The Reading Room

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

No one who commented seems to like Jane’s ‘Labyrinth’ very much, at least not without reservations, but that gave people a platform to discuss why they don’t like it; characterisation, language, the need for more rigorous editing…  And just when I thought the discussion had finished, there was a really interesting exchange about where fanfic is transformed into original writing, whether by ‘filing off the serial numbers’ (very Pros) or otherwise.  

Thank you to everyone who joined in.

 

Thank you very much especially to jgraeme2007 for volunteering ‘Labyrinth’ for the Reading Room, and especially for staying to steer such an interesting discussion. Can we all show our appreciation in the usual way?  

(hearty and sincere applause from all sides)

We now have a rec for next Thursday, see you then!

Now, does anyone want to rec for this Thursday, please?

 

As before, the only conditions are that the fic must be online, and no het please (I don’t know why I bother saying this…).

 

The first comment to this post with a rec will be it.

 

 

Comments

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

How about Mere Anarchy from Rebelcat?

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Yes, excellent idea.

I've even read that one before (improbably enough).

It would be great if you could do the same as jgraeme did for Labyrinth - i.e., your own post, with the same header and (optionally) with a rec under the cut and post it here sometime around Thursday evening GMT. Don't feel obliged, but it did seem to work well this week.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Do you want the discussion to start any time after the Thursday posting or at the weekend?

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

Any time after the Thursday posting, I reckon.

Posting on Thursday evening just gives a day's grace for people to read and then comment on the weekend if that suits them better, but it seems artificial to say no one can post until, say, Saturday.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

It would be great if you could do the same as jgraeme did for Labyrinth - i.e., your own post, with the same header and (optionally) with a rec under the cut and post it here sometime around Thursday evening GMT
Yes! It worked well this way!

Don’t think that I can do such a good job as jgraeme - but I’ll do my best!
Will post my rec on Thursday.

And I could imagine that – after the last experience – the authors of the next recs will have some sleepless nights…
But I’m quite sure that that won't be necessary for Rebelcat!!!
I hope... :-)

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I haven't read it, but it seems a good choice of story and I'm looking forward to the discussion.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

You don't know it? Ha! The first time... :-)
I'm curious what you think about it!

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I'll let you know. That's one of the good things about a discussion group, it introduces you to stories you might not otherwise read.

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

'I’m quite sure that that won't be necessary for Rebelcat!' I'd like to think so too.

Please see below slantedlight's advice about where to post the header.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Don’t think that I can do such a good job as jgraeme - but I’ll do my best!
Will post my rec on Thursday.

Oh, everyone else does all the work. ;-)

I'm looking forward to Thursday's story. I enjoy Rebelcat's stories.

[metabolick.livejournal.com]

*stands and joins in hearty applause for jgraeme2007, who did a masterful modding job*

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

*stands and joins in hearty applause for jgraeme2007, who did a masterful modding job*

My pleasure!

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

I,too, bow to such leadership. . . .(better watch watch out or George might get you seconded to his "civil service".)

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

I,too, bow to such leadership. . . .(better watch watch out or George might get you seconded to his "civil service".)

Thanks, Krisser! Thanks, JayCat92! I'm really looking forward to the future discussions.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

You were a very cool head, even when some of us (me) posted too late in the day to be anything other than a tad cranky :)) ::blows you a grateful kiss::

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

You were a very cool head, even when some of us (me) posted too late in the day to be anything other than a tad cranky :)) ::blows you a grateful kiss::

You! I was thrilled you played at all. I just hope we get around to discussing one of your stories because...as you know...BIG fan.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Could you perhaps do an official announcement of what the fic is going to be before Thursday? I think the only way I knew last week was because I went back and dug amongst the comments to see what had been chosen, but it didn't leave much time to read the fic before Thursday's actual rec... which meant that I either read the rec and spoilered the fic, or else had to read in a desperate rush to catch up with comments from people who did seem to know what it was, and then I felt late to the party! Or was that just me..?

Also - could you please remind reviews to put warnings under the cut along with the review, rather than above the cut in the header? Maybe the header could be only title, author, link to story? Everyone expects to be spoiled once they slide under the cut to the rec, but I know a number of people who hate warnings/spoilers popping up in prominent places in their flists - as has been discussed alot lately!

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

But Thursday is the day the exercise starts.

The alternative is to post the title on Thursday with an embargo on commenting until, say, Saturday. If the title is posted before Thursday, people will comment sooner and the whole thing will creep forwards through the week.

People who've read the fic before are always going to have an advantage and be quicker to post, while those who haven't need time to read it before joining in.

Probably not making sense as a bit lightheaded after finishing the longest dullest proofreading exercise ever, a few drinks, and discovering the exciting new DiaLJ challenge!

This seems to require further discussion in a more sober state, as does the method of recruiting recs each week.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Everything clear this morning? :-)

Just a thought... How about an official announcement of the one who recs - but without the possibility to answer? And the 'real' rec post starts on Thursday?

But was there a solution for the warnings?
For example this time I know that some people don't want to read rape fics - where am I supposed to post it in that pre-announcement(IF you like the idea!)?
Announcement visible for all, warnings then under the cut???
Please tell me!

Have a nice day both!!!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Just a thought... How about an official announcement of the one who recs - but without the possibility to answer? And the 'real' rec post starts on Thursday?
That sounds like a good idea to me! Just a quick post to say something like "The story for discussion starting on Thursday is Mere Anarchy by Rebelcat, recced and led by firlefanzine", and close that post to comments. Then on Thursday Firlefanzine could post her rec and discussion goes on from there...

People who've read the fic before are always going to have an advantage and be quicker to post, while those who haven't need time to read it before joining in.
I've read a huge amount of Prosfic, but spread out over four years, so even if I've read something before I always want to re-read it in order to discuss it. I tend not to read things with discussion in mind the first time - that's for the joy and rush of a story instead! *g* My problem wasn't that people posted before me, it's that I was expecting an official announcement of what the fic was before the rec was posted! I think your method of recruiting recs seems to work well, I just think you're missing a middle post where you let people know what that fic is before the discussion starts... Just my humble opinion, maybe I was the only person thrown by it... I think I was originally thinking that you were going to post the announcement on Thursday, to give people time to read the fic before review/discussion at the weekend... So the review would be posted some time from Friday night on, when most people are home and free to read/discuss, but they'll have had a chance to print it out/read etc from the announcement on Thursday...

I always think there's that out-of-sight-out-of-mind thing with lj - so that if the rec is posted then people have to go away and read and then trawl back through their flists to find it, it might put them off coming back to comment. Whereas if they have a chance to find/read the fic first, then the rec post pops up, it's fresh in their minds...

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

Hi! I'm not sure how to handle it now. Please look at the post below!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse you - it's Jaycat's project, so I was just making a suggestion to her! But I really like your idea of announcing the fic in a post with comments disabled!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

No problem! Work confuses me much more... Late again... :-)
Have a nice day!

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

'Just a quick post to say something like "The story for discussion starting on Thursday is Mere Anarchy by Rebelcat, recced and led by firlefanzine", and close that post to comments. Then on Thursday Firlefanzine could post her rec and discussion goes on from there...'

That sounds excellent. Thanks. I didn't know it was possible to close a post to comments.

About the header: I suggest in the main post, a header with author, title and web link (plus zine publication if known). That way no one has their pleasure in reading the fic (if they haven't read it before) spoiled by any warnings.

Any other warnings, pairings etc. could then go under the cut, as an extended header or as part of the rec.

How does that sound?

.

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

This warnings thing is such a headache, it seems impossible to please everyone.

How about, in the main post, use a header with author, title and web link to story. Then add a cut called 'Warnings' or something similar, and just put in there any warnings, so people who don't want ANY warnings would know not to look there.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

How does that sound?

That's lovely! :-)
There was this song today - "Rome wasn't built in a day, hey, hey, hey..."

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thanks jgrame2007! I did try to read the story but I failed miserably. *hangs head*

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Thanks jgrame2007! I did try to read the story but I failed miserably. *hangs head*

That's okay! I know we won't all be thrilled with every rec, but the discussions are still fun.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Thanks, jgraeme2007, for an interesting rec and discussion.
*adds to general applause*

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Thanks, jgraeme2007, for an interesting rec and discussion.
*adds to general applause*

Thank you for participating! I really enjoyed it.