Think about it. And take care!