http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ Web Fiction Guide Forums » Tag: opinions - Recent Topics en Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:39:54 +0000 http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/do-writers-have-societal-obligations#post-6909 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:41:48 +0000 Gavin Williams 6909@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>An interesting conversation happened in the comments on Jim Zoetewey's "Legion of Nothing" this week when someone mentioned the superhero trope "Woman in Refrigerator," which is an idea with its own website that women in comic books are frequently victimized (killed, hurt, raped) to up the stakes on storylines. Different comments on the Women in Refrigerators website (WIC from here on) and comments on JZ's actual story summarized this trend as the result of a largely white, male, heterosexual writing class wanting strong masculine heroes to have emotional reactions to damsels in distress because that's their culture.</p> <p>So, parallel to that, most comics are white hetero-normative (I think that's the phrase I want to use). There's not a lot of cultural, racial, sexual or gender diversity. There are sometimes "token" gay or racial characters. (There are also some comics that deal with diversity well - I think of X-Men, which addresses oppression, discrimination and diversity all the time).</p> <p>Anyway, what I was wondering, was where do writers here weigh in? Do we have a social responsibility to try to incorporate different voices, perspectives and cultures in our writing, or just go with what we know? Do you write to be entertaining or educate? (This isn't an either/or thing, just want to see people comment).</p> <p>Me personally, I have a lot of multi-cultural experience, but because of plots I've decided to do in my stories, I just realized that the majority of my characters are white, and they're all heterosexual (so far as I know, I haven't really asked most of my characters about their sex lives). I found it funny that a kid that had black, white, Asian, Christian, Muslim, straight, gay, agnostic friends and studied world religions grew up to write primarily white fiction. My own writing doesn't reflect my experiences and while I know my plots have a lot of planning (like in NMAI the main characters are rural Canadian white kids from the same small town, not much room for a gay kid from Hong Kong to join them) I wonder if I'm perpetuating stereotypes. Does anyone else think about stuff like this? </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/ergofiction-seeks-guest-content-more#post-5565 Sat, 10 Jul 2010 06:30:52 +0000 A. M. Harte 5565@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Hello all!</p> <p>As some of you know, Jan (@janoda) and I run an online ezine dedicated to webfiction, <a href="http://www.ergofiction.com/" title="ezine for webfiction fans">Ergofiction</a>. </p> <p>We'd love to have guest articles and more -- please head on over to our <a href="http://www.ergofiction.com/contribute/">contribute</a> page to learn more details! </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/translating-your-fiction#post-5425 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:13:18 +0000 intergal 5425@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Recently, I'd followed some advice from Miladysa and set up a sitemeter account to try and monitor the traffic for my web serial and what not. It had been recommended as an alternative to Google Analytics. I've since noticed that I've had a few visits from readers in Japan (one of whom apparently lives in the gardens at the Imperial Palace), and a follower on Twitter now as well, and I had been toying for much longer with the idea of possibly posting 'Cold Ghost' in Japanese as well.</p> <p>I suppose the actual question is, are there many other web authors who are having their works translated, or translating them themselves? If you spoke another language to a high level, is it something that you would ever consider? Do you think it would be a worthwhile venture to widen your reader base? Have you ever used non-English language net-working sites like mixi to promote your weblit?</p> <p>In my own case, I do speak Japanese to a high level and I think on a personal level, it would mean a great academic development for me. Part of the story is set there, and a good chunk of the cast speak Japanese. I often plan Yukihiro's dialogue in Japanese in my head first. </p> <p>My main concern is getting a proof-reader and editor - I've since lost my English language editor to the ravages of her exams, never mind getting a Japanese language one. Also, I feel like no matter how high my level is, if I'm submitting something important, I need a native speaker to check over it for me. I might be able to prevail on friends, but I've not really publicsed what I do with most of my old uni classmates. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/how-did-you-choose-your-current-webhost-software#post-4855 Tue, 06 Apr 2010 08:46:58 +0000 Wysteria 4855@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>I'm considering switching my story from livejournal to a wordpress blog because I lust after the 'schedule posts' function like nothing else. I am bad at getting posts up on time. I want to make software do it for me.</p> <p>So, everyone, what do you think of your current hosts? What made you choose them, and what are the pros and cons? </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/rewriting-older-works#post-4741 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:36:49 +0000 allantmichaels 4741@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>So my current work in progress is coming to an end in the next couple months and then I'll probably be taking a hiatus to plot the next volume. In the meantime, to keep the writing skills sharp, I was thinking of going back and rewriting my first two efforts at Superstition. It was some of my first writing and I think my regular readers will tell you I've grown a lot as an author since then.</p> <p>I'm writing to ask the following questions:</p> <p>1. Is it worth it to go back and rewrite older works?</p> <p>2. If I do rewrite, should I repost the work? Or should I offer the revised edition for sale as a PDF? Some combination of the two?</p> <p>In general, I figure it'll be a lot quicker through this time, since the story is written. It's really a matter of editing and cleaning up a lot of the infodump/messy purple prose of the first draft.</p> <p>I appreciate any thoughts. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/battle-scene-writing#post-3114 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:22:59 +0000 Murazrai 3114@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>If there is any battles/combats in some parts of the stories, how you'll write them? I'm trying to avoid writing it as if writing a battle scene in a turn-based RPG. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/opinions-on-site-readability#post-845 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:27:02 +0000 Paulgswanson 845@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Ok-ok I know I'm gonna get yelled at for the font thats not been changed yet (I'm getting around to it... I just need to tackle one thing at a time and I'm not terribly PHP savy)however, are there any suggestions for what I do have so far?</p> <p><a href="http://fragment.streetofeyes.com/" rel="nofollow">http://fragment.streetofeyes.com/</a></p> <p>The font WILL be changed...eventually, anyone know a good font to change everything to? </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/navigation-question#post-686 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:42:33 +0000 Drew Daniels 686@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>As I browse through my site logs, I can't help but notice that most new readers tend to read my most recent post before reading anything else, and then click through several other pages before finding the first. I realized recently that this may be because there is only 1 direct link to the beginning of the story (which is on the main page.)</p> <p>So my question is this, should I put a link to the first segment in the infoboxes for each segment? It isn't difficult to do so that's not an issue, I would simply put it about the "previous" and "next" links. But I'm not honestly sure if that's why people are clicking around so much before settling down, or if it's simply the nature of individuals </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/needing-opinions#post-656 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:58:25 +0000 EJ Spurrell 656@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Okay, so I'm changing things up. Once I realized how much work it would be to set up another site for the sequel to Children of the Halo, I decided instead it would be more prudent to set up a whole new site to encompass the entire Engines of Creation series.</p> <p>So I've set up a Drupal installation and I'm simultaneously posting to that and the current "official" CoTH site. Before I make it entirely public, I'd like to get some opinions on it from you guys. What is it missing? What does it need? Any suggestions will be seriously considered.</p> <p>The link is: <a href="http://engines.celephi.com">Here</a>. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/bonus-story-incentive#post-418 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:18:34 +0000 Drew Daniels 418@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Well, I've been wanting to have a bonus story incentive beyond a simple, "Pay me and you get one"</p> <p>I like the point system that MeiLin has, which encourages users to make less with the lurk, but I don't want to require people to have logins to my site. I suppose what I want is a way to allow readers to ask about a particular portion of James' or the supporting characters backstory.</p> <p>But I still want reviews and money...</p> <p>I was thinking having a donation target, and once it's met, putting up a poll or some-such asking who the audience wants backstory on. But I'm also curious as to what others do as far as reader-catering when it comes to bonus stories.</p> <p>Am I making any sense here? </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/private-messaging#post-197 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:21:34 +0000 Drew Daniels 197@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>Personally, I think that no forum ever feels complete without a PM system. Maybe that's just me but still. So I'd like to take this chance to see how many people would like to have PMs integrated into the site. Maybe if we get enough people we can strong-arm Chris into making this a reality. </p> http://forums.webfictionguide.com/topic/publishing-the-industry-and-you#post-93 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:21:46 +0000 Wysteria 93@http://forums.webfictionguide.com/ <p>I’ve been an editor for a little book and a few articles, working in what was vaguely mainstream publishing for the library market. The vibe I tend to get from web authors is disdain for traditional publishing, or at least contentment with alternative publishing methods and no urge to go traditional. </p> <p>Personally, I plan to keep my short stories and my current project nontraditional and internet-based and maybe pursue a book contract in a few years with a more traditional house. I figure that will be the best of both worlds. </p> <p>What I’m wondering is this – what are your views on mainstream publishing? Where do you think it is going? Where do you see yourself going with it, if anywhere? What have been your experiences or plans regarding self-publishing services like Lulu? </p>