How to Join Online Soap Opera Discussions

Online soap opera discussion boards allow soap fans to discuss, rant, rave and learn about their favorite daytime shows. Participants debate their opinions, discuss upcoming story lines, news and events and share backstage gossip. If watching your soaps at home gives you a craving for social interaction, consider joining an online group.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Compare online groups to see which best fits you. Choose one that deals with your favorite soap opera, or that deals with them all. Check daily activity and decide if the group is too active or boring. Read some past posts online to see if the discussions and members interest you.

2. Apply for membership if you pick a group that requires registration. Create a username that refers to one of the soap operas you watch.

3. Introduce yourself to your new soap opera discussion group. Avoid too many specifics. Reveal your first name, state, age if you want, and how many years you've watched soap operas. List your favorite or least favorite characters and story lines.

4. Reply to posts from other members. Check the rules for your discussion group to see if off-topic posts are allowed. If they are, you can write about anything, soap opera related or not. If they are not, make sure all of your comments refer to soap operas.

5. Share your desires for your soap opera and the characters. Read spoilers that reveal upcoming details from your soap, or try to avoid those spoilers if you don't want to know what is coming. Participate in organized fan campaigns that let the writers and producers know what the fans want to see on-screen.

6. Disagree respectfully when differing opinions clash, even when you are not treated with respect. Nothing ruins a soap opera discussion group more than immature members bickering and name-calling.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid getting too personal in online soap opera discussions. Other members may ignore your posts if you routinely discuss your personal life. And arguments get more heated when members get personal.

Resources

• Soap Opera discussion boards.
• Discussions at Soap Central.
• Soap Town USA offers news and commentaries to discuss.

[Wags]

on 10/2/2008 I would like to see All My Children quit calling Babe & J.R.'s son "Little A". He should by now be called A.J., or something other than Little A! Still on children, One Life To Live needs to take the pacifier away from Sam. OMG he must be 3-4 years old and still using a pacifier....not good! General Hospital, enough with Elizabeth and Jason. Either let them be happy together or let Elizabeth find a new love, a good one this time and move on, as well as Jason. The love between Elizabeth and Jason could have been such a great on screen story - a love like Robin and Stone or something even better, why keep messing them around if they are not going to be able to be together? Again, enough! Also, let's get on with this Annie killing her own brother, Jesse needs to make and arrest and Annie needs to be punished for killing him, period!

[gailroberts]

on 8/8/2007 The more generalized boards seem to carry better conversation, in my opinion, than the couple boards or individual boards.