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FastEddie MOD Since: Apr, 2004
2013-06-04 01:42:01

What's the beef with a self-rec? It is a little desperate, but doesn't hurt anything. We don't have a problem with people promoting their own work.

Goal: Clear, Concise and Witty
Telcontar MOD Since: Feb, 2012
2013-06-04 01:59:19

Fanfic Recs should be a tool for readers, not an ad service for authors. Though I see you deleted that line as not being policy back in April. Um. I may bump a thread for more discussion about that.

Other beef here is that one of the times it's been removed, Doom_Kitty used the edit reason "reccurring trollfic". Self-rec or not, that may be an issue. Other other beef is that this time the entirety of the comment, meant to explain what's good about it, give you an idea of what the story is like, etc. was "Honestly pretty good!".

That was the amazing part. Things just keep going.
nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010
2013-06-04 02:04:30

Advertising as an art is truly dead, it seems.

Iaculus Since: May, 2010
2013-06-04 02:44:30

The rule was added back in last July. The thing about fanfic recommendations is that, as mentioned, they're a service for readers, intended to point them in the direction of good stories, which is why we're allowed to do things like delete recs if there's an overwhelming consensus that the story kind of sucks. Allowing self-recommendations kind of dilutes that. It's the same reason we have tighter standards for porn/paedophilic content on our recs pages - they are works that the site is actually recommending as good, not just noting the existence of.

Besides, if we didn't institute some standards, we'd just be listing everything on Fanfiction.net in alphabetical order, which seems kind of pointless.

Edited by Iaculus What's precedent ever done for us?
SeptimusHeap MOD (Edited uphill both ways)
2013-06-04 02:48:22

I personally didn't find this "rule" particularly useful or necessary. I mean, it's nothing more than Entry Pimping.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Iaculus Since: May, 2010
2013-06-04 02:55:31

Again, though, fanfic recs, unlike virtually everything else on the site, are supposed to be added based on quality. Authors tend not to be the best judges of the quality of their own writing, and have a vested interest in selling their work (and certainly, most of the self-recs I saw crop up on our pages were kind of shitty).

As for why this section requires standards, well, otherwise it loses all usefulness. As mentioned, we might as well just put in a blank page with a link to Fanfiction.net if we're not going to do any filtering.

Edited by Iaculus What's precedent ever done for us?
Irene (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2013-06-04 06:50:21

I don't see a problem with it unless it's blatant that the promotion is really poorly written or saying clearly non-factual things. The quality of the rec is the problem here.

Self-promoting itself is not an issue alone. It's in the appropriate place, being fanfic recs, after all.

I'm with FE and Septimus Heap on this one. Besides that, we're not supposed to advertise on the forums. Advertising your own fanfic in the Fanfic Recs is pretty much an extremely appropriate place to do it. Or you know, putting a link of your own work in your signature(as long as that work is allowed to be linked to in general)

I'm just not seeing an actual issue. Now, what Telcontar pointed out may be an issue. With the whole possible Edit War-type problem.

Also, the standards are based upon the quality of the rec, not who recs it. And obviously some things aren't allowed to have recs in the first place, but that has zip to do with self-promotion as is. It's just not a problem in this case.

Edited by Irene Shadow?
Psyga315 Since: Jan, 2001
2013-06-04 07:54:44

Should we discuss this in the forums to get the maximum feed back?

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010
2013-06-04 08:09:51

I say don't let self-recs. As laculus said, they should be based on quality. When someone makes a self-rec, I have no idea if they're doing it because it's high quality or because they just want more exposure. Which I think is harmful, because then people need to keep in mind that, well, some recommendations aren't based on quality of the work.

... but regardless, this is a problem given the guy keeps readding it repeatedly and fails to give the fic any context or description.

Edited by Larkmarn Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
Irene (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2013-06-04 08:31:30

The only quality that matters is the quality of the rec itself. Whether or not the actual fanfiction is beyond awesome is subjective.

And if the actual description of the rec is bad, then it being a self-rec is irrelevant. The issue is entirely the quality of the rec itself, no more, no less.

I have yet to see a legitimate problem with the existence of self-recs. I do see problems with the rec itself if done badly in general. This particular example does appear to be a problem, though.

And Psyga has a good idea about it anyway. Somebody should post the topic in Wiki Talk. As of now, yes, it's allowed in general as stated by the Admin himself. But if a person is giving a bad rec(as in poor information, stuff like that, then yeah, should be deleted. But that doesn't actually apply to all self-recs and really shouldn't be treated as such)

Edited by Irene Shadow?
Psyga315 Since: Jan, 2001
2013-06-04 08:50:30

Actually, I think posting it in the Fanfiction thread might catch some more attention, since most of the people who post there are the people who put them in the recommendations, though I'm not quite sure.

Edited by Psyga315
Irene (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2013-06-04 09:30:03

On the other hand, it's a Wiki-side issue. Either place would work, but I want to make sure we get input from more than just Fanfic writers. It should also be from Mods(who are probably most likely to see a Wiki Talk thread) and other readers/wiki-side editors/helpers.

Shadow?
Psyga315 Since: Jan, 2001
2013-06-04 09:37:41

We should do both. Maximum input that way.

Irene (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2013-06-04 09:40:40

After the Wiki Talk thread is made, perhaps a stickied and locked thread that specifically tells them to go there if they wish to put their input? It keeps it one thread overall.

Shadow?
Psyga315 Since: Jan, 2001
2013-06-04 09:42:50

Now the question is who should make the thread.

Irene (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
2013-06-04 09:47:24

You suggested it. ;)

Shadow?
Psyga315 Since: Jan, 2001
2013-06-04 10:30:14

Alright, I guess I can make the thread in the Wiki Talk.

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