Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related Opening of the Merriweathers!

I submitted a story over a week ago, and (again) have not recieved a confirmation. Please tell me if you have recieved my story (Nightmare by Alicia U. I sent both the nfic version and the gfic version.).

Someone just drew my attention to your post, M-Comm member. I'm flattered that you asked. However, I'm sorry, but I won't be submitting anything to this round of the Merriweathers, and at present I can't see myself entering any future rounds. I'm afraid that the fiasco of the first round, with awards issued then withdrawn and scores apparently inaccurately totalled and submitting authors left very unhappy, with one actually refusing her award, has left me wanting to see what happens in future. And that's on top of my existing discomfort with the secrecy behind M-Comm and the judges, which was exacerbated by the recent rule-change making it less likely that authors can protect their anonymity.

Though in any case, I've never been keen on the idea of submitting my own work for an award - I much prefer a process where others nominate it (or not, as the case may be)!

Good luck with the current round, anyway.


Wendy

It also would be helpful to you if you posted all the M-Comm information on both MBs. If you talk to LabRat, you could perhaps also get a notice on the Archive.
I don't have a story to contribute, but it sounds to me like what we commonly think of an Episode Rewite qualifies.

Artemis

So the story just has to be linkable somewhere? Does it specifically have to be on the MBs or the Archive? If an author had their own website and just put it there, would that be acceptable?

ALso, we never did get clarification on whether or not an Ep rewrite requires changes to the A-plot. Is there a ruling on that?

Kaylle

Okay, it's 1:24 am CDT and I'm not the most awake right now.... (I told y'all I work weird hours and I have close to an hour drive home after 11 pm at night! :p )

For those who've emailed their submissions - yes, I've gotten them.

As for the Plot A story re-write - as far as I know, that's acceptable.

I don't have a direct link to the guidelines for the awards, you have to go to the URL posted above, and click on the icon for the submissions guidelines. (It doesn't give you a direct link in the address bar when you click on it. :p )

If it's not up on in one of the archives, but on the author's personal site - yes. That's acceptable. I have a couple of submissions that way. Don't ask me to explain the whole linking/archiving thing, because a) it's late and I'm way tired and b)I really know nothing off the top of my head.

I'm a totally non-partial person here. (I know like next to nothing about LNC fic! I'm an SG1 addict! )

To quote Wendy: "And that's on top of my existing discomfort with the secrecy behind M-Comm and the judges, which was exacerbated by the recent rule-change making it less likely that authors can protect their anonymity."

I honestly can't tell you who the judges are - I don't know anyone, and have only had contact w/ the person who asked me to be gatekeeper (we share a love for a certain smooth talking, chocolate eyed actor... :p ), and the one person I forward the nominations on to.

I'm not an LNC fic reader - I am a very neutral party in all this. (I'm an admitted SG1 addict, and my first fandom love - Galaxy Rangers :p )

Okay, I'm falling asleep at the keyboard, so I'm going to bed - y'all will have to continue your futzing tomorrow when I'm awake.

Hi M-Comm Member

I know that you're just doing your job. Seriously, my response wasn't a criticism of you in any way. I just wanted to explain, for the benefit of the other committee members, how I personally feel about the Merriweathers and why I won't be submitting anything. The thing is that, from things I've heard, I suspect I'm far from alone in feeling this way, and maybe the other committee members should know why.


Re. the A-plot/B-plot issue, we probably should have explained ourselves better so that you could understand the question - it's still not been answered and I know some people would still like to know. Basically, any episode has an A-plot (the bad guy, the disaster about to destroy the Earth, the New Kryptonians coming to take Clark away...) and a B-plot (developing some aspect of Lois and Clark's relationship, either/both with each other or with others).

The guidelines said that an episode rewrite, for the purpose of the Merriweathers, is a story

But what if the story focuses on the B-plot? And ignores the A-plot entirely? Or keeps the A-plot identical while rewriting the B-plot?

For example, what if a story were to have the villain and dramatic aspects of the Pilot exactly the same - the Messenger explodes, Platt comes to see Lois, Lois and Clark go to see Antoinette Baines, they get captured, Superman saves the second passenger transport etc etc... but Lois recognises him as Clark as soon as she sees him in the costume?

Or what if the story is set during The Prankster, when Lois arrives at Clark's apartment because she's terrified, but makes no reference to the episode's A-plot (Kyle Griffin threatening to kill her), and is all about Lois and Clark snuggling on his sofa?

So, simply put, can an episode rewrite be based around either the episode's A-plot or B-plot?


Wendy

Don't you think it's more professional to send an individual email to every author who submitted a story to give them the courtesy of knowing that it was received instead of a blanket statement on a message board? One line emails saying, "Your story was recieved" are not at all time consuming, not even if you have multiple emails to send.

I admit that I am very skeptical about these "awards", but I again decided to give them a chance -- even though my story was not received or scored last time, and even with the scoring fiasco that occurred last time, and even though the anonymity of the judges while the authors are not permitted to be anonomyous still bothers me. However, I am starting to reconsider my decision. If you are going to run a real, judged writing contest, please be professional about the way your committee conducts itself. If you want us to respect your contest, your committee first has to show that they are competant.

Professionalism and respect sound like pretty good things to strive for.

- Laura

To quote Laura: "Don't you think it's more professional to send an individual email to every author who submitted a story to give them the courtesy of knowing that it was received instead of a blanket statement on a message board? One line emails saying, 'Your story was recieved' are not at all time consuming, not even if you have multiple emails to send."



I have tried to email authors back, but forget - I work odd hours, and am often running around in the mornings before work trying to accomplish a lot of stuff.

(I live in Missouri and in order to renew your license plates, you have to do safety & emissions inspections, pay your personal property tax... and, you can't pay the prop tax at the same office you go for your plates. No, that would be too easy, when talking about the government! :p Nor could I pay my prop tax for the county I now live in on-line, I had to make a trip down to the county courthouse to do that on one Monday to do that. This was after I had to spend a morning trying to get the inspections, then like 3 hours at Wally World to get new tires, then another morning to get new front brakes. So yes, I was a bit frazzled trying to get all this done and then on the road for about 2 hours a day driving back & forth to work....)

I do have a life and am only nominally involved in all this.

So, pardon me for being human.

M-Comm Member - while we all realise that you have other things in your life and appreciate that you have to fit your Meriweather work in around more important things, I think you'll find that this excuse begins to wear thin for people after a time.

That may be unfair - but people do have a reasonable expectation that when someone takes on a project, they are prepared to commit to it. And they quite naturally become frustrated when that commitment seems to be absent.

Many of us share your dilemma - being involved in fandom projects that take up time, while trying to balance that with work and family commitments. So we truly understand the problems you face and sympathise. You're not by any means alone in this.

However, when you have so little free time that you cannot keep up with the basics of a project, when it becomes a case of more often than not you're not there to do the job, the question does eventually have to be asked - why take it on in the first place? If you can't get the free time to attend to it, perhaps there's little point in doing the job and someone else should step in, who has less RL commitments and more free time.

No one would fault you for that. These things happen. Sometimes RL takes over and despite our best intentions we can't cope with both.

Attitude also speaks volumes. People will understand if you can't rush to answer their questions now and then. Or if you don't get time to respond to email. If it's a rare thing.

But if it's a constant thing, where queries habitually go unanswered for days and weeks at a time, then aren't properly answered when an M-Comm member does post, so that the question has to be asked over and over to get a definitive answer, it does begin to give the impression that M-Comm simply don't have the commitment to this project that's necessary for it to succeed. Especially when responses to queries and concerns from people about lapses in attention are met with belligerence rather than apologies and a promise to do better next time.

It's all very well to point out that your involvement in this project is 'only nominal'. But the fact is, you took on the job - nominal or not. And it's therefore your responsibility to do it well. Or, again, why do it at all? Especially when it's unpaid and voluntary. You must surely have known what it would entail when you agreed to do it. So you can hardly expect people not to expect you to do the work.

You can't expect to live on goodwill forever. You have to show people that you, M-Comm, care enough about this project to take care of business. If you don't, if you show up only intermittently and don't provide the answers they seek when you do, how can you expect them to care? Or support it?

I had hoped that after the disorganisation of the first round of these awards, that M-Comm would have listened to the concerns raised and learned some lessons, and that they would improve on their performance during this second round, as a result. If properly organised and managed, these could be interesting and worthy awards.

Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case. In fact, the overwhelming impression being given is that M-Comm are bored of this project now and simply don't care. Whether that's true or not is debatable - but certainly these threads and the attitude and laxity displayed on them aren't doing a whole lot to overcome that impression if it's false.

I do think that if you are having problems coping with the work, then you should think about passing the torch to someone less burdened. It seems only sensible, rather than struggling on.

LabRat

I don't mean to jump on you, MComm Member, because I'm sure you're only doing your job. But telling us you don't know anything doesn't really help us at all. Perhaps you can understand our frustration/confusion? When we ask questions, you can't answer them. And you seem to be rather busy in real life. So why hasn't anyone else volunteered answers? Is there no one else in the committee that can spare a moment to answer questions from the people whose favor you're trying to court?

For the record, it's the linking that makes me unwilling to enter the contest. You cannot tell me that an author has any sort of anonymity if the story has been up on the archive for weeks and the judges, who presumably are L&C fans, will have seen it there. Linking to one's own website is slightly better, but it's still easy enough to put a line in Google, find the page, and figure out whose site it is. Why are the judges allowed to be secret in the name of "fairness" but the writers aren't permitted the same?

Kaylle

In fairness to M-Comm Member, it does rather feel as if we're shooting the messenger here to a degree. After all, it does seem that she's not a FoLC and is only involved in this project as a favour to a friend, a friend who is a FoLC and is on M-Comm.

I do wish that someone on the Merriweather Committee who is part of FoLCdom would post - anonymously again, if need be - to address some of these questions. Otherwise it really does begin to look as if you're hiding behind people like M-Comm Member, who by her own admission knows no more than you guys tell her.


Wendy

No shooting the messenger, I promise. And I do appreciate M-comm Member's attempt to stay current with the questions and issues on this thread despite her busy schedule.

I think the problem is she isn't a FoLC. I get that she is an entirely neutral party. But, really, that's almost too neutral.

M-comm is intent on staying anonymous. Ok.

I gather it's because they fear if some writers knew exactly who they were, they wouldn't feel safe sending their stories to them. I'm not going to argue that. It's their contest, their rules.

However, I think they are losing writers who weren't around for the split, consider it over and done with, and would simply appreciate seeing an M-comm member who was willing to identify themselves, is an active FoLC, and can commit to visiting the boards every other day, or so.

I don't mean to sound overly critical, since I like the *idea* behind the Merriweathers, but you guys are losing me on the public relations thing.

CC

If M-comm member is so busy, and not even involved in folcdom, why doesn't the Merriweather Committee consider using a folc as their "gatekeeper"? I'll volunteer to do it, in fact. I always respond to emails, and I have a very free schedule until law school starts in the fall.

- Laura

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be doing that. In all honesty, I really don't want it to seem, M-Comm member, that you're being ganged up on. But I think my comments are fairly reasonable in the circumstances. And borne out of frustration that something that could be a very good thing for this fandom is being so bungled that it's dying on its feet when it should be flourishing.

I do appreciate, indeed, that you seem to have been dumped into the middle of the project and then left adrift without the support you need from the rest of the committee. At its most basic level, from the brief email conversations I've had with you re Archive/Meriweather business they don't seem to be passing on to you even the most basic of information. Or at least, not until you ask for it, which means you spend double the time you need to on doing the simplest things. Which can't help if your time is limited.

And it's a puzzlement to me that the entire committee seemed to vanish into oblivion as soon as you took on the job of liason, leaving you pretty much on your own, never to be heard from since.

But I still believe that this is only part of the problem. Lack of support or information from the committee doesn't prevent you from answering basic email like submission receipts or from having a less confrontational attitude when questioned about things. You yourself say that the reasons for most of your lapses have been lack of time, not lack of support. And, to reiterate, if that's become a problem, then maybe it's time to rethink your participation. And I say that not from any lack of appreciation of what you've done for the project so far or been prepared to do, especially as an outsider. Because I do appreciate that you've tried your very best in what must be a difficult situation. But simply from a perspective that it seems only logical if time to do the job is becoming an issue for you. It just seems like commonsense.


LabRat

I'm confused because I got a very nice e-mail from Katrina saying she had received my vignette submission for the previous round of Merriwethers. She too was very busy and I thought you were to be in addition to her so that there would be two gatekeepers working so replies would be quicker. Now everyone seems to have disappeared and left you alone.
I really do think it is necessary to confirm individually with the authors that their submissions have been received and will be judged. Things do vanish in cyberspace.
I have less of a problem with the secrecy issue than the disorganization that is apparent.

Artemis

Artemis -

There is another gatekeeper, and most of the disorganization is on my part. :p

I get the stuff, fw'd it on, and forget to send a note back to the author. (There are times I don't know if I'm coming or going, I'm so tired when I get home from work, or manage to haul myself out of bed at a reasonable time in the morning. (2:30-11 is an odd shift.... if you're not careful, you'll end up staying up all night, which is what I've found myself almost doing a couple of times! :p The worst part is that for me, it's actually 1:30-12, when you include driving time.... ugh!)

I'm organized when it comes to work - that gets taken care of, that is organized just right... but, personally - forget it. :p

(It's why I haven't gotten fics done that I've had open for YEARS in a couple of fandoms... :p )

Hey Gang, I'm BACK.
I'm working under my other email account since the kennychesneycantsing account got all screwed up. Here is an announcement from the Merriweather Committee regarding the awards.

And BTW: IMHO compared to oh say, your average American Idol contestant yes Kenny Chesney can sing. But stand him up next to Toby Keith, COLLIN RAYE or TY HERNDON and the guy is hopeless. LOL

Now From the Merriweather Committee:



We have had several requests with regard to the three-year limitation on stories, as well as questions about A-plot and B-plots.



The Committee met to address these issues and we are offering the following:



If you wish to take an old story, polish it and post it to the message boards, we will consider it a “new” story and it will be accepted for submission. We know that many people wrote stories some years ago that they would like to submit but need a little tweaking. This is your opportunity to do so. All we ask is that when you submit it to us, you identify it as a “repost.” We will not deduct any points for this criteria; it simply identifies it to us that this is an older story that has been tightened up.



As for A-plot and B-plots: we are aware that there are many new writers who wish to submit a story but are still a little unsure of what constitutes A-plots and B-plots. Submit the story and we will take into account the type of story and judge it accordingly.



As to what constitutes an episode rewrite: our judges must be able to recognize several elements from the specific episode you’re rewriting. You decide the elements but our judges must be able to say, “Oh, this is from ‘Chi of Steel’ or ‘Virtually Destroyed’.” They have to recognize the episode.



Due to the number of questions we have received regarding the above-referenced topics, the M-Comm has voted to extend the submission cycle for one week. All stories are due by Saturday, June 4. The judges will then have until July 5 to carefully read and mark stories, and scores will be posted no later than July 11. We realize this is a long time to wait but some of our U.S. judges will be taking time for the Independence Day holiday. Since they’re volunteering their time and services, we didn’t want to offend them by impinging on their family time.



At the close of this competition, we will announce the next category and the submission dates.



Thank you for all your support and we look forward to seeing the stories that are submitted!



The Merriweather Committee

To LabRat, Wendy and the others who have posted their concerns:



You are concerned that we’re bored with the contest. Far from it. The M-Comm is in constant contact, sometimes several times daily, addressing issues that are on the message boards. Sometimes we don’t have answers YET but we are well aware of the questions being posed and are discussing ways to make it easier for everyone to participate. Your questions sometimes come faster than we can get together to give you an answer.



The issue of the anonymity of the authors is still troubling you. Please understand, the judges have no contact with the authors, nor do the judges pull the stories from the links. That is Katrina’s job. She then strips all identifying information from the stories. The only “title” the judges have to work with is “WAFFY #1”. There are no names affixed to the stories. One judge told a member of the M-Comm that a friend had confided she had submitted a story but the judge couldn't figure out which story was her friend's. She could not tell which one it was. So we know the system works.



The issue of the anonymity of the M-Comm Members remains a sore point with many of you. CCAiken said:



I gather it's because they fear if some writers knew exactly who they were, they wouldn't feel safe sending their stories to them.



It's not that we fear authors won't feel safe sending stories to us. Some new authors wouldn't know who we are. We want to remain anonymous because some of the M-Comm members remember the hard feelings when the ficdom split and our goal was to avert another flame war. We wanted to avoid any repeat of "I hate him/her because he/she took THEIR side". If you don't know who's running the show, how can you have animosity towards them? Furthermore, if you have a contest where good writing is encouraged and and revered, why hate the originators of the contest? Unfortunately, real life has shown us that sometimes emotions get in the way of logic. We want to do something for the writers, not ourselves.



Regarding the posts of our gatekeeper, M-Comm Member: We Merriweather Committee Members are appalled at her comments regarding her time commitments. She never conveyed her frustration with us. Her comments constitute a major lapse in judgment on her part, not a deliberate attempt to ignore complaints on our part.



Despite evidence to the contrary, we do care about the contest, the writers, the concerns and ficdom as a whole.



Regarding Labrat’s post:



But if it's a constant thing, where queries habitually go unanswered for days and weeks at a time, then aren't properly answered when an M-Comm member does post, so that the question has to be asked over and over to get a definitive answer, it does begin to give the impression that M-Comm simply don't have the commitment to this project that's necessary for it to succeed. Especially when responses to queries and concerns from people about lapses in attention are met with belligerence rather than apologies and a promise to do better next time.

It's all very well to point out that your involvement in this project is 'only nominal'. But the fact is, you took on the job - nominal or not. And it's therefore your responsibility to do it well. Or, again, why do it at all? Especially when it's unpaid and voluntary. You must surely have known what it would entail when you agreed to do it. So you can hardly expect people not to expect you to do the work.



Since we’re having a commuications snafu here, would it be easier for all of you if Ann set up a separate folder on your boards, entitled “Merriweather Issues”? We would check the folder several times a day to address any and all issues that you have. Bear in mind, Katrina or M-Comm Member would still be posting on our behalf, but it might be a way to send questions and receive answers on a more timely basis.



To answer Wendy’s question: can an episode rewrite be based around either the episode's A-plot or B-plot?



The answer is YES.



To answer Kaylle’s question:



Also, we never did get clarification on whether or not an Ep rewrite requires changes to the A-plot. Is there a ruling on that?



The answer is NO. You do not need to change the A-plot. Just write what you like. All we ask is that the plot stem from an episode that is recognizable to the judges.



We apologize for the delay in getting answers back to you and will work very, very hard to see that issues are addressed on a daily basis, if at all possible. Please give us feedback on the idea of a separate folder.



Sincerely,



The entire Merriweather Committee

I'm not sure who "Ann" is ... do you mean Annette?

Assuming I understand correctly, you're asking for a whole separate forum on the main page called "Merriweathers"? Or you just want a dedicated folder in the Fanfic Related forum (where this thread already is) where all questions can go?

If you're asking for a separate forum, I'm almost positive the answer would be no -- we don't have a separate one for the Kerths, and Fanfic Related is already in place to cover this stuff.

If you're just asking for a new folder, though, within Fanfic Related, then sure, I don't see how that would be a problem! But you don't need an Administrator to create one -- you just start your own and any time there is a new message in it, it will automatically pop to the top to let you know that there are new posts. If you are able to check back several times a day, as you indicated in your message, just skim the list of topics for your folder and you'll see it.

Kathy