Clarification of Community Norms and a Request to Readers

[zvi]

I just want to emphasize that , for the benefit of discussion, you are all welcome to point to specific recordings as negative examples of particular recording or reading techniques. It's my firm belief that if everyone can hear the same file, we can better clarify whether or not our opinions of the technique under discussion are similar or different.

I realize that many people have difficulty pointing to a particular work and saying, "That was done poorly," particularly in an artform with a brief history and fairly high barriers to entry. Therefore, I'm asking that any readers who feel comfortable doing so, comment here to explicitly assure people ahead of time that their podfic may be used as a negative example.

I would also like to assure readers that not having mastered a particular technique and being used as an example of its poor execution does not mean that you are a bad reader who sucks at all of the other techniques that make up reading and recording. All it means is that this particular thing you did did not work for some of those who listened to that particular recording.

Comments

[paraka]

Lord knows I could point to things I've done poorly, so others should feel free to do so to my works as well :) (I can also speak on behalf of group slashpad to give the go ahead for our one fic [so far!]).

[aethel]

I opt in. Slice away :)

[dodificus]

I was kind of referenced in the last post anyway and it didn't bother me at all, I think I can separate someone who doesn't like a certain thing I do from someone who doesn't like *me*.

[twtd]

My (few) podfics are nowhere close to perfect and criticism isn't going to scare me off.

[dmarley]

I'm perfectly willing to have my podfics referenced as examples.

[pensnest]

I haven't done a lot of recording so far—what I have is up at the Dirtypod comm on LiveJournal—but for that reason alone I'm sure there are things I haven't yet figured out I do wrong. If anyone wants to critique my podfics I will grit my teeth, be brave, and learn.

[anatsuno]

yup yup yup; always feel free to point out a recording of mine if you wanna, to critique or help illustrate a problem you describe or anything you need it for!

[luzula]

I am fine with this.

[podcath]

Yup, mine can be used.

On the meta side, though: (1) We know from fic discussions that saying you're OK with critique and actually getting it are two different things. and here it's YOUR BODY creating the art! How can that not be personal??? (2) I have a suspicion that the ones I'd most like to use won't volunteer. Moreover, I'm not even sure if they did i'd use them. See (1)....

[zvi]

I can't control other people's feelings. I can do my best to set the tone.

[brimtoast]

Okay, I keep coming back to this post and trying to decide what to do, and I have decided that, yes, I will give my blessing to use my work as a negative example.

But I will also say that I am fairly sensitive about podfic, which is, after all, my own voice and my own acting skills, such as they are. Getting better about it, but still not at all thick-skinned. And so if possible, I would prefer that if somebody does use me as a negative example, they do it gently, just trying to keep my feelings in mind as much as possible while still making their point. Wording matters a lot to me, and even though I conceptually know that one person's opinion isn't the end of the world and that even if they are right about one problem with my readings that doesn't mean they think I totally suck, etc., I kind of feel like I need the extra gentleness and carefulness in wording in order to *feel* that as well as intellectually know it.

[keitorin]

I know I have a lot to work on, so I don't mind being used as an example. I've also received some good feedback on where I can improve, so even though it can be a sensitive topic, I'm better equipped to digest that kind of feedback without taking it too personally. :)

[alixtii]

I'm thick skinned.

[kaizoku]

I have only recorded one podfic at this time, but I support this and absolutely give permission (not that I think you need it.)