FAQ
FAQ:
Please click on the topic you're interested in to read it. (Topics are hidden by the lj-spoiler function.)
[Browsing and combining tags]Browsing Tags
You can search for recs by browsing the tags. It's possible to combine tags and thus minimize the results by typing http://community.livejournal.com/rocksalt-recs/tag/tag1,tag2?mode=and (e.g: http://community.livejournal.com/rocksalt-recs/tag/t: wingfic,p: dean/castiel?mode=and). If you're searching for posts that have any of several tags, type: http://community.livejournal.com/rocksalt-recs/tag/tag1,tag2,tag3
( Source)
[Signing up]Signing up
How often can I sign up?
You can sign up for as many queues as you'd like at the same time, but you can only actively rec 1 category at a time. If your turn in the queue in two categories comes up at the same month, one will be moved to a later month. That means there is the possibility you will rec different categories several months in a row. It's okay to rec the same category multiple times as well.
Who can sign up?
Anybody with either an LJ or an OpenID account.
[Writing entries]Writing entries
Should I cut my recs?
An LJ cut is a link to the entry page. Clicking on it will take you to that page. Generally they are used when the entry text would be too long.
You don't have to hide any content of your rec behind an lj-cut. For hiding content we use spoiler tags in the posting formats. Content notes or warnings as well as excerpts or previews should generally be hidden.
How do I hide text? (The spoiler tag)
You can hide text via the spoiler tag. Clicking on that will not reload the page but simply make the hidden text appear.
If you're working in the Rich Text Editor: Highlight the text you want to hide, then press the [Spoiler (click to open)] button. In the dialog box you can replace "Spoiler (click to open)" with another word or phrase that viewers will use to expand the hidden text. When creating or editing an entry, the text included in the [Spoiler (click to open)] is surrounded by dashed lines and small arrow markers.
If you're working in the HTML Editor: Type [Link to spoiler] before the text you want to hide, replacing Link to spoiler with the word or phrase the viewer will click to see the hidden text. If you want to start showing text again, type after the last of the text you want hidden.
Can I change the font to one I like more or use a different color/size?
We ask that you do not do this for the sake of readability.
[General posting]General posting
How many recs can I include in a single post?
Exactly one.
Do you have any required posting formats?
Yes, we do. You can find them here.
How many recs am I allowed to post during my month?
You should post at least 3 recs. There is no upper limit except that one set by the 'no more than two recs per day' rule.
When should I post my recs?
You are allowed to post your recs whenever you'd like during your month, but for the sake of not flooding people's flists, please don't post more than two in one day.
Which mediums (fic/art/vid/others) am I allowed to rec?
Absolutely anything you'd like! We'd love it if you to made at least one of your recs different from the rest but that is definitely not obligatory. (For example, 5 recs for fics and 1 for graphics, or 3 for art and 2 for podfic.)
Can I rec something that's friends-locked?
Generally no. The only cases you're allowed to do that is if the place it's posted at allows unmoderated/instant joining (such as open membership communities).
Can I rec something that includes any current RL minors (such as Colin Ford etc)?
No. Wait until they hit 18.
What are the 'free reccing' months?
The free reccing months will occur in June and December, during which anybody who wants to will be able to post 1 rec within any category, without signing up for a queue.
There will be another category that will post only during the free reccing months: 'Rarest' for the recs that don't find a home in the other categories. Two people will be able to rec it at once.
June and December will also see the invitation of two reccers instead of one.
What are 'invited reccers'? Can I become one?
Invited reccers are people whose reccing style the mods like, either on rocksalt-recs or other places, and are not necessarily recurring reccers. The only way to become an invited reccer is to show us your style through your regular recs at the comm (during your assigned months!) or in other places.
The mix/vid/fic etc has no title. What do I write in the subject line?
"Untitled fic", "untitled art" or similar is fine.
How many times can something be recced?
Exactly once. Check our spreadsheet to see if something has been recced already. There is one exception to this rule: if a previously recced WIP has been completed it may be recced again.
Do I need to let the person whose work I've recced know?
Yes. This is for two reasons: 1) to make the creators feel good, and 2) to introduce rocksalt-recs to new people whose fanworks you like, which might mean them reccing fanworks new to you that you might enjoy.
[Clarifications (rare characters, gen, crossover)]Clarifications
Is [anyone not Sam, Dean, Castiel, RPF!Jared or RPF!Jensen] a minor character?
Yes.
Are Sam Wesson/Dean Smith/2014!Castiel considered minor characters or part of rarepairs?
Yes to both.
Is [anything not S/D, J2, D/C] a rarepair?
Yes.
If I've signed up for "minor character" or "rarepair", do I have to stick to this character/pair for all of my recs that month?
If possible, yes.
What about genderswap? Does the genderswapped character’s gender or sex count for category sorting?
Genderswapped characters count for the gender they consider themselves as. For example, always-a-girl!Dean/Sam will be het. In scenarios more complicated (like angels), use your judgement.
What qualifies as gen? Are background pairings allowed?
For this community's purposes, 'gen' is defined as something that does not focus on a romantic or sexual relationships between characters. However, sex and romance can still occur in the background.
What qualifies as a crossover? Are fusions crossovers?
A crossover is when characters from one fandom meet/interact with characters from another fandom. Fusions, in which characters live through the plot of another fandom, can fall under the heading of AU, crossover, or both. There is also a specific tag for fusions.
Is it possible for something to fit several categories?
Yes. A Sam/Dean crossover in which they've always been girls that was created for a challenge, for example, can be posted to the following categories: Sam/Dean, Rarepair FPF, Crossovers, Themed (always-a-girl, au, etc), Challenges and Rarest.
What do you mean by "random"?
Random means that you can rec anything you want to regardless of pairing, theme, or other. It's basically a free for all.
[Tagging]Tagging
The only truly necessary tags are those that are marked with an asterisk (*), caret (^) that are relevant to your rec, and, if applicable, the ship, theme, and/or minor character you're reccing.
That said, the more tags you add to your post, chances are more people would find it in the future.
To see our complete list of tags, click here.
What if there is no tag for the pairing/theme/character/other I'm trying to rec?
Let the mods know and we'll add it for you.
Someone's forgotten to tag their entry or hasn't used all of the relevant tags. Can I add them?
Your friendly mods always have an eye on the tags and re-tag recs when necessary. If you see any glaring omissions, feel free to point them out though!
[Art, graphics, vidding, mixes, podfics & others]Art, graphics, vidding, mixes, podfics & others specific
In the case of graphics/podfic/similar, can I link directly to it?
No. You must link to a place where people can leave reviews: a livejournal entry, youtube page, deviantart, or another such place, even if commenting is disabled. We ask this so that the creators' notes can be seen as well.
Can I embed the artwork in my rec?
No. You must link to it in your rec. The only exception is if a pre-existing preview exists. You are not allowed to make your own preview, or one made not by the artist.
[Fic specific]Fic specific
Can I rec fic that's WIP/discontinued?
Yes! Please indicate the fic's status in the line we reserved for it in the posting formats. Unlike other works that can only be recced once, WIP fics that have been completed can be recced again.
[When something goes wrong]When something goes wrong
I signed up but am lined up for a month that is not good for me. What to do?
Contact the mods via e-mail at rocksalt.recs@gmail.com, PM to rocksalt_mod or at the contact the mods entry, and let us know. We'll find another month that works for you. Don't worry, you won't be going to the end of the queue.
I got notified by the mods that I'm supposed to rec this month, but the comm won't let me post!
There are several reasons why this might be. The most probable ones are that it takes time to give people posting access, there might be timezone differences, or there is a delay. If it doesn't solve within a couple of days, contact the mods.
What happens if I fail to post the minimum amount of recs/stay in my category? (AKA MY HAMSTER ATE MY HOMEWORK REC LIST)
You will be spanked. Unless you like spanking. In which case, we'll withhold that.
You will be allowed to sign up again, but you will be moved to the end of any queue for the following three months. You will get to rec again either during the free reccing months (June and December), or when the queue you've signed up for empties.
This is a 3 strikes system: if you're moved to the end of the queue (any queue) three times, you will remain there.
I can't find an answer for my problem in the FAQ!
You can contact us at the contact the mods entry, via PM to our mod account or via email, and we'll get back to you.
Please click on the topic you're interested in to read it. (Topics are hidden by the lj-spoiler function.)
[Browsing and combining tags]Browsing Tags
You can search for recs by browsing the tags. It's possible to combine tags and thus minimize the results by typing http://community.livejournal.com/rocksalt-recs/tag/tag1,tag2?mode=and (e.g: http://community.livejournal.com/rocksalt-recs/tag/t: wingfic,p: dean/castiel?mode=and). If you're searching for posts that have any of several tags, type: http://community.livejournal.com/rocksalt-recs/tag/tag1,tag2,tag3
( Source)
[Signing up]Signing up
How often can I sign up?
You can sign up for as many queues as you'd like at the same time, but you can only actively rec 1 category at a time. If your turn in the queue in two categories comes up at the same month, one will be moved to a later month. That means there is the possibility you will rec different categories several months in a row. It's okay to rec the same category multiple times as well.
Who can sign up?
Anybody with either an LJ or an OpenID account.
[Writing entries]Writing entries
Should I cut my recs?
An LJ cut is a link to the entry page. Clicking on it will take you to that page. Generally they are used when the entry text would be too long.
You don't have to hide any content of your rec behind an lj-cut. For hiding content we use spoiler tags in the posting formats. Content notes or warnings as well as excerpts or previews should generally be hidden.
How do I hide text? (The spoiler tag)
You can hide text via the spoiler tag. Clicking on that will not reload the page but simply make the hidden text appear.
If you're working in the Rich Text Editor: Highlight the text you want to hide, then press the [Spoiler (click to open)] button. In the dialog box you can replace "Spoiler (click to open)" with another word or phrase that viewers will use to expand the hidden text. When creating or editing an entry, the text included in the [Spoiler (click to open)] is surrounded by dashed lines and small arrow markers.
If you're working in the HTML Editor: Type [Link to spoiler] before the text you want to hide, replacing Link to spoiler with the word or phrase the viewer will click to see the hidden text. If you want to start showing text again, type after the last of the text you want hidden.
Can I change the font to one I like more or use a different color/size?
We ask that you do not do this for the sake of readability.
[General posting]General posting
How many recs can I include in a single post?
Exactly one.
Do you have any required posting formats?
Yes, we do. You can find them here.
How many recs am I allowed to post during my month?
You should post at least 3 recs. There is no upper limit except that one set by the 'no more than two recs per day' rule.
When should I post my recs?
You are allowed to post your recs whenever you'd like during your month, but for the sake of not flooding people's flists, please don't post more than two in one day.
Which mediums (fic/art/vid/others) am I allowed to rec?
Absolutely anything you'd like! We'd love it if you to made at least one of your recs different from the rest but that is definitely not obligatory. (For example, 5 recs for fics and 1 for graphics, or 3 for art and 2 for podfic.)
Can I rec something that's friends-locked?
Generally no. The only cases you're allowed to do that is if the place it's posted at allows unmoderated/instant joining (such as open membership communities).
Can I rec something that includes any current RL minors (such as Colin Ford etc)?
No. Wait until they hit 18.
What are the 'free reccing' months?
The free reccing months will occur in June and December, during which anybody who wants to will be able to post 1 rec within any category, without signing up for a queue.
There will be another category that will post only during the free reccing months: 'Rarest' for the recs that don't find a home in the other categories. Two people will be able to rec it at once.
June and December will also see the invitation of two reccers instead of one.
What are 'invited reccers'? Can I become one?
Invited reccers are people whose reccing style the mods like, either on rocksalt-recs or other places, and are not necessarily recurring reccers. The only way to become an invited reccer is to show us your style through your regular recs at the comm (during your assigned months!) or in other places.
The mix/vid/fic etc has no title. What do I write in the subject line?
"Untitled fic", "untitled art" or similar is fine.
How many times can something be recced?
Exactly once. Check our spreadsheet to see if something has been recced already. There is one exception to this rule: if a previously recced WIP has been completed it may be recced again.
Do I need to let the person whose work I've recced know?
Yes. This is for two reasons: 1) to make the creators feel good, and 2) to introduce rocksalt-recs to new people whose fanworks you like, which might mean them reccing fanworks new to you that you might enjoy.
[Clarifications (rare characters, gen, crossover)]Clarifications
Is [anyone not Sam, Dean, Castiel, RPF!Jared or RPF!Jensen] a minor character?
Yes.
Are Sam Wesson/Dean Smith/2014!Castiel considered minor characters or part of rarepairs?
Yes to both.
Is [anything not S/D, J2, D/C] a rarepair?
Yes.
If I've signed up for "minor character" or "rarepair", do I have to stick to this character/pair for all of my recs that month?
If possible, yes.
What about genderswap? Does the genderswapped character’s gender or sex count for category sorting?
Genderswapped characters count for the gender they consider themselves as. For example, always-a-girl!Dean/Sam will be het. In scenarios more complicated (like angels), use your judgement.
What qualifies as gen? Are background pairings allowed?
For this community's purposes, 'gen' is defined as something that does not focus on a romantic or sexual relationships between characters. However, sex and romance can still occur in the background.
What qualifies as a crossover? Are fusions crossovers?
A crossover is when characters from one fandom meet/interact with characters from another fandom. Fusions, in which characters live through the plot of another fandom, can fall under the heading of AU, crossover, or both. There is also a specific tag for fusions.
Is it possible for something to fit several categories?
Yes. A Sam/Dean crossover in which they've always been girls that was created for a challenge, for example, can be posted to the following categories: Sam/Dean, Rarepair FPF, Crossovers, Themed (always-a-girl, au, etc), Challenges and Rarest.
What do you mean by "random"?
Random means that you can rec anything you want to regardless of pairing, theme, or other. It's basically a free for all.
[Tagging]Tagging
The only truly necessary tags are those that are marked with an asterisk (*), caret (^) that are relevant to your rec, and, if applicable, the ship, theme, and/or minor character you're reccing.
That said, the more tags you add to your post, chances are more people would find it in the future.
To see our complete list of tags, click here.
What if there is no tag for the pairing/theme/character/other I'm trying to rec?
Let the mods know and we'll add it for you.
Someone's forgotten to tag their entry or hasn't used all of the relevant tags. Can I add them?
Your friendly mods always have an eye on the tags and re-tag recs when necessary. If you see any glaring omissions, feel free to point them out though!
[Art, graphics, vidding, mixes, podfics & others]Art, graphics, vidding, mixes, podfics & others specific
In the case of graphics/podfic/similar, can I link directly to it?
No. You must link to a place where people can leave reviews: a livejournal entry, youtube page, deviantart, or another such place, even if commenting is disabled. We ask this so that the creators' notes can be seen as well.
Can I embed the artwork in my rec?
No. You must link to it in your rec. The only exception is if a pre-existing preview exists. You are not allowed to make your own preview, or one made not by the artist.
[Fic specific]Fic specific
Can I rec fic that's WIP/discontinued?
Yes! Please indicate the fic's status in the line we reserved for it in the posting formats. Unlike other works that can only be recced once, WIP fics that have been completed can be recced again.
[When something goes wrong]When something goes wrong
I signed up but am lined up for a month that is not good for me. What to do?
Contact the mods via e-mail at rocksalt.recs@gmail.com, PM to rocksalt_mod or at the contact the mods entry, and let us know. We'll find another month that works for you. Don't worry, you won't be going to the end of the queue.
I got notified by the mods that I'm supposed to rec this month, but the comm won't let me post!
There are several reasons why this might be. The most probable ones are that it takes time to give people posting access, there might be timezone differences, or there is a delay. If it doesn't solve within a couple of days, contact the mods.
What happens if I fail to post the minimum amount of recs/stay in my category? (AKA MY HAMSTER ATE MY HOMEWORK REC LIST)
You will be spanked. Unless you like spanking. In which case, we'll withhold that.
You will be allowed to sign up again, but you will be moved to the end of any queue for the following three months. You will get to rec again either during the free reccing months (June and December), or when the queue you've signed up for empties.
This is a 3 strikes system: if you're moved to the end of the queue (any queue) three times, you will remain there.
I can't find an answer for my problem in the FAQ!
You can contact us at the contact the mods entry, via PM to our mod account or via email, and we'll get back to you.