ADMIN POST: The Mission Report Challenge

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Okay, this comes from an idea by nudaydreamer and it's like, three--three!--cool challenges in one! As she puts it:

I'd love to see a Mission Report Challenge. We all know some crazy shit happens on those other worlds, and authors could choose to a) write a (pornalicious?) Report That Will Never Actually Be Filed Because Elizabeth Would Freak Out And Such, b) write a euphemistically suggestive report that leaves those of us with dirty minds quite clear on what happened, without being explicit, or possibly c) take another author's story and write a report of type a or b for it.

Everybody got that? See, it's kind of a Document Challenge and it's kind of a Remix and it's kind of Classified and Porny--or not; it's a festival, really. Now to clarify about option c)--if you choose to write a mission report of somebody else's story, we'll ask you to credit them, but we won't require you to ask their permission Edited to add: and get their permission, or check the links below. HOWEVER, if you want to opt OUT of option c)--i.e. tell people that they can't write a mission report of your story or stories, even with credit--please leave a comment in this post ASAP. Edited to add: link to new opt-out post below! We WILL ask challenge respondents to check before posting that the writer hasn't opted out of the challenge. Edited to add: Merryish reminds me to say that it is, of course, perfectly acceptable to write a mission report on one of your own stories!

It's August 21st; stories will be due on Monday, September 4th, Labor Day, at midnight.


Edited to add: Freezing comments here: click here for a policy clarification, opt-in, and opt-out posts are above.

Comments

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[misspamela.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I went back and read that again and saw the same thing. I concede the point completely; it seems that my vision of what a "remix" is is different from a lot of people -- I've been corrected elsewhere! I'd just see this challenge more along the idea of writing a coda or an episode tag, not as rewriting the plot.

Still, I agree that asking for permission is the polite thing to do in either case.

(frozen comment)

[30toseoul.livejournal.com]

Opting out of C.

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[debc.livejournal.com]

Umm... yes, that pretty much is what this challenge is asking. Not only that, but the original posting of this challenge calls it "a kind of remix."

However, you're missing the main point of my post by chosing to focus on that one term. My point is that permission-getting should be manditory, not optional and that it's bad fandom manners otherwise.

(frozen comment)

[ladyflowdi.livejournal.com]

Opting out of option C. I agree with others who have said that this entire challenge makes me uneasy. It's never okay to just use someone else's fic without asking permission first.

If it was in the rules of this new challenge that permission had to be asked FIRST, than we'd have a different situation here. But...anyway. Opting way out, no exceptions.

(frozen comment)

[roaringmice.livejournal.com]

I would not be pleased if anyone based their mission report on one of my stories without obtaining my permission first.

However, if someone did want to use one of my stories, and asked me first, I'd be happy to discuss and would probabally welcome the mission report.

I feel that asking first is the polite thing to do, and also fits within the norms of this fandom.

So, unless you can change the challenge to make it so that one must ask permission first, then I'd like to make it so that no one bases their mission report on one of my stories.

Thank you.

I also find it odd that such an assumption was made - that it's okay to use someone else's work without getting their express permission first. Whether or not it's "right" or "wrong" to do that, it goes against one of the norms of this and every other fandom I've been part of: if you plan to use another author's work, get their okay first.

(frozen comment) Re: It's not the permission... it's the remix

[hth-the-first.livejournal.com]

While I don't share your feelings on remixes, your post made me scroll up and look at the challenge again. Option C is to *write a mission report based on someone's story.* Nowhere is it suggested that anyone should, or even might, change the story entirely; heck, even remix challenges usually forbid changing pairings and a few other things that they consider more "writing a new story" than "remixing."

I think everyone's fear that this is a challenge where we take your happy McShep away mission and write the mission report about how Teyla murdered John and nailed Rodney on top of his dead body is...kind of an invented fear. I mean, I suppose people do all kinds of weird things, but that's certainly not what the challenge guidelines have proposed.

Maybe saying it was "kind of a Remix" was confusing, but I think Ces meant it in quite broad strokes. Anyway, the challenge isn't interesting anymore if the basic details aren't the same, because the fun of it is to see what the same events look like when told in a different context (i.e., in a mission report.)

(frozen comment)

[daydreamer.livejournal.com]

I'd like to say first of all that if anyone wanted to do one of my fics (of which there aren't very many at the moment, none of which really work for the challenge), I'd just like to know about it beforehand.

ALSO, as the challenge inspirer (or whatever), it was NEVER my intention that people do this without permission - yes, remixing canon without permission from the writers and TPTB is what we do on a daily basis, but this is people's personal just-for-fun work and I don't think many of us are ready for the shock of seeing something we wrote touched by someone else without our permission. It's SO easy on LJ to get a message to an author and just check before you start writing, and I would strongly encourage everyone to do so. I'm sure that many, many authors (including me!) would be flattered by the request for some kind of remix, but you won't know until you ask. Please keep my happy internet playground a fun place for everyone! Gentle hands! Nice words! Don't eat the paint! Yes, I'm a preschool teacher.

-Susan

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[debc.livejournal.com]

I honestly would have the same reaction if someone wrote a coda, tag or sequel to one of my fics without seeking my permission, and I know I'm not alone because I've seen it happen to friends of mine before and seen their reactions, too. There's a difference between knowing someone is going to do something and being okay with it and not having any warning/knowledge that it happened until you accidentally stumbled across it on some archive.

But then, I just may be old-fashioned in what I consider good fandom etiquette. ;-)

Still, I agree that asking for permission is the polite thing to do in either case.

It is, yes.

And I would like to apologize to you, personally, for sounding in anyway like I was jumping down your throat. (If I did.) I tend to get "over eager" when debating opinions and trying to get mine across.

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[kissingchaos9.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I feel like the original challenge was poorly worded, because I'm interpreting that "kind of a remix" was meant to convey the idea that you'd be using another person's fic as inspiration for a mission report. However, if you're interpreting it as "take another person's fic and totally rewrite it and definitely be shitty and rude about it, too," then it's understandable that you would be upset.

And on some levels, I do agree that permission should be required, but I also understand why it's not. You're basically writing a book report for someone else's fic, which leaves no margin for reinterpretation.

(frozen comment) Re: It's not the permission... it's the remix

[blade-girl.livejournal.com]

I think everyone's fear has more to do with the fact that this challenge has given blanket permission to use the work of another author without asking first. It doesn't matter what anyone is afraid of someone doing with that material; it's the fact that it is generally assumed in this fandom that writers won't appropriate the work of others without clearing it first with the others in question. This challenge has set a different standard, and there is understandable concern that it will become a precedent.

(frozen comment)

[raisintorte.livejournal.com]

Opting out of option C.

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[debc.livejournal.com]

See? I've already heard that "book report" analogy and I don't really find that it fits.

Nor do I understand why the permission is not required. I'm not a fandom newbie by any definition and if it's one thing I've learn in 10+ years in fandom is that if you don't have respect for fellow fanfic authors, you don't deserve respect in return.

(Using "you" as a generic "you" btw.)

To me, getting permission is respecting the author, even if it is just for a "coda" or as you put it, a book report.

(frozen comment)

[kissingchaos9.livejournal.com]

I desperately wish I had a story that could be mission reported. DAMN IT ALL.

Perhaps there could be an additional requirement that authors make a note of whether or not they got permission from the original author before writing their stories. It might encourage good manners, at the least,

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[misspamela.livejournal.com]

Oh, hey, not at all. No worries!

I think my reaction was more based on seeing people say "don't turn mine into McShep" or whetver, which wouldn't happen in this challenge as written.

But that's probably me missing the point of the permission thing, which I agree was probably worded badly.

(frozen comment)

[angelqueen04.livejournal.com]

I'd like to opt out of option C as well. Thanks.

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[kissingchaos9.livejournal.com]

I'm not ces and would hate to speak for her, but I do understand, and in no way believe that she would ever, ever encourage someone to use someone else's work for anything more than inspiration without asking permission. And she did make credit mandatory, so it's hardly a plagiarism issue.

If you don't feel comfortable with the challenge, opt-out. I hardly believe that if you're a popular enough author that someone wants to write a mission report of one of your stories you won't know about this challenge by the end of the day, especially with all the wank that's exploded.

(frozen comment)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

That's true. The only point being made was permission to remix can't be given by any but the author in question as the only one with any actual--ownership is not the right word here. Signficiant interest? I agree, the community manager can only give permission to post the fic in the community. That's the objection, I suppose, in a nutshell. Fanpersons can't necessarily be stopped, but whether or not it's condoned.

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[kissingchaos9.livejournal.com]

Although, I do believe that an opt-in would have been a lot more effective than an opt-out.

And I don't want to sound like I don't think an author's concern about theft or plagiarism are valid. I understand that completely, trust me. But, to me, inspiration is different. There are several really, really shitty stories floating around in other fandoms that claim to be "inspired" by one of my fics, and while I hate to see my name attached in any way to a shitty fic, there's nothing I can do when the idea of a character in leather pants is hardly one I can claim as mine and mine alone.

(frozen comment)

[medie]

I gotta say, the concept of the challenge is brilliant. I love it. But that bit with the opt out instead of opt in?

No way this is going to end well.

I really don't *mind* if people remix or write sequels to my stories (not that anyone ever would) but I have to say, the way this is being handled feels a bit like 'fuck you' to the writers. Not so much because hey we're all delicate flowers who can't possibly handle the idea of our work being played with (because really, the idea someone likes it that much? Is flattering as all hell) but because it's all "yeah, we don't give a shit what you think." in the wording.

You don't *have* to ask permission of people, true, but if people think that much of someone's work that they want to do something like this? Why not?

(frozen comment) Re: ADMIN

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

Why are you asking me? I don't think I've been sarcastic in this thread at all.

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[debc.livejournal.com]

A hot character in leather pants is never a bad thing. ;-)

It's just how the author in question gets them there with owrds that mucks it up sometimes.

I agree, an opt-in would have been better. Or else limiting it to just authors who are a member of the comm and knew this challenge was going on. As it is, there are a lot of authors not on this comm who would be surprised to find a coda/mission report about one of their fanfics.

(frozen comment)

[havocthecat]

I'd like to opt out of option C, please, with the caveat that if you would like permission, then please ask. Mind you, I've written all of three SGA fics, I think, and they're all crossovers, so I doubt anyone would be interested. And yet.

Thank you!

(frozen comment) Re: Won't Be Joining this Comm Ever.

[kissingchaos9.livejournal.com]

Oh, leather pants. *sigh*

Also, I promise I'm not being argumentative, but I can't think of another way to word this.

If they're not on this comm, how would they find it? Challenge responses can only be posted to the comm. And I'm *not* saying it's right if they author doesn't know, just that I'm not sure I understand how they could be suprised if they don't read the comm.

(frozen comment)

[slodwick.livejournal.com]

In the event of anyone wishing to use my fic, I would appreciate a contact email first.

(frozen comment) ADMIN

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Uh, a story that changed your pairing would be a bad story, FWIW. The point isn't to change things willy nilly! The point, if you chose option C. would be to tell the same story in a different FORM.