What Would You Like To See?

I've finally decided to change a few things about this section, since I was bored. And it's time for a revolution.

The rules for this section have changed due to previous concerns brought up to me by members of this section. If you ask for it, I'll do my best to get what you want.

So, really, this thread will be for those members who want their opinions known to speak their minds. I'm open to hear all changes, since there are quite a few I would still like to make. Those, however, will take time.

So, post away.

Anyone who says a new moderator will promptly be nya-nya'd at, and perhaps mocked off-site. xP

A new moderator.

How do you feel about the idea of offering a beta reader line? Mostly, a place where people can post profiles that state that they're available for beta reading, what their skills are, and what fandoms they usually work with. We could probably instate some sort of quality control in who volunteers as a beta reader. (Maybe writing samples should be provided when a member applies to be a beta?)

I mostly say this because Pokemon betas tend to be difficult to find off FFNet (and sometimes even then). Given the quality of some of the fics in the main forum, it'd be nice to have a list of who can offer some one-on-one help to new authors just coming in. While we can't really require them to go to a beta before posting their first stories (unless you can think of a solution there), we can always point them to the beta thread and "encourage" them to find help.

So, in what you're saying, a one-on-one thing like what should have happened in the Bin? I was thinking of doing that, but was waiting to see if there was an interest in it. I know Silver already is helping a new writer with their story, so it's like...already implemented. She volunteered for that.

So, if others are willing to volunteer their services, I'd be willing to let that go ahead.

Oh, and "nya-nya".

Well, I remember a few threads I liked over on the dreaded lagger. I quite liked the Authors' Profile thread as well as the Fanfiction Compilation thread with links and everything that Iceking made (though, if we just had the Authors' Profile, I suppose links would be accessible enough). I agree on having a beta-reader thread, and I was also fond of the Fanfiction Reccomendation thread that was unsticked over at SPPF a long time ago--it led me to a lot of good fics I wouldn't have found otherwise. That's just my two cents, though.

Here I go with my vauge submissions. 8(

I mostly agree with Jax and Saff on the beta-reader thread(s)
This place could also have a sub-forum for shipping fics like SPPF, as well as the completed fics forum. (Poke shippers will take over the world someday)
I'm not sure if we'll need fic reccomendation thread at PC thoguh. This place is kinda small, so some good fics probably won't be that hard to find. On the other hand...I don't know.
I might think of more stuff later

Don't hurt me for this, guys. XD

Astinus said:

So, in what you're saying, a one-on-one thing like what should have happened in the Bin?

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Pretty much. Only with less moving. *nod*

Eternal Smasher said:

Don't hurt me for this, guys. XD

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I can't hurt you if you agree with me (at least, on the beta thread thing). XD

I'm curious, though, and too impatient for lagging. What's the fic rec thread like? Is it like the Fanfiction of the Month thing that we had for awhile?

Jax Malcolm said:

I'm curious, though, and too impatient to endure lagging. What's the fic rec thread like? Is it like the Fanfiction of the Month thing that we had for awhile?

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I lurked moar on SPPF a week ago...
I think you talk about good fics that you've read and reccomend others to read them too. Kinda simple.

Problem with the fic recommendation thread, any noob can recommend their buddy's equally noobish, error-ridden, Sue-infested fic (there's one thread on the lagger where one person did exactly that in addition to shamelessly plugging their own fic) Granted, noobs are MUCH less a concern over here, but still. Maybe if the poster has to EXPLAIN why said fic should be recommended, that'll scare off the noobs...

I'd agree on the beta thread, though. Perhaps separating shipping fics as well, because the only shipping I deal with involves big rigs...

Jax Malcolm said:

P

I'm curious, though, and too impatient for lagging. What's the fic rec thread like? Is it like the Fanfiction of the Month thing that we had for awhile?

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Basically, before it got unstickified on Serebii for Mew Knows Why, it was a thread where people would post and link to the fanfictions they liked, and they didn't necessarily have to be on the forum itself, or even pokémon related (though 95% were, though). It was just a nice way to find good stories to read.

This place could also have a sub-forum for shipping fics like SPPF, as well as the completed fics forum. (Poke shippers will take over the world someday)

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Forgive me for disagreeing, but we don't seem to have enough of a base to create a shipping fanfiction subforum, IMO. I do agree on the completed fics, but the fanfiction archive is kinda that--we could move FFoTM and completed fics over there.

Eternal Smasher said:

Here I go with my vauge submissions. 8(

I mostly agree with Jax and Saff on the beta-reader thread(s)
This place could also have a sub-forum for shipping fics like SPPF, as well as the completed fics forum. (Poke shippers will take over the world someday)
I'm not sure if we'll need fic reccomendation thread at PC thoguh. This place is kinda small, so some good fics probably won't be that hard to find. On the other hand...I don't know.
I might think of more stuff later

Don't hurt me for this, guys. XD

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I really don't think the fanfic section honestly is active enough to have any sub-forums centered around one type of fic. If one gets one then next everyone else will want one for OT fics etc.
I'd just be happy if there was a way to get more reviewers here..
I know that has been brought up a million times before though, so I'll just keep it to myself :)...
I think Fanfic of the month should come back :)

I brought this up with CWTA,P when he was still mod, so now it's your turn to deal with me. Okay, so I was thinking, maybe we should have a sub-forum for completed fan fics. The archive is already filled with FFotM (which we have to find someway to restart) and since a completed fic doesn't always imply it has good quality, you might not want to use that sub-forum. No one deserves to word hard on something, just so it can sink to the double-digit pages of the section.

Gumdrops, you actually hit one of my ideas. I want to do something where the completed fics go, so that way they aren't lost. Because that's a real shame. (I never knew why FFotM was called the "Archive", since that would fit better as the name of a Completed Fics forum.)

Saff, I remember the Author Profiles page. It was good to find fics written by a particular person, so if you liked one person's writing style, you could just go to that thread. And the Compilation...that was a good way to find fics based on genre. Both were good.

On the Fanfiction Recommendation Thread, the solution as to what fics would go in would require more work on me. Basically, the idea that suddenly popped into my mind is that there would be a thread that only I (or whatever moderator harhar) post in, and people PM me fics that they recommend. If the fic is a n00by spam fic, it won't go into the thread. But, I mean, if the fic is good and the person gives me good reasons as to why the fic is good, then that should work.

And yeah, there's such a lack of shipping fics that they don't deserve their own sub-forum. But maybe with a compilation thread, we could have a genre of romance, and the shipping fics could go there. :/

I'd just be happy if there was a way to get more reviewers here..

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Completely agree. :D

I'd just be happy if there was a way to get more reviewers here..

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Completely agree. :D

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Cough... why not a reviewers thread? Baically, a thread for people willing to review fics, getting posts on their style and what they review, and have people be able to PM the reviewer if they want him/her to look at their fic. There's one on Serebii (or, the lagger as it seems to be called), works well I fic, but would need enough people who have time... could be merged or work adjectently to a beta reading thread.

Do thinks a archive thread would be nice, and some of the other ideas floated around I also agree. Think this place is a tad small for separate sections (i.e. shipping) - and they are easy to find anyway...

I wouldn't mind a reviewer thread, since the best way to get reviews is to review some work yourself

To add to the reviewer idea, I do like the concept of a reviewer thread. We could possibly work it into the beta thread -- or we can have it separate (to allow anyone to participate in the reviewer thread).

Farla on FFNet actually has an incredible system of reviewing that doesn't seem to be alive on FFNet but could, for an actual forum full of writers who really want reviews (judging by the fic advertisement thread), potentially be incredibly active. The system is here, and to explain it in short, someone who wants a review for their story reviews five fics on a list before he can post a link to his own work (which will then be added to the list once he's finished reviewing his share). That way, every story that's added to the list eventually gets at least one review because the other participants are obligated to review X number of fics before they can even post their own work for the firing squad.

Couldn't a fic still be skipped over that way if a reviewer can pick any five before them? :\

Orange_Flaaffy said:

Couldn't a fic still be skipped over that way if a reviewer can pick any five before them? :\

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It could, but you would still have a likelihood of being reviewed compared to taking a risk with PMing someone (and possibly never getting a response). Not to mention it encourages the "you review mine; I'll review yours" philosophy. Additionally, something I didn't mention as well is that after a story receives five reviews, it's retired from the list until the writer submits five more reviews to put it back on. That way, we won't have an uber long list, which means the chances that you'll get a review will be kept reasonable.

The other option that's been put on the table of having a profile thread that enables users to PM someone to ask a review might work if the above isn't workable (considering people PM each other about reviewing their work anyway), except that there's still a couple of problems that you might encounter with that system:

1. A lack of responses to said PMs.
2. A closed feeling, as if you have to apply to the reviewer profile thread in order to review, rather than participate in an open trade.

It does seem like an idea that would work. Besides, I'm sure I've seen a few people want to do the idea of "you review me, I'll review you". I'll have to think about it more while I'm in work.

Are there any threads that y'all have thought of that could be combined, where the two are similar enough that they could go together?

I'll agree on the Reviewers Thread. I'd be willing to be a part of that.

Anyway, aside from additions, I say a subtraction of the Bin. Most of the fics that get put in there, the authors never seem to return, never work on that fic again, start a new fic, etc. Pointless, really.

Although, I must say I get a laugh at some of those crappy stories. Mean, but true.

Gummy said:

I brought this up with CWTA,P when he was still mod, so now it's your turn to deal with me. Okay, so I was thinking, maybe we should have a sub-forum for completed fan fics. The archive is already filled with FFotM (which we have to find someway to restart) and since a completed fic doesn't always imply it has good quality, you might not want to use that sub-forum. No one deserves to word hard on something, just so it can sink to the double-digit pages of the section.

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What did Careful With That Axe, Pichu say to you about it?

Anyways, I agree with everything so far; the beta reader's line, author's profile thread, the completed fan fic's sub-forum, the fan fic reccommendation thread and the reviewing thread as they all seem like fine ideas.