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notevendarkyetThis is regarding a recent discussion which started with a question what is the policy on ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
little_chicago and lil_chicago_ooc regarding slash. It devolved into a discussion of something entirely else.
Item one: I'm posting here, because posting on the ooc comm, since I am a mod, may carry more weight; but I really would like to hear your opinions on this, and when things are clarified, I'll make a post that will also be referenced on the profile of the comm, to avoid further confusion.
Item two: I am confused (and maybe - which I shouldn't be - a little angry) at the way my statement was questioned. My original answer came from interacting with writers who are truly outstanding, and through observing how they treat their writing partners. Did I go too far in responding to those comments? If so, I am sorry - but DO let me know if I have.
Item three: At least my idea oflittle_chicago as one of a common playground. Where we, well, play together. It really makes sense to me that when you're borrowing someone else's toys where you play with that someone else, it is polite to ask.
In your own journal, you are free to write characters exactly as you wish. Those would be your versions of the characters.
But where we write together, and where what you post will be part of the expectation in how you RP the character in the comm? I think it is only fair to ask if the other writer is OK with their muse being written in a certain direction.
That doesn't mean you have to have an ok for every bit of dialogue, action, etc. But if I say, I am going to write a piece where Harry did NOT reject Justine when Thomas sent her over dressed only in a bow? (this is entirely theoretical, mind you!) I will ask Harry's mun. Heh, I will probably ask Thomas' mun too, to know how he would react to such a take.
Item four: Well, of course, there are exceptions. The most obvious being if you're doing a 'dissection of a scene' from canon. Or if you and the other mun have discussed a certain situation already and you know what their take is.
Item five: Where we play together, making decisions that you don't know the partner you're writing against agrees with? Isn't that, well, godmodding? (After a brief consultation with Wikipedia, maybe the term I should be using is Autoing. But in either case... something that is not covered by 'playing nice'.)
Item six: Telling you what to write (or not to), and how to write your muse, would be, well, putting it bluntly, censorship. This is NOT what I am aiming at, though I know what I'm describing, if taken to extremes, would be just that.
Once you have the opinion of the other mun, exactly WHAT is in your fic is entirely up to you. I am the kind of person who, if there is a remark about my representation of other muses, will change what I have written, but that is by no means obligatory.
Even if you don't have the other writer's permission, YOU COULD STILL WRITE IT. You can be a member of the comms, you can use the comm's prompts, and write it. Just please don't post on the comm unless you have an OK.
I'd be the person who would be OK with reading just about anything. If I don't think that what a fic implies about my muse is consistent with how I write them, I may ask that there is an author's note that states that the fic is NOT-rp-canon-compliant. I have put such labels on my work even without being asked in some cases.
Item seven: I think it's all about respect. Asking about another person's opinion when IT INVOLVES their muse is courteous - it's respectful. And for any community to function smoothly, respect is a very, very important building block.
little_chicago and lil_chicago_ooc regarding slash. It devolved into a discussion of something entirely else. Item one: I'm posting here, because posting on the ooc comm, since I am a mod, may carry more weight; but I really would like to hear your opinions on this, and when things are clarified, I'll make a post that will also be referenced on the profile of the comm, to avoid further confusion.
Item two: I am confused (and maybe - which I shouldn't be - a little angry) at the way my statement was questioned. My original answer came from interacting with writers who are truly outstanding, and through observing how they treat their writing partners. Did I go too far in responding to those comments? If so, I am sorry - but DO let me know if I have.
Item three: At least my idea of
little_chicago as one of a common playground. Where we, well, play together. It really makes sense to me that when you're borrowing someone else's toys where you play with that someone else, it is polite to ask. In your own journal, you are free to write characters exactly as you wish. Those would be your versions of the characters.
But where we write together, and where what you post will be part of the expectation in how you RP the character in the comm? I think it is only fair to ask if the other writer is OK with their muse being written in a certain direction.
That doesn't mean you have to have an ok for every bit of dialogue, action, etc. But if I say, I am going to write a piece where Harry did NOT reject Justine when Thomas sent her over dressed only in a bow? (this is entirely theoretical, mind you!) I will ask Harry's mun. Heh, I will probably ask Thomas' mun too, to know how he would react to such a take.
Item four: Well, of course, there are exceptions. The most obvious being if you're doing a 'dissection of a scene' from canon. Or if you and the other mun have discussed a certain situation already and you know what their take is.
Item five: Where we play together, making decisions that you don't know the partner you're writing against agrees with? Isn't that, well, godmodding? (After a brief consultation with Wikipedia, maybe the term I should be using is Autoing. But in either case... something that is not covered by 'playing nice'.)
Item six: Telling you what to write (or not to), and how to write your muse, would be, well, putting it bluntly, censorship. This is NOT what I am aiming at, though I know what I'm describing, if taken to extremes, would be just that.
Once you have the opinion of the other mun, exactly WHAT is in your fic is entirely up to you. I am the kind of person who, if there is a remark about my representation of other muses, will change what I have written, but that is by no means obligatory.
Even if you don't have the other writer's permission, YOU COULD STILL WRITE IT. You can be a member of the comms, you can use the comm's prompts, and write it. Just please don't post on the comm unless you have an OK.
I'd be the person who would be OK with reading just about anything. If I don't think that what a fic implies about my muse is consistent with how I write them, I may ask that there is an author's note that states that the fic is NOT-rp-canon-compliant. I have put such labels on my work even without being asked in some cases.
Item seven: I think it's all about respect. Asking about another person's opinion when IT INVOLVES their muse is courteous - it's respectful. And for any community to function smoothly, respect is a very, very important building block.
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no subject
Date: 2008-03-23 02:01 am (UTC)1) A collective sandbox for all the dresden muses to play in the same 'verse, so to speak. (though how the tv guys fit in with the novel guys I'm not sure. So maybe two universes). But AUness could also be done. So multiple universes, but we'd use tags or notes or something to differentiate.
2) A Dresden-related community where we could post fic we write that's...Dresden related. The prompts kind of imply this, too.
That being said, it's apparently a sandbox where we can only post fic directly related to the one sandbox universe. (So, like, if I write something where Thomas falls back to the "Dark Side" so to speak and it has nothing to do with the RP verse he's been playing in, I can't post it to the comm. Or if, I write something more canon-based but in which I take another character [er, uhm. Lara or something] off into a place that Lara!mun isn't down with, even if I make a note that it has no bearing on such things, I stil can't post it in the comm. Or if I want to continue some of that AU!RP with younger!Thomas and ickle!Harry, and Maggie!whoDidn'tDie, that can't go in the comm).
Basically, my original thought for this comm was that it would be a single place for any of the Dresden stuff we might get into. Naturally, if we're playing with other people's characters we'd either get permission or make a note that it doesn't affect so-and-so, you've got no disagreement from me on that point. I'd just like to know what we're actually doing here specifically since I was envisioning something a bit more...fluid, I guess. :)
If this doesn't make much sense, blame my headache and ask me to explain better.
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Date: 2008-03-23 02:10 am (UTC)Lara: *waggles eyebrows* Just where were you going to take me, Thomas?
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Date: 2008-03-23 02:11 am (UTC)Thomas: To the movies?
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Date: 2008-03-23 02:29 am (UTC)[ooc: Sorry she's in a playful mood tonight. She's been having fun pushing buttons and pulling strings.]
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Date: 2008-03-23 02:30 am (UTC)[no prob!]
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Date: 2008-03-23 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-23 02:39 am (UTC)But even if it's a fic that has nothing to do with any of the 'verses that we/you and anyone else storyline, if you're borrowing a muse, just ask if it's OK with the mun. For example, I'm up for my muses being borrowed for fics usually, and once the fic is posted, I can choose to say, yeah, that can be used, or no, that would be out of my character's storylines. However, if one of my muses is used heavily in a fic without my prior knowledge (theoretically, just for an example, a fic where Murph actually visits Thomas' flat regularly without Harry's knowledge, and has been since, well, Thomas moved out)? I may really raise a fuss (if I see it in the wrong mood). Or I may let it slide, but still go o.O! ... however, if you are writing a fic like that and ask me if it's ok to use my muse so? I am probably likely to say OK, look forward to reading what you make of it, and will probably be very excited when reading the fic.
... I guess it's about - expectations?
This 'shared sandbox' is not about making one 'verse and sticking to it, come rain or high weather. It is meant to be fluid, flexible. Anything that goes with the muns involved.
... I hope this makes sense?
no subject
Date: 2008-03-23 02:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-23 02:48 am (UTC)In terms of AUs, anything that strikes the fancy of the writers.
... one of these days when I am awake enough to make sure I'm clear, I'll compile all of this together as... FAQ? Guidelines? I still think it's more common sense than slap-down rules...