Snowflake Challenge: 15

[keiliss]

Day 15
In your own space, create your own challenge. What’s something you want to see more people doing in fandom? Is there something fun you’ve tried that you think other people would enjoy if they gave it a go? Dare your friends to try it out, and have fun with it. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

Want to see more femmeslash? Challenge your friends list/feed/followers/snowflakes to create some. Love Cthulhu Mythos fusions and are saddened by the sheer lack of them? Make a challenge for it, though I suspect this will be more along the lines of a dare. Want more comments, more transformative works policies, coffee shop AUs? You know the drill

Wow -- I've loved this challenge. Did them all, found some simpler than others, some really time swallowing, but it's been great to be so fandom focused. I've met new people, collected a long list of fic recs, and found things to sit quiet and think about. It's been a very positive way to start the year!! I'm not sure about the wording of this final prompt though. It's not about personal challenge, it's about challenges to throw out to the community, but that's not really who I am (though if it was about personal challenges, I did think of a theme for a kind of coffee shop AU and might eventually explore it. Have three deadlines to meet first).

First thing that comes to mind, as Spiced Wine and Oshun have already said, is REVIEW! If you read something that entertained you, say so. It's too easy to leave a quick kudo on AO3 and even easier to skim and move on here or on other archives. Here is your challenge - SAY YOU LIKED IT.

How to comment: There is no such thing as a stupid comment, or needing to say something intelligent, or to engage the writer (I'm guilty of that --- brilliant fic, can't comment, don't know what to say, everyone else has written six paragraphs of articulate praise). All anyone really needs to know is you --- person with a name, a profile - read it and liked it. There is nothing quite like looking at hundreds of page clicks and wondering if they all hit the back button after the third paragraph. I do not instinctively know my fic was wonderful and touched your heart and made you want to go write something yourself - you have to tell me that.

And here's another one --- UPDATE. I care what you're doing, what you're feeling, about that messy drabble you wrote and wouldn't dare put on an archive but would like to share with friends, your writer's block, whether you should post your weird non-canon private soap, and here's a sample. If you've been gone a while -- like several people I know - even more reason to have a Presence (love that term *g*). Let's not go and crawl back into our respective corners after this, but keep talking and sharing? And if you see a comment on a friend's post by someone you'd like to get to know, comment back to her, start a conversation. That's what fandom is about at its heart - a community of people with a common love, supporting and encouraging one another. Let's be those people!

Did I mention I love you guys?

Comments

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Love you too! I've enjoyed these posts.

And here's another one --- UPDATE.

Oh, ouch! I put that on my list of personal challenges for the coming year! I get drawn hither and yon and months pass without updates. I have one beloved [by me!] WIP that has gone a year now without an update. (I have stuff on my harddrive for the next chapter--true nobody can see it!)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

'update' is as much for myself as anyone, I've become incredibly random over the past year. I want to get back into talking about fic and posting it because I'm having fun with it (or something along those lines anyhow).

And yeah, the stuff on the HD doesn't count. That one's for me, too :D

*hugs*

[aliana1.livejournal.com]

Challenges absolutely accepted. And I agree, there is no such thing as a stupid comment! :)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Good :)

I think one problem is people sometimes feel intimidated when they see a lot of long, informed reviews and don't want to come in with their 'I liked this, it made me happy' or whatever.

[independence1776]

Yes, to all of this! I'm glad we started talking to each other because of the challenge. I look forward to getting to know you.

I don't know if you're aware, but the post is locked.

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

This is a lovely way to end the challenge :) And thank you - I think that was lj being playful and reverting to the default setting when I edited. Fixed.

[independence1776]

Yes, it is! :D You're welcome.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes...and yes!

- Erulisse (one L)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

*g* Glad you agree.

[dawn_felagund]

I loved this post.

I do not instinctively know my fic was wonderful and touched your heart and made you want to go write something yourself - you have to tell me that.

Yes. One thousand times YES. I think there is a tendency to put writers on pedestals and to think, "Someone who can write something that wonderful surely doesn't need little old me to say, 'I liked it'!" One of the most mystifying things people will say to me is that they hope they are not bothering me because they messaged to say they liked a story or ask a question about something I wrote. Or to start a comment with, "I know it probably doesn't matter but ..."

I used to feel insecure about reviews, and there were many writers who posted before I got the courage to post my own work to whom I said nothing. I regret that now.

Now, I try to comment on everything that I read. Even if it's only a few sentences to say I enjoyed the piece and point out a few reasons why. I love long and deep reviews but also know the questioning that goes through a writer's mind when a story gets lots of clicks and no comments, and I don't want to contribute to the self-doubt of anyone, especially someone whose work I admire.

That's what fandom is about at its heart - a community of people with a common love, supporting and encouraging one another. Let's be those people!

<3

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

I can remember carefully drafting emails to writers telling them how wonderful their stories were and being blown away when they not only replied but were gracious about it. Looking back it seems strange, but I really did think they had more important things to do than deal with someone who was just a reader. Just need to keep telling people it’s fine to leave one line saying they liked what they read, the rest will follow.

Leaving more reviews – I need to make a proper effort this year. Last year I got very little fannish reading done, and when I did it tended to be on my phone, which is fatal. This year I want to budget time for just relaxing and reading online. What you’re doing – leaving a comment on everything you read – is wonderful. You’ve given me something to aim for :)

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

Lovely! And I totally agree.

There is nothing quite like looking at hundreds of page clicks and wondering if they all hit the back button after the third paragraph. I do not instinctively know my fic was wonderful and touched your heart and made you want to go write something yourself - you have to tell me that.

I said something similar, but it applies to every-one. When something touches me, in any way - it may make me angry or tearful, and that counts! - I need to tell the author. It's not hard for me, and I am an introvert. But then I do love stories, so I am compelled to do the equivalent of rushing over and shouting, 'Hey! Hey, author! I loved your story!'

Let's not go and crawl back into our respective corners after this, but keep talking and sharing?

I agree with this. I have not been terribly active on LJ, mainly because I think people are not interested; my presence is more hanging around Faerie, but I like to keep up on LJ, or at least see that people are around, so I will try harder to post after this.

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

I enjoy your LJ posts so I’m glad you’ll be around more. The kiss of death for a community is when people stop talking. I saw that on Yahoo groups. Tumblr is well and good for those who use it, but it’s not a place for conversation.

You write great reviews, they’re not generic and they’re always sincere. This being the last snowflake, I’ll add a personal note. When I was struggling to find my way into the Gondolin story for last February’s swap, you offered encouragement and support on every flailing post I made, and after the fics were revealed, you reviewed it even though it’s not a pairing that draws you in. That is what a fandom community at its best is all about, and you do it so well. Thank you :)

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

after the fics were revealed, you reviewed it even though it’s not a pairing that draws you in.

It was when I read it :) That's what good fic does: changes peoples perspectives.

I don't like to see people struggling, especially when they are such skilled writers. I always firmly believe that they will get through it eventually, but encouragement is always important, I think, especially when the stress of deadlines is involved!

Tumblr is well and good for those who use it, but it’s not a place for conversation.

Tumblr is hopeless for that unless people leave you notes in your 'asks'. Otherwise it is like ships passing in the night. You see a friend blog or reblog something and it's like 'Hi!' oh, 'Bye!'

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I do not instinctively know my fic was wonderful and touched your heart and made you want to go write something yourself - you have to tell me that.

This.

My default is "Good gravy, this is terrible and everyone must agree because no one has left any comments/reviews at allllllll I QUIT I'M GOING TO DIE IN A HOLE *SOB*". Okay, I'm not *that* dramatic (I blame the "dying in a hole" part on my teenaged daughter, who says that for melodramatic effect so much it's now tattooed on my brain), but I am insecure about my writing even after all this time... so reviews, simple or eloquently verbose, really help me shut off--or at least tune out--that internal Voice of Doom.

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Teenage girls have such a special way with Angst, don’t they? *g*. ‘die in a hole’ – love it!

I’ve had someone tell me they don’t review because they don’t know what to say and all the other reviews seem so clever. I’ve also recently seen someone apologise for not knowing what to say beyond ‘I liked this very much’. I don’t know if the bar’s been set too high somewhere, but much as I love expansive reviews, I’m happy with a handful of ‘nice fic’ type comments - they help shut down that little voice that yells ‘THEY HATE IT’ (Secure writer? Me? Hahaha)

[red-lasbelin.livejournal.com]

Well, I know I need to review a bit more, but did you really have to include that 'update' bit? :P

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

I’m sorry, I know I’m unreasonable. Just it’s a bit creepy being reviewed by this Really Secret Person – you need to use the journal more! (new layout is nice, though I did love the colours of the other one)

[red-lasbelin.livejournal.com]

Main problem with the other layout is that the posts kind of bleed into each other, it's hard to tell where one starts and the other begins. I love, love the colours though. I need to be more creative with my layouts again.

[scarlet1061.livejournal.com]

fic was wonderful and touched your heart and made you want to go write something yourself

Everything you said! :)
I hope I can stick with the first part. At least I try :)

If you sure you're still interested after all this time, I'll keep telling you how you moved me. Remember the but ;P

Love you too, and do keep writing. You do it wonderfully.

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Hey, Scarlet :) Thank you – yes, I’ll take a chance on your reviews, the buts are always interesting and sometimes make me think, and the rest – encouragement is always wonderful.

*hugs*