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The fourth option
If the current lead team for the MEFAs is truly not doing it after this year, what's stopping someone from picking it up next year? I know, I know, it's all very raw right now, but y'know, if you're going to orphan something and walk away, I think that the whole 'and no one can adopt it' is... well, a little arrogant. That's like saying no one in the future could possibly organize it. I don't think that's true. I get that the lead team is upset right now. And I can understand that. But I also think if you really love something, but are really done with it, then you pass it along to someone else instead of burying it. Just like Ainaechoiriel did.
I don't think it's enough to tell people they should start something like it. Looking at the history of this group, it was Ainaechoiriel who first began them. And I'm going to repost something that she posted just before handing over the reins -- something to think about, for everyone involved to think about, since everyone is moving at a pace that I think is much too fast for Middle-earth: remember, we only have horses!
From post #6725 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MEFAwards/message/6725)
January 13, 2006
I know it can hurt sometimes to see something you like change. I pick my battles. See the non-negotiables list. RL has caused me to back off far sooner than I had ever planned. I
knew someday I'd get married and adopt children. I didn't think of that when I started the MEFA's though. I'd been single so long.... And voila, Mr. Time-stealer comes along....
No, really, it's a good thing for me that he's come along. As much as love fandom and fanfiction, sometimes RL comes first. Most times. I'm starting a marriage and a family. That will take priority over the MEFAs. I'll try to make time, at least here and their, and Marta has promised to keep me aprised of important events.
But now I'm rambling. Sometimes the proposed changes hurt. Sometimes they're a bit scary. I know I don't want to poke my nose back in here in 5 years and not recognize the place. But I also have some amount of faith that because this worked in 2004, the LOTR fandom found out that such an awards program based on feedback can work and be pleasant and produce positive feelings, there will be enough people who value it around to keep it from being destroyed.
--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder
I don't think it's enough to tell people they should start something like it. Looking at the history of this group, it was Ainaechoiriel who first began them. And I'm going to repost something that she posted just before handing over the reins -- something to think about, for everyone involved to think about, since everyone is moving at a pace that I think is much too fast for Middle-earth: remember, we only have horses!
From post #6725 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MEFAwards/message/6725)
January 13, 2006
I know it can hurt sometimes to see something you like change. I pick my battles. See the non-negotiables list. RL has caused me to back off far sooner than I had ever planned. I
knew someday I'd get married and adopt children. I didn't think of that when I started the MEFA's though. I'd been single so long.... And voila, Mr. Time-stealer comes along....
No, really, it's a good thing for me that he's come along. As much as love fandom and fanfiction, sometimes RL comes first. Most times. I'm starting a marriage and a family. That will take priority over the MEFAs. I'll try to make time, at least here and their, and Marta has promised to keep me aprised of important events.
But now I'm rambling. Sometimes the proposed changes hurt. Sometimes they're a bit scary. I know I don't want to poke my nose back in here in 5 years and not recognize the place. But I also have some amount of faith that because this worked in 2004, the LOTR fandom found out that such an awards program based on feedback can work and be pleasant and produce positive feelings, there will be enough people who value it around to keep it from being destroyed.
--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder
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I joined the Mefas in the beginning when that first girl ran it and announced to all that slash was simply smut and SHE wasn't going to allow it. I hung around on the fringes for a year or two but finally just left for lack of interest. It seemed that all there was to vote on were the hundreds of drabbles that Marta nominated and most of them were simply long quotes with a few lines of writing that made little to no sense.
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Isn't that true? I also understand how the bitterness and sadness of the involved caused the latter course to be picked as only option.
It doesn't mean others have to stand by it, and in fact there has been talk to plot a revamp here: http://mefa-ratings.livejournal.com/2475.html As you'll see, there is a great deal of support for pooling resources with you, as well. :)
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I am not sure who said that, if it was Marta, but Pandë mentioned it on her thread Maybe a moot point, but...
I think people are simply moving fast because they are willing that changes take place, and presented by a 'Our way or no way, end of discussion' those interested in a new, inclusive revamped award were not prepared to subside into mutterings.
It would be more generous-spirited to allow people to take over the reins and make some changes, but that's not going to happen. However, as Esteliel said, if people want awards, they will work out a way of having awards, and ones which encompass the entirety of the Tolkien fandom, and does not do its best to make adult writers of adult fiction feel stigmatized.
First the flurry of suggestions and, then the work :) I am not expecting things to happen quickly, as it's a vast undertaking for any-one to take on, but I am glad people are so eager to talk of alternatives (and offer their skills/suggestions/support).
And yes, what LadyElleth said, that link to another post where people are discussing...
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Evolving the MEFAs seem to be the best idea. A new panel can easily work out how the next round should be that will be truly inclusive. Categories are fine, if it helps for readers to determine what they wish to read and not read, and so long as no one's story is disqualified. Plus, the full fic info is usually given on sites where the fic is hosted. People can decide on what they want to read.
I would like to see the MEFAs exchange hands. Perhaps the current round can still run, since the panel already have things ready to start the new round, but during the round they can accept the new owners, just to slowly bring them into the scene, show them the ropes so to speak, and eventually take command of the community. I won't mind a new awards community either, but I wonder if something like MEFAs, with such a long history, is better to be adopted since so many fans know about it.
Either way, with the fandom most likely becoming more active again after December, I think the new members should have a nice awards community to take part in and enjoy.
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And Eagles. Oh, and in some select cases, Palantíri. And Osanwë-kenta. Middle-earth can do fast!
On a serious note, though, this is what's been bugging me most about that poll/post - the absolutes. I can understand that some of the discussion has been hurtful, but honestly, this is the internet. You've got to expect that someone isn't going to like whatever you're doing if you're getting involved with a large group of people, and if that happens and you can't handle it, the graceful option is indeed to back away - but if at all possible without burning your ships in the process... as it is, it all feels a bit immature. >_>
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Oh well. It's done, it seems. Sadly, after those two posts in the MEFA LJ comm, I'm not even sad about it anymore - more like "Oh well, good riddance then". I really enjoyed the MEFAs in the three years I've participated, but if a little discord is enough to turn everything "stressful" and "painful"... everyone may be better off with something new. :P
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Hypocrites. Walk away from it, but don't tell others what they can and can't do.
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This.
I've always felt the MEFA's were elitist. Oshun tried very hard to persuade people it was not, and I nominated and voted in the hope it was changing, and to support people.
Truth is, yes it was elitist.
I used past tense without thinking, but I do consider it a 'past tense'.
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I cannot wrap my head around it. I am a Christian, and very tolerant. I am pretty sure that not judging is there somewhere.
And in literature, there's no place for such wrongheadedness.
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Okay great. I know have that old old song from the 1970's commercial going through my head...
Look for..... the union label..... when you are buying a coat, dress, or blouse...
I've been pretty vocal in a lot of places the last... 18 hours. I'm sure the powers that be know I"m still smarting over their rather nasty and rude slight back in 2005 and exactly what I think of their little club. That is one fault I do have... I can hold a grudge and chew on a bone like no ones business for the longest time.
But that's my gift.
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It's so very simple, isn't it?
I"m still smarting over their rather nasty and rude slight back in 2005
Wait, what was that? That was a couple of years before I found fanfic.
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*cracks knuckles*
The FIRST year the MEFA's were up, I joined up. I was writing a longish piece of tripe - the Empty Vessel - and being new to writing, I really wanted soemthing that would help me, rather than the ZOMGILOVETHISSOMUCH that I was getting.
I was quickly informed that the group did not accept NC17. Romance was okay, but NO SEX.
I left, with my tail between my legs. My Bronny-poo is QUITE the horny bitch. I mean, can you blame her? She's married to Haldir.! GO HER!
So I didn't think to much about them for a few years.
Then in 2004, a beautiful piece of Fanfiction, named Elanor's Revenge by Julie and Fiana, took 1st place at the MEFAs. It was openly rated NC17 and rightly so. When one finishes with the sex scenes, you need a mop.
I had just started writing Rider of the Mark - a Rohirrim fic with the main character - of all people - Gamling. I rated it from the beginning as Mature for the simple reason as there was going to be sex. Thing is, the sex at the time wasn't as graphic (at the the one scene that was written at the time), was tastefully done, was NOT the sole purpose of the fic (the fic is 47 chapters completed this past December and the initial sex scene is not until chapter 13 - and the chapters are good sized. The sex again, is not gratutious. It takes place at Dunharrow, the night before the Rohirrim leave for Gondor. And Gamling didn't pick some random wench... this was someone he loved. (and married when he came back). Considering the scene and what was going on, it fit the fic in that place. It's up in original form at ffnet, so you know it's not that awful graphic. (it's also at OEAM and Fairie and somedays when Zhie gets the bugs out of Parasambe, I'll finish loading it there too!) The fic FOCUSES on the relationship itself and the forces surrounding the relationship... NOT the sex.
Rider was nominated for the MEFA's by Ghettoelleth in 2005 - I believe I had about 20 chapters completed. We linked it to openscrolls and I rerated it to R so anyone could read it without having to sign up... not to mention I didn't think that initial scene warrented the Mature rating I knew it would earn on the wedding night.
IT was excepted, I was given the links to give out and a banner to post at my LJ and my blog. I was looking forward to some true CC - as I do like to improve my craft - and perhaps gain some new readers and find stuff to read I normally don't find.
A few weeks later, a yahoo group member contacted me and told me the link was bad. I went to the site to find my fic gone. I emailed the powers that be to see where it had been moved to.
I received a VERY TERSE and ugly email from someone informing me they 'were not amused' and 'I needed to learn how to properly rate my fic as someone 'brought it to their attention.'
Fine. Fuck you.
About a year later, I'm whining on GhettoElleths journal about it and someone responds (and I can't go back to see who because GhettoElleth has deleted her blog and I didn't save copies of it) who was a moderator - I don't remember that. Removing a fic takes a committee and I don't remember seeing Rider come through the comittee. let me go look.
She comes back a few days later and says... this is weird. There is NO chatter, no discusion, no record, no nothing. One day your fic is there and the next it was removed from the website. ONE person made the decision without discussing it. There isn't even a papertrail as to who possibly complained and the STRANGER thing is normally we don't check ratings. If a writer says it's R - as far as we are concerned where it's linked, it's R. It might have a harder rating ELSEWHERE because of what a website will allow. (Ffnet at the time didn't allow NC17, so you HAD to water or reword.)
so this leaves me with the quandry...
continued
1) The decision to remove my fic was made by ONE person. There was no comittee, no one asked me if this was a watered version, or what. I was not asked for an explanation. That's too much powah for ONE person to have.
2) There is no record of a complaint - meaning someone 'complained' privately to a friend or someone who knew she would scratch her back. And I have a suspicious feeling WHO that was. this also reeks of favoritism. Just what you want in an awards group, eh? Afraid of the competition? NO problem. Ring up your buddy the moderator, whine and joila! Competition gone!
This information set me off MORE than the fact that I was booted.
Thing is, I know people who KNEW what happened - one entered HER ROhirrim fics who were very similar to what I wrote and hers were accepted, honorable mentions, etc. We were all perplexed.
Elitist. Favortism. Who WANTS to be associated with that?
I am VERY proud of the work and the writing quality of Rider of the Mark. I think my writing skills have grown a lot since I started writing in 2002. I would have LIKED very much to have had some honest, good, CC on Rider before I finished it. I don't feel that it should have been ostrasized like it has. I have refused to allow anything I've written since then to be nominated for anything - and as Zhie will tell you up until that time, I entered a LOT of fanfiction competitions and did rather well. I'm not ashamed of anything I've written.
Well.... Empty Vessel makes me cringe a little but... that's neither here or there.
But yeah.... THAT"S my backstory with the MEFA's. I won't even go to the site to read what's up anymore. I did read this years winner and while the story was 'cute', I wasn't impressed. I wasn't impressed with the quality of the writing, I found the writer TRYING to sound Tolkien-like - and people fall on their faces when they do that. I found the main female canon character to be so OOC and obnoxious and whiney - and - quite frankly - Bitchy that I hated her through out the entire fic and I secretly wished her husband would knock her overboard on the boat and let her drown. And tha'ts sad because I happen to LIKE this particular female. I've attempted to read two other fics of hers to attempt to get a wider vision and couldn't finish either. I know she has a following, but I find writing like that to be rather milk toast and I find that boring. There is no joy of life, no passion, no love. There is no up and down in moods. It's all one level, one tone. I'm a musician. If her writing was music, it would be the same chord over and over and over and over and over and over and over. no dissonance, no climax (pun NOT intended) no cadence.... no resolution.
Bleh.
But that's me and I admit to bitterness. *shrugs*
(PS = a friend of mine made me the icon when it happened. I'm happy to bring it out of mothballs for a time.)
Re: continued
This information set me off MORE than the fact that I was booted.
Thing is, I know people who KNEW what happened - one entered HER ROhirrim fics who were very similar to what I wrote and hers were accepted, honorable mentions, etc. We were all perplexed.
Elitist. Favortism. Who WANTS to be associated with that?
Wow, what a perfect example of whited sepulchers; all white and clean on the surface and a mass of seething corruption underneath.
I know she has a following, but I find writing like that to be rather milk toast and I find that boring. There is no joy of life, no passion, no love. There is no up and down in moods. It's all one level, one tone.
I don't know what placed this year save for a few stories I nominated and voted, but I know exactly what you mean by milk toast.
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OEAM is lots of things but not elitist. We take any fiction that falls in our parameters because when I began it as the LOTR Adult Fiction group at Yahoo, I started it because of the elitist and exclusivity of many sites. I felt that I wanted a place to post all my LOTR fiction and I made one. it has since expanded to other fandoms but we remain primarily LOTR and anyone is welcome. Posting is simple: post to yahoo or the Lj group and someone posts it for you on the site. how hard can that be. We don't allow underage but that's pretty much it.
Perhaps the MEFAs should be that lenient, since to limit by type or rating is truly limiting the quality of fiction you get. The original founder said that anything over PG simply could not be worthwhile and that slash was all complete pornography, no matter the rating. Things changed some...
I say if the MEFAs can't evolve and grow, let them go. Not much gone.
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I've said this all along, and then to have some-one remark last night that people who needed to write sex or violence couldn't be very good writers...!
I can't deal with children. I don't have any.
They've gone: Look.
http://mefas.livejournal.com/309672.html
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Yes. I have no idea who she was, but I know I started nominating and voting in 08, and wrote reviews for Oshun and Ignoble Bard amongst others. Both slash.
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I can't do Stupid, either. It's like trying to explain the sun to some-one who has lived always in a windowless room.
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