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

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[kyrdwyn.livejournal.com]

Can we opt out, except if permission for a specific story has been asked for?

What I'm really concerned about is someone taking story and putting a spin on it that I didn't intend and/or want - like putting a Sheppard/Teyla spin on a story that was gen, etc, and not checking with me first, since I'm the one who had the original idea, and I know (from comments, etc) that people can read things into fics that aren't (supposed) to be there....

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[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

Opting out of option C, please.

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[chopchica.livejournal.com]

I'm opting out, please.

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[kyrdwyn.livejournal.com]

(I'm asking because another writer/good friend has already asked permission to use one of my stories, and I don't want giving her permission to seem like I'm granting *everyone* permission to just take and re-write.....)

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[kyrdwyn.livejournal.com]

Also, sorry, another thought I had - are you limiting the writers we can choose from to sga_flashfic members, or is anyone who has ever written SGA fic fair game? Because if they're not on the list, they won't know to opt out, and I know a lot of writers who might like to opt out for whatever reason.

It would be a bit of a shock for Writer A to find out September 5th that Writer B did a mission report to their fic, and they weren't asked and are offended/insulted/etc by the fic entirely....(because yes, I'm like McKay and constantly imagine the worst case scenario).

Just hate to see the community get a bad rep for "encouraging" something like that (because people will gripe...this is the internet)....

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[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

I don't see why not. Post that you want to opt out but are willing to grant exceptions.

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[hth-the-first.livejournal.com]

Right, because God forbid we write stories that make use of ideas someone else came up with. I personally write to Martin Gero before each and every story I post on the internet to clear it with him; I keep his postcards in a little file folder in my fireproof safe so that I can pull them out and show them to anyone who asks. Otherwise I might come across as encouraging taking another writer's material and putting a spin on it that writer might not care for, and at all costs I don't want to do that.

This is the internet, after all. *g*

(frozen comment) ADMIN

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

We're neither suggesting or limiting writers, and while permission is always polite, we don't believe it's mandatory. Crediting is mandatory--saying "This was inspired by" X is mandatory, because otherwise it's plagiarism (i.e. passing someone else's work off as your own). But other than that, if people rec your work or review it or whatever, you might not know that it's out there either, you know?

And people will gripe....period. Because this is the internet.

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[harriet-spy.livejournal.com]

Especially if it's a Sheppard/Teyla spin! That's *extra* gross, you know! I feel violated just thinking about it.

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[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

And people will gripe....period. Because this is the internet.

Yeah, any doubt about that, just check out hth_the_first's reply.

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[jade-dragoness.livejournal.com]

*holds up hand* Can I offer a challenge? This idea has been pestering me for so long now.

The Mix It Up Challenge - mix up clothes, roles, characterization, interests, music, or lives. Change things around. Make Rodney the civilian leader. Make the Genii the first people they met. Make John the one allergic to citrus. Make Telya the one who hids knifes in her hair. Make Ronon a scientist. Take canon and mix it up.

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[kyrdwyn.livejournal.com]

I'm opting out of Option C.

Specific exceptions may be granted, with prior permission obtained via e-mail. E-mail address is on my user page.

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[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

You can totally offer a challenge! (That one sounds fun!)

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[spike21.livejournal.com]

What about soft opt?

*rolls about clutching sides*

Trust me, if you're in alternative health care in BC, that was HILARIOUS!!

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[kyrdwyn.livejournal.com]

Well, then, why bother to check with anyone at all in this challenge? Why bother to have an opt out procedure? Every writer for him/herself and to hell with the consequences!

Look, I'm just saying that those of us in the community have fair warning of this challenge, and the chance to opt out if we are being sensitive about our own fics. Outsiders don't. And I know there are writers who will go ballistic if someone takes their gen story and puts a McShep spin on it because they absolutely *hate* the idea of McShep. You really want someone to re-work Alpha Centauri into a character triad other than Sheppard/Dex/McKay?

We've all got our pairing squicks, and pairings we just prefer not to read, much less have someone put into one of our own fics.

(As for the SGA/SG-1 writers - they knew what they were getting into - how long has fanfiction been around? Hell, how many of them have admitted to knowing of it/reading it?)

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[shetiger.livejournal.com]

I'm also opting out of C, with the same caveat.

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[lydiabell.livejournal.com]

You really want someone to re-work Alpha Centauri into a character triad other than Sheppard/Dex/McKay?

The mind wobbles. I'd like to see somebody try.

(Yeah, I know, none of my business...)

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[harriet-spy.livejournal.com]

We've all got our pairing squicks, and pairings we just prefer not to read, much less have someone put into one of our own fics.


They're not putting anything "into" your fic. Your fic is still your fic no matter what sequels, revisions, or reworkings anyone else writes. If you're deeply concerned about unauthorized interpretations of your work, I'd recommend not posting it at all--every reader is going to make her own meaning out of each story, and it may be something very different from what you would authorize.

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[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

Er, I assure you, she was definitely just (http://aliencorn.net/stories/intergalactic.html) being (http://aliencorn.net/stories/small.html) sarcastic (http://aliencorn.net/stories/uninvited.html).

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[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

You're missing the point. Anyone can read into a story what they'd like. Posting a sequel or a remix version of it is different. It's one thing if you've signed up for a remix challenge - and you're still taking chances, there - it's another to have no idea that your fic is being redone or reinvisioned.

(frozen comment) Re: ADMIN

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

Uh... Hth isn't griping about the challenge. Other people are.

(frozen comment) Re: ADMIN

[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

But Hth is most assuredly griping.

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[harriet-spy.livejournal.com]

You're missing the point. Anyone can read into a story what they'd like. Posting a sequel or a remix version of it is different.

No, I don't think I'm missing the point. Someone could take my darkest, creepiest, saddest story and write a "mission report" that represents it as light, fluffy, silly, and featuring a pairing I find loathsome. That doesn't change my story one bit. It's still there. The words haven't changed one iota. No one's forcing a meaning on the story, and if they already took that meaning from the story, then whether they write it down and post it or not doesn't change a thing.

I find this position particularly baffling in that 95% of fanfic is nothing but reenvisioning someone else's work. And, no, they didn't give you permission, especially not to turn their space adventurer show into a Big Gay Romantic Comedy. I can't possibly claim more rights in my vision of John than I grant to the people who actually came up with him.

(frozen comment) Re: ADMIN

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

Whatever. I think it's rather obvious that Cesca meant people would inevitably gripe *about the challenge*.

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[hth-the-first.livejournal.com]

Well, then, why bother to check with anyone at all in this challenge?

Because Ces says so.

You really want someone to re-work Alpha Centauri into a character triad other than Sheppard/Dex/McKay?

I really don't give a damn. Either it'd be a good story, in which case I'd enjoy reading it, or it would suck, in which case I'd laugh at it in the privacy of my own home.

As for the SGA/SG-1 writers - they knew what they were getting into - how long has fanfiction been around?

And if it were up to me, that's what I'd say to fandom as well. This is what we do: we play with texts. Sometimes you may think the way we play with yours is cool, sometimes it may squick you or bore your or strike you as dumb beyond belief. Que sera sera. This is what we do.

By tradition, fandom treats fanfiction as the inviolable expression of one's innermost soul and pro fiction as meat for the grinder. It's not logical, but it's tradition. And in the case of this challenge in particular, the rules aren't mine to set, nor did I suggest they should be changed, so relax. You've got your exemption.