How to Start a Ghost Group



This is a very common question and there are some basic guidelines that you can follow.

First: if you are going to gather your group from the internet like we did, there are some serious safety issues to consider:



Designate a public place for everyone to meet for the first few encounters. The more other people there, the better. Restaurants are a good choice (and there are so many haunted ones to choose from!).

Do not meet anyone at their home, or allow them to meet at yours, until you are comfortable with them.

Take a spouse/significant other/trusted friend/family member with you when you go. DO NOT GO ALONE IF YOU CAN AVOID IT.

Let a spouse/significant other/trusted friend/family member know where you are going, when you expect to return, and any internet ID of the people you are planning to meet (e-mail address, etc.)

Meet during the day for the first time.

It was not that long ago that a fellow Texan discovered too late that YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO ON THE INTERNET.

Second: Establish WHY you want to start a group. Do you want to get into the nitty-gritty of how the phenomena happens? Or do you want to hang-out in the most haunted spots and try to spot an apparition? Try to find people who share your reason for starting a group - it'll be smoother. I can't tell you how many teams fall apart because they didn't do this.



Third: Establish some basic ground rules. These will probably change as your group grows and gains experience, but they should be considered early on. Do you want an age restriction? Do you want to limit membership size? What kind of behavior is acceptable during an investigation? What is unacceptable?



Fourth: Establish some kind of infrastructure. Someone needs to get investigations together, get the word out, keep the group moving together... Who will that be?



And later on...



How do we deal with the media?



You may eventually have to deal with the media in some form - newspaper, magazine, radio, television, internet... If I could tell you just one thing about the media, it would be this: They can be your best friend and your worst enemy. By their very nature, the media has special requirements that you must be prepared to deal with. If they accompany you on an investigation, be prepared to answer a lot of questions and accommodate extra equipment. Media personalities are human and each has their own personal feelings and beliefs. Be prepared to deal with skepticism that borders on antagonism. They are trained to ask probing questions - it's their job. Don't take it personal. Be on the lookout for any attempt to sensationalize what you do. They are looking for ratings, we are looking for leads. Don't sacrifice your integrity for 15 seconds of fame.

How to Start a Ghost Group



This is a very common question and there are some basic guidelines that you can follow.

First: if you are going to gather your group from the internet like we did, there are some serious safety issues to consider:



Designate a public place for everyone to meet for the first few encounters. The more other people there, the better. Restaurants are a good choice (and there are so many haunted ones to choose from!).

Do not meet anyone at their home, or allow them to meet at yours, until you are comfortable with them.

Take a spouse/significant other/trusted friend/family member with you when you go. DO NOT GO ALONE IF YOU CAN AVOID IT.

Let a spouse/significant other/trusted friend/family member know where you are going, when you expect to return, and any internet ID of the people you are planning to meet (e-mail address, etc.)

Meet during the day for the first time.

It was not that long ago that a fellow Texan discovered too late that YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO ON THE INTERNET.

Second: Establish WHY you want to start a group. Do you want to get into the nitty-gritty of how the phenomena happens? Or do you want to hang-out in the most haunted spots and try to spot an apparition? Try to find people who share your reason for starting a group - it'll be smoother. I can't tell you how many teams fall apart because they didn't do this.



Third: Establish some basic ground rules. These will probably change as your group grows and gains experience, but they should be considered early on. Do you want an age restriction? Do you want to limit membership size? What kind of behavior is acceptable during an investigation? What is unacceptable?



Fourth: Establish some kind of infrastructure. Someone needs to get investigations together, get the word out, keep the group moving together... Who will that be?



And later on...



How do we deal with the media?



You may eventually have to deal with the media in some form - newspaper, magazine, radio, television, internet... If I could tell you just one thing about the media, it would be this: They can be your best friend and your worst enemy. By their very nature, the media has special requirements that you must be prepared to deal with. If they accompany you on an investigation, be prepared to answer a lot of questions and accommodate extra equipment. Media personalities are human and each has their own personal feelings and beliefs. Be prepared to deal with skepticism that borders on antagonism. They are trained to ask probing questions - it's their job. Don't take it personal. Be on the lookout for any attempt to sensationalize what you do. They are looking for ratings, we are looking for leads. Don't sacrifice your integrity for 15 seconds of fame.