Fannish 411!

[dawn_felagund]

Okay, so first of all, I caved. I'm now on Tumblr. I'm still figuring out how it works! I haven't posted anything yet. I'm planning to use it for fannish and writerly stuff only; this place will still be where I babble about a combination of RL, writerly, and fannish stuff. I'd certainly appreciate anyone who wants to follow me or who has any good

Comments

[heartofoshun]

I friended followed you there. I am "Beleriand" on Tumblr. I really kind of hate it. It is lame for discussions--all but impossible--and has a whole bunch of Tolkien types (might even be nice people, but annoying), fairly new to the fandom, who want to argue and fight and rant over all kinds of trivial issues or battles that were fought and won or lost years ago and about which people agreed to disagree.

I feel cranky or ambivalent every single time I go there. It does have a very nice photo/pictorial component (it only virtue as far as I can see). People I am following post or re-post some terrific landscapes and art. Other than that, it really, really does suck. The inability to make easily accessible and visible comments on entries directly cuts across understanding and communication. I think one who wants to "talk" should stay away from it. It only promotes stupid misunderstandings. Pictures or links to share are great. One of my friends said it better than I ever could, but I forgot where (Zeen) that the optimal use of Tumblr is a wordless one. It almost easier to communicate on Twitter and absolutely easier to interact on Facebook (which I loath). I am going to become a hermit if LJ continues to be so quiet and everyone departs to Tumblr. Where does one go for intelligent conversation? I am going to have to start taking the subway into Manhattan and talking to real people people face to face. (I actual personally know a lot of fandom people, but it has been great to be able to talk to them without having to do a big trek to find them. But apparently that aspect of my fannish experience is rapidly dying--Tumblr seems the transition to non-communication.

I have been using Tumblr for months and still cannot figure out how to answer or comment upon an entry without re-blogging the entire entry.

[brookeoflorien]

I'm off Tumblr now, but as far as I know, unless you want to leave just a short like two sentence comment on an entry, reblogging is the only. It's really annoying...if all you want is a quick comment, it's that little speech bubble thing at the top of posts near the heart to fav entries. It only works if it's an original post and not a reblog though, unless the person who reblogged it has installed hacks for their tumblr.

Hopefully this isn't an annoying answer to a rhetorical question!

[heartofoshun]

Thanks! that is really useful to know. I could not figure out what that little bubble was there sometimes and not others.

[brookeoflorien]

You're welcome! It took me awhile to figure it out and it still annoyed me that it's not there all the time.

[heartofoshun]

I've been puzzling ever since I got there if there is an answer to my generally pervading sense of frustration with the medium. My answer is to continue writing things I want to talk about on my LJ and hoping people will still occasionally read my posts.

Pretty pictures are nice!

[lanyon]

Tumblr is a cesspit yet I'm still there - couldn't agree with you more, Oshun, though. It's a bad place for discourse and full of kids (or adults who should know better) who not alone think their opinion is original but also that it's the only correct opinion.

Dawn - I'm glorfindel on Tumblr so I shall certainly add you, though most of my ramblings are Marvel-related.

[heartofoshun]

You always look like you are having fun! It's quite the contrary for me. Although I do like the visuals.

[dawn_felagund]

I added you back! :D

[ladyelleth]

has a whole bunch of Tolkien types (might even be nice people, but annoying), fairly new to the fandom, who want to argue and fight and rant over all kinds of trivial issues or battles that were fought and won or lost years ago and about which people agreed to disagree

The thing is, many of these people are a new (often younger) fandom generation, many of whom probably weren't even around for the Y!Groups or LJ-era of fandom and have no access to that part of the web, so I can definitely see why old discussions keep repeating. Maybe it's boring and repeptitive for us old fandom farts, but I can see why it's happening. (What bothers me is the tone, not people negotiating the content - sometimes more, sometimes less.)

The rest, though... yeah. Pretty much.

[heartofoshun]

I totally agree with you that it is probably a tone question that bothers me and not the choice of topics at all. I think for me the combination of rotten tone and ignorance is particularly appalling. I personally am going through a very difficult time in my life (personal upheavals and family problems) and my patience hangs by a thread. The inability to respond or toss in a small point where one's comments are visible and/or readily accessible to the participants in the discussion, is an intolerable frustration for me.

Tumblr assets: gorgeous pictures of the English countryside, German castles, fantastical forest scenes, and medieval streets in small towns in France. Then there are collections fashion photography and funny screen caps with captions from the hot fandom of the moment, beautiful science and natural history photos. I have a weakness for medievalists' blogs, especially if they post mainly pictures (because of what I am working on right now).

Check out: fuckitandmovetobritain -- great photos! Its worth looking for blogs like that. There are dozens of blogs of beautiful pics. The less commentary on them, the better.

[ladyelleth]

I can't blame you, really! Like Pandë said, there's lots of vitriolic bullshit, and especially when there's RL going on alongside everything else, that is hard to cope. I've recently been hearing a lot that people have started checking the notes to see parts of the discussion that have not crossed their dash. But I don't know how commonplace that is - so while your contribution would be readily available, people would have to look for it. I'm always surprised when people I don't know or who don't follow me reblog my contributions.

Definitely seconding the assets. Depending on where you look, tumblr can be a very nice place, even if the conversation culture isn't all that prevalent.

(I'll definitely check out that tumblr! More pretty photos are always a good thing, and I'm also considering making a rec list of non-personal tumblrs that I follow and enjoy, of the sort that would be called communities in LJ lingo.)

[heartofoshun]

I'm also considering making a rec list of non-personal tumblrs that I follow and enjoy, of the sort that would be called communities in LJ lingo.

That would be wonderful.

[pandemonium_213]

(What bothers me is the tone, not people negotiating the content - sometimes more, sometimes less.)

Elleth, you have the patience of a saint in responding so intelligently to those discussions, which indeed have a tone, a tone that I indelicately described as vitriolic bullshit, but I stand by the description. ;^)

[ladyelleth]

Heh. I wouldn't be responding in the first place if those posts didn't come perilously close to blowing my fuse, and rant-y responses (even if they're intelligent) are a good way to vent some anger. Added bonus being that people may occasionally respond or reconsider if it's honest ignorance rather than intentionally vitriolic bullshit (no need to beat about the bush, that's a really apt description).

[dawn_felagund]

I cannot imagine abandoning LJ/DW. I can't write a post under 2,000 words! Even one day on Tumblr, it doesn't seem like that would roll there.

I like the conversation aspect too. I'm sorry that LJ seems to be quieting down; I'm guilty of that too because this year has been hellish without much time or drive for journaling. And I only follow a few people on LJ--people I know in RL (like you!)--via email notifications.

I can see myself mostly using it to post links to longer stuff that I write elsewhere, where people can engage in honest-t'-god conversation if they want. I have Disqus installed on my Tumblr, but someone mentioned that, even with Disqus, comments are rare.

It seems a ... weird site to me. A weird concept. As though people are posting in a vacuum, where you are expected to look but not comment. I don't see getting much satisfaction there but, as I noted on email, I think it's important to keep something of a presence there, since so much fannish stuff is going on. :^/

[heartofoshun]

I totally agree that it would be part of your job description as owner and moderator of an important fandom resource. But even for me, I like to keep a finger on the pulse of the Silmarillion side of the Tolkien fandom at least. Doesn't meant I will like what I find or being romping in that playground with the most active participants. I still get more satisfaction out of reading and posting things on LJ.