AO3 meta tagging probs
So I never really use LJ anymore but I have to vent a little in regards to AO3's recent mod post on meta and an anon complaint I got in response to a comment.
Long story short, I posted a multi-fandom meta essay thing whose goal was to encourage fan pride. After discussing which tags to use with five RL friends who all use AO3, we agreed tagging it with the fandom and pairing examples used in the essay was the only logical option. I did so. There were a lot of tags--and I mean, A LOT. Like whoa, I spent a good half hour tagging that shit. I thought perhaps there were too many tags, but I didn't know another tagging method to use. When I was done, I was proud that I'd managed to get everything right. After I posted it, I got one anon complaint about the tags along with a ton of interesting comments regarding the actual content of the essay. I didn't think anything of it.
Tonight I left a comment on an AO3 mod thread regarding my tagging worry with the hope that something could be done since I'd like to post more meta in the future. One anon commented rudely, basically stating that I'd misused the tags and annoyed people.
Of course I got upset right away. I mean, I only got one negative anon comment on the essay itself in regards to tags--well, that's all I remember. I'd have to check the comments to be 100% sure. But the point is, if this was such a huge issue and my essay had bothered so many people, why did no one tell me? A polite & mature "Would you mind taking off the fandom & pairing tags? This isn't the correct use for them" would've been enough for me to edit the offending tags. But nobody said that! I got a negative anon comment which I ignored because that's what you do with negative anon comments, you ignore them. If I had known there was an issue, I would have corrected it immediately. As a paranoid perfectionist with OCD, I can tell you for a FACT that I tried to follow the rules for tagging. Doing things properly, giving things order, is just so important to me. I ALWAYS follow the rules, even when I hate them. I honestly can't do otherwise without putting myself in a world of mental anguish. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's important to understand I thought I had tagged it properly.
Now I'm just upset. I took down all of the offending tags. Hopefully what's left is fine. But, what do you do in this type of situation? If a lot of people had a problem with something I could have easily fixed, but they never said anything, how could I be expected to know a problem exists in the first place?
This is particularly frustrating because I don't actually know what the "right" thing to do is. I've been going over and over it. What do you tag meta as? AO3 allows each user to decide on tags. I mean, I've asked several authors to include or delete tags when I thought it was appropriate (particularly magic!Stiles--why do people not tag magic!Stiles?), and I would have taken zero offense at being asked to edit the tags.
This whole thing is migraine-inducing. I know nobody gives a shit but me. It's just that fandom is meant to be a happy place away from drama. I avoid drama like the plague. I try to never cause it. I can't believe I could have unintentionally offended people without anyone pointing it out to me--not in a rude anon comment (which I brush off) but in a polite manner (which would make me actually listen).
So. I mean. IDK. I guess, sorry for the trouble, everyone in fandom who uses AO3 and was offended. I'll make every effort not to repeat the same mistake in the future. And please, PLEASE, if anybody ever has a real problem with anything I do (or anyone else does, really), please just politely point it out so it can be fixed. It's so simple. Honestly. It really is.
As far as AO3 tagging goes, IDK what's going on. I just... *throws hands up* I don't know.
Thanks for listening to my rant/vent, flist. I love you all. ♥
Long story short, I posted a multi-fandom meta essay thing whose goal was to encourage fan pride. After discussing which tags to use with five RL friends who all use AO3, we agreed tagging it with the fandom and pairing examples used in the essay was the only logical option. I did so. There were a lot of tags--and I mean, A LOT. Like whoa, I spent a good half hour tagging that shit. I thought perhaps there were too many tags, but I didn't know another tagging method to use. When I was done, I was proud that I'd managed to get everything right. After I posted it, I got one anon complaint about the tags along with a ton of interesting comments regarding the actual content of the essay. I didn't think anything of it.
Tonight I left a comment on an AO3 mod thread regarding my tagging worry with the hope that something could be done since I'd like to post more meta in the future. One anon commented rudely, basically stating that I'd misused the tags and annoyed people.
Of course I got upset right away. I mean, I only got one negative anon comment on the essay itself in regards to tags--well, that's all I remember. I'd have to check the comments to be 100% sure. But the point is, if this was such a huge issue and my essay had bothered so many people, why did no one tell me? A polite & mature "Would you mind taking off the fandom & pairing tags? This isn't the correct use for them" would've been enough for me to edit the offending tags. But nobody said that! I got a negative anon comment which I ignored because that's what you do with negative anon comments, you ignore them. If I had known there was an issue, I would have corrected it immediately. As a paranoid perfectionist with OCD, I can tell you for a FACT that I tried to follow the rules for tagging. Doing things properly, giving things order, is just so important to me. I ALWAYS follow the rules, even when I hate them. I honestly can't do otherwise without putting myself in a world of mental anguish. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's important to understand I thought I had tagged it properly.
Now I'm just upset. I took down all of the offending tags. Hopefully what's left is fine. But, what do you do in this type of situation? If a lot of people had a problem with something I could have easily fixed, but they never said anything, how could I be expected to know a problem exists in the first place?
This is particularly frustrating because I don't actually know what the "right" thing to do is. I've been going over and over it. What do you tag meta as? AO3 allows each user to decide on tags. I mean, I've asked several authors to include or delete tags when I thought it was appropriate (particularly magic!Stiles--why do people not tag magic!Stiles?), and I would have taken zero offense at being asked to edit the tags.
This whole thing is migraine-inducing. I know nobody gives a shit but me. It's just that fandom is meant to be a happy place away from drama. I avoid drama like the plague. I try to never cause it. I can't believe I could have unintentionally offended people without anyone pointing it out to me--not in a rude anon comment (which I brush off) but in a polite manner (which would make me actually listen).
So. I mean. IDK. I guess, sorry for the trouble, everyone in fandom who uses AO3 and was offended. I'll make every effort not to repeat the same mistake in the future. And please, PLEASE, if anybody ever has a real problem with anything I do (or anyone else does, really), please just politely point it out so it can be fixed. It's so simple. Honestly. It really is.
As far as AO3 tagging goes, IDK what's going on. I just... *throws hands up* I don't know.
Thanks for listening to my rant/vent, flist. I love you all. ♥