Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Fun with Polls Death of a Message Board: What's your excuse?

Here's an idea, based on something that works very well in my new fandom: a monthly (or bi-monthly, or whatever) prompt challenge post. Over on an LJ community I'm a member of, one person posts a set of picture prompts, and now also quote and lyric prompts, every month, and invites people to write fic, make fanart, create videos etc based on the prompts.

Here\'s the latest prompt post .

Of course, someone - or a few people - would have to take responsibility for gathering and posting the pictures/lyrics/quotes etc, but maybe it could work to inspire people?


Wendy

I've never been an active poster, but I always check at least twice a day. The fic isn't completely dead, since there's 3 long stories I'm reading right now, and one more I want to read. And there's always new posts every time I look. There could be more fic, though...

I love, love, love what Wendy's fandom does. Can I vote we have something like that?


alcyone

This board ain't dead! And I refuse to Believe it!

But I do see that some of the people who were prominent posters when I joined have turned lurkers.

I'd join, once I've found out how to copy stills and video clips from my LC Videos.

I've tried PrintScreen etc. but they always appear black once I paste them in MSPaint.

I chose the sixth option : (I am a Believer.)
I really am busy, but I've been trying to spare some time for the boards and write some fics.

That's why I joined Smut-a-thon. Thought I could revive my unconscious muse.

Oh yeah! Yeah!

@ Wendy -- I love that idea. I've participated in a few of those on LJ and they're always great fun.

It'd be fun if someone did this here, too.

(and no, don't you all look at me, I've given already and organized ficathons and a vidathon -- someone else should try...)

Not for lack of trying on some of our parts.

Well, we're doing a smutathon in August, but very few people have signed up. It's hard to try to encourage spirit, etc., when people sit around and wait for other people to organize stuff or don't participate.

And honestly, it doesn't surprise me, because it makes it hard for people to get enthused about writing or vidding when their efforts aren't getting as much response -- which is common around this time of year, because people are out and about.

I think we should all make sure we're giving feedback on the stories and vids we love, and get people hyped up about coming back in August and September. I say school's about to be back in session at FoLC University.

Who's with me?

All it needs is someone to take the initiative and put up that first post That's what the person on Time and Chips did - it wasn't an official community challenge by any means. She just started posting picture prompts a year or so ago, it was popular and it's kept going ever since. Her dedication to finding and compiling pictures, and now quotes, has paid off - people actually message her, worried, if the post is late!

Maybe, to avoid putting all the responsibility on one person, two or three people could volunteer to compile pictures, quotes and so on each month?


Wendy

I volunteer for Sept, if no one else is crazy about it. Having two other people would be really cool, though.

I'll try and make my post as random as possible on all fronts

alcyone

Yay Alcyone!


Wendy

OK, I posted a fun poll in the L&C thread.

http://www.lcficmbs.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000827

If you think the board is still dead afterward, at least the wake was fun, right?

I chose "My boss is a miserable sod and won't let me on at work." Until last year I had free internet access at work and was used to post frequently. But things changed and now I just have access to work related pages. And I'm all for vidathons, too. I still didn't dare to write, but I can make videos. I'll look for some inspiration to make new ones.

Andreia

That's so very true, Jenn.

Michael

I've mostly moved on to other fandoms (no, it's not the Doctor, who seems to have stolen many others from here, though I am a fan of the show), but do check these boards at least once a day just because I love the camaraderie and the relationships built on this board. I still read an occasional L&C fic but rarely post outside of the general discussion sub-board.

This fandom does beat just about anything else out there.

Amen to that, Roger.

I think the number of responses to this thread and the willingness to come up with ideas, belies the thread header all on its own.

I wouldn't mind putting up prompts at some point. That would be kind of fun and I certainly have the time for it.

Although I'd kind of have to figure out how to posts photos here, first. But I assume that's not too difficult. Even for a technophobe with the technological brain of a lobotomised wombat like me.

LabRat (who has a vague memory of setting up a Photobucket account in the distant past that was never used...)

Some challenges I've seen use a word table instead of images -- might that be easier?

Like this one, for instance:

01. agonized / 02. angry / 03. deceptive / 04. ecstatic / 05. effervescent / 06. empty
07. energetic / 08. excited / 09. exhausted / 10. frantic / 11. frustrated / 12. grieving
13. happy / 14. haunted / 15. impatient / 16. peaceful / 17. pensive / 18. playful
19. resigned / 20. reverent / 21. romantic / 22. sad / 23. saucy / 24. suspicious
25. terrified / 26. triumphant

There are scripts that will generate random lists of words, btw. I don't know of any off hand, but I know of people who have used them, so it's easy enough to find.

Well, it would work for me. Don't know about everyone else. Thanks for the idea, Lara.

I was just examining my old PB account - and wondering what the etiquette is on these photos. There's a search facility for images, which brings up lots of photos. But they have names attached, so I'm assuming they've been uploaded by people to their PB accounts, but are available to view to anyone, rather than by password.

Is it okay to use those elsewhere, like here on the mbs? Or is that taboo? I know there are sites out there that have images you can use copyright-free - I used one of a rat for the production logo of my MV from one of those. Do you have to stick to those when using photos? Or is any photo fair game to 'steal' and repost on the web, unless its poster has specifically said you can't?

I'm clueless, as you can see. <G> But I wouldn't want to step on any toes.

LabRat

I was going to suggest google images and one of the words for heightened randomness. We're doing this for fun and not for profit, so I'm hoping something like that would be okay...

alcyone

Hi All,

It’s my vacation! I’m a serious lurker and I don’t respond much because I have limited time on the computer. I do enjoy reading L&C Fanfic when I have time. I usually send email feedback to writers. However, I’m going to make a serious effort to post comments for the fanfic that I read.

I don’t think the Lois and Clark boards are dying. Over the years I’ve noticed a pattern on these boards with its activity. In the beginning when the show was in it’s first run, finding a place to discuss what was happening on the weekly show was a lot of fun. The internet was still a novelty with AOL having chat rooms for different TV shows. The ABC Network had a L&C Messageboard that was very active with chat rooms and fanfic.

After the show was canceled a lot of people dropped out, but others continued to chat and post fanfic on Zoomway’s site after the ABC Network’s Lois and Clark site closed. The next surge of popularity occurred when the series went into syndication on the TNT Cable Channel and new people became fans of L&C. The last big spike of new writers arrived when the L&C Series was available by seasons on CDs and the current boards were established.

So, I’m not sure what is going to prompt the next round of L&C Fanfic. It’s been a fun ride considering that the show was canceled over ten years ago. A lot of very dedicated people have kept these boards and the L&C Archive alive with volunteers who work endless hours being BRs, Editing, Writing, and Moderating the talented work that gets posted.

Thank you so much!
Now Write on!
Anne

LabRat, posting photos is very easy if you use the little IMAGE code.

Go to your photo. Right-click on the image itself and select 'properties'. Then copy and paste the URL, which will usually end in .jpg.

Come back to your posting window. Click on IMAGE. In the dialogue box, paste the address of the photo. Click okay. And hey presto! the code's all entered for you.


Wendy

OK, while I won't even answer the question (can't think right now), I was volunteered, er, I mean, I herewith wish to volunteer for the month of October.

Because: hey, I can do random. I can put both my ankles behind my neck at the same time, too. (That's actually true!) See, that's how well I do random.

Eva