Sound-off post #1 + Freeform beta/cheerleader seeking/volunteering

[ladiesbigbangmod]

An unofficial sound-off post is a place where you can comment discussing anything related to your project and/or your support role in the Ladies' BigBang challenge.

For example: run into any challenges? Got more done than you thought you would? Project turn in a different direction? Figuring out what works for you as a cheerleader? Any thoughts on betaing a medium you've never beta'd before?

Also, now that our first check-in is over and some creators have dropped out, leaving betas/cheerleaders floating and some creators betaless/cheerleaderless, we are giving participants the option of freeform matching, i.e. in the comments you can volunteer your services as a beta/cheerleader or you can seek the services of a beta cheerleader. There will be no moderator supervision of this process, so work it out amongst yourselves!

If you are offering betaing/cheerleading support: write "Offering [beta/cheerleading]" in the subject line, and then specify in the comment text what you're willing to do, etc.

If you are seeking betaing/cheerleadering support: write "Seeking [beta/cheerleader]" in the subject line, and then specify in the comment text what your project is and what you're looking for specifically.

Comments

[senmut]

The biggest challenge I am facing so far is keeping it to my ladies for narrative voice. I have a male character or three that keeps wanting to take the spotlight, because point-blank, I am far more comfortable in the male narrative. But for the challenge, I want the women's voices to lead.

Second biggest one is facing the fact how wise ALL the main female leads are, and trying to differentiate them in voice sufficiently.

[heartequals]

new fandoms are HARD. can i get a hell yes?

[senmut]

I can see where they might be. I'm forever trying new ones on though...

[heartequals]

then you are a more hearty soul than i.

[trascendenza]

A big HELL to the yes.

Well, okay, I'm not so much doing a new fandom as doing one I've dabbled in and diving in headfirst, but still.

[heartequals]

same! or mine is a fandom whose canon i have been familiar with for a long time but the diving in headfirst is. . .terrifying.

[trascendenza]

You speak the truth, my friend! I think what's getting to me in particular with Northern Exposure is OMG SO MANY SEASONS and then also all the additional outside research I'd ideally like to do. Information overload ;_______;

[heartequals]

Same! I mean, admittedly the seasons of X-Files I absolutely need to rewatch are much, much fewer than Northern Exposure but within those seasons are a lot of new characters I potentially want to use and it is doing my head in to try to keep a running tally of who I want and who I can let go :/

[watersword]

Hell yes. They are also terrifying.

[heartequals]

SO TERRIFYING!

[trascendenza]

I'm noticing that if I contemplate the entirety of my project I start panicking because it feels like I've done so little, but it helps my mental state a lot to just focus on what I've achieved so far. I've made icons! I've taken screencaps! I like said icons and screencaps!

I'm also enjoying re-watching Northern Exposure but not enjoying how little Marilyn's in it :( This project probably would have been easier if I'd chosen a more main character, but I do seem to remember that there are at least a handful of episodes where we get more of her. I'm excited for the one where she's teaching people to dance. And the one with the... oh, gosh, what was it, an ostrich? OH, MARILYN, WOMAN OF SO MANY TALENTS. Also the one where she gives that gift to Joel, be still my shippy heart.

[ranrata]

Got about halfway through and hit a wall. I blame my characters for having a certain epic argument earlier than it should have happened (knowing I have to move stuff around always trips me up).

And certain details just elude me. A character is eating/cooking, but then I stare at my computer, wondering what they're eating/cooking, and can't decide. Driving myself up the wall here.

[recessional]

If this thing does not a) decide whether it wants to be in first or third and which voice it wants and b) tell me what the ACTUAL DETAIL PLOT is (you know, not the overarching concept, but a-to-b-to-c) soon, I am going to take it out to the WOODSHED.

[watersword]

OMG the things I need to know and have no idea of where to research! So far, I have made pleas to the internet to tell me about:

1. Los Angeles-area quirky, eclectic, high-quality Christmas shopping


2. Dominican science fiction


3. availability of panini in European hotels' room service


4. the exact cut of meat used in the burgers at Five Napkins


5. the date of Lady Gaga's explosion onto the pop music scene


6. what the hell kind of interaction Sylar and Maya had on S2 of Heroes


7. how much Zachary Quinto's production company has ever, you know, done

And that doesn't include the shit I have been able to get information on and have subsequently forgetten I had to research. I am 9,000 words in, and about to leap into the realm of shit-that-hasn't-happened yet. \o/

Anyone want to hang out on IM and write at each other? I have been finding that really useful and feel terrible about imposing on the same people over and over again.

Seeking vid beta!

[shopfront]

I'm doing a mixed media, multi-fandom project. My overall theme is focusing on different sorts of strength in female characters in sci-fi and fantasy fandoms. My current rough fandom list includes Defying Gravity, Merlin, Smallville, Caprica, Doctor Who, ST:DS9, Legend of the Seeker, The Vampire Diaries, Flashforward and Ashes to Ashes - fandom familiarity with any of the above is nice but not strictly necessary, and I'm not likely to include all my final project fandoms in the vid. I do have a lovely assigned beta who is happy to look at my project as a whole, but I'm new to fandom vidding and would love a vid specific beta for that part of my project if anyone is available.

I'm not a total newbie to vidding as I've had to play with video editing for University and I've done some dabbling in the past already (I've just never reached the posting stage!), so what I'm mostly looking for is someone to help me out and hold my hand with things like timing, story/creativity, fandom conventions for vidding, and stuff like that moreso than working out the technical basics. Also just having a more experienced sounding board while I'm vidding would be seriously awesome. Availability during July would be a plus, as I won't be starting the vid for another week.

[lysapadin]

So I'm officially writing a novel, which doesn't bother me so much, but I'm a little worried that I won't have time to get a rough draft done by August 1st, even though all of July is pretty much open for me.

I'm also a little worried that no one is going to want to read this thing, since the second half of it is now officially full of OCs, male and female, and the focus has shifted away from the romance in the first part into the political stuff that's driving the plot. Meh. Insecurity abounds!

...but I'm having a damn good time writing this thing, regardless. *grins* So that's the important part.

[senmut]

That is definitely the best part!

[jessnick05.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I have actually run into an issue that's really more to do with fandom etiquette. Hope it's not inappropriate to ask it here but as I do not have a friends list I don't know where else to ask! :)

I'm working on a recs list and quite a bit of the things I'm reccing are new finds for me. Is it poor form to never leave feedback on something and then later rec it? It's always felt that way to me, but I really don't think I have time to feedback everything and still get my rec list done by deadline. Is it okay to just go back after the fact (once my rec list is posted) and alert authors to the rec?

I appreciate any opinions!

[senmut]

The funny thing is, while I don't get recced often, an amazing number of the times I have been, I had no idea that the reccer had read it. So, I think some believe the rec alone makes for feedback.

And hey, if you do go back after and comment, it's like a double dip of joy for the creator.

[jessnick05.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guess some people do consider the rec itself to be feedback. Though I know I've seen creators mention being bothered by getting a rec without feedback (although I think that may be more if I never feedbacked then also recced without ever telling the author about the rec, so I'd never give them any direct acknowledgement at all).

I think I may just be worrying about this too much. :)

[senmut]

Any press is good press. :-)

Good luck!

[shopfront]

When I co-started (I've since dropped out of SPN fandom, so I can't speak to what their current policies are, but while I was there-) crack_impala, we used to notify all authors/creators when they'd been recced, and most of the time the reccer on our team who nominated the link wouldn't have had a chance to comment themselves. Given how quickly our reader base grew and SPN fandoms sometime volatile nature, I would imagine it would have come up if many people took issue to recs in place of feedback. So I think you should feel perfectly comfortable notifying after the fact, and I think dropping a link is pretty much considered your personal feedback on the work! :)

[jessnick05.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input! :) I think at this point I have no choice but to drop a link to the rec after the fact in lieu of written feedback, otherwise I will definitely not finish the rec list in time. But I'm glad a couple of you have concurred that it should be okay to do that.