be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 00:35:07 UTC
Can I make a request/suggestion for framing prompts in more positive terms? Just to make this more about what we want to see and less about what we don't? To actually name the characters we'd prefer rather than rule out the characters we really really really don't want, and then if we are open to other suggestions we can say so and decline (politely) if people offer something different and it's not to our taste?
It's just that it gets downright depressing to constantly see people rule out your otp or your favourite, and when there's only one person who actually writes a particular pair it kinda stings. Even if it could just be the fact the requester doesn't like that character or pairing.
Also, naming the characters preferred and maybe throwing a few wildcard options in there might actually better spark inspiration than leaving something vague. Yes?
I'd really love to see more positive and less negative and I hope people understand where I'm coming from here. Thanks for reading.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 01:27:05 UTC
I wrote a long reply to this, but you know... just never mind. People get butthurt no matter what we do, and I really don't want to risk someone writing one of the few pairings I really hate, so I think I'll just give up requesting. So much damn butthurt everywhere.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 01:33:43 UTC
Excuse me? I thought this would be a... I hate to use the word positive again, since you seem to have taken it badly, but I didn't see how it could upset anyone.
Just... yeah, there's so much emphasis on what characters people dislike, y'know? I wondered if there might be a different way.
I don't understand how it risks people writing something you hate if you say you want four pairings you know you like and if anyone has ideas for something else they should ask. Or just pick three or four pairings that would be cool and don't give any other options.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 01:57:23 UTC
I got butthurt myself, because I just made a request where I mentioned the two characters I really didn't want to see used. I thought it was an effective way of telling people that while I would prefer a certain character, I'm still okay with anyone as long as it's not one of those two for that particular request. Being told that you're Spreading the Hate is even less fun than hearing that someone don't want to read about my favorite character.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 02:11:50 UTC
I've been thinking of mentioning it for a few days, but that probably reminded me. Sorry.
I don't want to get at you. Lots of people do this. I'm just suggesting, why don't we look at it and try and turn it around. There are only 9 Strawhats, so why so difficult to be specific in a positive way?
Other kink memes that I've seen tend to have one pairing, one prompt, and go for it. We're a lot more general here, I think. People are open to accepting a lot of alternatives on a lot of prompts. That leads to the opposite, of ruling out what we absolutely don't want. I'm actually wondering if that really helps or if it works better to pick, then you're directly putting the idea of the pairings you mention to those who might write it.
Just musing on this. I've thought of mentioning it before.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 01:36:40 UTC
So... if I want a certain character paired up with someone in a fic and I'm perfectly fine with any pairing except one that I really hate, I should name every possible pairing except the one I don't want to see? Or should I say "Any pairing involving character A is fine!" and pray that whoever decides to write it doesn't end up writing character A/character L without asking? Because if they did, I wouldn't even read the fic.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 01:52:09 UTC
Would you feel more inclined to answer the prompt if you asked if one of your favorite pairings would work for the OP and they said no? Would you even consider it if none of your favorites are mentioned? I don't know how it works for you, but when I get an idea for a fic, that idea is usually pairing specific. I've asked if a certain pairing was okay in the past, and the times I got a no I wasn't able to change my idea to fit another pairing.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 02:00:37 UTC
If they picked a bunch of pairings they liked for the prompt and one of them clicked for me with the idea, I might write it even though it wasn't a favourite, because I don't always write the same stuff. And I might not connect at all if it was left open for 'anything except for character/pairing x'.
And if I want to write my otp, I'd rather ask and know I'm risking to be told no than to have to read through endless prompts where the OP finds it necessary to let me know how much they dislike my own favourites unsolicited, where I can't avoid that point of view.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 02:40:14 UTC
I'm sorry, I feel like everyone completely missed my point here. It's not about wanting everyone to like the same thing or 'why can't people like my otp'. It's just a more positive face on things so we're not always telling people how much we DISlike them in a way they can't avoid especially because it's always the same few characters and same few pairs.
If it's left open for someone to ask, they know they're taking the chance of being turned down and choosing to try anyway. I honestly don't understand how this went down so badly. I'm sorry for replying again, but the above seriously misrepresents what I was trying to say. Anyway, yeah. That's all.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 02:46:02 UTC
No, believe me, we get your point. It's just that: so we're not always telling people how much we DISlike them in a way they can't avoid especially because it's always the same few characters and same few pairs. - how exactly is this different if people have to constantly directly ASK and be personally told no? I would think that would make it worse. No is still no.
My two favorite characters are Franky and Brook, and every other prompt leaves them out. It doesn't hurt my feelings any.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 02:53:57 UTC
It probably helps when you know it's always the same person doing it though.
Anyway, my main point wasn't the asking, it was the positively choosing. I mean, maybe I'd be open to more, but which pairs fit this idea best? I'll throw out a handful of ones I want rather than rule out the ones I don't. No need to leave it open for any questions at all. That's what I do in that situation, anyway.
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 02:50:48 UTC
so we're not always telling people how much we DISlike them in a way they can't avoid
Wait a second. I think this sentence may explain some things, because you seem to be operating under the belief that if somebody doesn't like what you like, they dislike YOU. That's kind of a silly thing to take personally, especially since we're all the same person (anon).
Re: be positive?
anonymous
March 21 2009, 03:23:36 UTC
But if Person 1 doesn't like (random example) Sanji, it doesn't have the slightest effect on Person 2 who does like Sanji. Person 1 just...doesn't like Sanji, and if they are posting a prompt they have the right to ask for a fic they'd want to read: in this case, one without Sanji.
Person 2 is free to do whatever they like, but Person 1 still won't be a Sanji fan. Person 2 is not an outsider, people have different tastes and someone not liking what you like is not a personal slight against you.
It's just that it gets downright depressing to constantly see people rule out your otp or your favourite, and when there's only one person who actually writes a particular pair it kinda stings. Even if it could just be the fact the requester doesn't like that character or pairing.
Also, naming the characters preferred and maybe throwing a few wildcard options in there might actually better spark inspiration than leaving something vague. Yes?
I'd really love to see more positive and less negative and I hope people understand where I'm coming from here. Thanks for reading.
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Just... yeah, there's so much emphasis on what characters people dislike, y'know? I wondered if there might be a different way.
I don't understand how it risks people writing something you hate if you say you want four pairings you know you like and if anyone has ideas for something else they should ask. Or just pick three or four pairings that would be cool and don't give any other options.
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I don't want to get at you. Lots of people do this. I'm just suggesting, why don't we look at it and try and turn it around. There are only 9 Strawhats, so why so difficult to be specific in a positive way?
Other kink memes that I've seen tend to have one pairing, one prompt, and go for it. We're a lot more general here, I think. People are open to accepting a lot of alternatives on a lot of prompts. That leads to the opposite, of ruling out what we absolutely don't want. I'm actually wondering if that really helps or if it works better to pick, then you're directly putting the idea of the pairings you mention to those who might write it.
Just musing on this. I've thought of mentioning it before.
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It's just a suggestion. Sometimes it's more possible than others.
Actually, forget it. It's evidently a bad idea all around to try and improve the good feeling around here.
It does however make me disinclined to answer prompts when they rule out either of my own two favourites, and they get ruled out a lot.
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And if I want to write my otp, I'd rather ask and know I'm risking to be told no than to have to read through endless prompts where the OP finds it necessary to let me know how much they dislike my own favourites unsolicited, where I can't avoid that point of view.
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I find it kind of strange that you'd be that bothered that someone doesn't have the same favorites you do, honestly.
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If it's left open for someone to ask, they know they're taking the chance of being turned down and choosing to try anyway. I honestly don't understand how this went down so badly. I'm sorry for replying again, but the above seriously misrepresents what I was trying to say. Anyway, yeah. That's all.
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My two favorite characters are Franky and Brook, and every other prompt leaves them out. It doesn't hurt my feelings any.
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Anyway, my main point wasn't the asking, it was the positively choosing. I mean, maybe I'd be open to more, but which pairs fit this idea best? I'll throw out a handful of ones I want rather than rule out the ones I don't. No need to leave it open for any questions at all. That's what I do in that situation, anyway.
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Wait a second. I think this sentence may explain some things, because you seem to be operating under the belief that if somebody doesn't like what you like, they dislike YOU. That's kind of a silly thing to take personally, especially since we're all the same person (anon).
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Can't say it doesn't make me feel a bit of an outsider when the characters I write most seem to be on everyone's do-not-want list so often, though.
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Person 2 is free to do whatever they like, but Person 1 still won't be a Sanji fan. Person 2 is not an outsider, people have different tastes and someone not liking what you like is not a personal slight against you.
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