Who is Prosebox? Your survey results in Site Updates
- June 14, 2019, 12:48 p.m.
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- Public
Hey everyone,
I wanted to share some of the results that came out of the survey I posted a few weeks ago. There were 512 responses, which is REALLY impressive!! Thanks so much to those of you that filled it out (and a special thanks to those of you that helped with survey typos, ha). I was surprised by some of what came back, and as someone that does user research for a living, that’s always a wonderful feeling. I hope you all enjoy reading through these as much as I did.
Demographics
It’s really great to see this line up with the demographics data I get via analytics. You never know how accurate that stuff actually is!
PB and OD
This really surprised me!! I knew based on what I’ve heard from everyone that the vast majority were former OD members, but 93%!!! That’s an overwhelming number of you. And for so many of you to be PB members since the start? That’s great. I’m so glad you found a home here.
Writing habits
This is really interesting as well. The vast majority of you have been writing for a long period of time, and you tend to favor comments. That is to say, your prime motivation for visiting Prosebox isn’t necessarily to share, it’s to interact with others. Fascinating. This makes me feel really good about launching comment editing last year!
Overall satisfaction
Now, this just made me smile. Many of you said in your written feedback that you were happy with how (mostly) stable things have been in the past year (!) since I stepped in, and that you love the site for what it is today. That’s a wonderful testament to what SM built, and makes all of the work I’ve put in feel really rewarding. Love you guys.
And now, my favorite part. Some of these responses were so moving to me, and really made me feel like the work I do is so, so worth doing. Others were really funny! Writers really are the best at this.
Why do you use Prosebox?
“It’s my means of keeping my memories alive, even as I forget them.”
“Writing helps me process my feelings. Connecting with people all over the world is wonderful and makes you feel like we are all so much the same dealing with the same sorts of things just in different places. Some of my best friends are my PB friends.”
“Because if I didn’t my words would be stuck up in my head…or be blurted out, usually at inopportune times”
“I’ve been writing my life in a series of these little white boxes since I was 13… at this point, even though I suck at doing it with any kind of consistency, NOT being able to (or to have this community) would feel like a part of me had stopped breathing.”
“Because it’s cheaper than therapy and easier to access. Because writing helps me process my thoughts and figure out what I really think. Because I like connecting with like-minded strangers, in a way that feels safe. It’s the perspective you can’t get from your real world friends.”
What’s the best thing you’ve gotten out of Prosebox?
“Writing for audience to read without compromising my privacy. Reading about people’s authentic stories – everyone is a good writer when it comes to writing about what they care about the most.”
“Reading about other people’s lives puts my own troubles in perspective.”
“Friendship. I have never met a Prosebox friend in real life, so I sometimes feel as if I have imaginary friends. Imaginary or not, my friends here offer me support when I need it.”
“Continued connection with some of the closest people in my life in a private, supportive environment.”
“It’s a sense of belonging… a safe place, almost like a little internet ‘home’, where you can always come back, no matter how long it’s been. It’s been a way for me to capture my story and keep my memories of different times in my life recorded.
What’s next?
Ugh, who put all of this dust in here? I’M NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING.
More soon.
<3,
-J
Last updated February 22, 2023
northern lights ⋅ June 14, 2019
:D
TellTaleHeart ⋅ June 14, 2019
Ok, but now I want to see an actual picture of your actual face. Preferably with Mochi too.
josh TellTaleHeart ⋅ June 14, 2019
That is my actual face
rhizome josh ⋅ June 14, 2019
you're so handsome, josh
Witchy Woman ⋅ June 14, 2019
Josh is a walking emoji! 😂
Thank you for all your hard work. I'm glad you seem to be having fun with it.
Firebabe ⋅ June 14, 2019
Trigger warning man - that first pic gave me Agile/Scrum planning flashbacks. I woke up on the floor in my office with a fistful of post-it-notes and marker all over my face. o.O
Mochi looks veeeeeery interested in what he's reading. Can't wait to see what comes out of everyone's input!
ODSago ⋅ June 14, 2019
Oh, I've had company and missed the request, Josh. Interesting info. Wonder how many are in my advanced age group? Would interest me. Just turned 78.
josh ODSago ⋅ June 14, 2019
I just updated the age table to include all results :)
ODSago josh ⋅ June 15, 2019
Oh...good news indeed. Thanks.
Park Row Fallout ⋅ June 14, 2019
Dude... you put so much work into this place! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
DE_karabeara ⋅ June 14, 2019
As a new PB user, it's fascinating to see who I'm joining. Thanks for the data download! 🤓
Domino ⋅ June 14, 2019
THANK YOU 😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
history of love ⋅ June 14, 2019
I am the heart eyes emoji right now 😍
Adira ⋅ June 14, 2019
Seriously, you are amazing. Thank you!
Camdengirl ⋅ June 14, 2019
Very interesting!
Mochi looks less impressed with the data, reckon he wants a biscuit?
josh Camdengirl ⋅ June 14, 2019
Always.
aglow ⋅ June 14, 2019
<333 I love this.
Thanks for being the RADDEST caretaker of this space.
GypsyWynd ⋅ June 14, 2019
You look just the way I pictured you! 😉
I'm curious: How many users are 55+?
smoochies to Mochi.
josh GypsyWynd ⋅ June 14, 2019
Updated the table to include all of the results
GypsyWynd josh ⋅ June 14, 2019
Thanks!l
Gangleri ⋅ June 14, 2019
Interesting.
J.E. ⋅ June 14, 2019
Groovy
perfunctory ⋅ June 14, 2019
You’re the best.
toddslife ⋅ June 14, 2019
cool
Deleted user ⋅ June 14, 2019
This is so interesting ! Thank- you ! We appreciate you a bunch !
crystal butterfly ⋅ June 14, 2019
I noticed that age from of many of those I follow here was left off. There are a lot of us in our 60-70+.
josh crystal butterfly ⋅ June 14, 2019
Updated the table to include all of the results
m.i.a. ⋅ June 14, 2019
Awesome!!!! This was really cool to see, data analysis is fun. Thank you so much for keeping this place alive!
softea ⋅ June 14, 2019 (edited June 14, 2019)
Edited
So cool to see you working through this data! I'm excited to see what you make of it and how it shapes the site moving forward
EchoSeven ⋅ June 14, 2019 (edited June 14, 2019)
Edited
Oh LAWD I never really thought about just exactly how much work goes into it. It's one thing to know it's a lot and quite another to SEE it's a lot. Thank you so much!
Tempestuous1 ⋅ June 14, 2019
You rock!!
DE_Da_Bartender ⋅ June 14, 2019
Fascinating stuff! It really shows the impact a home can have on the community, and on the landlord ;D
Jigger ⋅ June 14, 2019
I think we’re all really glad to have you at the helm.
simple mind ⋅ June 14, 2019
Wow, that is an impressive board.
josh simple mind ⋅ June 14, 2019
You should see the other side of the room..
Anit ⋅ June 14, 2019
Holy crap, man! I absolutely do not envy you in having to process all this, but I can see that there is a certain fascination in it. So interesting to see the survey results! I'm in more of a majority than I thought, ha.
Katren...In Conclusion ⋅ June 14, 2019
Sorry to say, your inserted carts cannot be read by my "reading for the blind" program. I miss much of what you're saying.
Katren...In Conclusion ⋅ June 14, 2019
Not "carts" but "charts
"
dancingstrawberry ⋅ June 14, 2019
THIS MADE MY DAY!
Well, first because my answers for "Why do you use Prosebox?" and "What’s the best thing you’ve gotten out of Prosebox?" both got featured hehehehe.
And then, I love seeing numbers as well!! I love the "broad pictures" that numbers afford us.
And lastly, thank you for all your effort!!
Marg ⋅ June 14, 2019
These are really interesting - some surprising I must admit - but that wall - so impressive! Thank you for all the effort you put into this place!
my.halo.has.slipped ⋅ June 15, 2019
Ooh. This was interesting. 93% of us OD refugees? It’s funny how that came back and nobody seems to have gone back.
Chic Chat ⋅ June 15, 2019
So cool!
Sho ⋅ June 15, 2019
You're a walking algorithm
josh Sho ⋅ June 15, 2019
01001101 01101111 01100011 01101000 01101001
Sho josh ⋅ June 15, 2019
01101001 00100000 01100001 01101101 00100000 01110010 01100001 01100010 01100010 01101001 01110100
BlueEyes418 ⋅ June 15, 2019
Thank you so much for all of this work and effort, Josh. This is one of my favorite posts that I've ever read here. I've been in PB since the beginning, and wrote in Open Diary for...15 years, I think?
That picture of Mochi up close makes me dearly want to kiss that cute little nose. :)
Deleted user ⋅ June 15, 2019
This is so neat to see!
Leanne 🌈 ⋅ June 16, 2019
Cool beans.
Just Molly ⋅ June 16, 2019
Very cool. Thank you for sharing!
kmh. ⋅ June 16, 2019
Thank you so much, Josh. It really means a huge amount to all of us that you not only jumped on board when we needed someone, but that you care so much and put in so much effort to keep things running smoothly and to make improvements :) I'll be forever grateful to SM for making Prosebox, and to you for taking the reigns now.
precious butterflies ⋅ June 17, 2019
You're so awesome!! I appreciate you! Thank you! :)
Deleted user ⋅ June 17, 2019
Thank you so much!
Oui! C'est ma Vie! ⋅ June 17, 2019
Hey josh, thanks for all!
I have request with the write new entry page,
is it possible to make the last created book the default for new entries? please? for me it'd make a pretty journaling change!
Thanks a bunch, bisous a Moshii
cricket_factor ⋅ June 17, 2019
Why couldn't you have been Bruce with Open Diary - look how much work you're putting into this! We would have never had to leave and delete our diaries and download them somewhere else. It was so interesting to read the survey results!
Mochi, look how hard your dad is working!
Deleted user ⋅ June 17, 2019
You are awesome. Thank you!
colour of water ⋅ June 17, 2019
Thanks for sharing this! It's a shame I missed the survey. I haven't been here for ages and I don't get to write nearly half as often as I once did. I too was on OD and have been here since the start - and I too am super happy with Prosebox! :)
colojojo ⋅ June 18, 2019
<3 thank you for your continuous hardwork and dedication to all of us <3
Stephably ⋅ June 18, 2019
This is so neat to see. Thank you for compiling all the data. And you look exactly how I feel on a daily basis with migraine! Fascinating. lol
LachrymoseBeauty ⋅ June 18, 2019
This is awesome. I'm sorry I missed it, but it looks like I fit right in with the rest of the group here
Small Town Girl ⋅ June 21, 2019
All those little printed and cut up papers! Thank you for your dedication to this site and all of its users! I/we really appreciate your hard work. :)
AppleGirl ⋅ July 02, 2019
Nice! I'm sorry I missed the survey, but I fit into most of the major categories, came from OD, wrote there for over 10 years, started here at the very beginning, and 42 years old.
I write for therapy, for sure.
:)
Reading_Blankie 📚 ⋅ July 20, 2019 (edited July 20, 2019)
Edited
Aw, I missed the survey, too. <3
But to add to it:
I came over from OD and was on that until I was 18 or something like that and have been writing about things in my life for as long as I can remember. I've been here since the beginning, too.
What I like about it here , is it's simplicity. There is no worry about having your html perfect on your frontpage or your entries( I may have dabbed in that a bit. Even after not html-ing for more than a decade, I still remember some codes. The mouseover color changing code was my fav) and the community here. It feels more of an "adult" journaling place, where people write about "real life things", rather than posting surveys and whatnot. There are people you can connect with here.
MageB ⋅ July 29, 2019
I didn't know about this or I would be here, I'm another old one of 77, who began writing as a teen. I was in OD from the start as I was here from the start. My main reason for writing here was to stay in touch with the friends from OD>
woman in the moon ⋅ November 25, 2020
Madge and I are a lot alike.