#Phlebas blogs her reading

[phlebasphoenician]

This is really interesting post to me because it addresses why some readers don't like these fics, but it doesn't actually discuss why authors post stories like this, and that's something I'd like to talk about.

The Problems With Anthology Fics

I'd personally call this kind of fic - a single AO3 fic which contains multiple short stories as chapters - 'anthology fics'.

And many of the critiques leveled here at them are indeed valid!

Yes, they make identifying which tags correspond to which chapter confusing! Yes, the listed word count in these fics is deceptive and makes it hard to sort/filter them by that metric! Yes, it makes it harder for readers to find a specific chapter in the work when they aren't interested in anything else! Yes, authors may miss readers, and readers may miss fics they'd otherwise have enjoyed because of it!

These are all very good reasons for readers to skip anthology fics like this, and that's fine.

But what isn't being taken into account here is that there are very good reasons for authors to post fic like this.

Why Authors Post Anthology Fics

Some authors may indeed feel shy to post short fics, flash fics, or drabbles as individual works on AO3, and I agree that there's absolutely no reason for them to feel that way - all fic is deserving of the time and space that the author chooses to give it.

However, that's not the primary reason why the authors I know post anthology fics - it's because posting a separate fic takes time.

Posting a new fic requires many things from an author:

title

summary

tags

rating

archive warnings

a decision about who can access the fic

But many authors also include other things, especially for month long events like kinktober or febwhump for which they're writing multiple prompt fills:

the prompt which inspired the story

social media post(s) for the event

All of this takes about an hour for me if I rush it, more than that if I don't, and I know authors who devote days to it. I even know authors who have decided not to post their fics because they couldn't come up with a title they liked.

Simply put, a requirement to post individual fics may mean that some fics don't get published. And that is even more of a shame than an anthology fic which gets skipped by some readers.

By comparison, posting a new chapter generally requires only one thing on AO3 - new tags - and sometimes not even that.

The title of the chapter can be the name of the prompt. There's no need for a summary unless the author chooses to include it.

It takes far less energy out of an author who is often already exhausted from simply writing the story in time to post for an event, especially if they're posting every day.

What I'm trying to say is that posting individual fics is time consuming for the author. It takes effort, effort that an author might choose not to spend.

And that's okay.

Posting anthology fics is a valid alternative to this!

And so I'd like to introduce a compromise option!

The Themed Anthology Fic

An anthology fic centered around a specific pairing or theme generally has far less tags for readers to sort through, and those tags are far more likely to be relevant to most of the anthology. This solves the 'wall of tags' problem, though admittedly not the inability to filter by word count - it's a compromise after all!

Anthology fics are also helpful for readers who have little or slow internet because they can download the whole fic at once and then scan through it at their leisure.

Now there are problems with anthology fics for the authors as well! Sometimes a flash fic that was conceived of as 500 words becomes a series of 500 word mini fics! Or it becomes a multiple chapter fic which the author would prefer to stand on its own, but doesn't want to delete and re-post because that would destroy the comments on it - many of which contain the conversations which may have inspired this new fics/chapters!

But Here’s the Real Point

No library would refuse to accept a published book of short stories because they're a collection of smaller works. As an archive, AO3 doesn't turn them away either.

What this post really seems to be saying is that anthology fics lose readers.

A reader might miss a fic they might have otherwise read, an author might miss a reader who might have enjoyed their story… simply because some readers have preferences that mean they filter out works like this.

And that is fine.

Don't Like, Don't Read

As with every single fic on AO3, readers read only what they want to.

A collection of works, gathered together by an author is a valid authorial choice to make, no matter what the reason.

Because authors get to control their own works.

An author presents the story they wrote in the way they want to - it may lose them readers, but it’s still their choice.

A Fandom Old Perspective

I've been in fandom for over three decades, read thousands of fan works, posted over 250 works on AO3, and I agree that the collections and series functions on that site are under utilized.

But how an author chooses to post their fics is up to them.

Read what you want, skip what you don't, and remember that no one has the obligation to write for you.

And, when you meet someone who creates what you like, treasure the things they make.

Because they worked hard to make it. 💚

Increasing Author Engagement

Now, if there are any authors who want to increase their engagement with readers, they might want to try these things!

Participate in events - readers who read these are already primed to enjoy stories about that theme!

Use canonical tags on AO3 - unwrangled tags can't be searched or filtered - canonical tags can and readers are more likely to find your fics through them.

Promote your stories - post about them on social media! Make a banner! Ask your friends to reblog it! Make a personal rec list and challenge your fellow authors to do the same!

Most of all, write what you love.

Your passion for the story will shine through, and the readers who want to read your stories will find you. It might take time, but it'll happen.

I have faith in you. 💚

since I've seen it talked about in several places recently:

if you are going to do a whump- or kink- or ANY-tober or other similar challenges please please please don't post them as one fic with 31 chapters unless it actually is one coherent fic. if they're 31 completely separate fics or ficlets then please just make a collection for them or just post them as separate fics. it doesn't matter if they're only 100 words or if you think they're too small or insignificant to post alone, they're not.

and why this?

because if you post all 31 of them in one fic the tagging is absolutely useless. if I look for things to read on ao3 I'm gonna look at the tags, and if the tags include something that's a dealbreaker for me, i won't even click on the fic. I might not even SEE the fic because I've filtered out the nope-tag! so I'm gonna lose out on reading 30 perfectly nice fics because of one fic that my nope-tag applied to.

ao3 is about archiving. it's about clear tagging and being informative. there is nothing informative about it if the tags in the fic apply to random chapters while others have nothing to do with it. it makes so much more sense to have each work as an individual fic with its own individual tags and warnings, so readers can make informed choices.

of course, you do you. I can't police what other people decide to do. but personally, I find it incredibly frustrating to weed through 31 chapters to find the ones I actually want to read. so I don't. I automatically scroll past all works posted like that. and I know some others do, too.

there is absolutely no shame in posting short things on ao3. there is no minimum word count. no one is going to look at you funny if you post a small ficlet on its own, I promise. it's just going to make some readers very happy when they can actually find the things they want to read.

so, please. at least consider the upsides of posting each work as their own fic.

signed, one very frustrated fandom grandma.

[phlebaswrites]

International Fanworks Day 2023: When Fandoms Collide

Happy International Fanworks Day 2023!

I've made two lists for International Fanworks Day this year and, just like last year, one is a list of my own works and the other is a list of works I'd recommend.

They're fairly long lists so I'm putting them under a cut.

My Stories

The Arrow Does Not Dream

The world doesn't need a hero.

It needs a professional.

A fusion with The Witcher.

Founders Fairy Tales

Fusions of various Disney Princesses with the Founders from Naruto.

Almost all the princesses are here, except for Pocahontas - because cultural appropriation - and Tiana - because I have never seen that film. I did Frozen instead.

None of the stories are more than 2,200 words and most of them are a lot less.

The Closing of Our Shared Narrative

A Jedi and a Sith can never be friends, everyone knows this.

Everyone is wrong.

A fusion between Naruto and Star Wars.

To Seek (and Find)

Kisame had a dream.

He’s determined to get it back.

A fusion between Naruto and Inception.

Created Monsters

To step into a Jaeger is to Drift.

To become one of two.

A fusion between Naruto and Pacific Rim.

Ring Cow Bell Ring!

Everyone agrees that Konoha Farms produces the best fruit, cheese, and wine.

It’s just their methods that are questionable.

A fusion between Naruto and Harvest Moon.

Waddle Giggle Gargle Paddle Poodle!

Sometimes, there are dinosaurs.

(Where you least expect them.)

A fusion between Naruto and Jurassic Park.

Senju Sauropods

Hashirama is not your usual dinosaur.

He makes a friend.

A fusion between Naruto, The Good Dinosaur and Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.

The Secret Lives of Marilyn and Susan Short

Mary Sue Maybe.

A fandom crossing take on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

My Recommendations - Naruto

Defense Against The Dark Arts With Professor Umino by AvocadoLove

Crossover with Harry Potter.

Book 5 AU: With no witch or wizard willing to take the Defense Against The Dark Arts job except Umbridge, Dumbledore is forced to look elsewhere.

He hires a shinobi.

Fire and Water by AvocadoLove

Fusion with Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Waterbender Sifu Iruka meets firebending Commander Kakashi during the Siege of The North.

oh, but the revelation of stardust by PandaFlower

Crossover with the Marvel Cinematic Universe

What is the world coming to when goddamn aliens give me sympathetic looks about paperwork? It was boggling. Infuriating. Maybe, a smidge validating. Nick Fury resisted the urge to swear and check over his shoulder in case Murphy was lurking.

Not that this Senju Tobirama was their typical extraterrestrial, oh no, guy had to come from a separate dimension in addition to being from a different planet.

My first introduction to Tobirama and I fell in love instantly.

Moon Fish and Qilin by Good_Grief

Fusion with Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Izuna has been hunting for months, following whispers of a legend. All of the stories have led him to this place where the Moon Fish resides, all he needs to do is catch it.

Idiots Of Unusual Size by Asuka Kureru (Askerian)

Fusion with His Dark Materials.

Madara's daemon settled early.

Hashirama's daemon did not. Momo-kun was not settled when they met and he did not settle when Hashirama was thirteen and getting caught at the river. He didn't settle when they were fourteen on their first real battlefield, either, and while Madara and Kuyuri felt relieved that they had thus far escaped meeting on the field of battle, they could not help a gnawing ache of curiosity. What was he going to be? A bear, dangerous but only in it for the honey? Some slow, well-natured, well-horned cattle? A squirrel?

"Not quick-witted enough for that one," Kuyuri would say sarcastically, "but otherwise!" and Madara would half-heartedly chide her.

My Recommendations - Inception

What Dreams May Come by MarbleGlove

Crossover with Highlander.

Methos' mind is not one you'd want to be stuck in, aka the inception team attempts extraction on Adam Pierson.

Thicker Water by pprfaith

Crossover with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Arthur and Natasha rarely make it to their Gamma's birthday, but business keeps them in touch.

In Duty Homeward Shall We Fly by toomuchplor

Crossover with 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Arthur had been on this planet for nearly fourteen years now and everyone still insisted on treating him like a child.

Lions and Tigers by Starlingthefool

Crossover with Calvin & Hobbes.

"What were you like as a kid?” Eames asks him.

“Quiet,” Arthur says. “I lived in my head a lot. You?”

“I did too,” Eames replies. “Only I was never quiet about it.”

A story about growing up, sort of.

The Boy Who Spoke With Ghosts by AvocadoLove

Crossover with The Sixth Sense.

No one suspects Arthur. He's too practical, too organized, too sensible to believe in the supernatural.

Based on the kink meme prompt: Arthur's real name is Cole Sear.

dream a dream (and what you see will be) by Mizzy

Crossover with Die unendliche Geschichte (Neverending Story).

Eames has always said Arthur has no imagination and should dream a little bigger. The problem is, Arthur's dreams might be the most dangerous place to be on the planet. And when their latest job forces them to recreate Fantasia, and Arthur's secret past unravels alongside it, Cobb's team might be about to find the answer to the Neverending Story...

Two-minute warning by Trojie

Crossover with RED.

Eames tries to warn Arthur there's a price on his head.

Skybird by windsweptfic

Crossover with White Collar.

Arthur and Eames adopt a kid and raise that kid into Neal Caffrey.

secretly a reef rat by templemarker

Crossover with Hawaii Five-0.

Arthur is Steve’s brother.

My Recommendations - X-Men

The People Who Stand By You by pallorsomnium

Crossover with Wanted.

aka "In which Charles actually has a twin brother, who now wants to kick Erik's ass"

Wesley didn’t want much out of life, but what he wanted the most was for Charles and Raven to be safe and happy.

So he was rightfully displeased when he heard the message left on his emergency line, and by someone distinctly not Charles or Raven.

From Westminster With Love by thehoyden

Crossover with Sherlock.

NATO intelligence says there’s an omega-class telepath who sleeps under Westminster. Major Erik Lehnsherr is about to find out the truth for himself.

I've only done lists for three of my favourite fandoms so feel free to hit me up if you want more recs!

[phlebasphoenician]

Fic Rec!

I highly recommend Snapdragon and Crane by the astounding @good-grievance​.

It’s a beautiful, lyrical story about the difference between being a good shinobi and a good person, and the long slow journey to peace.

[recordpaul]

2017 in the Rearview

New Post has been published on http://paulrecord.com/2017-in-the-rearview/

2017 in the Rearview

To say 2017 has been a rough year for a lot of people would be an understatement. I could cast about for something to blame but it’s life. It will happen regardless if we are here or not. Best to not dwell for man may delay but time does not.

The hardest challenge of the year was my Dad’s passing. It was unexpected. I thought I would have him for another 15 years. That he would live to 100 like his father did. That didn’t happen. You could argue that it was denial and you wouldn’t be wrong. In April, we learned that he had bladder cancer and in the middle of May he was gone. One day I will write a blog about how it made me feel but suffice to say it sucks and not just for me. It sucks for his grandkids too.

On top of my father’s passing, we had to move because the rental we lived in was being sold. The Landlord was going through a divorce and part of that procedure was selling the house. Obviously, we don’t have the market cornered on hardships this year. We weren’t too concerned about the move as we had been planning on moving anyway. The hard part was that we had to show the house while Dad was in hospice care in the house. We decided the best way to handle it was to put up signs on his room door saying SICK PERSON INSIDE. DO NOT ENTER. Or something to that effect. Weird isn’t the word for it. I can’t imagine what people thought when they ignored the sign and walked in on my dad struggling in his sickbed.

All has not been bad though. We managed to move into a nicer house and neighborhood. It’s like a nature preserve with a river, deer, moose and lots of children. Yes, children are animals! I should know. I have four of them! The kids seem to enjoy the area too. This spring they’re hoping to explore the river and the local parks.

Besides the move the other big news of the year was my daughter entering college. She seems to love it. Her favorite classes are the equitation class and outdoor adventures program. She’s made some decent friends and is out there doing things that make her happy. Seeing her grow into a wonderful human being is all a parent could ask for.

Books!

I managed to surpass Goodreads 2017 Challenge. This is my 6th year of beating it. Though I don’t read nearly as much as I should. Here are the best books I read this year:

Sam Shepard Motel Chronicles. We lost Sam this year. Out of all the celebrity deaths this year, his passing struck a chord. I’ve always enjoyed his movies but never knew he was a writer or playwright. My loss because Motel Chronicles is one of the best road books out there.

Consider Phlebas by Ian Banks. Elon Musk got me into Ian Banks but this book was so depressing that I have held off on reading any more Culture books. That said, READ THIS BOOK! It’s an amazing story and Banks was a master of his craft.

Desert Oracle. By far my favorite find of the year is the “Voice of the Desert” edited by Ken Layne. A survival guide for Desert Rats and Non-Rats alike. There is even an awesome podcast to go with it. Check it out!

Videogames!

This is the year I finally managed to catch up on all the Xbox 360 Games that I missed will working at LSSC. Here is the best of the lot:

Red Dead Redemption by Rockstar. Holy Shit this is gooood! Go out and play it now if you haven’t. And The sequel is hitting next year and it looks equally good!

LA Noir. Another Rockstar game but this one is set in LA in the early 50’s. It’s Chinatown as a videogame and you know what, it works. I love it!

Music of the Spheres: The Music for Destiny. No, this isn’t a game but the music written for the Game that Destiny should have been. It’s pure bliss. Here, listen if you don’t believe me! LISTEN

  Movies!

The Last Jedi: Bantha Poodoo! Do yourself a favor and watch something else.

Bright: This was a fun Will Smith movie. Ignore the bad reviews! Unlike the Last Jedi, this movie is fun! Magic, Elves, Modern, Urban! Think Two NPC Townguards dealing with D&D Player Bullshit Plot.

Thor Ragnarok: The comic movie I have always wanted and I was so happy it happened with Thor. The third time is the charm!

  And with that, I’m off to the Desert Southwest! Well, I will be off to Joshua Tree Park in January but by time I write my next blog entry I will be there.

See you in 2018!

[phlebasphoenician]

Don't like, don't read is a thing anon. The filter and block functions are there to help you curate your own personal space in fandom, free of the ships you do not enjoy.

Remember that fandom is a shared space where people are free to be themselves and that freedom can and does involve things which conflict with each other. When that happens, it's important to recognise that both are valid choices and that you don't actually have to interact with each other.

You don't.

You can block the gajevy ship tag, block gajevy in every single post on your feed - make sure you do both or it won't work - and it will never appear again.

Go on, do it.

Please also note that insulting a real person who enjoys a ship different to yours, a ship about fictional people is probably a sign that you might want to rethink your priorities.

Remember,

Insisting that your needs are the only needs anyone should have is not a safe space, it’s its own act of violence. You don’t get to make others homeless to make the universe your personal safe space.

(Thank you @kyraneko)

I hope you figure how how to make your personal fandom space happy for you anon.

shipping gajevy in 2024 is crazy... move tf on

sending anonymous ship hate in 2024 is embarrassing... get a new hobby :)