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Morgana #275850 06/20/17 12:51 AM
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Just stopping in to agree. We need more feedback! (And yes, I promise to, at some point, get caught up on reading and feedbacking.)

NK - your new profile pic is awesome! party


Battle On,
Deadly Chakram

"Being with you is stronger than me alone." ~ Clark Kent

"One little spark of inspiration is at the heart of all creation." ~ Figment the Dragon

Morgana #275853 06/20/17 08:22 AM
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Ditto. I'm guilty of not posting many story comments lately, but that is simply because I've been too busy with RL to read many stories.

I would encourage any lurkers who have been reading any fiction posted here (non-lurkers, too) to post a comment on the story. I know when I first joined the list, I was a little reluctant to post feedback because I was a bit intimidated writing a comment to authors who could clearly write far better than I ever could. I had felt that if I couldn't come up with some really creative, phenomenally-phrased post, I would rather not embarrass myself by saying anything. But now that I am on the other side of it (having posted several stories myself), I can honestly say that even a simple "Well done" or "Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed it" will mean a lot to the author. You don't need to be Shakespeare to make someone's day.

Joy,
Lynn

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Well, FoLCs I don't know about you but we've noticed a huge DIP in the activity on the boards as of lately and wanted to find out what the reasoning was behind the lack of activity. Maybe there's something we can do to make things better?

Take The FOLC Survey Now


~ Folc4evernaday

Jodi Picoult - You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page.
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Part of my problem is I can only keep so many stories in my head at one time. So I wait until a story is finished to read it usually. I've gotten sucked into reading the Terawatt fanfic on Twisting the Hellmouth which is using up my quota of wips.

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I love the idea of this survey. I've completed it, and look forward to seeing the results.

Joy,
Lynn

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It's not the message boards (you), it's me (RL). /hangs head in shame/

This summer will be especially bad for me as we're re-doing our house to give my son his own room and I have NO IDEA where my computer and writing space will be when we're done as he's taking over my office. mecry So, I apologize if I'm quiet for the next couple of months. It might be just that I nowhere to plug in my computer.

On the plus side, I have been spending what little free time I have working on another short story. Writing is the one thing that will still go on, even if I have to put pen to paper (as I did last night) instead of fingers to keyboard. I find it's much more relaxing than social media (which I gave up cold turkey this spring. I don't miss it AT ALL.) I've said this before, Writers, carry along a little notebook with you and instead of pulling out your iPhone or Blackberry to check social media when you have 2 minutes of free time, pull out your notebook and write a paragraph or two on that story that nibbles on your brain late at night. I tell you, it's time better spent.

Mrs. Mxy, I love it when people correct my mistakes. I'm so behind that even the Archives is wondering why I'm not sending my stories in, so every little bit helps. (I'm still so behind on your comments on The Woods. peep I'm behind on lots of things, such as working on Wrong Clark -- you know, one of those stories that has lasted longer the series it's based upon. thud It's still being worked on; I just keep getting distracted, currently by another Nfic... if anyone has any free Betaing time. groobie, it's a completely new story, not that draft I sent and set aside, what was it, last fall?)

clap Many thanks to all of you who have been posting stories lately. We love you, and all that you do for the boards, even if we don't have time to comment.


VirginiaR.
"On the long road, take small steps." -- Jor-el, "The Foundling"
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"clearly there is a lack of understanding between those two... he speaks Lunkheadanian and she Stubbornanian" -- chelo.
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I echo Virginia...

RL has been crazy here lately.

First I got behind here over the holidays. Then, just when I was getting some time to start reading again, both kiddos started spring sports for the first time (which meant loosing all my free time this spring, it seemed). Now that that is done for the season--as of last week--we are getting ready to go on vacation.

I'm REALLY hoping things slow down a bit after we're back. I miss this place! I've been trying my hardest to keep up on the daily more conversation stuff. But I haven't had much of any time to read, so I haven't been able to leave any FDK either.

It's not this site--really, not at all smile. It's totally lack of time. And I really hate that that's the problem...I need to be better at putting myself first sometimes (which means giving myself some time to read L&C fanfic wink ).

Thanks, to everyone, for keeping things going. I'm still here, and I'm not going anywhere...I'm just in need of free time smile.

Laura

Last edited by LMA; 06/21/17 08:33 PM.

"Where's Clark?" "Right here."

...two simple sentences--with so much meaning.

~Lois and Clark in 'House of Luthor'~
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I haven't been back to the boards very long..maybe a few weeks. I have sooo much to catch up on. I also try not to start any fics till they are completed. I have done so many times in the past and sometimes the stories don't get finished and I found it really disappointing so I prefer to wait especially for longer fics.


Superman: I hear you've been looking for me.
Lois: All my life.
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Hey jackiek, dcarson, Lynn, Virginia, Laura, and everyone else that has taken the survey,

I think the biggest 'issue' everyone was noticing was how.....DEAD (is that the right word?) the boards had been lately. No new posts. No videos. No off topic. No challenges. No discussion. No nothing. We were just trying to pinpoint what it was that caused the sudden lull across the boards. We have our quiet spurts every now and then but it was on the whole board for almost a week.

I know we all have crazy RL issues going on and it's hard to make the time for ourselves. Maybe if we just try to make a conscious effort to try to reach out once a week? Even if it's just to say "Hey how are you doing?" in the Off Topic forum haha

Commenting on stories or works doesn't have to be a grand gesture. It can be as simple as "Hey I'll have to check this out when I have time looks good." or "I have a question about what you're doing here..."

There have been comments so far that indicate there isn't commenting because the individual feels uncomfortable or shy about posting because they don't know the author.

Our response for this?

Introduce yourself! Get to know the other fans. It doesn't even have to be a public comment you make or response. Send a PM. You can have up to 200 different conversations going on wink or you can email the author if you'd rather send comments like that. This is a Great Community to be a part of and if you're only connecting with people you know you're robbing yourself and others of that experience.

For new authors: I know it's disconcerting to post stories and not get FDK or intimidating to post something you worked hard on and wonder...Is it good enough? It's scary. If you're unsure try reading through other stories and offering comments. Introduce yourself to other members before you dive in on posting...or you can dive both feet in and watch the views come in. smile

~~~

Results of the survey with summaries will be posted at the end of the week.


~ Folc4evernaday

Jodi Picoult - You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page.
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I enjoy this site, and I enjoy writing fanfic, but this whole year has been so busy that I just haven't had the time to post and write like I want to (hence Panem having not been updated in so long).


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"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”

- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Maybe if we just try to make a conscious effort to try to reach out once a week?
That might work for others, but for me it would turn posting here from being something I enjoy to yet one more obligation, and during this past school year I was so busy with my responsibilities that I was struggling to find time for the basic necessities such as grocery shopping or sometimes even being able to use the bathroom. (I have the time to post a little more now that my school year is over, but I am still quite busy with playing catch-up on housecleaning, cooking, doctors' appointments, etc. I now have time for the occasional short story, but I think the longer ones will have to wait until I retire.)

- Lynn

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Gotta echo FOLC...

This IS such a Great Community smile! I literally knew no one here in 2013 when I first started posting/FDKing. I read quietly along (lurked wink ) for almost a year prior, but I decided to jump in and get involved a few years ago b/c of the Pilot's 20 year anniversary. I had a poem that I had worked on (started it when I was in high school, forgot about it for 15 years--eeek!, and then found it and finished it up). My thought was...with everything L&C had given me through the years, I wanted to give something back, and 'throw it (the poem) out there' to celebrate the show's anniversary.

Anyway...everyone was amazing from the start smile. And continued to be amazing. And to this day, I consider being able to come here--it's totally my refuge, a blessing.

If you are on the fence, do it, post! Promise you, it'll be completely worth it in the end...


Laura

Last edited by LMA; 06/21/17 11:05 PM.

"Where's Clark?" "Right here."

...two simple sentences--with so much meaning.

~Lois and Clark in 'House of Luthor'~
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I wonder if the nature of fandom in general is changing due to the increase in social media options. That people are more casually involved in many fan groups instead highly involved in one or two. And if bonds of friendships within the groups are just casual, it's very easy to drift apart and move to other groups. Just a thought.

On a personal level, ever since my kids hit high school, I've been blocked as a writer and not engaged by any of my favorite shows or fanfiction. I miss it. It's going on five years now. With my youngest one graduating high school next year, I'm hoping this might change in the future.

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I think my life is finally starting to stabilize a bit, so I'm probably going to be posting more. Hopefully. Fingers crossed. D: One thing that had been holding me back is the sheer build up of rl issues / Wips / new ideas / the need to write something that could turn into money / more rl issues were creating a traffic jam in my head. :p


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I think maybe I should try to make more time to watch Lois & Clark, read fanfiction, give comments on some stories, and eventually write and publish my own fics. I really appreciate the fact that this fandom exists and that people are still contributing to it. An unfortunate fact is that, when there doesn't seem to be much activity, I feel less incentive to come here, meaning the lack of activity just perpetuates even more. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case for others.

I notice a lot of the discussion is centered around getting existing members to contribute more, but as far as getting "new blood" goes, I think there are a few things that could be done. For one, the structure of posting fanfiction here isn't immediately intuitive. The idea of posting each chapter as a separate topic and then having a separate feedback topic for each chapter comes across as strange at first. To this day, I don't exactly understand why you can't just post feedback as a reply to the chapter, though I'm sure there are reasons. The norm on message boards is being able to reply to a topic with your thoughts, after all. I'm just trying to give the perspective of someone who's still a newcomer. You could also consider doing such things such as making the site mobile-friendly (I would REALLY like this, personally) or even just making it look a little nicer. Just little things, for sure, but the point is trying to "put your best foot forward". Trying to get rid of little reasons why a lurker or potentially interested party might lose interest, even if they might not be a big deal overall.

I know with a fandom on a niche interest in an old TV show such as this there's not going to be a huge influx of new people, but I'm sure there's always going to be a few (such as me).

Morgana #275925 06/22/17 10:17 AM
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Annie B: Totally get it. It feels like we all kinda get bogged down with RL and sometimes it just becomes....while consuming.

Lynn: It's just a thought. Nothing concrete. Just an idea to maybe make everyone feel a little 'connected' since we had comments about people not feeling like they knew everyone well enough to comment / post/ whatever. I COMPLETELY get not having time in the day .... Some years are harder than others I suppose. (Totally guilty of writing epics...Although I'm trying to challenge myself to write some shorts wink )

LMA: Hehe yes it is. I know we've lost a lot of our founding members over the years but there are still a lot of great and talented people to connect with.

scifiJoan: I hate when writer's block hits. It's crazy. Yeah the survey was just to find out if there was something in particular with the boards that was preventing people from posting/commenting. It was like crickets for a while and we were trying to figure out what was going on.

Queen of Capes: RL strikes again? Hopefully things settle down for you soon so you can put those ideas to good use wink

Talia: Mobile Friendly? Yeah it's definitely something we can ask our developer team if the option is there. The setup was put there I think to keep conversations separate from the stories. I'm thinking there were some issues back in the beginning (before my time - I discovered the boards in 2009 haha).

For anyone interested the Chat Hangout is still open for anyone looking to chat on a mobile friendly atmosphere to connect with everyone. NK was live chatting with us when she was at the Supanova with Dean and Teri. smile


~ Folc4evernaday

Jodi Picoult - You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page.
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Morgana #275931 06/22/17 03:23 PM
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sad For it's been an uphill battle with RL for...I don't know, 2014 or so. Sure, there's some less hectic times, but they're few and far between and every time I think I've reached the top of the hill, I see that there's another ravine and then an even steeper hill on the other side. But maybe, I just need to push through till this fall and then things get better again. Right now, I don't even have the mental capacity to read the latest update morsels of Queeny's stories. mecry

Fun fact: I have no idea why I had more time back in 2008 or 2009, when I actually managed to write 20 pages a week. I had more or less the same job and the same RL stuff going on and yet, somehow there was more time available. Or time to read in 2012. The only real difference the aforementioned hill where I'm pushing a stone up to the top. That wasn't there back then...

wave Michael


Join us on the #loisclark Discord server! We talk about fanfic, our favorite show, life, and more! (It’s almost like the IRC days of old again!)

I go by Michael on the Archives.
Morgana #275933 06/23/17 12:56 AM
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Thanks for pointing out the online hangout, Folc4evernaday! Glad that there's a chat interface as well as a message board one, as I like both formats smile

Morgana #275937 06/23/17 02:57 AM
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Admitting up front, I did not read all four pages of this (just OP and current page), so it may have already been said...

Would it help anybody reading, enjoying but currently not participating if we made some sort of intro pages? Like I know there's a bio spot somewhere, maybe under the avatar, where I have something written about me, but idk about any of you I never check those. But more in an informal setting, so you can get familiar with people. Sort of like, fandom A.A.

Also, how recent a slump has it been? I've been AWOL awhile, so not sure if you're talking this month (possibly answered by school letting out, vacation, etc) or this year.

And, as a secondary also, I'd like to second that any feedback is good feedback. I mean, don't be mean. But even if all you comment on is that something is "hella dope" or even something constructively critical, any word is helpful. If you see a plothole, point it out. If you're confused, let me know. If I spelled "Clark" without an "r" seventeen times in a chapter, PLEASE let me know (I HAVE DONE IT BEFORE AND IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN). Let's get talking guys. And while you're at it, tell me about you. I love nerding out with new people. smile1 hyper

#willworkforreviews


Nothing spoils a good story like the arrival of an eye witness.
--Mark Twain
TaliaJoy #275938 06/23/17 03:05 AM
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Originally Posted by TaliaJoy
I think maybe I should try to make more time to watch Lois & Clark, read fanfiction, give comments on some stories, and eventually write and publish my own fics. I really appreciate the fact that this fandom exists and that people are still contributing to it. An unfortunate fact is that, when there doesn't seem to be much activity, I feel less incentive to come here, meaning the lack of activity just perpetuates even more. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case for others.

Please write/publish/post! Even if you think it's garbage. I have a lot of stuff that *genuinely* is garbage that I've posted in the past that I want to delete sometimes. I don't because it reminds me I'm better (some days), and largely because sometimes I find myself writing something that sounds familiar... because I tried it before. :P But I bet you anything yours is good! And everybody is different... look at how many different ways we've collectively rewritten TOGOM.

Plus, I always am looking to hear someone else's voice other than my own.

Trying to come around here much more often of late. laugh


Nothing spoils a good story like the arrival of an eye witness.
--Mark Twain
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