As those who watch me know, I finally spoke to $lolly and got some movement going on in the fantasy literature forum. This has now been taken over by @youthculture and $Moonbeam13 in an attempt to either revive it or maybe even close it for good.

This poll is to see what you guys think. Whether you’re someone who has never gone in the forum, or a regular visitor, or just someone who enjoys this genre, I’d like to know what you’re opinions of this forum are.

Currently, @youthculture has suggested moving all critique requests to the literature workshop- to which some have agreed and disagreed upon. There has also been a suggestion from `GeneratingHype to transform this quiet forum into the ‘genre-specific’ forum, meaning discussions about al genres of writing, such as romance or maybe horror for example. Where this seems like a good idea, surely this would then negate the use of the poetry and prose forum?

Then there is the notion as to why this forum exists? Who put it there and for what intention? Well several years back, and actually still quite frequently now, it was the fantasy genre that apparently was the most popular in literature. In fact, I know from working in a bookshop in the past, the top selling products always seemed to be of the fantasy genre. Of course at the time I worked there, Lord of the Rings had become Peter Jackson’s brainchild, and even Harry Potter had hit the screens. These two huge fantasy books led to an explosion on the genre, where people had enjoyed these novels wanted similar reads and to explore more fantasy. This may be a generalisation, but in the popular culture this is likely where the modern interest originates from.

However now, most people would consider other genres of literature just as popular, and the silence of this fantasy literature forum possibly indicates that the interest has faded. Or is it maybe the case that very few fantasy writers even know this forum exists? Was this forum just for fantasy writers originally or fantasy readers?

Some have even mentioned this forum is pointless and should perhaps be closed down.

Personally, I believe that maybe a trial period should be set on the fantasy literature forum, to see whether this clean up and revive will achieve any new interest for newcomers to the forum. Maybe if the success is lacking, then options should be reconsidered. I am willing to help transform this forum, and although part of it is now out of my hands, there is still things I can do, and we can do it you are interested.

So what is your opinion on the matter?

And for those who don’t know about the current state of the literature forum, why not check it out here: [link]

Thank you

*Beccalicious

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=DailyDeviants *WordCount ~Writers-Workshop

Be enchanted by Literature... Bring back the fantasy!

Where this seems like a good idea, surely this would then negate the use of the poetry and prose forum?

It absolutely would not. The Poetry and Prose Forum, traditionally, has not been kind to genre-specific questions or requests. An author who wants to focus on his horror story or developing an appropriate tone for a Childrens' book or looking for advice in submitting cover letters or manuscripts to specific types of publishers instead of simply an array of poetry magazines, or who wants to ask about which publishers would be more open to their ideas, or really anything that deals with a genre (How do you guys maintain suspense in your horror stories? Is there a trick to it without it getting stale?) will do better going to a place where such discussion is expected than in trying their hand in the Poetry and Prose Forum (which is really named the "writers" forum in dA code). The Poetry and Prose forum is for general discussion about literature and writing, and it serves that purpose well (when people are taking it seriously and/or not being dicks). However, if I want advice or information about writing a Romance novel, I am not going to post those questions in the P& forum, because I do not have the patience nor the time to deal with idiots who want to do nothing more than blast the genre or make fun of the writing/intent/etc. If there is a forum for genre-specfic discussion, where I can be assured the person responding at least respects the type of writing I am talking about, then this should foster better answers and better conversations.

In other words, the "Fantasy Literature Forum" should actually be one step up on the Serious Discussion scale (if that is even possible) than the P& forum, and if it is moderated well at the beginning, then I can definitely see that happening. Also, it gives you the freedom to provide genre-specific challenges and requests and such without having to deal with the losers in the P& forum who are just looking for a laugh.

At least, that's my two cents. I do believe keeping it purely a "Fantasty Literature" forum is the incorrect thing to do. There are many more popular genres on-site now (so why don't they have their own forum?), and if you are narrowing the focus on only one small thing you are promising it is going to lack traffic and activity. Even making it for Horror, Children's, Romance, and SciFi/Fantasy will lessen traffic, but I think those four (five) genres deserve the brunt of the genre-specific discussion on here, both in how they are marketed out in the real world (Children's books are actually the most popular, both in purchasing ans in publishing) and in how large, combined, those genres can be if give a place to thrive. I do not believe, at this time, that any other genres should be or need to be included in the forum. The other sections are simply not large enough to sustain it.

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Suggest a Lit DD today!

God, I hate that damn razz face.

Also: Children's SIGH

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Suggest a Lit DD today!

Don't get me start on childrens today. I just spent the past 2 hours looking for *WordCount features and spent nearly all of it reporting violations.

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=DailyDeviants *WordCount ~Writers-Workshop

Be enchanted by Literature... Bring back the fantasy!

Since it has come into the spotlight and isn't going to be left the way it is regardless of what else may or may not happen, I think it would probably be put to best use by opening it up as genre-specific.

At least that way, those that are too immature to be able to bypass a thread they don't like, don't even have to have it offend their eyes in the first place.

Don't think I visit it nearly enough to warrant any say on the matter. I honestly never would have even considered its existance had you not put a spotlight on it.

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"In matters of the heart, the greatest sorrow is to lose that which is dearest to you. The greatest crime is to take it for granted." -- Me
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I'm a Bobling... wouldn't you like to be a Bobling too? [link]

I only recently discovered this forum and I was very excited that it existed. I am sad that it's struggling.

It sounds like the genre-specific forum would work, but I have to say that when I first found the forum (a month ago) I felt comforted that it was "fantasy" since that's the majority of my writing. It feels more intimate and safer somehow to me. But since it's very quiet and it seems like other genres want a place, it'd be fine to combine them.

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<sub>"O Son of Man! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life."
- Baha'u'llah

For information on the Baha'i Faith [link]</sub>

I'm glad I'm not alone in that pattern.

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Suggest a Lit DD today!

Even though the forum is under used it still has it place. Even though I don't post a good bit in there I still post somethings and read a good bit more. It is hard to get a responce from anyone but it would be a sad day if they decided to pull it out all together. I believe that they should revive it. Mention on the front of the main page that this fourm does exisit.

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Wow, that's... that's deep. It’s a very deep pile of crap.
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you can do anything at zombo.com [link]