Hey! Alexis Davenport here, and you've just
entered the Review Zone. What, you thought those fic criticisms were just
there for no good reason? Hell no! We've been collecting these
babies for some time now, and now we pass the savings onto you.
In case for some odd reason you
haven't read our MiSTings (and shame on you for that; we suffer greatly to
bring you that crap), we've included a C&C at the end of almost every
fic. Well, this particular page is devoted to that: C&C. It's
basically a way for the authors of various fics to obtain the real opinion of
the Great One regarding their work, and perhaps even improve upon their
writings. After all, it can't be fair to have to see us butcher their
works.
So we've got a panel of three
reviewers. There's me, of course -- I cover grammer and vocabulary,
mainly. Then there's Kirin...
Kirin: Hi.
...who covers cliches and story content. Finally, there's Hentai Boy...
Hibichi: That's HIBICHI!
...(whatever...) who covers characterization.
This time around, however, I've decided that I'm
going to do the stupidest thing I've done in a long, long time: get involved in
a heated debate. So, welcome to
another edition of…
Alexis's Viewpoint
And the topic of choice is -- you guessed it --
the recent ban on MiSTs at Fanfiction.net.
For those of you who don't frequent the site, Fanfiction.net has recently made a
decision to permanently ban the posting of MiSTs and lists. This led to two things: number one, a
flame war springing from a piece by an author named Daughter of Darkness, who
claims to have been the one who got MiSTs banned from FF.net to begin with, and
two, the expected onslaught of last minute "screw the webmaster"
MiSTs.
Now first of all, I'm not backing up DoD 100%
here; she's seemingly taking out her aggressions on the entire MiSTing
population in general, which is absolute bullshit. Furthermore, to take all the responsibility for this action
is something akin to proclaiming you're the one who canceled Star Trek. However, much as I'd like to rally
against her and start proclaiming "Big Brother is Watching You" from
the rooftops, I can't help but think: maybe, just maybe, there's a reason she's
so mad.
And there is. At one point in the rant, DoD proclaims that, "Maybe
some people will think next time of asking for permission to do an MST before
listing it. In reality, in some form, it still is plagiarism." Notice how she doesn't actually
complain about MiSTs, just the fact that some MiSTers aren't asking for
permission. In this, she is one
hundred percent justified in her emotions.
If I may quote from the hallowed SVAM FAQ:
" It must be said again that the ultimate goal of MSTing is to be *funny*. SVAM is not an arena to compete in for fame, nor an auditorium in
which to proclaim what is "wrong" with a particular genre or series. This is not a popularity contest.
Authors are people too. Attempt to get permission before MSTing whenever possible."
And this, therein, lies the heart of the problem when it comes to FF.net MiSTings. I couldn't help but chuckle a little when, shortly after the notice demanding permission for MiSTs appeared on the loading screen at FF.net, people began MiSTing more pop lyrics in an attempt to circumvent this.
Folks, no fic deserves to be MiSTed so much that you
shouldn't even attempt to ask for permission. Hell, no fic deserves to be MiSTed PERIOD. A MiSTing is not meant to be some sort
of revenge against a fic for clashing against the standard expectations of
taste, or grammatical ability, or whatever. MST3K was a show about poking light fun at movies, not
"giving a movie what it deserves." A fic may WARRANT a MiSTing, but it never deserves one. Save that kind of self-righteous
thinking for the flamers.
Regarding permission, if you can't get permission via
e-mail, wait for a bit, then try again.
If you still can't get in contact with the person, THEN post; however,
if they complain, pull it immediately.
It's their right, because it's THEIR fic. Imagine scanning through a MiSTing archive one day and
finding one of YOUR works MiSTed, san permission. You may find yourself just as inclined as DoD to rant -- I
know I would.
If you take yourself so seriously that you have to get on
your high horse anytime somebody's offended by what you MiSTed, or how you did
it, then what the hell are you doing writing MiSTs in the first place?
Now, for you displaced MiSTers who were following the rules
and were actually trying to be funny rather than take justice on a fic, I'd
like to recommend a few places to go:
SVAM: With
a large community and a higher tolerance for non-standard casts, this place may
be a good choice for you. Bear in
mind, however, to mind your manners, and remember that we don't tolerate fools
lightly, despite our appearances.
Web Site #9: It may seem
aloof, but for high quality MiSTs you can't find a better place. It tends to be more standard cast than
SVAM, but it should still be on your recommended reading list anyway.
Quasispace: Sometimes,
it's difficult to get a decent MiSTing out on your own. To this end I recommend Quasispace, the
MiSTing group which has been termed the "Mystery Octogon Theater B-Group." (MOT itself isn't taking newbies at the
moment.) A fun, wacky group, plus
a way to get a good understanding of the ins and outs of the MiSTing world. ImproFicRoast is also a good
suggestion.
That's all for now.
Don't flame me on this; it's my opinion.
Review Archive:
Nuku Nuku and the Werecabbit
Tsuki Ni Kawatte... SPOON, Bub!
Legend of the Triforce
The Escape
MiSTie Wars
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