Fandom Meta

anonymous_sibyl - I suspect some of you of violating my personhood. You know who you are. I'm hearing there's a fandom creed? I haven't stopped giggling for a good three minutes now. Oh, fandom, you are funny. I like that about you. Also, I'm not twelve and don't need you telling me how I should behave and how I should be just like everyone else. I've already developed morals and a code of behavior on my own, thanks, and I no longer feel the need to conform in order to blend in with the herd.

telesilla - some thoughts about feedback and how to get more of it We all like getting feedback, or at least everyone I've ever heard talk about it likes getting it. Obviously that leaves out getting negative/flaming feedback and feedback that smacks of fannish entitlement. But overall, most writers want to know that people are a) reading their work and b) enjoying it./ So here, after close to eleven years of writing fan fiction in online fandom, is my take on what gets you feedback and what doesn't.

fabu - Feedback Poll Summary In general, I'd say that many writers do want to hear both specific positive and negative comments, but that many readers aren't comfortable offering any negative comments, even mixed with positive feedback. The lack of consensus about what constitutes appropriate criticism, and the instances in which writers say they want constructive criticism, but then bristle at the gentlest suggestions from readers probably contribute to readers being unwilling to offer that sort of feedback.

Specific Fandom Meta

( Cut for possible Spoilers for the Fandoms: FF (incl. Serenity) )

On Reading and Writing and Vidding

z_rayne - Thoughts on vidding. As much as I love it, though, I always feel like I'm working at it through a handicap: like a blind painter or a deaf musician. Because my technical knowledge of music is...well, pretty minimal.... I've got a copy of The Chicago Manual of Style. I have the tools to find out what I don't know. With music...I'm really at a loss. I listen to other vidders talk about bridges and minor keys and I start to feel like I'm a kid with a bunch of finger-paintings who somehow ended up sharing exhibition space with Picasso and Rembrandt.

cupidsbow - 6 Stories in 10 Weeks A Rant About the Process of Writing to Deadline

On Ficathons

leadensky - Thoughts on Writing: fics, ficathons, and freelance Ficathons Are Ruining Fandom: "Ficathons make people cranky. And the fic is hurried, and crappy, and Not As Good as the non-ficathon work that the same authors do." / Advice on Running Ficathons: "Unless you're the sort of person who actually gets their jollys by having acid dripped in their eyeballs whilst red-hot pokers are shoved into bodily orifices where they *obviously* should not be, DON'T. And even if you *are* that sort of person, you'll be happier if you stick with the pokers." / Advice on Writing for Ficathons: "Don't. If you have to, don't sign up during finals, and don't sign up for six at a time. And even if you *do* sign up for six at a time, do NOT wait until the deadline due date to start the fic."

musesfool - if it don't end in bloodshed, dear, it's probably not love Whatever the reason, this request, in this configuration, is stymying you, and the deadline draws ever nearer as you stare at a blank document and wonder what the hell you were thinking when you signed up.... Some advice in this situation if you choose that last option and attempt to write a request that you never in a million years would have 1. come up with on your own and/or 2. would require the characters to behave in ways that are antithetical to how you see them, or that you believe are out of character, or however you want to put it:

karabair - The Care & Feeding of Ficathons and Challenges My two cents: the most satisfying experiences for me as a reader and participant have been in ficathons focused around a particular character (let's call him "Will") and a specific theme. (Let's call them the "Happy Will Ficathon," the "Smutty Will Ficathon" and the "Will gets out of LA" ficathon. I'm sure some of you have cracked my diabolical code by now, though I'll just add that if these ficathons DID exist and WERE about Will Tippin I would be really insanely happy). The downside is that these fics are likely to reach a narrower audience, but a larger percentage of the audience is likely to be interested in your fic. Again, a matter of tradeoff

Links, Polls, etc

themonkeycabal in who_daily - Welcome to Doctor Who Daily, where we try to bring the world of Who fandom right to your lj in a tasty, bite-sized chunk (12-28-05)