Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related New Superman Forums

Hey, everyone

I wouldn't exactly call this a dead board - in fact I'm amazed that we still have a thriving, energetic community here - but inevitably you have to expect some entrophy over the years when you are a forum for a show that was cancelled over a decade ago.

So I've been thinking lately that the time might be ripe to expand things a little to encourage even more traffic on the boards.

I suggested to Annette that we introduce a couple of new fanfic forums - Superman In Other Canon. These would be both nfic and gfic forums where authors could post even more great stories dealing with the likes of Smallville, The Superman Movies, the Comics, The Superman TV shows and so on. Basically, if your story includes the characters of Superman or related characters from the various Superman universes beyond LNC then you will be able to post it in the new forums.

Annette was enthusiastic, so expect to see those appear soon.

There will just be a couple of rules for these:

1. The general rules of the boards will apply, so there will be ratings limit of PG13 and below for the gfic forum and no G&L fic will be allowed.

2. To help readers work out what to expect authors should include the canon their story covers in the story header. For example:

The Forgotten Dream 1/4 (Smallville)

or

The Forgotten Dream 3/12 (Superman Returns)

or even

The Forgotten Dream 4/5 (Multi-Verse)

if that applies.

3. There will be a TOC forum set up, so authors should apply the same (Complete/WIP) notation in the headers of any TOCs they set up themselves as exist in the current TOC forums.

Think that's it. These rules - and any other pertinent info - will be posted in the forums when they are set up, so it should all be clear then.

We hope you enjoy these additions to the mbs and that they'll host many more stories for FoLCs to enjoy!

LabRat

Wow! That's huge! <<rubs hands in anticipation>> Well, I hope all our new members will understand our wacky sense of humor here.

Will there be separate, I guess I'll call them folders, for each fandom? Like an LnC Fandom related, a Smallville Fandom related, A Movie Fandom related - or would that be considered segregation? It sounds like all the fanfic will still end up in the same folder, though. Should we keep this new notation guide in mind the next time we post a story? Or wait for the changes to appear before making any changes of our own? Do you want us to go back and make changes to our old TOC's? What would be the notation for our show? LnC? New Adventures? No, definitely LnC, but we might have to spell it out for the very newbies "LoisAndClark".

I'm only into S4 of Smallville and it hasn't drawn me in like LnC did. It's good, it's entertaining, it's more scifi wackiness than LnC. Maybe it will get better after Clark leaves High School. But it hasn't yet inspired me to write any stories, though.

Apologies for my Lois-like ramble. I'm sure I'll inundate you with more questions as my brain processes it all.

Very interesting developments! I second pretty much all of Virginia's questions though- especially about the separate categories thing? /jealously hoards away my stories/ Not that I really mind. I started out in Superman movieverse fandom. But still, I'm a little nervous- though excited, too! Looking forward to any new developments.

It looks to me like you are just considering adding folders for fanfic. What happens to the existing folders? For example, would the current "Fanfic challenge" folder be used for the other canons as well? Would the Lois & Clark folder continue to be exclusively for our show, or would its meaning expand to include not only references to our show but to the relationship between the lead characters regardless of canon? (I could easily imagine newbies seeing the name of the folder and thinking its subject was the relationship, and not the television show.) Or would similar folders be developed for each of the other canons?

I'm just wondering how this would work. I must admit to being a little nervous about it. I suspect there are far more people who are into the comics or the movies than are into L&C. I'm nervous that the MB might be taken over (in numbers, not in administration) by fans of other canons. I am cautiously optimistic about the possibilities, but I just want to encourage you to put a lot of thought into how the boards will work in order to best preserve their quality.

Joy,
Lynn

Interesting idea.

I'm sure I'm not alone in having quite a lot of non-L&C Superman fic that's already archived at several other sites. I'd suggest that it probably isn't a good idea for any of us to repost lots of existing stories here all at once, if a lot of people start doing that the board will be snowed under.

What I'd suggest instead is that once these forums are in place we make one post per author with links to the stuff we've already done, then if we post any NEW fic with this background we post it here too, with links to any earlier related stories.

Good idea, Marcus! I for one wasn't planning on posting any of my previous Superman stories on here, but that's a neat way of keeping it all organized.

Questions, questions...

I presume it will be in the LNC Fanfic forum. I'd guess the Other Canon Forum would be more open. Smallville for one, I know, has more than canon ship - Clark and Lana, for example - so I imagine there would be a wider spread there.

No. There's no facility on these boards for sub folders within a forum. This is why I said authors will need to identify which canon their story covers in the header of their story, because they'll all be in one forum. That way, readers can pick and choose which story they are interested in.

No, there's no need to use anything to identify LNC fanfic, because it's all still going to be posted in the Fanfic forum. I suppose we'll rename it the LNC Fanfic forum. But there's certainly no need for authors to start noting that it's LNC in the header of the story or adjusting old TOCs. LNC stories will go in the existing TOC folder and we can rename that to pin it down solely as being for LNC stories.

IOW, the existing Fanfic folder and Fanfic TOCs folder will still contain all of the LNC fanfic on the boards and nothing else. All of the Other Canon fanfic will be posted in the new forums. The two will be entirely separate.

Lynn: Yes, exactly. This applies to fanfic only. We're simply adding a few new fanfic forums to let those FoLCs who write fanfic about Smallville or whatever post their stories here, along with their LNC stories, if they wish.

Hadn't considered the Fanfic Challenge, but I can't see any reason why challenge for both forums couldn't be posted there. But if that becomes an issue, we could certainly set up a seperate, extra forum for Fanfic Challenges for the Other Canon fanfic.

Elsewhere, the forums like LNC will remain solely to do with LNC and no other canons. Again, to reteriate and make it quite clear - this is simply adding a couple of fanfic folders to the mix. The rest of the board will remain untouched.

Think of it in the same way as most forums out there. The Fringe forum I frequent also has forums for your favourite books or music - but that doesn't mean it's not a Fringe forum, primarily.

And, frankly, if it looked like this was going to overwhelm the LNC nature of the board, then we'd ditch it pronto and go back to where we were. Because it wouldn't be worth losing that element of the boards just to provide a play area for FoLCs who also like Smallville and the Superman movies.

Marcus, thanks for that suggestion. I'll incorporate that into the forum's rules once it's been set up.

LabRat

Adding:

Actually, I hadn't expected that there would be this response to this. We've had nudges in the recent past from FoLCs who also write Other Canon fics who would like to post their stories in the same welcoming, friendly atmosphere they do their LNC stories - and, of course, haven't been able to up to now.

So my expectation was that this would be met with cries of delight as something long overdue for happening.

Since it seems that some of you are in fact not jumping up and down with delight but are nervous about it...how about a poll first?

I can set one up tomorrow and if it turns out, in fact, that those who'd like this are in the minority and the majority would prefer the status quo, well it was just an idea. No harm, no foul to abandon it.

LabRat

I'm still new enough that I don't have my lingo down. When I wrote "folder" I meant "forum" - and no, I wasn't suggesting a sub-forum folder thingy. (Can't tell I write and describe things all day long, can you? :rolleyes: ) Thanks for the clarification, oh Mistress of Words (meant in a postive manner, not the other kind of Mistress... okay, I'm shutting up now.)

Well, you're talking to someone who had to edit those posts five times because she kept using folder and forum in the wrong places. So even us oldies get confused.

Labrat (who just made her first post via iPhone. Halleluieh - I've joined the techie age.)

Hi LabRat,

Thanks for the clarifications. I now think I am officially neutral to the idea. My earlier nervousness had stemmed from my misunderstanding what was proposed.

If the proposed folders/forums/fora are indeed created, I would probably just ignore them, just as I currently ignore the nfic folder. And those who want to use them are welcome to them, as far as I am concerned. No harm, no foul.

Thanks again.

Joy,
Lynn

I agree with Lynn. Not such a bad idea after all. I'm not opposed to other fics popping up on the boards in their own area. My big worry was that they might change or somehow takeover the LnC part of the boards. Now I'm cool with it.

I'm glad to hear the LnC will still be the Board's main priority. That's a relief. We may be small, but we're proud. (You know, I think that sounded better in my head. )

I'd have to agree with this. L&C is the only Superman for me. But it would be cool by me to open the door for people who might enjoy other "editions" of Superman...and it might even help create some new L&C fans if people stumble across the board in search of, say, Smallville fics.

It sounded good in *my* head too, Virginia!

Has anyone contacted zoomway about this? They have a Smallville forum. There have been a couple of stories posted there. There isn't a whole lot in that fandom yet.

Okay, poll is up. Make your views known.

LabRat

I just wanted to clarify my comment. Zoomway has had a Smallvill forum for some time and I thought some feedback could be gotten from Zoom about just how popular it has been, not that there was a need to ask permission or anything.

LOL. Don't worry, Ken - I didn't read your post that way.

LabRat

I love this idea! L&C pulled me into the Superman fandom, but I've written other fics that blend some other elements of Smallville and Superman movies. L&C will probably always hold a special place in my heart, but Superman fanfic can only get more interesting with the possibility of other elements added in.

I do agree though, that the site should stay mainly focused on L&C, as there are other boards for Smallville, comics, and the Superman movies, etc. However, I fully support the idea of having a fic section for Superman in other canons -- especially with our top-notch writers and beta-ers.

I really like the idea of posting additional canons.

Any idea how you would implement the "Read one at random" option or options on the main page?

When I first came here I used to click on the random link for a story to read at lunch. By a happy accident I ended up reading "Home: Circle of Fate" in the series first. It was a little confusing at first but I enjoyed the story--and then went and read all of the others.

Because it was in the L&C canon I understood a lot of the background and was fine with it. A random story heavily relying on an unfamiliar canon would make me wary of using the feature at least until I understood what was going on. Would it be possible to have "random" links to each canon and then maybe a free-for-all option?

I'm not aware that we have a random option on the mbs, Shallowford. Are you sure you're not mixing us up with the Archive, which does? If not, then this is something I've not been aware of at all!


LabRat

Yep. That would be the problem.

On the "Fun with Polls" forum I mentioned something about my opinion of the entire 10 years of Smallville. I wasn't too happy with the beginning or middle of it, but enjoyed the end. The point I want to make here is that in the last 3 years or so of Smallville, the writers used many plot lines from LnC. So in a sense they already created a crossover with LnC. What would be fun here is to explore those plot lines in Smallville more deeply and post them on the new forum.
r/
Artemis

Hey, Artemis, no spoilers! I'm only on S4! (just teasing)

Hi Virginia,

Like Artemis, I have seen all ten seasons of Smallville.

I just checked. All of my collecting was done during what they are calling Volume One of Superboy. I guess I'm showing my age.

I hadn't been aware that a later incarnation which was a clone made by using Lex's and Clark's DNA was created for a leter comix series.

Well, you're behind in your reading and collecting.

Ooooh! What's that at the bottom of the screen?! A new forum?!

Great Scott, you're right!

Great Rao, there are now four new forums!

***

Great Caesar's Ghost, Superman may be important, but the newspaper's important, too! I've the best d***ed reporters in the world; shouldn't they get some stories, too?

Golly, Chief, you're right!

And don't call me 'Chief'!!!

Joy,
Lynn

Exciting! Do we all now have to apply for new individual passwords for the nfic section? My existing one doesn't cover both - assuming I have remembered it correctly.

Hi gr8shades:
The nfic forum says this:
So I assume that covers the new one too.

Artemis

I'm assuming that "Superman in other canon" includes "Superwoman and Supergirl" too, right, LabRat?

What, Lynn... er... Mr. White, you want a Forum for articles written by Lois & Clark?

Virginia - see the first post on this thread.

Guys, I'm in something of a bind here as I currently have lost access to my pc for the next couple of days and gearing up on this is more than typing on my mobile can cope with!

But I'll get up to speed soon as service is restored. In the meantime, can I please remind those using the new forums to adhere to the rules already set out in the first post of this thread until I can get a definitive post in the new forums. Thanks!

I don't know if I'm comfortable with this, but since response on the boards has been rather thin of late, maybe is it a good idea.

RE nfic access- no password. If you've applied for and been given access to the LNC nfic section already then you should also have access to the new forum. If you have a problem email me and I'll sort it out soon as I can. Just be aware that I have no email access on this mobile - so bear with me! Sorry!

And a huge thank you to Annette for putting these together for us. I know RL has been kicking you in the teeth recently, so I appreciate it all the more.

Unfortunately it is automatically asking for a password... at least for me (and I have Lnc Nfic access.)

I also have nfic access and the new nfic forum is asking me for a password as well. Just thought I would try it, to make sure.

I've posted a list of links to my non-L&C stories at other sites, but it belatedly occurs to me to wonder (a) what icon I should have used and (b) if I should have posted it to the TOC topic rather than the fiction topic?

If the mods could advise / move it as seems appropriate I'd be grateful.

Hmmm. Not sure why it's asking for a password. Once I get back to my pc I can check the settings. In the meantime, try emailing Annette - amciotolaataoldotcom - and let her know it's an issue.

Marcus: I think your list is best in the fanfic folder. I've used the label 'Various'.

Oh and icon - I think the blue arrow will be fine. You do want readers to notice the arrival of new stories after all - just the same as you would posting the stories themselves. So it seems appropriate.

Re. Nfic access - I had a hunch and seems I was right. The system has added 2 new forums to the permissions list in the member profiles I checked out. Problem is they are currently unchecked, so it seems I'll have to go in and 'enable' them manually.

Obviously, doing this en masse isn't even remotely practical. So please let me know if you want access and I'll amend your profile. KenJ, DC, Christina and GSoS - you're already cleared.

Thanks, Labby!

Please could you add me for the nfics too - thanks!

Done, Marcus.

Me three for the nfic on the new forums. They asked for a password, but had one on file, which turned out to be wrong.
r/
Artemis

Could you add me too, Labby?
Thx

Many thanks!

I'd like access to the nfic forums.

You're in, Meadowrose.

From this point on, could anyone wanting nfic access email or PM me - otherwise this could become an extremely long thread.

LabRat