It's meta time...

[the_fox_bandit]

While I am working on the Mai/Zuko Portal pages, and hope they will be up by the time season 3 begins, I've also been thinking of writing up meta entirely apart from the AFS dealing with exactly what really was going on in the crystal catacombs between Zuko and Katara.

I just feel like there needs to be some big essay addressing that specific

Comments

[a_white_rain]

I will.

I also suggest that, not that I think you will, keep aggressiveness out of the essays. No need to add to the ship wars.

[the_fox_bandit]

Thanks!

I totally agree with keeping aggressiveness out of the essay. People take ship wars so seriously that I find people often mistake my frankness about fandom matters for me taking Everything Way Too Seriously (and being Mean And Upset). So, I'm going to have to consciously make sure the essay has as friendly of a tone as possible since that's so important for essays like this. And really, the essay as I'm planning it ATM is going to focus much more on a positive exploration of what was happening with Zuko and Katara, with relatively little attention paid to misinterpretations. So I think that should help.

[a_white_rain]

I'm just wary because people do attack other people for ships. Attacking a group of people for what they ship is just dumb. Even if too many shippers for a ship are dumb.

[the_fox_bandit]

Yeah, and that's something I wouldn't ever want to do.

[manonlechat]

I just feel like there needs to be some big essay addressing that specific cornerstone of the Zutarian misreading of the series. So the essay will deal with that (and also the "Well, that's just your interpretation" "argument").

Anyone want to help beta the essay for me??

I've got a feeling I wouldn't be the best person to help out with this particular project. ;)

[the_fox_bandit]

Well, what you can definitely help with if you would be so kind is making sure that it has the right tone. As you and I have talked about before, I tend to go into fandom with the assumptions such as: (1) attacks on arguments aren't attacks/insults in any way on the people/person and (2) I'm not at all Upset or Emotional when talking about fandom matters, 'cause it's not Serious Business.

Of course, I'm aware that most people don't have those assumptions, and while I generally don't care enough about that when posting comments on LJ or posting in forums, I think it's significant when it comes to essays. Which is why I'm going to consciously write it with that in mind. Which is where you could come in, if you wanted to and had the time! What you could do if you don't mind is to make sure that it's less likely to react to it the wrong way.

[the_fox_bandit]

Wowwwww I'm tired today. Typos galore.

Anyway, yeah, the last sentence should say, "What you could do if you don't mind is to make sure that people are less likely to react to it the wrong way."

[manonlechat]

Sure, I would be happy to do that. :) As you've probably noticed on ASN, I tend to rely on the smiley emoticons a little toomuch (it's my anxious nature, I'm always afraid people will misread me!).

Are you going to try to get the essay up before Comic Con on Saturday, or will you wait and see if anything new gets revealed at that time? Thank Goodness I've had Harry Potter to distract me from AWS this week.