sga_flashfic | ADMIN POST: The Mission Report Challenge

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

But it's not reworking it from another angle. She's not suggesting that you completely rewrite someone else's story and claim it as your own, she's suggesting you write a *mission report* of someone else's story. So, if you read astolat's Mostly Harmless, the challenge would be in writing a mission report that didn't describe John and Rodney getting blown by fluff ball aliens.

Which, heh. I'd honestly like to read that.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Well, I'm not on this comm, but I've read several fanfics posted here because I have 21 friends (people on my flist) who are on this comm. Three of them, all of whom have written fics for challenges posted here, are members of the fanfic collecitve I co-mod and help maintain. (http://www.ink-and-quill.com) When those people write fic, you'd best believe I read it as well as check out where the inspiration comes from. Their participation is like a reccommendation in my book.

That's how people who aren't on the comm would find it. It's not an f-locked comm, so while posting is limited to members only, reading/viewing is not.

Oh, leather pants. *sigh*

Should be standard issue uniforms, no? *imagines McKay in leather*

Ahhh, I see. Thank you.

Now I would like to write a story where a crazy alien invents a, um, photon ray that destroys all material but leather and the crew is forced to wear nothing but leather for the rest of their lives, lest they be embarassed by their public nudity.

OH, CRACKFIC.

Now I would like to write a story where a crazy alien invents a, um, photon ray that destroys all material but leather and the crew is forced to wear nothing but leather for the rest of their lives, lest they be embarassed by their public nudity.

I would so read that!

I would actually prefer Martin Gero to write that, so we could SEE it.

Mmmm, Lorne in leather.

I *so* love the way you think! ;-)

We should write Martin Gero a letter. He seems like a perfectly reasonable guy.

What's your spoiler policy, by the by? Because there are some pictures from an up-and-coming episode that I think you might enjoy...

I don't mind spoilery pictures, as they tend to give me something to look forward to.

It's when people post rumors/spoilers about actual content of plots that gets to me. I like to enjoy the episodes (or not) without being tainted before hand.

This isn't really spoilery at all, I was just being careful :)

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v475/kissingchaos9/rodneyleather.jpg)

ADMIN POST: The Mission Report Challenge

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