Breakdown of the October Rules for 2008

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

Yes, we're there. And early in fact because we've been busier this September than we have ever been before. And I always love having fresh meat talent around. It makes the season fun each year.

So, tonight I'm going to start off with the RULES OF THE COMMUNITY FOR OCTOBER. And this post gets a date stamp of November 1st so that it stays at the top for the entire season.

Come November, there will be a new set, and it will replace this post at the top of the community.

And I apologize, but this post gets no cut (Rule posts never do). And it's long. But that's how it rolls here...

So... Rule #1...

NO TALKING ABOUT THE NANO WEBSITE

There seems to be a bit of misunderstanding about this rule. Yes, it means not talking about the status of the website on whether it is up or down or hacked or whatever. But it's also leaving posts about "Have you seen this thread?", "how do you work this aspect".... etc and so forth. This also falls into including e-mails that you get from being a member on the website.

Basically - if it has to do with the website at all... take it elsewhere.

Reason for this rule: A. We're not affiliated with the site. B. There are multiple communities for nano, and people love cross posting, so I'm not worried that your concerns won't be dealt with. C. it saves over 100-200+ posts a month from your FL.


Rule #2...

INTRODUCTIONS ARE DONE IN THE DAILY INTRO POSTS

I will put up a post every day. In that post, you will do your whole "Hi, I'm Jessica and I'm a NaNoholic" type deal. They are not to be done individual any longer. You all saw how SEPTEMBER was? Now take a wild guess how October will be without this.

Also - no trying to sneak an intro in with a question. They are separate things. Just ask the straight questions and not have a 4 paragraph preamble on who you are, where are you from, and what the kitten's name means.

This benefits you because it will keep people from skimming past your post, and want to actually reply. And you want people to reply, right? :)


Rule #3...

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Golden rule, people. Treat others as how you want to be treated. Mods... *looks around* oh wait, it's just me... ok, I'M in charge...and I will be three things:

1. Straightforward
2. Firm
3. Fun

I can be your best friend, or you will hate me. And I won't apologize for my rulings because I will only rule on something that has been already started as a rule. I will also clarify things and explain them, not outright be pissy. However, I will also respond back with the same treatment as I'm given. My default is nice with an edge of blunt honesty, and that's what I ask all of my friends to be like with me.

This community is meant to be fun, and while I know everyone has their own rights to their own opinions, this is not a place for soapboxing your views on others. Ever member in this community is a friend, and if you can't say anything nice to another member, don't say anything at all.

And if you feel that you can not be a member of a structured community with rules that are enforced for only 2 out of 12 months, then I wish you best on finding another sandbox. But I'm the Queen of this Loony Bin.

And disrespect me? That's the only instant-ban offense. And I am not kidding.


Rule #4...

NO SPAM

As of now, there is no individual posts for pimping. And I'm not talking about hookers...

All mentions of "join this community" or "come visit this site" etc and so forth will be put into a seasonal consolidated post that will go up this weekend and will have a link HERE (obviously when it's up). Come December, this rule is removed until the following October.

That said - regional communities CAN be pimped in the regional friending thread as the regions go up.


Rule #5...

CONCERNING OTHER CONSOLIDATED THREADS...

If there is a post type that is consolidated, that type does not get individual posts. In October, there will be multiple ones. Only the mod will post these, and everyone else does their answers in replies.

This is the list, and tags for them will be in the sidebar of the community:

Daily:

Intros
Writer Prompts
Word Counts (November)
Excerpts (November)

Weekly:

Plot Help - yes. See this post for reason why.

Seasonly:

Friending Post
Pimp Post


And Rule #6...

I reserve the right to change the rules as the current season's community demands it. Being adding a new type of consolidate post, cutting off a certain type, etc. Sometimes I will vote (like I did last year with the plot helps) and sometimes I will make an executive decision. But again, I'm the Queen of the Loony Bin, and there is no committee.


I'm opening the post up for questions, but not comments. Questions I will answer as soon as I am able, comments will be screened or removed depending on their nature.


And as always, I really hope you are able to enjoy this community and use it to enhance your NaNo season. But I am also aware that some people are not comfortable with the structure here. NaNo is about having fun first and foremost. If you do not feel that you will have fun in this type of environment, you are more than welcome to join others and find a community that fits your needs. I won't be insulted, nor will I feel guilt. But I will wish you well, and good luck on your Nano.

It's almost October, folks. Let's get the party started already!

Comments

[feigned-living.livejournal.com]

I know that post-dating to Nov will keep this on the top of the community journal, but will it keep it at the top of my friends page?

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

nope, thank god. I wouldn't do it if it did. It will scroll through your FL like it was normally posted.

I'd kill myself if it was the first thing I saw every day for a month... and i write the damn thing!

[prettyinpink82.livejournal.com]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but friends pages always show the most recent post first, meaning that anything post dated will always show at the top until that date passes.

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

I just posted the intro post for the day. check your FL and see how it flows.

[prettyinpink82.livejournal.com]

Hmm, well, I've had problems with this in the past that resulted in me deleting friends/communities, but this seems to be working properly for now, so, guess that answers that question.

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I do my best to keep friends lists doing that they are meant for - friends.

Hence the consolidated post plans.

Friends Lists are Love. I do my best to keep it that way without ruining the enjoyment of this community.

:)

[prettyinpink82.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I appreciate that! Also, thanks for putting a stop to the massive onslaught of intro posts. My friends list was getting a little out of hand!

[feigned-living.livejournal.com]

haha, yeah, i was hoping not. and, in fact, felt like a technoweenie asking about it. and i'm usually so computer savvy. lol

[aislingthebard.livejournal.com]

Do these rules (good and sensible ones, I believe) take effect now, or on October 1st? Because I would like to know if I could bump a post I put up a few days ago about a Yahoo group I have started...So if these rules are in effect now, and I may not do that, where may I post it? Thank you.

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

Once the rules are posted, they are in effect. So unfortunately, no. But the pimp post will be up bu Sunday afternoon, and you're more than welcome to mention it there.

[knitchick1979.livejournal.com]

How about icon posts? I saw a couple pop up today (may not have all been from here...I'm on so many...but I know I saw at least one), and I was just wondering if they were allowed and if so, individually or will there be a consolidation post? I ask because I might make some this year, and I love collecting them too so I'd like to know where to post/where to look!

[caitak.livejournal.com]

I'd also like to know what the community rules are regarding graphics and things :) I've been making NaNo wallpapers and I'd quite like to share if that's allowed.

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

Icons and graphics are more than welcome in their own individual posts as we do not get a lot of them. If they start to get out of hand however, I will invoke rule #6 :)

[caitak.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that's great.

I may share some later on :)

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

Icons and graphics are more than welcome in their own individual posts as we do not get a lot of them. If they start to get out of hand however, I will invoke rule #6 :)

[ts-brookhouse.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to say that your icon of the guy with the fingers? I can't stop staring. O_O It's hypnotic.

totally off topic

[sky-designs.livejournal.com]

*grins* Thank you! That is from Joss Whedon's short "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog" and if you haven't seen it, hense you to the website (http://www.drhorrible.com/) and watch it.

Re: totally off topic

[ts-brookhouse.livejournal.com]

I had a sneaking suspicion! I haven't seen the Sing Along Blog, though all sorts of people have recommended it. I shall have to crack and go check it out. :3

[aeolian-harp.livejournal.com]

In our intro posts can we mention what our screen name is for the official site forum just so other people here can see who we are over there, or is that also a no-no?

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

That, while I would perfer not, i will not object to. It is part of who you are. It's the same in my opinion as if you are going to be posting your nano on another LJ that people can follow along. It's still you, nto a service or a community.

Awesome

[sanity-denied.livejournal.com]

Wow, like the attitude.

I want to be so bold as to add you as a friend. I loved the post and "casual" reminders on personal behavior.

Some people forget that they have common sense and decency.

Add me, Alison, if you want. If not, I won't be offended. We aren't in gradeschool here afterall.

-Apryl

Re: Awesome

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

i think i actually have you friended in LJ idol with my other account sky_designs... :)

[sushimustwrite.livejournal.com]

FYI, postdating this post won't keep it on top for the entire season. That's just for personal journals. All that changing the date does in a community does is put this post in the November archives instead of the September. Link this entry, mayhaps?

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

*looks*

stupid lj...

Thank you for pointing that out. It works in my personal journals, but I have a feeling it won't in communities...

I will play around later and figure out a solution.

[rejects.livejournal.com]

The Expressive and Mixit style layouts have the option for a sticky post at the top of the journal that works just as well. :)

[writingvixen.livejournal.com]

thankyouthankyouthankyou.

I'd much rather be in a community with clear rules that are followed than one with no leadership and everyone's in it for themselves.

My friend's page thanks you too. Much. =)

[phoenixjustice.livejournal.com]

Hello, I am new to this community and I was wondering about a couple of things if you wouldn't mind answering them. =D

1: For the nanowrimo can you do a fanfic, or is it just original work?
2: Is there a specific date in November which to post the fic?

Thank you very much. I look forward to writing something for this comm. =D

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

Hi! Welcome to the community! And of course, I have no problems whatsoever.

1. In my mind, Fanfiction is just as welcome as original works. You're putting in just as much effort to create your own original story, and writing the same amount of words. Some people will make the arguement that you're not creating your own world and characters, but being a fanfic writer myself, I counter that being able to write good fanfic means having to do just as much research into characters that are already created so that you understand them, and then you have to write it in a very specific way to appeal to that already established audience. So there's different sets of parameters, but neither of them is essentially "easier" than the other.

So fanfic away!

2. You won't be posting your novel here at all, actually. The count verification comes from the website. HOWEVER, in November there are posts that go up daily where members can post a reply with a tiny excerpt from their writing from the day. Comments usually limit posts to 4000 characters, so they might be a bit LONG, but still tiny in comparison to the novel.

If you want to share your novel, you can post it in your OWN journal, and use the LJ Link and Pimp thread to make people know that you're going to be posting it there for them to read. And in December when the spam rule is tossed away, you are welcome to make a post to the community about it to announce your masterpiece.


Did that answer your questions?