Some are posting this under lock. I'm so, so not.

[tzikeh]

NO. Fucking. Way.

cousinjean has posted an entry in which she asks fans to each send her the cost of a book, in cash, so she can quit her job and write novels. Oh, and the reason you should do this? Because hey, she's got all those WIPs you want her to finish and if she can quit her job, you'll get the fanfiction you've been clamoring for!

I suggest we let her know what we think of this idea. In strong language.

I clearly need a stronger icon than my "WTF", "CLUE!" and "HULK SMASH!" icons; none of these do my current reaction justice. Perhaps a FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING FUCK, AND BE SURE TO HAVE A SIDE HELPING OF ANAL RAPE icon....

ETA: She's made a second post, with comments open, explaining that *prayer* helped her come to the decision to ask strangers for money so she can quit her job. Well, I guess that makes it all right, then! Can't argue with that - you'd be going against God's will! I better send money!

Comments

[boggle]

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

... i'm sorry, i'm still boggling.

she'll probably get some takers, too. one born every minute.

(i especially like how comments are disabled. heh.)

(and take a look at her userinfo. 'christian', indeed.)

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

Uh, seriously? No. That's why people work really hard and get these things called book deals, if they're lucky.

I don't know if it's better or worse that she at least acknowledges that this could be a really bad idea and that "people will judge her harshly." I think worse, because, dude, that means you thought about it!

Re: [boggle]

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

Which makes me wonder if she had turned the comments off when she posted it--or after she started getting comments. Hm.

I also just noticed that she only promised to finish her WIP if half her goal is met. You know, if I pledge to PBS, they give me a mug, whether I get to see more Masterpiece Theatre or not.

[gloss]

I find this so very strange. Fandom's an amazing place when people *help* each other out? BUT THIS IS NOT THAT.

Re: [boggle]

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

one hopes that if she gets some contributions but doesn't clear her half-the-goal minimum, she'll send those contributions back -- the way you don't actually have to pay what you bid on an eBay auction if the reserve price isn't met.

of course one also hopes that one will eventually meet the man of one's dreams. one hopes a lot of things. :-/

Oy ge-frickin'-valt.

[sanj.livejournal.com]

I just sent her a sweet but very firm letter, explaining how she's likely to get herself sued and eventually trash the fannish economy.

Selfish cow.

[deejay.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, lemme think now...we could start a fund to make fans pay songvidders for making vids, time-consuming/work-intruding "hobby" that it is....

*resolves to bring a plastic contribution bucket to VVC*

[umbo.livejournal.com]

That's--I have no words. I'm not the type to openly berate someone I don't even know (except George W. Bush and the like), so there's no way I'm going to send her an email or anything, but I agree that this is completely ridiculous and anger-inducing.

[thebratqueen.livejournal.com]

There isn't enough WTF for that. There really isn't.

Re: [boggle]

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

As she's on my flist, I can answer that - she turned comments off when she posted it.

[amilyn.livejournal.com]

I just don't even know what to say.

[leela-cat.livejournal.com]

WTF?!?!

And what you said. I'm speechless at the gall.

[nestra.livejournal.com]

Oh, my very favorite part...and I have many favorites...is how some of the WiPs she's offering to finish? Are collaborative works. Like, other authors are involved.

...yeah.

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

I realize that a lot of people will probably judge me pretty harshly for the following, but I'm just amused enough not to care. I'm offering to sing for your supper, so to speak, and I see the shame in that but have the pride of a crack-smoking lemming. So here's my proposal: if every reader who has watched and enjoyed my vids over the years will join my army of henchpeople for as long as they would expect world domination to take, then I will be able to fulfil my childhood dream of ruthless empiricalism and bald cats. This means I would be able to finish my vid and fic WIPs, but will probably be having far too much fun ruling with an iron fist from my underground volcano island complex ...

Re: [boggle]

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

She will get takers. Dancing Lessons is hugely popular in my corner of the world, as are her other stories. And she herself is a very well-known and liked writer in the fandom. I have absolutely no doubt that many people will send her money.

[meri-oddities.livejournal.com]

Okay, count me officially appalled beyond words. There is no excuse for that. None.

[zoerayne]

See, and maybe I'm in the minority here, but this doesn't piss me off. Makes me laugh like crazy and wonder what crack she's been smoking, but doesn't piss me off.

But then, I tend to look for the amusement value in this kind of stuff, because the best revenge is to live a long and happy life while pointing and laughing at the morons. *g* If I took it all to heart, I'd have ulcers and possibly a stroke by now.

(Also? One assumes that anyone who chooses to send her money is an adult and can make that decision themselves. Of course, IMO, they're also morons--kind of like the people who follow the instructions on chain letters or who spam their address books with "humor" emails.)

[yahtzee63.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. Ganging up on this person will not teach anybody anything; if people want to be stupid, let them be stupid, but I doubt very many will be.

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

I'm with you, amused not angry ... then again, it's got no effect on me so that's always much funnier *g*

Re: Oy ge-frickin'-valt.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

yours was probably sweeter than mine:

Dude. You're asking for money? You're asking for money in exchange for fanfiction. You're asking for MONEY in exchange for UNAUTHORIZED DERIVATIVE -- gah, look, you know all those disclaimers we're always putting all over things, that say blah blah non-commercial fair use, we're not making any profit so don't sue us? YOU ARE ASKING FOR MONEY! You'll be making a profit, you won't be in a position to disclaim anything, and the odds are overWHELMing that you'll get sued right out of--

Look. I'm sorry you 'don't see the shame' in what you're doing, but not everybody sees shame where it lies. But can we impress upon you to see the illegality in what you're doing? In other words: shame, hell, open your eyes to the DANGER!

I'm sorry to have raised my voice.

But really, you should go back while there's still time.

Fox

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

if it weren't for the whole thing of everything always being that we don't make money from fanfic, i'd agree with you 100%. in fact for the first few minutes i was thinking, Wow, just when you think you've seen it all ... and not a lot else.

but, but, profit. from. fanfic. GAH.

[amilyn.livejournal.com]

It doesn't piss me off either, but it does strike me as a "WTF?" So...yeah.

And, as sanj commented above, it has the (admittedly vague) potential to cause all kinds of problems (legal and personal) in fandom.

Just...ill-advised all over the place.

Course, lately, there has been a lot of fund-raising for fans, "This fan's cat is ill and needs chemo," "This fan is about to have her car/computer/apartment/house taken," and more and more. The hard part for me is that I really LIKE the fact that fandom tries to support fen...and I'm not sure how the adjudication of which "causes" are appropriate or reasonable should be handled.

So...not quite sure what to think or say.

[amilyn.livejournal.com]

Very good point. Rule Number One is that you DO NOT PROFIT from fandom or fic or vids or zines or other fen. You Just Don't.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I wonder if I'm the only person this doesn't piss off -- I think it's lame, but it honestly doesn't even raise an eyebrow for me. I guess because I've been heavily involved in Buffy fandom for a long time, and especially in one corner that has a lot of starry-eyed teen quotient behavior (Spuffy), this doesn't even surprise me.

The thing is... the entire concept of the fannish economy is meaningless to most of her fans. The huge readership is made up of people who have no idea fandom even existed before the net, and that there are community standards and such. These are the same people who don't understand how it's wrong to steal clips from vidders, etc. They simply do NOT understand what would be wrong with this -- they would get their fic, they could show support to someone they worship, etc. You could say the words fannish economy to them and they would blink at you and walk away. There is simply no understanding of fandom as a larger community. It would be easy to chalk it up, too, to simply being young, but I wager that a lot of these are folks who came into fandom by discovering Buffy and that they are adults, with lives and everything.

But there are a lot of gullible people who've found fandom on the net, and so this is where it's likely to go. I don't mean to sound all lecturey and pedantic and you probably want to slap me now, but I think that most people anymore these days simply do not see anything wrong with this.

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

Hey! A new entry in the Chutzpah Stakes!! I'd rank her right behind Mr. Freedom himself, Geo. Bushwhacked.

As if most everyone else doesn't have time/money/everyday-life-shit issues to deal with. What makes her so damned special? Fantastic writer? Sorry, Charlie. I could name a baker's dozen of professional-quality writers without pausing for breath. No money? Look around. You're not alone. No time? Decide what's important and focus. Trying to launch a pro writing career? Welcome to the club. But believe me, this won't help *at all*.

What a maroon.