Metafilter et al Rocks! and yet.. Pony request for short-story subsite February 12, 2013 6:54 AM Subscribe
So Metafilter right now consists of *
Metafilter / MetaTalk- launched in 1999. Askmefi - launched in 2003. Projects - launched in 2005. Music - launched in 2006. Jobs - launched 2006. IRL - launched ??
Now I love, love, love, Meta and all associated sub-sites but I was wondering if perhaps a writing / short story sub-site (for original works) was also possible.?**
[*all dates taken from wikipedia]
[**apologies if this has already been discussed, I searched and couldn't find reference to a writing sub-site on MetaTalk]
This might be a massive Pony request or a teeny tiny one - I cannot fathom the amount of behind the scenes and Mod work is require to make Meta run as smoothly as it does currently - but in the same vein as the Music / Projects sub-sites I suspect that plenty of people would make posts on a Writing / Short Story sub-site.
Similar to projects perhaps we could 'vote' on stories as well as comment on them?. Also a word limit (say max 10,000) would dissuade people from posting entire novels or dissertations. Any more than 10, 000 words and I personally feel the writer has jumped the short story fence and is dancing with the 'substantive works' category.
Thoughts?
Is this an impossible Pony?
Is this a possible Pony, but impractical?
Would such a sub-site fit /not fit Meta ethos?
Is there a niche for such a sub-site or am I just imagining it?
[**apologies if this has already been discussed, I searched and couldn't find reference to a writing sub-site on MetaTalk]
This might be a massive Pony request or a teeny tiny one - I cannot fathom the amount of behind the scenes and Mod work is require to make Meta run as smoothly as it does currently - but in the same vein as the Music / Projects sub-sites I suspect that plenty of people would make posts on a Writing / Short Story sub-site.
Similar to projects perhaps we could 'vote' on stories as well as comment on them?. Also a word limit (say max 10,000) would dissuade people from posting entire novels or dissertations. Any more than 10, 000 words and I personally feel the writer has jumped the short story fence and is dancing with the 'substantive works' category.
Thoughts?
Is this an impossible Pony?
Is this a possible Pony, but impractical?
Would such a sub-site fit /not fit Meta ethos?
Is there a niche for such a sub-site or am I just imagining it?
Can't you just write it on your own blog and post it Projects?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:07 AM on February 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:07 AM on February 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
I actually sort of like this idea - a venue within MetaFilter for original writing. GYOB.Metafilter.com, and it could have short stories, journalism, essays, etc.
Yes, there are other places to do that, no, MetaFilter doesn't have to do everything. But I could see this having value.
posted by dirtdirt at 7:16 AM on February 12, 2013
Yes, there are other places to do that, no, MetaFilter doesn't have to do everything. But I could see this having value.
posted by dirtdirt at 7:16 AM on February 12, 2013
but in the same vein as the Music / Projects sub-sites I suspect that plenty of people would make posts on a Writing / Short Story sub-site.
Yes to this. A solid idea.
Can't you just write it on your own blog and post it Projects?
Projects can be frustrating. Sometimes, you just don't get much response at all to stuff. At least a stories subsite would sharpen the focus of interest ...
posted by philip-random at 7:24 AM on February 12, 2013
Yes to this. A solid idea.
Can't you just write it on your own blog and post it Projects?
Projects can be frustrating. Sometimes, you just don't get much response at all to stuff. At least a stories subsite would sharpen the focus of interest ...
posted by philip-random at 7:24 AM on February 12, 2013
Is the google group active? I can't tell without joining it.
posted by dhruva at 7:24 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by dhruva at 7:24 AM on February 12, 2013
but in the same vein as the Music / Projects sub-sites I suspect that plenty of people would make posts on a Writing / Short Story sub-site.
Fantastic! A place on metafilter for short-ish fiction would be great.
posted by andoatnp at 7:25 AM on February 12, 2013
Fantastic! A place on metafilter for short-ish fiction would be great.
posted by andoatnp at 7:25 AM on February 12, 2013
Would this be just about posting stories or about getting feedback? The standard MeFi page template may need to be modified (e.g., something like Google's snippet view or LJ-style selective cuts) to make it easier to interact with the comments. That will make this more labor-intensive.
posted by Nomyte at 7:27 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Nomyte at 7:27 AM on February 12, 2013
This place is already too precious sometimes. No need to make it moreso.
/grumpyjadedfailedwriter
posted by slogger at 7:31 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
/grumpyjadedfailedwriter
posted by slogger at 7:31 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
slashfic.metafilter.com, aka SlashMe, does have a certain ring to it. I don't have much interest in this other than calling it SlashMe, even if people don't exclusively post slashfic
My Burhanistan/The Whelk fic is for my own enjoyment only; I don't have any interest in sharing it on such a site especially if it is limited to 10,000 words.
posted by pointystick at 7:39 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
My Burhanistan/The Whelk fic is for my own enjoyment only; I don't have any interest in sharing it on such a site especially if it is limited to 10,000 words.
posted by pointystick at 7:39 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Matt has friends on Medium. Get us a Medium group instead Matt (he said insidiously).
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:48 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:48 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
(He meant invidiously but he refused to abuse the edit box, a soft wind ruffled his face. the keyboard was en fuego)
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:50 AM on February 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:50 AM on February 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
Now seems like a good time to promote that thing I've been promoting for a year or so.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:50 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 7:50 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Projects can be frustrating. Sometimes, you just don't get much response at all to stuff. At least a stories subsite would sharpen the focus of interest ...
A quick survey of Music activity will belie this statement. I figure it'd ultimately be ignored almost as much. Not that I'm against such a thing -- I'd maybe contribute now and again -- I'm just not getting my hopes up that it'll be a place to bask in exposure & accolades.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:52 AM on February 12, 2013
A quick survey of Music activity will belie this statement. I figure it'd ultimately be ignored almost as much. Not that I'm against such a thing -- I'd maybe contribute now and again -- I'm just not getting my hopes up that it'll be a place to bask in exposure & accolades.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:52 AM on February 12, 2013
shakes what have I told you about publicly disparaging your assistant?
posted by griphus at 7:52 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by griphus at 7:52 AM on February 12, 2013
(leaves blew in the wind like a bag of Ruffles . He threw a grenade in a perfect spiral behind the copy machine. A cat noise--it was just the alarm going off. "Game day, but Kit go Boom" he whispered. The leaves, kentucky fried, shrank from his footprint as the world turned to flames behind him.)
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:53 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:53 AM on February 12, 2013
Also, I love how y'all are already naming it.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:55 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:55 AM on February 12, 2013
The theory is that if we name it, the mods are more likely to let us keep it as a pet than sell it at market.
posted by griphus at 8:00 AM on February 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by griphus at 8:00 AM on February 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
But last time that got us The Whelk.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:04 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by shakespeherian at 8:04 AM on February 12, 2013
Who is priceless.
But more to the point, this is one of those ideas that, on the list of subsite ideas we've batted around, shows up somewhere in the middle. Like, it seems to be reinventing the wheel a bit and also feels like it might be a touchstone for some drama. I guess I'd be asking: besides the community of people here, is there a reason to feel that the general Mefi post/comments thing would work for this sort of situation?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:09 AM on February 12, 2013
But more to the point, this is one of those ideas that, on the list of subsite ideas we've batted around, shows up somewhere in the middle. Like, it seems to be reinventing the wheel a bit and also feels like it might be a touchstone for some drama. I guess I'd be asking: besides the community of people here, is there a reason to feel that the general Mefi post/comments thing would work for this sort of situation?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:09 AM on February 12, 2013
For sale: pony shoes, never worn.
posted by ODiV at 8:09 AM on February 12, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by ODiV at 8:09 AM on February 12, 2013 [10 favorites]
It seems like the idea has the same heart as the Pro-Newsfilter ethos: We like Metafilter people, who we generally trust to be smart and somewhat well-behaved, and thus would like their insight/feedback/commentary on X.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:12 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by shakespeherian at 8:12 AM on February 12, 2013
Who is priceless.
Not so, my per-word rates are quite reasonable.
posted by The Whelk at 8:13 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Not so, my per-word rates are quite reasonable.
posted by The Whelk at 8:13 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
shakespeherian: "Now seems like a good time to promote that thing I've been promoting for a year or so."
Yes! You're a new dad, we get it.
Wait, what?
posted by boo_radley at 8:21 AM on February 12, 2013
Yes! You're a new dad, we get it.
Wait, what?
posted by boo_radley at 8:21 AM on February 12, 2013
...is there a reason to feel that the general Mefi post/comments thing would work for this sort of situation?
I absolutely think it would work (assuming a hard limit to post length and some reasonable limits to serialization,) and would double as a pretty good springboard for collaboration between creative MeFites.
posted by griphus at 8:21 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I absolutely think it would work (assuming a hard limit to post length and some reasonable limits to serialization,) and would double as a pretty good springboard for collaboration between creative MeFites.
posted by griphus at 8:21 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
jessamyn: "But more to the point, this is one of those ideas that, on the list of subsite ideas we've batted around, shows up somewhere in the middle. Like, it seems to be reinventing the wheel a bit and also feels like it might be a touchstone for some drama. I guess I'd be asking: besides the community of people here, is there a reason to feel that the general Mefi post/comments thing would work for this sort of situation?"
I get the point, but part of me also wonders how music.mefi would fare if examined under the same light.
posted by boo_radley at 8:22 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I get the point, but part of me also wonders how music.mefi would fare if examined under the same light.
posted by boo_radley at 8:22 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
is there a reason to feel that the general Mefi post/comments thing would work for this sort of situation?
We would be able to edit our posts, right? Not just comments, but the posts.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2013
We would be able to edit our posts, right? Not just comments, but the posts.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2013
Also "A Touchstone for Drama" is a perfect a tagline for a writing subsite.
posted by griphus at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by griphus at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
Yes! You're a new dad, we get it.
LAUD ME
posted by shakespeherian at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
LAUD ME
posted by shakespeherian at 8:23 AM on February 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
the real problem is it would add another segment to the podcast and it's already over an hour long.
posted by The Whelk at 8:24 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by The Whelk at 8:24 AM on February 12, 2013
I thought plaudits were those little doohickies on the shoulders of some military-style shirts.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:26 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by shakespeherian at 8:26 AM on February 12, 2013
Faintdreams' requesting a pony -
There's lots of work to be done.
The mods' reaction is stony -
It would be harder to run - oh, no -
We're gonna give this to
Potomac Avenue
So he can be a writer.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 8:26 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
There's lots of work to be done.
The mods' reaction is stony -
It would be harder to run - oh, no -
We're gonna give this to
Potomac Avenue
So he can be a writer.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 8:26 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
This kind of leads me to ask: Are the Projects and Jobs subsites actually viewed as successful, at this point? It's not that they're dead, in that there are still posts going up - one almost every day for Projects - but there are very few comments, and it looks like Jobs recently went a full week without a new posting. So it doesn't seem to follow that good website idea + metafilter subsite = meaningful buy-in.
On the other hand, as boo_radley suggests, Music seems to be clicking along nicely and it strikes me as more comparable to Faintdreams's proposal than Projects or Jobs are, being a creative outlet and whatnot.
posted by Clandestine Outlawry at 8:28 AM on February 12, 2013
On the other hand, as boo_radley suggests, Music seems to be clicking along nicely and it strikes me as more comparable to Faintdreams's proposal than Projects or Jobs are, being a creative outlet and whatnot.
posted by Clandestine Outlawry at 8:28 AM on February 12, 2013
I asked for something very much like this last year, and I still think it's a good idea. As I said in that link, if we have a sub-section for songwriters, why not writers?
posted by jbickers at 8:30 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by jbickers at 8:30 AM on February 12, 2013
it looks like Jobs recently went a full week without a new posting.
Being dead and all tends to slow a man down.
posted by octobersurprise at 8:31 AM on February 12, 2013
Being dead and all tends to slow a man down.
posted by octobersurprise at 8:31 AM on February 12, 2013
Metafilter (the mothership) already fills this niche, you just have to read the comments. If you feel like writing your own story, find a post topic into which you can shoehorn your best work and go to it.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 8:33 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 8:33 AM on February 12, 2013
It seems like the idea has the same heart as the Pro-Newsfilter ethos: We like Metafilter people, who we generally trust to be smart and somewhat well-behaved, and thus would like their insight/feedback/commentary on X.
I agree that this is the pro-Newsfilter stance, and also this is why I disagree with it: the people here are no more likely to be well-behaved or have any especially intelligent things to say, other than in the framework that exists, and one of those frameworks is "Metafilter is not a news site."
Also, there's still Everything2.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:33 AM on February 12, 2013
I agree that this is the pro-Newsfilter stance, and also this is why I disagree with it: the people here are no more likely to be well-behaved or have any especially intelligent things to say, other than in the framework that exists, and one of those frameworks is "Metafilter is not a news site."
Also, there's still Everything2.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:33 AM on February 12, 2013
I will now offer political opinions in the form of Joycean epiphanies.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:34 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by shakespeherian at 8:34 AM on February 12, 2013
Just like there was a point in history when guitars became acoustic guitars and photography became film photography, there will soon come a time when writers will become text writers.
But I strongly support this pony with my writing hand.
posted by Nomyte at 8:35 AM on February 12, 2013
But I strongly support this pony with my writing hand.
posted by Nomyte at 8:35 AM on February 12, 2013
Are the Projects and Jobs subsites actually viewed as successful, at this point?
Yes. Part of why both of them were created was to solve problems on other parts of the site. For jobs, it was giving people who needed work or had work to not use AskMe for that purpose and to help MeFites do networky job stuff if they wanted. For Projects it was a long-standing desire of the community to have a place where users could show off their own work without having to self-link or hassle other people to post their stuff for them. Both subsites are pretty well self-contained and so work with the amount of moderation oversight we can give them which is sort of great. This is not really speaking at all to the proposal on the table, just that the subsites are working great from our perspective.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:36 AM on February 12, 2013
Yes. Part of why both of them were created was to solve problems on other parts of the site. For jobs, it was giving people who needed work or had work to not use AskMe for that purpose and to help MeFites do networky job stuff if they wanted. For Projects it was a long-standing desire of the community to have a place where users could show off their own work without having to self-link or hassle other people to post their stuff for them. Both subsites are pretty well self-contained and so work with the amount of moderation oversight we can give them which is sort of great. This is not really speaking at all to the proposal on the table, just that the subsites are working great from our perspective.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:36 AM on February 12, 2013
It's funny you should mention shoehorns, Ice Cream Socialist. A few years ago, I was sent to the Albuquerque Shoehorn Factory for quality control. Little did I know that I was about to have the greatest adventure of my young life. You see, as a boy, I always admired the noble shoehorn and my mother, with her graying ears and soft, loving eyebrows, did everything in her power to encourage this...
posted by griphus at 8:36 AM on February 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by griphus at 8:36 AM on February 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
I just try to slip short stories baby shoes never worn into the comments.
posted by Greg Nog
Do you mean "never used baby shoes"? (surely the one of the saddest and most poignant mefi user names.)
posted by marienbad at 8:38 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Greg Nog
Do you mean "never used baby shoes"? (surely the one of the saddest and most poignant mefi user names.)
posted by marienbad at 8:38 AM on February 12, 2013
Graying ears? Is your mother a pony?
posted by maryr at 8:38 AM on February 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by maryr at 8:38 AM on February 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
I wouldn't go that far, but she ain't what she used to be.
posted by griphus at 8:39 AM on February 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by griphus at 8:39 AM on February 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
I will now offer political opinions in the form of Joycean epiphanies.
Little Boehner sustained for one moment the gaze of her eyes and his heart closed together as he met the hatred in them. He began to stammer:
`It's nothing... He... he... began to cry... I couldn't... I didn't do anything... What?'
Giving no heed to him she began to walk up and down the room, clasping the child tightly in her arms and murmuring:
`My little man! My little mannie! Was 'ou frightened, love?'... There now, love! There now!... Lambabaun! Mamma's little lamb of the world!... There now!'
Little Boehner felt his cheeks suffused with shame and he stood back out of the lamplight. He listened while the paroxysm of the child's sobbing grew less and less; and tears of remorse started to his eyes.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 8:39 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Little Boehner sustained for one moment the gaze of her eyes and his heart closed together as he met the hatred in them. He began to stammer:
`It's nothing... He... he... began to cry... I couldn't... I didn't do anything... What?'
Giving no heed to him she began to walk up and down the room, clasping the child tightly in her arms and murmuring:
`My little man! My little mannie! Was 'ou frightened, love?'... There now, love! There now!... Lambabaun! Mamma's little lamb of the world!... There now!'
Little Boehner felt his cheeks suffused with shame and he stood back out of the lamplight. He listened while the paroxysm of the child's sobbing grew less and less; and tears of remorse started to his eyes.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 8:39 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
That pony looks dumb as shit.
posted by Think_Long at 8:43 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Think_Long at 8:43 AM on February 12, 2013
Whelk's pony, that is. I am ambivalent about the subsite pony.
posted by Think_Long at 8:44 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Think_Long at 8:44 AM on February 12, 2013
Do you mean "never used baby shoes"? (surely the one of the saddest and most poignant mefi user names.)
It's a reference to the archetypal "shortest short story ever", erroneously attributed to Ernest Hemingway, usually quoted as "For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn. "
The Hemingway source was debunked here, which is hilariously blocked at my work ("Reason: This Websense category is filtered: Shopping.")
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:45 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's a reference to the archetypal "shortest short story ever", erroneously attributed to Ernest Hemingway, usually quoted as "For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn. "
The Hemingway source was debunked here, which is hilariously blocked at my work ("Reason: This Websense category is filtered: Shopping.")
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:45 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
I would feed this pony and take it out for walks because MeFites are smart and good at giving tough love and really, what are my alternatives, Figment?
Also, Projects posts regularly get promoted to FPPs, and I've personally had excellent luck both posting and applying for contract-type-gigs on Jobs, so how dare you besmirch their collective honour, sir!
PS: If any of you are on Figment, I demand usernames.
posted by Phire at 8:51 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, Projects posts regularly get promoted to FPPs, and I've personally had excellent luck both posting and applying for contract-type-gigs on Jobs, so how dare you besmirch their collective honour, sir!
PS: If any of you are on Figment, I demand usernames.
posted by Phire at 8:51 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
That pony has some serious stones, I'll give it that.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:52 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:52 AM on February 12, 2013
I don't want to write fiction, I just want a place where I can write 600 words about how great Everclear is and have people around who knows what I'm talkings about. But I don't live in Chicago so AV Club won't call me back.
Fuckin-A though, Everclear amirite? That band is gold.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:58 AM on February 12, 2013
Fuckin-A though, Everclear amirite? That band is gold.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:58 AM on February 12, 2013
2 words: content moderation. Discuss.
Sure as shit, some yahoo is going to write 10,000 words about whatsoever unpleasantries, then protest that "it's only fiction!" if anyone is annoyed by it. No reason why submissions can't be removed entirely at the proprietor's discretion, obvs, but it'll be that much more of a circus when said yahoo starts shouting "Help, help, I'm being oppressed!"
posted by octobersurprise at 8:59 AM on February 12, 2013
Sure as shit, some yahoo is going to write 10,000 words about whatsoever unpleasantries, then protest that "it's only fiction!" if anyone is annoyed by it. No reason why submissions can't be removed entirely at the proprietor's discretion, obvs, but it'll be that much more of a circus when said yahoo starts shouting "Help, help, I'm being oppressed!"
posted by octobersurprise at 8:59 AM on February 12, 2013
That pony has some serious stones, I'll give it that.
I . . . can't stop thinking about it actually. It's now my desktop image. Whelk, do I owe you royalties?
posted by Think_Long at 9:06 AM on February 12, 2013
I . . . can't stop thinking about it actually. It's now my desktop image. Whelk, do I owe you royalties?
posted by Think_Long at 9:06 AM on February 12, 2013
Sure as shit, some yahoo is going to write 10,000 words about whatsoever unpleasantries, then protest that "it's only fiction!" if anyone is annoyed by it.
Whaaaaa? My story about a fiction guy named Cerebrum who is a jerk, has nothing to do with cortex deleting that post of mine.
As to the pony, I could have sworn it's come up before and the mods always expressed polite disinterest in moderating it. I also think these things work better when users do the work of putting up a site or group and moderating it, but that's must me.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:06 AM on February 12, 2013
Whaaaaa? My story about a fiction guy named Cerebrum who is a jerk, has nothing to do with cortex deleting that post of mine.
As to the pony, I could have sworn it's come up before and the mods always expressed polite disinterest in moderating it. I also think these things work better when users do the work of putting up a site or group and moderating it, but that's must me.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:06 AM on February 12, 2013
For sale: furry crocs. Moderately stained.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:23 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:23 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Writing communities need the right combination of insight/feedback/commentary and encouragement. I think Metafilter would be great at the former, but I question the latter. How would the mods help maintain the right balance, and would that be in their purview?
posted by Wordwoman at 9:31 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by Wordwoman at 9:31 AM on February 12, 2013
*twitch* recently wound up a writing group - a RL one which met in Indian food restaurants in Birmingham - as all bar two of us would talk about future writing, instead of actually writing. *twitch*
Kinda thinking it may work (though am still newish here, so don't have the experience). There is a music section for people to put their compositions on, so it's kind of a different but comparable creative form?
Then again, downside is that it may reduce the amount of sometimes quite brilliant story writing that finds its way into the comments of MetaFilter threads. Currently working my way through these and enjoying tremendously.
posted by Wordshore at 9:59 AM on February 12, 2013
Kinda thinking it may work (though am still newish here, so don't have the experience). There is a music section for people to put their compositions on, so it's kind of a different but comparable creative form?
Then again, downside is that it may reduce the amount of sometimes quite brilliant story writing that finds its way into the comments of MetaFilter threads. Currently working my way through these and enjoying tremendously.
posted by Wordshore at 9:59 AM on February 12, 2013
Writing communities need the right combination of insight/feedback/commentary and encouragement. I think Metafilter would be great at the former, but I question the latter. How would the mods help maintain the right balance, and would that be in their purview?
The serious online critique communities I've looked into have a built-in mechanism for requiring participation on both the critique and submission sides (or at least requiring critique if you want to keep submitting.) It's not an impossible problem to solve, technically, and we probably have most of the pieces already on a purely code side, but on a moderation side it'd be a headache and it's definitely moseying down the reinventing-the-wheel spectrum.
I am not totally anti-pony, but it's not likely to happen, you know, soon. Are people more interested in just a venue for posting their stuff and maybe getting a little feedback, a la music, or are people looking for a serious critique group?
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 10:00 AM on February 12, 2013
The serious online critique communities I've looked into have a built-in mechanism for requiring participation on both the critique and submission sides (or at least requiring critique if you want to keep submitting.) It's not an impossible problem to solve, technically, and we probably have most of the pieces already on a purely code side, but on a moderation side it'd be a headache and it's definitely moseying down the reinventing-the-wheel spectrum.
I am not totally anti-pony, but it's not likely to happen, you know, soon. Are people more interested in just a venue for posting their stuff and maybe getting a little feedback, a la music, or are people looking for a serious critique group?
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 10:00 AM on February 12, 2013
If we're talking about a sort of online workshopping, that is pretty different from what Music is, isn't it?
posted by shakespeherian at 10:08 AM on February 12, 2013
posted by shakespeherian at 10:08 AM on February 12, 2013
I am not totally anti-pony...
Um, because of ongoing and spreading meat scandal events of late in Britain, that phrase has taken on a very different meaning now.
posted by Wordshore at 10:12 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Um, because of ongoing and spreading meat scandal events of late in Britain, that phrase has taken on a very different meaning now.
posted by Wordshore at 10:12 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Writing is weirdly hard to do online, whether you're trying to display it or critique it. It's a kind of unwieldy format (even a short story requires more commitment than, like, a noodly prog rock song, or a short film) that has the unique disadvantage of looking exactly like, well, text. Videos and photographs and music benefit from special cool neato layouts and there's a reason so many good sites exist that specialize in displaying all these things. What can you add to a database of text entries that you don't get with, like, a blog? Pretty formatting? A comments section (ugh)? Medium's the smartest site I know of that deals with text posts, and even with Medium, there's not much advantage to that versus keeping a blog with an RSS feed. Hell, even Tumblr is decent for people trying to write longform, in that it lets people write text and then it displays it. That's a low bar for quality text postage online, and that's also the tricky thing about making a space for it online.
A MetaFilter subsite for stories instinctively strikes me as a not-good idea, and I don't quite know why. Music is good because music's, like, a whole different medium. Projects and Jobs have a clear function and they do it well. Stories are more ambiguous content, and there's no benefit to having a lot of short stories in one place like there is for music. (I sometimes want to make a playlist of MetaFilter songs; even if there were good MetaFilter stories, I wouldn't ever make myself a playlist out of them. Stories are so much less communal than music – unless we make a subsite for CYOA things like shakespeherian's, which would actually be awesome.)
I founded the MeFi Google group, but unfortunately after I disabled my Google account a couple months ago I haven't had access to it, d'oh. Are there still people signing up to join that need approval? I can briefly enable my account long enough to add an alternative email address to the list and nominate a new moderator, if anybody's interested.
posted by Rory Marinich at 11:00 AM on February 12, 2013
A MetaFilter subsite for stories instinctively strikes me as a not-good idea, and I don't quite know why. Music is good because music's, like, a whole different medium. Projects and Jobs have a clear function and they do it well. Stories are more ambiguous content, and there's no benefit to having a lot of short stories in one place like there is for music. (I sometimes want to make a playlist of MetaFilter songs; even if there were good MetaFilter stories, I wouldn't ever make myself a playlist out of them. Stories are so much less communal than music – unless we make a subsite for CYOA things like shakespeherian's, which would actually be awesome.)
I founded the MeFi Google group, but unfortunately after I disabled my Google account a couple months ago I haven't had access to it, d'oh. Are there still people signing up to join that need approval? I can briefly enable my account long enough to add an alternative email address to the list and nominate a new moderator, if anybody's interested.
posted by Rory Marinich at 11:00 AM on February 12, 2013
item: "I'd like a subsite for plagiarists but until then I just try to slip short stories baby shoes never worn into the comments."
I completely understand where and then he exploded into bats you're coming from.
posted by boo_radley at 12:06 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I completely understand where and then he exploded into bats you're coming from.
posted by boo_radley at 12:06 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
What the call me Ishmael is going on in here?
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:01 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:01 PM on February 12, 2013
There's a fine line between inline cryptoplagiarism and nonce Cockney rhyming slang.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:16 PM on February 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:16 PM on February 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
not a good idea. too many issues. plagarism, the site fanfic with cortex and jessamyn as vampires in a duel, etc.
posted by Ironmouth at 1:45 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by Ironmouth at 1:45 PM on February 12, 2013
Vampires? How pedestrian.
Now dueling Frankensteins - there's an idea!
posted by griphus at 1:48 PM on February 12, 2013
Now dueling Frankensteins - there's an idea!
posted by griphus at 1:48 PM on February 12, 2013
That would make that scene in Deliverance pretty weird.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:57 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by shakespeherian at 1:57 PM on February 12, 2013
I've been saying that for years. Teen Mummy. Nefertiti and King Tut (both weirdly Hellenic). Irrevocable curses keeping lovers apart. Revenge. Treasure. Fire allergies. 0% Brandon Frasier. .1% Dwane Johnson 1% Rachel Weisz. Everythingelse% 50 Shades of Gold.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:21 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:21 PM on February 12, 2013
I'd actually suggest expanding Music into 'Mefi Shares' or something. So when you submit something to Shares, you can pick if it's music, an image, a video, or some writing - keep everything equal across all forms of expression.
Shares would be different than Projects as the latter would sort of imply that it is something ongoing that you are working on. Shares would be much more 'here is this thing I made, take a look,' which would work for an image, a song, a story, or whatever.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 2:30 PM on February 12, 2013 [9 favorites]
Shares would be different than Projects as the latter would sort of imply that it is something ongoing that you are working on. Shares would be much more 'here is this thing I made, take a look,' which would work for an image, a song, a story, or whatever.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 2:30 PM on February 12, 2013 [9 favorites]
Cleopatra as the villain. Cheops as the nerd best friend. Ramses as the other villain. Ramses II as the other best friend with a dark secret. Ankhesenamun as the weirdo sister. Osiris as the wise old wizard dude. Kuk as the frog-headed snake. Musical supervision by Alanis Morissette.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:32 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:32 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Teen Mummy got knocked up from eating lettuce!
posted by The Whelk at 2:33 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 2:33 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
( I will not reference Incan Mummy Girl I will not I will not )
posted by The Whelk at 2:35 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by The Whelk at 2:35 PM on February 12, 2013
#TeamIrishBogMummy
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:42 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:42 PM on February 12, 2013
I like this idea. Do you know how hard it is for me to say that? I'm like Mikey and me likey.
posted by cjorgensen at 2:44 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 2:44 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I like this idea! I'm also applying for the Google Group and signing up for Figment. Also, procrastinating on actual things I need to be doing.
posted by RainyJay at 2:50 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by RainyJay at 2:50 PM on February 12, 2013
Music is a creative site and writing is a creative art so I can see worth in this pony.
The google group I think is dead or sleeping very heavily.
Anyway it wasn´t part of the site and so after the first rush no one knew about it.
Of course if we had a writer as a mod things might be pushed forward...just sayin.
posted by adamvasco at 3:22 PM on February 12, 2013
The google group I think is dead or sleeping very heavily.
Anyway it wasn´t part of the site and so after the first rush no one knew about it.
Of course if we had a writer as a mod things might be pushed forward...just sayin.
posted by adamvasco at 3:22 PM on February 12, 2013
Of course if we had a writer as a mod things might be pushed forward...just sayin.
Heh. I've talked about my personal feelings about online critique before, and I don't write short stories (although I may attempt to this summer, depending on how my schedule shakes out.) Doesn't mean I hate this pony, I'm just not super likely to use it either way.
Of course, Jessamyn is the actual published writer mod. I'm just a dilettante. (One who needs to get her ass in gear and get to the coffee shop, because I have now lost two weeks of my WriMo to unavoidable slackerdom.)
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 3:27 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Heh. I've talked about my personal feelings about online critique before, and I don't write short stories (although I may attempt to this summer, depending on how my schedule shakes out.) Doesn't mean I hate this pony, I'm just not super likely to use it either way.
Of course, Jessamyn is the actual published writer mod. I'm just a dilettante. (One who needs to get her ass in gear and get to the coffee shop, because I have now lost two weeks of my WriMo to unavoidable slackerdom.)
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 3:27 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I do write short stories but I'm inclined to agree with r_n and Rory. I'm not convinced this is a particularly good idea.
posted by tangerine at 4:23 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by tangerine at 4:23 PM on February 12, 2013
For sale: Baby shoes. Blood stained.
posted by perhapses at 4:28 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by perhapses at 4:28 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've been saying that for years. Teen Mummy.
You've seen Tutenstein, right?
posted by curious nu at 5:30 PM on February 12, 2013
You've seen Tutenstein, right?
posted by curious nu at 5:30 PM on February 12, 2013
Of course if we had a writer as a mod things might be pushed forward...just sayin.
Hwæt?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:36 PM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Hwæt?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:36 PM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
You've seen Tutenstein
Well I haven't but my buffy/charmed/twilight mummy fantasy remains intact.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:50 PM on February 12, 2013
Well I haven't but my buffy/charmed/twilight mummy fantasy remains intact.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:50 PM on February 12, 2013
What if you record yourself reading your short story, then post the recording on music?
posted by ctmf at 7:07 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by ctmf at 7:07 PM on February 12, 2013
Reading aloud, I guess I should say, unless you want to get sued by John Cage's estate.
posted by ctmf at 7:09 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by ctmf at 7:09 PM on February 12, 2013
I love the idea of Music also encompassing writing and video! I'd pay an additional $5 right now to stable this pretty pony, too.
I can think of several Mefites whose creativity charms me already, and a subsite would make it much easier to keep up with shakes' CYOABC, which I keep forgetting to check.
Because I'm here all the time.
posted by misha at 9:08 PM on February 12, 2013
I can think of several Mefites whose creativity charms me already, and a subsite would make it much easier to keep up with shakes' CYOABC, which I keep forgetting to check.
Because I'm here all the time.
posted by misha at 9:08 PM on February 12, 2013
a subsite would make it much easier to keep up with shakes' CYOABC, which I keep forgetting to check.
If you're a member of the CYOABC community, you can enable notifications for that community (you'll get a G+ notification and an email when a new post comes up). To do this, visit the community page, then look in the left column. Just under the bottom-right corner of the tree/root picture, you will see the word "Public", and just under that, you will see a bell icon. If that bell icon is accompanied by the word "off", click it; it will turn to "on" and you will get notifications.
posted by a snickering nuthatch at 8:10 AM on February 13, 2013
If you're a member of the CYOABC community, you can enable notifications for that community (you'll get a G+ notification and an email when a new post comes up). To do this, visit the community page, then look in the left column. Just under the bottom-right corner of the tree/root picture, you will see the word "Public", and just under that, you will see a bell icon. If that bell icon is accompanied by the word "off", click it; it will turn to "on" and you will get notifications.
posted by a snickering nuthatch at 8:10 AM on February 13, 2013
MONDAY EVERYONE
posted by shakespeherian at 8:21 AM on February 13, 2013
posted by shakespeherian at 8:21 AM on February 13, 2013
There's a fine line between inline cryptoplagiarism and nonce Cockney rhyming slang.
Despite its terseness, I felt as though it was some of my stronger work, yes.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:33 AM on February 14, 2013
Despite its terseness, I felt as though it was some of my stronger work, yes.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:33 AM on February 14, 2013
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posted by griphus at 7:04 AM on February 12, 2013