trades
A trades (or /trades) on the IndieWeb refers to the practice of exchanging something with another perso. On personal websites, a /trades slash page documents what someone has available to exchange with others, and what they're interested in receiving.
Why
Trading offers an alternative to commercial exchange. It signals openness to connection, collaboration, and an informal 'gift economy.'
They reflect an ethos common in zine culture.
Ideas
Trading could take many forms. Some ideas:
- Skill: exchanging expertise, e.g. web development help for graphic design, copyediting for code review
- Creative: swapping creative work such as writing, illustration, music, or photography
- Feedback: exchanging editorial or critical feedback on each other's work (see #Writing Circles below)
- Links: mutual blogroll listings, webring participation, or link exchanges between personal sites
- Zines/prints: mailing physical zines, art prints, or handmade objects
Writing Circle
A writing circle (sometimes called a writing swap or critique swap) is a small group of writers who exchange written work for editorial feedback and encouragement.
How It Works
A basic writing circle swap:
- Each participant shares a piece of writing (essay, fiction, poem, blog post draft, whatever you agree on)
- Participants swap pieces and provide written feedback
- Feedback is returned within an agreed timeframe (a week or two is common)
Interested?
If you'd like to participate, add yourself below with what kind of writing you work on:
zacharykaiwrites: space fantasy fiction, essays, blog posts, poetry
Nalyd_12: poetry, short fiction, fantasy, blog posts- Add yourself here… (see this for more details)
/trades Pages
What To Include
A /trades page typically documents:
- What you're offering: physical items (zines, books, prints, seeds, handmade objects), digital items (ebooks, files, game downloads), or services (editing, design, correspondence)
- What you're open to receiving: what kinds of things interest you, even loosely defined
- How to reach you: usually a contact method (email, a contact page, etc.)
Some people also log completed trades as a record, similar to a now or uses page.
How To
Create a page at /trades on your personal site. Keep it simple: a short description of what you have and what you'd welcome. Update it when your offerings change.
Consider adding h-card microformat markup.
IndieWeb Examples
- zacharykaiwrites has a trades page documenting zines, writing, and other handmade/digital items available for exchange, alongside what he's interested in receiving.
- Add yourself here… (see this for more details)