Thirty Days of Spam...Day 20 - Fests
I've had people ask me about the Snarry-a-Thon fest for 2010. And beyond the most basic, yes, I am planning to host Snarry-a-Thon again next year at snape_potter using pretty much the same guidelines and rules as before, I've not thought about it much further. Since the original concept was for us to *dodges lightning* "resurrect the Snarry love", posting was held at Easter (Yes, I know. I'd say my mother would be so ashamed. But only because she hadn't thought of it first.) Easter is in April again in 2010 so tentatively posting will begin April 4. For those of you who like to plan ahead, I'll be collecting prompts and holding sign-ups beginning in late January. The fest is open to everyone and the most important rule is that participants have fun with it. Full details will be posted at snape_potter after the beginning of the year, though you're free to ask me questions or offer suggestions at any time.
But details about the Snarry-a-Thon isn't really the point of this post.
What made me start thinking about fests is that curia_regis posted a poll to gauge interest in another HP fest. And a brief, but frank, discussion about fests in general was held in the comments. As with most things, I have a love/hate relationship with fests. What do I love about fests?
*I love that they generate new fic, especially for fandoms/pairings/kinks/genres that don't otherwise get as much play or exposure.
*I love that they give people firm deadlines so people actually finish something rather than poke at it endlessly while it languishes away on their HD.
*I love that they generate excitement and enthusiasm.
*I love that they challenge people to reach outside of their comfort zones and try things they might not otherwise have done.
*I love that they give us an opportunity to create for others instead of just for ourselves.
*I love that they give us the opportunity for our work to be seen by people other than those on our flists.
*I love that they offer us the opportunity to renew old acquaintances and find new friends with similar interests.
But the other side of that coin:
*I don't love seeing people on my flist stressed by being over-committed and stretched too thinly.
*I don't love that none of the fests feel "special" anymore.
*I don't love that ideas don't get fully explored because there are deadlines.
*I don't love that there are brilliant ideas that have to be sidetracked in favor of conforming to the prompts.
*I don't love that even if parts of me wants to vigorously deny it and I can point to countless exceptions, I know that I do think the overall quality of fest entries has gone down.
*I don't love seeing people on my flist hurt and frustrated because people aren't reading/commenting on their work (though this is across the board and not just in fests, but the disappointment feels more acute since the expectation is that fests provide more exposure than personal journals and comms).
*I don't love that my first thought whenever I see see someone ask about the possibility of another fest is, "Not another one."
I don't know that I buy into the idea that fests in the old days were necessarily better. With a few exceptions, I've always felt that every fest seems to have mostly solid entries, a few clunkers, and a few that just completely blow everyone away (and which is which is open to debate). I'm not sure what I think the answer is, really. Honestly, I'm not sure there is one. Except perhaps to change our expectations so we can focus on getting as much enjoyment and satisfaction as possible out of the fests we do participate in. But if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, I'm happy to listen.
But details about the Snarry-a-Thon isn't really the point of this post.
What made me start thinking about fests is that curia_regis posted a poll to gauge interest in another HP fest. And a brief, but frank, discussion about fests in general was held in the comments. As with most things, I have a love/hate relationship with fests. What do I love about fests?
*I love that they generate new fic, especially for fandoms/pairings/kinks/genres that don't otherwise get as much play or exposure.
*I love that they give people firm deadlines so people actually finish something rather than poke at it endlessly while it languishes away on their HD.
*I love that they generate excitement and enthusiasm.
*I love that they challenge people to reach outside of their comfort zones and try things they might not otherwise have done.
*I love that they give us an opportunity to create for others instead of just for ourselves.
*I love that they give us the opportunity for our work to be seen by people other than those on our flists.
*I love that they offer us the opportunity to renew old acquaintances and find new friends with similar interests.
But the other side of that coin:
*I don't love seeing people on my flist stressed by being over-committed and stretched too thinly.
*I don't love that none of the fests feel "special" anymore.
*I don't love that ideas don't get fully explored because there are deadlines.
*I don't love that there are brilliant ideas that have to be sidetracked in favor of conforming to the prompts.
*I don't love that even if parts of me wants to vigorously deny it and I can point to countless exceptions, I know that I do think the overall quality of fest entries has gone down.
*I don't love seeing people on my flist hurt and frustrated because people aren't reading/commenting on their work (though this is across the board and not just in fests, but the disappointment feels more acute since the expectation is that fests provide more exposure than personal journals and comms).
*I don't love that my first thought whenever I see see someone ask about the possibility of another fest is, "Not another one."
I don't know that I buy into the idea that fests in the old days were necessarily better. With a few exceptions, I've always felt that every fest seems to have mostly solid entries, a few clunkers, and a few that just completely blow everyone away (and which is which is open to debate). I'm not sure what I think the answer is, really. Honestly, I'm not sure there is one. Except perhaps to change our expectations so we can focus on getting as much enjoyment and satisfaction as possible out of the fests we do participate in. But if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, I'm happy to listen.