Dropping my titles

[Stardrifter]

So I debated waiting out the month but have decided against it. I'm just not feeling it anymore. The site is pretty dead and I had hoped doing Time Masters would at least get me excited enough to deal with it, but it's not.

I love working on our world with you guys and all, but I just don't feel there's a level of commitment anymore. I'll still be here and continue reading and reviewing, but for now I can't justify spending my time writing for what I get back.

Thank you all who have worked with me and I'm sorry if this leaves Aquaman in a difficult spot.

[DiscipleofBob]

Can I make a suggestion?

Wachter's already said that this month is a free month. Every writer gets a little disheartened after so many chapters. Take the break, relax a bit, and then a month later see if you can get the ambition to work on your story.

If you're deadset on quitting, could I at least persuade you to get Aquaman to a stopping point? You did a good job wrapping up Demon Knights to a stopping point.

Dropped titles REALLY hurt the site. We could have possibly have gotten Justice League going by now otherwise.

Just trying to keep the ship from sinking even more. Cause then we'd really need Aquaman.

[Stardrifter]

Let me offer this rebuttal.

Why? There are currently nine writers on the board, not including myself. In the last 2 months, only three of those writers have reviewed my last two Aquaman issues. The month before that had four. And of those three months, it's been the same three people(who I do appreciate).

Obviously some of our writers are new and can't be expected to get to all of it at once, but I don't see them reviewing anything else.

Of course some people are busy or have internet issues, but I work 50+ hours a week and have a wife and child and I review EVERYTHING. Even if it's not in depth I at least offer some kind of constructive thoughts for every issue.

I just feel the majority of people here are not invested and I'm sick of it. I know it's not everyone, but it's enough that I'm tired of not getting what I give. I'm tired of seeing plans set aside. What happened to the Calendar Killer Event? Where is Batman? I understand Wachter is having internet issues, but you don't need the internet to write.

I've already brought this up a couple times and I haven't seen any change. And while I understand dropping Aquaman without a conclusion is a pain for you guys, I have a hard time mustering the drive to finish it. If I wanted to write with little to no feedback I'd write something original for myself and my wife that I could do whatever I like without conforming to rules. I'm here because I want to give and get feedback and work with others in building a world. This site is barely doing that.

I think the real death knell is the site splintering off into multiple, competing sites where none of them are very active. I don't know any of the behind the scenes politics, but for whatever reason our community has become split and everyone has suffered for it.

Until I see things have changed and changed for a consistent amount of time, I'm not interested in spending my (little) personal time to write here. If you don't want to open my Aquaman claims in hope I'll come around by next month, you're welcome too. Perhaps I'll have come around by then, but at this point I wouldn't bet on it.

And I'm sorry if this is coming across as harsh. I've just been stewing over this for a while now.

[Deleted]

Sorry Star, I've contributed to this problem. I have intended to get around to it all, but I'm struggling with the extremely limited amount of time I have in terms of actual hours at home - that's not real excuse however, I have intended to try and download all the issues onto my tablet to read them all on the train.

Obviously, this is probably not going to swing things back to you wanting to write, but I do feel responsible and guilty for this. I'll try to download the issue or at least read it and comment tonight or tomorrow. Again, I do apologize.

[adrini]

I've tried to really think about what to say here. I think I have this about right.

If you really aren't feeling it, then go. It's not fair to the rest of us to have you feel you need to be here out of obligation. This is a fan site. It's not a family reunion, you don't have to be here.

I get the feeling of people not posting responses. I also get why. They are busy. I am busy. It is a language I understand. They work full time jobs, have chores to do, personal relationships to keep up. Projects they are invested in, classes to pass.

Adult obligations.

I have these also. I would love in-depth reviews with things I could be doing better but kids have to be taken care of. Groceries have to be bought and put away. It's called life. I might not have kids yet but I know for a fact that people on this site do and they are correct to put things like that first.

I don't write and post here for a parade. I have no hopes for a job with DC or to be featured on some writing board. I write Green Arrow and Birds of Prey because I love them. That is all. I work 40+ hours a week at a Panera while filling out forms to finish my degree and am looking at moving near my parents again to do so. Not a great thing. But I know that if my husband and I want a house and family of our own someday it has to be done.

Then, when I have spare moment I get to escape into the world of Oliver Queen. I could do this for no reviews. Just the escape is wonderful. That is what being a fan is. Doing something, investing in something, because you freakin' love it. If you no longer feel that then maybe that's your answer.

The sites in a rough way right now, and I know it. But I've dealt with toxic boards and people before and that isn't this. This is a rough patch. We can all walk away and waste the work we've done, or we can keep going and give it a go. No guarantee it'll work out, but if we give up I can promise it won't.

In the meantime I will keep on writing. Whatever you decide I wish you luck.

[Stardrifter]

While I don't appreciate the insinuations, I understand where you're coming from. I could certainly continue on, participation or no, but that's not what the site is about. It's about putting your work out there to be constructively criticized, hopefully to help get better, and doing the same for others.

Of course the site isnt work, but it should come with a certain level of commitment. We're a community. We all have varying levels of time. While there's no rule that prevents a person who doesn't offer much reviews, claiming lack of time, to then take on a second or third title which only eats up more time, it would certainly be courteous to others not to.

End of the day, I love being here and writing with you all, but as I said, I don't think there's a commitment to others here. There's a difference between a hobby and a community. If this were only about writing as a hobby, I'd write whatever I wanted and post it on fanfiction.net or a blog or something. But we're here for each other, except when we're not. And we haven't been for a while.

If I'm the only one who feels this way then I'm sorry. I'm not leaving, I'll continue supporting, reading, and reviewing. Right now its just not for me. Hopefully someone can inject some life back in here soon.

[DiscipleofBob]

Reviews are not the lifeblood of a project like this site. Titles are. No one here needs reviews in order to contribute to the site. Reviews are nice and well appreciated and either show us how to improve as writers or give us warm happy fuzzy feelings. But they're not the point.

True, we don't have an active community right now. Like you said, we have nine people, only about a third of which actually reviews anything, but they no one should be obligated to review anything in order to keep the site going. We had a decent size during the initial claims, but then a third of those writers dropped without an issue. Another large portion gave up after one or two issues, even tried a different title and got one or two issues done before quitting. Then the aforementioned "competing sites" started pre-empting writers from joining this site. Then for our few remaining writers real life happened and a bunch more had to drop titles. Our last contributing admin has been completely without internet for months.

But the largest damage to the site and any hope we have of salvaging it comes from dropped titles.

Every time someone has claimed a major title like Superman or Batman, writes a couple of issues, and then decides it's not worth it and drops the title, that's entire months that has gone completely to waste. It can't be used in continuity. The title will likely be rebooted AGAIN. If other writers have started to try to tie in references and lay the groundwork for crossovers, that all gets thrown out the window.

For what it's worth, I commend you for being the ONLY writer to step down a title gracefully and actually get it established in continuity. And that's part of why your announcement to suddenly drop Aquaman is such a disappointment. I also agree that this site has a lot of major problems going on right now. You might be right about this site being in its death throes. I really hope you're wrong, but a new thing seems to go wrong every day, this being the most recent.

The only way this site is going to keep going is if the few people left here keep writing until we get a foundation for our universe established. Then maybe we'll get some new blood. Or maybe some of the old blood will return if things are shown to be stable. But every time a title is dropped, the effect is felt by everyone else working on the site.

You asked an important question. Why write here? Well, let's look at the alternatives. You could write something for your family's eyes only, and I'm sure it'd be well-received and greatly appreciated, but I know first hand that family members and close friends usually make terrible critics. They'll love your work no matter what you write. You could post to (shudder) fanfiction.net. I guarantee you'd even get more reviews just by sheer volume alone. But your work would be found on page 276 of 1145 between a Superman/Aquaman slash fic and Bruce Wayne Goes to Hogwarts. Fanfiction.net is a quagmire where 99% of everything is crap and everything you write will be buried. And for fanfiction there really aren't a lot of alternatives.

This site is about forming a universe with characters we all know and love. I think everyone here can agree that at least some part of the current modern state of comics, DC and Marvel, is broken beyond repair, and this is a chance for us to at least try to fix part of it in our small corner of the internet.

The only way for this to happen is for the writers to work together to establish a continuity. Something we can't do if people claim titles and then waste several months worth of work by quitting partway through.

I get the feeling you won't change your mind. That's fine. It's not like we can force you to write. And no one wants you to waste your time on something you're not invested in. But you don't get to accuse others here of being uncommitted when we're the ones who have to pick up your pieces.

[Stardrifter]

Of course writing is the lifeblood of the site, but reviews are right behind it. We appear to be of differing opinions on the site. We could all just keep writing for love of writing, but I write here to get and give feedback and be a part of building a world. It's why we all have discussion topics for our series.

If people aren't reviewing it means one of two things.

1. They aren't reading. So again, what's the point? If what we post isn't being read than its just dead air.
2. They are reading and aren't reviewing. Which is just stupid. It takes all of two minutes to post even a bare bones review. This isn't being committed to the community.

So either way it means the site isn't doing what it's meant for, in my eyes. Be committed to writing all you want, but if you aren't committed to each other then we are all failing. If you have time to write multiple issues a month but can't give feedback to people, then you aren't committed to your fellow writers.

[adrini]

Maybe you're missing out on what we do. I am in contact with several people on a regular basis for crossover reasons. I had been thinking about adding you to that list once it became plausible but that's not an issue anymore.

The watchtower chat is open and I added to it yesterday. I talk with a number of people over gmail and on the chat to give and receive pointers. It's a community, trust me. You just have to put your pride aside and get your feet wet. Stay or go. Atlantian culture is largely Mionian, and I am an anthro geek so if you DO end up walking out I can just take over. I have enough to do already, but it can be done. And that's if no one else steps in to request it first. Aquaman is a large enough character that I can see that happening very easily.

Just choose. We have bigger problems to deal with. We have too much "can't' talk going on. Don't tell me what we can't do or haven't done, tell me what we can do and ideas for getting it done.

We have work to do. This call is yours so make it. Then move on.

[Stardrifter]

Aug 15, 2013 10:15:45 GMT -5 adrini said:

Don't tell me what we can't do or haven't done, tell me what we can do and ideas for getting it done.

I'm not telling anyone what they can't do. This is all about what we can do, which is read and review people's work. In July you posted nine issues and yet have multiple series you haven't reviewed in months or never reviewed at all. So if you have time to write 7 more issues than necessary a month, why can't you read and review a couple series?

As I'm finding, my view and others view of the sites purpose is apparently different. If the sites direction has changed from when it started that's fine. It's just not something I want to write for then. But as I've stated multiple times, I'm not leaving and will continue to read and review people's work.

This topic hasn't been a stay or go issue. I have made my decision. I've been trying to explain my position and debating with you guys about it. I don't understand why you've been so hostile about it, but I'm sorry if you took something the wrong way.

[Deleted]

This is an extremely divisive topic, and it does say a lot that it is a very active topic in a time of...not so much activity. I don't think we should dwell on the negative aspects of this too much, neither. It's getting a bit hostile above this post, and it shouldn't.

If Star wants to leave, as he says he does want to, then he certainly can, but he's entitled to have his say before he leaves. After all, he was here before me, and some others, and writing consistently. He's a bigger part of the community than, say, I am.

So, let me just say, it is a real shame, and I am sorry my inactivity contributed to this. Hopefully, I can get more active and others will and we can entice you back.

[Ultimate Silentking]

I am saddened that my favorite writer is leaving but at least you are staying to read and review.

[Drake]

That's really a pity. I know I probably shouldn't talk here, as I just went and dropped my title after a few issues, but it sucks to see such a longtime member decide to stop writing. I for one should apologize for contributing to the "deadness" of the site. I joined two of the other sites. I had reasons, good ones too, but I still believe (and in some ways wish) I would've stuck around. Additionally I read a handful of titles on this site (about 4) and haven't reviewed any in months. It's not that I don't have the time, even as an admin of both All Star Marvel and Infinite DC. I just don't do it. So, I would like to apologize to YOU, Star, for not contributing to this site, even just as a reviewer. I read all of your titles and I haven't reviewed any in months. I am really, really sorry.

This actually has given me the drive to attempt to read and review all that I can on this site. Is it out of guilt? Partially. But to be honest, this is the site that introduced me to REAL fan-fiction, away from all the ff.net crap. So I want to support this site. I'm proud to say I was once a writer and active reviewer, and I hope to say at least the reviewer part again.

But back to the topic at hand, I'm sorry Star, and every member of this site, for not contributing.