Well, it's got a 4.44 average vote on 64 votes, so a number of DLP members thought it deserved praise. That's all I'm saying.

 

I personally didn't like Dagger and Rose very much, as a lot of the characters seemed pretty OOC, but Perspicacity is one of my favourite authors on this site and wrote my overall favourite piece of fanfiction, along with being one of DLP's most established authors. It went through DLP's WBA and eventually was voted into the library with a pretty high score. Despite not liking the characterizations, I'd have to give it at least a 3.5 for being well written, and having a shitload of original story elements. It's still better than quite a few of the stories in the c2.

Also, I didn't find the rape to be poorly executed at all, and made sense being there in the context.

 

Yea, that story seems have a bit of a love/hate thing going for it. Pers is an author on DLP who writes stuff that quite a few people enjoy, his stuff belongs in the C2, end of story.

 

This is perfect NMB, I'm glad we have some decent rules down.

The only other thing I would want to raise, is that there are quite a few 5 start stories that don't really make the cut anymore back from 2005~ etc. These would be some of Nonjon's earlier works, while I loved the Where in the World is Harry Potter series, the first two fics just aren't that good anymore, same goes for his other shorter ones.

Not trying to be nitpicky, those rules already sort out most of the problems I could see.

 

I subscribed earlier today when I dropped by briefly, didn't get a chance to post until now. This things grown huge quickly, really impressive stuff DLP!

Noticed several stories that I had never gotten around to reading before too, I think I'll go through and do that. Seems like there is very little coming out these days that I find interesting.

 

This is why we elect a new minister of magic.

Popularity doesn't equal good writing.

Ages ago DLP voted a lot of fics pretty high that, in recent weeks, they have expressed some degree of astonishment/embarrassment over having voted so high.

That, honestly, doesn't say much. Also, the "well written" part seems to be up for debate.

And in Dizstance's opinion it shouldn't, but apparently you think his opinion counts less than yours.

 

I don't see why we keep coming back to this point. The C2 is not meant to be used by individual DLP members as a way of promoting their particular tastes. If you don't like a story in the C2, tough. It has either been voted to be there by the overall community or the author is a DLP author. If it meets the criteria enembee posted, it's in. If it doesn't, then it's not. Simples.

If you don't like a story, go talk about it in the story thread and vote the story down. Don't go through the C2 story by story deciding which ones you think deserve to be there and which ones you think don't.

 

'Estalblished' DLP Authors is an unfortunate result of a WBA reorganization I initiated some time ago. I had intended it to be Established Stories Section not 'authors.'

As such I feel that this has created a loose elite group with a perception on the board (specifically amongst newer members) that the EA's word counts for more. The Caitiff for a long time wanted authors to have a special consideration on the board and he was dismissed in typical DLP fashion.

As far as arguments about defining what we as a community accept or want to see happen I don't condone the attitude that an EA's word weighs heavier than any other member.

No doubt those on the board who contribute to the community in any number of ways have more respect and recognition but no one should be dismissed simply because s/he is not part of EA.

 

Yes and no. I think that after the C2 slate of stories is "gelled," the by-laws for adding or booting stories should be followed, but it also seems to me that the listing of stories is still somewhat in flux. If folks feel strongly about a story in these early days (and at least four people so far penned or thumbs-upped posts arguing against the story in question), their concerns should be considered and they should have a place for their voices to be heard. This thread is the most natural place at present.

If a large bloc of DLP members don't believe a story is worthy of the C2, perhaps it doesn't belong. It's not a statement that the story is bad, necessarily, but that it just isn't a good match for DLP's self-identified "best of the best." There are several very good stories in the Library that for whatever reason aren't in the C2. (It should be noted that the story being discussed is disliked by Vash, was declared unreadable by Shezza, was dropped in the second chapter by Dark Syaoran, and was deemed a thoroughly unpleasant reading experience by Nonjon; the critics would seem to be in good company, at least).

 

I'm okay with the above, but I do feel that the library provides this function in a way that is easier to follow. In the beginning I tried to stay up with all the stories that were being put up for 'off the island' but with so many posts it was a bit hard to go by.

There is a lot over the years that has become dated or just unacceptable as our criteria has become stricter so those should be taken off. I just can't see myself taking part in that system outside of the library.

But there are others more committed than me. Plus I'm an Established DLP Author so I can let the plebeians worry about such things.

 

I'd like to request the removal of my fics, username Melnivone, if they're still in the C2.

None of my stories meet that criterion, and this will hopefully kickstart me back into writing back so that I'll meet it.

 

Agreed. However, the Library voting system does that already. As it is, using this thread instead of the Library votes would just mean those people who are most vocal about their dislike of certain stories will be able to override the majority consensus.

 

All the system means is that if you dislike a story, you have to go to the library and rate it down. And leave a review, unless you're a complete douchenozzle.

Which, imho, will improve both the library and the C2. The library has long needed people to review old stories, and this gives us a reason to. Honestly, it's as if people are just too lazy to go find the story and give it an updated rating.

Though Make a Wish's rating is thoroughly confusing me. Yesterday it was 4.53 with the same number of votes. Are people dropping it now?

 

I would like to clear up some issues of contention.

My list of 'Established DLP Authors' refers not as some people have assumed to the short lived WbA sub-forum, though much of it appears to overlap, but to a list of authors I compiled primarily from those I thought were DLP-born and bred, or had at least, spent a significant effort to post to WbA routinely.

For example Tinn has informed me she was never considered part of the Established Authors sub-forum, but was included on my list.

I am more than happy to receive appropriate recommendations for adding further people to the list, I never claimed it was exhaustive as Perspicacity will attest to.

Likewise, I am more than happy to receive objections to particular stories in the C2, if a justifiable reason can be given for so.

However, I will need stronger urging to remove a story at this stage than I would have been at the beginning because the majority of truly unworthy stories have been filtered out in the initial days of the C2.

I WILL NOT remove a story merely because it challenges you emotionally, or things happen in the narrative that you personally disagree with or find distasteful.

Long story short, Harry's girlfriend getting raped is not a viable reason for a story to be removed. If something challenges you emotionally to that great an extent, it is the sign of a good author, not a poor one.

 

NMB: He handled it.





and he railroaded the bitches.

 

However, we have always drawn the line at Lily being raped. If such travesty is in a story then it must be stricken, quartered, and tarred.

We have standards after all.

 

Still hands down the greatest quote in a FF, ever.

 

This is all subjective, I like a Harry that gets a few scratches, unless it's so ridiculous that it transcends subjectivity then it definately shouldn't be a criteria for booting a fic from the list.

This has already been dealt with but I feel I should at least try to understand you position.

So you hate the story because Harry loves Fleur and the other guy wants to use her? Don't get me wrong I'm not a big fan of the story, too little substance imho but still man. Rape happens even to strong people. Hell apparently some rapists go for the uppity, independent people.

I have something to share with you that you might not know since you come of as one of those "independent" ugly chicks that no guy wants, either that or you've been around one too long.

Men like women. Hot women. Sometimes they even love them. Would you prefer a story where Fleur is like Anita and enslaves every man to her will and treats them as "commodities" (a tag I still don't get) or be a lonely miserable bitch forced to go through life on her own hating men because they like her.

You didn't like the rape fine it's all good, you don't want that amount of emotional resonance from you fanfiction, I don't mind. But please don't vote against a fic purely because it featured stuff that was too hot for you to handle.

 

Nmb, Pers, Nuhuh, Taure (etc) have said pretty much all that needed to be said.

On the specific case of Make A Wish, it's relevant to note that the story was voted in the C2 a few days ago, and that nmb was the only one who objected (which means it didn't meet the initial criteria in the first place). The rating is now down to 4.2, after supposedly going briefly over 4.5.

If there's to be an individual debate about that story, it might as well happen in the story thread - it hasn't been reviewed since 2006. Personally I didn't find it very readable when I tried it a few years back.

We're still holding steady at 40 subscribers a day, it seems.

 

On the other hand, rape, like any other plot device CAN be employed so poorly that it constitutes bad writing (which doesn't belong in the C2 by definition).

And I'm not talking about any specific story here.

Plenty of people shit all over any given cliché, but ultimately what decides if it was good or bad is how it fit into the story, how it was employed...

Yes, I'm sure some people objected on the grounds that rape is offensive and they didn't want the subject intruding on their leisure reading.

Some objected because of the (somewhat offensive) notion that rape automatically labels its victim as 'damaged goods', and Harry shouldn't have to settle for that.

But some, like myself at the time, objected on the grounds that the whole situation was contrived and poorly written, existing solely (as with MANY rape scenes in fanfic) as a means of injecting more drama into the story, and was shoehorned into it, fitting just as well as a piece from the wrong puzzle.

Note: I haven't objected to Dagger and Rose being added to the C2. This post is just to be clear that not everyone dislikes that rape scene for the same reasons. (Oh, and the earlier to address the misguided notion that having a few more posts under one's belt somehow makes one's opinion matter more).