Help needed.

[turps]

I've been working on something I'm going to add to pop_newsletter, sort of a welcome to the sparkly fandom. Which is basically lists of important comms, sites, explanations of pairing names etc.

It's very much geared up toward the total newbie. Someone who's interested in the fandom but doesn't know where to find the good stuff. My plan is to lure them in with footage and not let them go ;)

So, this is where I turn to you all. What are the essential sites and communities you can't do without? What footage should every new fan see? I guess, just pretend you're pimping a new fan into our fandom, what would you tell them to do, to join, to see, to listen to? Hopefully I can upload any media and leave it there to lure in the unwary.

Also, what do people think of the idea of a beta reader list? To go along with the pophet, popslash, communities and fan lists. I know there's a beta comm but it's really quiet. I was thinking more along the lines of people volunteering and I'll put up a list. Then if anyone wants a beta they can check that list and see if anyone suits.

Comments

[nopseud]

I like the idea of a beta list.

I have a popslash pimpin' recs list, which I e-mail to people I'm trying to lure into the fandom. However, I guess one list wouldn't be of universal appeal, and there's always the potential for hurt feelings for people not on it. Possibly there could be a few lists, put together by different people?

F'rex, my list is heavy on the humour and sex. But I wouldn't even know where to begin to put together a list to appeal to people who prefer darker stories, or h/c, or even AUs. You could include 'speciality recs' sections too, maybe, for the more niche stuff like MPREG, genderswap or wingfic -- doing weird concepts so well is one of the selling points of popslash, I think.

Footage wise...hmm. I'm not sure. A mix of things, definitely, interviews and performance. I always show people 'O Holy Night', because they kills the 'but they can't sing!' argument stone dead. And there's the brilliant fandom pimping vid too, if you could get permission to host it (I want to say it's by lj user="erilyn">?).

[turps33.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea having a themed set of lists. One I think I'll explore because people will always like different things. I especially like the speciality concept, because you're right, popslash is awesome at that.

You're thinking of The Joy of Pop by erilyn I think. I'm going to ask her permission to host, or if she'd prefer, link to. And yes, total agreement about O Holy Night.

For the beta list, do you think this is okay?

Name:
Groups I can beta:
I won't beta for: example, kink, stories with certain character
My usual turn around time is:
I can offer a beta on: example, characterisation, grammar
Email me on:

Then maybe a section where people can add what they like. eg, I tend to beta hard, or I'll check for flow but suck at grammar etc.

[nopseud]

I think that's all good info. I know that people sometimes feel weird about contacting people out of the blue to ask for a favour, even if they've said it's okay, so the more they have to go on the better, I should think.