Building a Healthy Online Community

Reddit has a reputation, and it’s not always a good one. Steve Drew (u/elquesogrande) has created a space on Reddit that defies some of its greater detractors – r/Fantasy is a fun, safe, and engaging place for fans of speculative fiction to meet each other and (quiet often) their favorite authors.

A healthy community like this is something of a rarity on the internet, and one that requires a lot of thoughtful planning and devoted attention over time. I wanted to sit down with Steve and ask him how he does it. Knowing some of the r/Fantasy mods as well as a number of its regulars, I’ve been fascinated by this oasis of community in a broad desert we all know as the internet.