A timely topic given our discussion the other day.
:)
I have been giving this some thought in relation to Generation Hex, and I made some notes yesterday about how to go as far as possible in creating an elite comm or archive that doesn't look wankerish.
I also think it's important to ensure that there is a mechanism for people to apply. IMO, 'invitation only' is a bit of a power trip for the mods. Rather than being encouraging to authors, it's a clear warning message to stay away, and regardless of whether any of the existing invite only comms actually do recruit new members based on who their mates are (and their mates' mates ...) people BELIEVE it to be true, so it might as well be.
There are some wildly popular authors in fandom whose work leaves me unmoved. Some of them are what I would categorise as the 'Hermione Granger' author: people whose work is technically squeaky clean, but ultimately lacks any real soul. Other authors have bucket loads of soul, but they can't seem to learn enough technical skill to showcase their work in a positive light.It's swings and roundabouts, and what constitutes 'good' to me won't necessarily mean 'good' to you, and vice versa.
A set of guidance on what the mods are looking for in a fic is a must, imo. It gives people the opportunity to see, transparently, what the criteria for success is based on, meaning everyone has an equal opportunity to work towards inclusion, based on their skill, commitment, and perseverence. Hard as it is, some people will never be good enough, no matter how much they want it. We are all that person in relation to some aspect of our lives.
So, the list I started on to try and outline what I look for in a good fic is below:
Does the author demonstrate an above average understanding and usage of good grammar, spelling and punctuation (including Potterwords)?
Does the author demonstrate that they know the canon details of JKR's universe, and use them appropriately in their story?
Does the author write in a manner that is accessible to read? (Structure of sentences and paragraphs, plotting a coherent story.)
Does the author tell an original, engaging story?
Do the main characters ring true as male wizards of the chronological age at which they are written?
Are any featured canon-based characters recognisable, and if not, is there a well-plotted explanation as to why the person behaves differently?
Does the plot make sense?
Did I enjoy the story, and did I enjoy the experience of reading it?
That's as far as I got.
Edited, because I have no idea why this comment was not posted in the order I typed it ...
no subject
:)
I have been giving this some thought in relation to Generation Hex, and I made some notes yesterday about how to go as far as possible in creating an elite comm or archive that doesn't look wankerish.
I also think it's important to ensure that there is a mechanism for people to apply. IMO, 'invitation only' is a bit of a power trip for the mods. Rather than being encouraging to authors, it's a clear warning message to stay away, and regardless of whether any of the existing invite only comms actually do recruit new members based on who their mates are (and their mates' mates ...) people BELIEVE it to be true, so it might as well be.
There are some wildly popular authors in fandom whose work leaves me unmoved. Some of them are what I would categorise as the 'Hermione Granger' author: people whose work is technically squeaky clean, but ultimately lacks any real soul. Other authors have bucket loads of soul, but they can't seem to learn enough technical skill to showcase their work in a positive light.It's swings and roundabouts, and what constitutes 'good' to me won't necessarily mean 'good' to you, and vice versa.
A set of guidance on what the mods are looking for in a fic is a must, imo. It gives people the opportunity to see, transparently, what the criteria for success is based on, meaning everyone has an equal opportunity to work towards inclusion, based on their skill, commitment, and perseverence. Hard as it is, some people will never be good enough, no matter how much they want it. We are all that person in relation to some aspect of our lives.
So, the list I started on to try and outline what I look for in a good fic is below:
Does the author demonstrate an above average understanding and usage of good grammar, spelling and punctuation (including Potterwords)?
Does the author demonstrate that they know the canon details of JKR's universe, and use them appropriately in their story?
Does the author write in a manner that is accessible to read? (Structure of sentences and paragraphs, plotting a coherent story.)
Does the author tell an original, engaging story?
Do the main characters ring true as male wizards of the chronological age at which they are written?
Are any featured canon-based characters recognisable, and if not, is there a well-plotted explanation as to why the person behaves differently?
Does the plot make sense?
Did I enjoy the story, and did I enjoy the experience of reading it?
That's as far as I got.
Edited, because I have no idea why this comment was not posted in the order I typed it ...