Blue Sun Room Posting Etiquette

POSTED BY: Arcadia
UPDATED: Monday, July 16, 2007 16:40
VIEWED: 26315
PAGE 5 of 7

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NEXT PAGE

PSANDUSKY

Saturday, October 21, 2006 1:14 AM

I'll agree with you on point #3, insofar as someone may feel that the group of readers they know in the Firefly/Serenity/Name-a-theme archive is the most supportive audience out there to guide their writing. No problem with that. New, nervous writers/artists are not the object of my beef, per se.

If, however, what ends up on the archive consists of several paragraphs concerning a caped superhero of Earth-that-Was (absent any described context of someone in the FF/S 'verse reading or viewing the adventures of said costumed crusader)[1] without any sort of "I'm new at this," "This is my first time," "I realize this doesn't look like Firefly or Serenity, but here's why I put this here," or any break-the-fourth-wall preamble at all, I have a lot of trouble believing that it's someone who is a) nervous or b) otherwise concerned about appropriate (so to speak) selection of archive.

I think that if there's a strong [2] question regarding just how something someone's written relates to the theme of the archive, then it behooves the writer to pass along a few lines (or even a few words) to frame the piece for the reader. That's not to say that the author should assume the reader is dense, and therefore must include a complete analysis of their references as their teaser, or that he or she should employ similarly drastic means of exposition. "Getting it" or not implies that there's something to "get" in the first place, and hopefully the author will be kind enough to include a word or two that suggests what it is the reader is supposed to "get." If they don't, and the reader concludes that what's there doesn't fit, then there really shouldn't be any shock that the reader says as much, however they may go about it. The writer/creator always has the option of clarifying their position, whether they're new to writing (in this setting or generally) or not. Doing so is even easier than leaving feedback is, and may benefit the author's take of feedback and ratings down the line. It certainly can't hurt either measure.

I would say it's certainly possible that someone knows of only the BSR as an outlet, especially if that someone is a minor, but I don't see how someone with more experience in and around the web could not know of something like fanfiction.net. Let's face it; whether we like it or not, the Blue Sun Room is a lot more obscure than fanfiction.net. And even if they don't know of a more general archive, why don't they look? If this person looks at posting as being on a par with bungee jumping, then I could see throwing everything in as being an impulsive act. But does it need to be? I mean, if I wanted to share something I'd done, I'd first concern myself with doing so in the best way possible, and that includes framing it so the reader/viewer can recognize my intent and making sure it goes somewhere thematically appropriate.

Sorry to be a hardnose about it, but that's just how I feel about writing.

[1] I swear this appeared sometime last winter. What it was exactly, I remember not, but I think it was a Batman story. There was no writer's preamble to it at all, IIRC, except an excerpt for a teaser. Yes, I know, that puts me on rhetorically thin ice. The thing's just stuck in my memory, is all.

[2] How strong depends on what it is. If it's a poem that mentions characters and places, there's not much question. If the sum total of the post is lyrics someone just heard on the radio, um...

ACHTUNG! ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS!
Das Internet is nicht fuer gefingerclicken und giffengrabben. Ist easy droppenpacket der routers und overloaden der backbone mit der spammen und der me-tooen. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das mausklicken sichtseeren keepen das bandwit-spewin hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das cursorblinken.

BROWNCOATJIM

Saturday, October 21, 2006 1:41 AM

OK, and you know what, I am going to go with you on the point of if you are doing something not necessarily 'verse related, some sort of preamble, disclaimer, whatver is not much to ask or even demand.

I will always make a lot of allowances for new writers or submiters, becuase it's scary, and there is that one asshole in every crowd who will trash you silly just becuase he or she can behind the anonymity of the internet, and depending upon the person, it can be quite devastating to have someone trash you, like whoever the dick is that gave the girl '1's becuase she flooded the blue sun room today (which i honestly don't think she knew any better).

Still, I do agree with you that this is a Firefly fan site, and we want to read about our BDH's, not anything else.

The one thing I will disagree about tho is explaining too much. I like to think that the people out here are pretty bright, and if I write something open ended, open to interpretation, then I am counting on bright people to take this idea in any way that makes sense to them, and there is where it all gets pretty interesting.

Overall, PS, your points are well made, and I do nt think we are that far removed from one another in our ideas.

Simon: "Were there any Feds?"
mal: "No, no Feds, just an honest brawl between folk."

MAL4PREZ

Monday, October 23, 2006 2:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LucasHarper:
I didn' t rate the fic because I didn't read it.

Sorry Lucas!

-----------------------------------------------
I'm the president. I don't need to listen.

AGENTROUKA

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 11:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by EmpireX:

Or, even more annoying, I start reading a fic and suddenly a main character is killed off without warning or River suddenly starts making out with Simon. I'm fairly particular about the pairings that I read. I guess I'm just a cannon-loving girl. But it would save readers time if we could skip over the stuff that just isn't our cup o' tea. I think it's only fair to warn people of what they're about to read.

AMEN!

Giving a pairing-warning is a must, in particular for non-canon pairings.

PHOENIXROSE

Sunday, October 29, 2006 6:27 PM

Bump

[]

PHOENIXROSE

Friday, November 10, 2006 7:36 AM

Double bump

[]

ASARIAN

Thursday, November 30, 2006 9:21 PM

Good thread.

I can honestly say I've never flooded the BSR, as I simple lack the talent to produce anything worthwhile within at least a two months interval. :) Having said that, it's also the reason I fully understand where you're coming from. Flooding sucks. People can consult the archives, yes; but you'd have to really be interested in a person's work to click through all the links (without thumnbnails). But more importantly, you simply don't SEE that they posted, even.

Inevitably, there's no getting around to seeing a correlation between the speed at which stuff is posted (not necessarily by the same person) and the quality of the work in the BSR. The latter is, of course, subjective. So a better way of putting this, is to simply say that I have certain expectations of work in the BSR, and that those expectations aren't always met -- especially when flooding starts. I especially dislike much of the same (with only minor variations between them), posted quickly after each other. For instance, I like the occassional Jayne-hat; ten Jayne-hats in a row, not so much. As an old Latin proverb goes: dosis facit venemon: "It's the dose that makes the poison." :)

It is, in fact. about respect. Or is it? I mean, could just be my expectations again. Used to be a time we were are talking 'bout Firefly and the room was brimming with the 'verse; nowadays all I see is imponderables and the forsaken. Ain't nothing wrong with that, per se; perhaps I just need to get used to the 'verse being a changed place, with new people in it; folks with different expectations.

Gawd, that sounded synical. What can I say? I'm a mean, old man. :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

TDBROWN

Saturday, December 30, 2006 8:02 PM

IMO, it's all a matter of common courtesy. If you don't want it to happen to you, don't do it yourself.

I'm an active songwriter and lyricist, with song lyrics posted in many songwriting sites on the web. The usual rule of thumb at songwriting sites tends to be this:

"Please post no more than one lyric a day, and respond to at least one other post when you do. this prevents flooding of the forum, and gives you some chance of getting a response to your Post."

I think this idea is a good one for Here, in all categories. JMHO

FIZZIX

Sunday, December 31, 2006 7:35 PM

Gyahh... I just did this the other day without thinking, and I officially say sorry about that, but I've not an attention span.

*sends out mail notice letters that Fizz is just an idiot, can you please forgive her?*

/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\
May not be smart, and it may not please you, but you're definitely gonna see what I have to say.

ZZETTA13

Sunday, December 31, 2006 7:44 PM

I understand that this happens. It has happened to me (I have about 30 fan fic stories). But I also know that putting any restrictions would be a bad thing. Ppl should be able to post when and as much as they want. Maybe we can get two "Blue Sun Rooms". One for fan fic and one for fan art and images. Just a thought.

Z

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NEXT PAGE