Call for volunteers: Never The Final Word

If you're a fan of Never The Final Word, the commentfic anthology I curate, you might have noticed a sad anniversary: yesterday marks one year since it last updated.

It's not for lack of interest. I keep a submissions queue in an unpublished chapter, which has about a dozen stories to add; I've also gotten occasional PMs with new suggestions. I've just been fighting the burden of it — there's a lot of editing, reformatting, bookkeeping, index-updating, and even reading (since I have to review the source stories that the commentfic was inspired by, and be able to write a brief summary of their content for the spoilers) that goes into every new chapter. And for a while now I just haven't felt like it's worth my effort, when RCL deadlines loom larger and my own writing begs at ever-increasing volume for attention.

That said, NTFW doesn't deserve to die. It just needs someone who believes in the project and is willing to be less of a flake about it.

So:

Volunteer Wanted

I'd like to propose marking Never The Final Word "Complete", renaming it NTFW Vol. 1, and handing off the collection to a new curator who can post Vol. 2 as a sequel on their own account.

I would provide:
— all the index and chapter templates I currently use (so you don't have to reinvent the BBCode wheel), though you are free to modify the format
— My current submission backlog (links to commentfics that can immediately provide 10+ usable chapters, and a few more I didn't think aligned with my project goals), including me going through the last year's worth of PMs and adding those to the list
— An author's note at the end of the current fic pointing to the new collection, and a link in NTFW's story description
— A signal boost (to NTFW readers — it's on 800+ bookshelves and has 4.5k views — and to my 1000+ followers) when your story goes live
— Occasional submissions as I write commentfics

You would provide:
— The time commitment I currently should be making (this is the important part)
— An ongoing interest in ponyfic, and its author/commentfic community
— The intention to respond promptly to submissions, and to do enough reading to occasionally discover submissions on your own
— General agreement with the project goals: signal-boost labors of love that would otherwise languish undiscovered in comment sections; celebrate the "embrace-and-extend" nature of recursive fic; don't post submissions that attack or upset the original authors

If this sounds like a thing you'd look forward to doing, speak up below! I'll give preference to current NTFW alumni, but the time commitment is the important thing.

Either way, thank you all for helping me make this project a success by any measure, and I hope this can give it a shot in the foreleg that introduces it to a new generation of readers.

Comments

[horizon]

So of course the instant I click "Post" about finally relinquishing a project I've curated for years, my music player shuffles to "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone".

I'm not certain how to feel about my computer going full p-a.

[FanOfMostEverything]

I've certainly demonstrated the capability to maintain a story compilation or two, and goodness knows I do plenty of reading on the site. I will have to keep more of an eye out for comment fics, but I hope you consider me for the role.

[Themaskedferret]

I'd be interested in giving it a shot, while I don't have experience running a submission focused story, I do handle the Pre-Reader inbox which is sometimes similar

4680930 I'd back you as a good choice n_n

[Skeeter The Lurker]

I've done it once or twice... Thing is my current schedule... Updates would be weekly, no choice.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[PresentPerfect]

Yeah, FOME sounds like a worthy successor. :B

[PaulAsaran]

We are all aware of my own busy nature. While I have no doubt whatsoever that I could do this – indeed, would probably love to – I just don't see me adding this on top of my reviews and stories.

Still, looks like you've got two able-minded individuals volunteering. Good luck!

[Matthewl419]

4680930
4680932
I fully support both of these choices.

[Trick Question]

Trick Question doesn't have a clue what a commentfic is, but she finds herself... suspicious.

Something must be done.

Trailing the wily horizon, Trixie aims to find out the answers without asking, because that would be much too easy. It proves surprisingly trivial to track down his home address.

"And now the game begins," says Trixie, disturbing a passing squirrel.

Sneaking into position by an air conditioning unit—or maybe it's a birdbath, she really isn't paying much attention and it isn't like she feels obligated to add a lot of descriptives (she does, however, resolve to ask Not_A_Hat for advice on purple word porn related to domestic scenes, and not actual "porn" more "porn" like "food porn" but not "porn with food", actually you know buck it strike most of this paragraph)—Trixie finds a small space beneath the blinds of a closed window through which she can see horizon in the privacy of his home.

"This is only for science," says Trick Question to herself, further disturbing the same squirrel who for some reason is still watching her. "I am not actually a pervert."

Spoken like a true Twilight Sparkle. Excellent.

Realizing there are now too many layers of thought complicating the fourth-wall-skirting prose, Trixie resolves to stay quiet and watch the strange person who is currently—

"Gasp!" gasps Trixie, gasping as she gasps aloud.

horizon has just changed into a changeling, or however you say that, which is not surprising at all. But in doing so, his awkward lanky and tall form has shifted to reveal a Betamax copy of Reckless Kelly, Yahoo Serious's second feature-length film.

She cannot help but admit the truth: Trixie is no longer certain she can take horizon Seriously.

"I wish I were not stoned off my hocks right now on pain medication and teaching class at the same time because then I could edit what I'm typing and provide a more fulfilling resolution," said Trixie as horizon's neighbors call the police and attempt to convince them that a naked werewolf with D-cup breasts and obvious male genitalia is crouching in the bushes outside.

...aaaaaand Pinkie Pie irises out.

[CoffeeMinion]

4680930: the curator we need. The curator we deserve. #MakeTheLastWordFoamyAgain

[SirNotAppearingInThisFic]

I, too, approve of 4680930. I'd even be willing to lend the occasional hand with the legwork (that doesn't make much sense, does it?) should that ever be applicable, especially if [something about FoME and Discord here].

[Themaskedferret]

4680973 Butbut Yahoo Serious is so great.

[horizon]

4680973
LIES AND SLANDER. HASHTAG FAKE NEWS.

The film which I ALLEGEDLY was holding was Yahoo Serious' third feature film, Mr. Accident. I demand a full retraction, plus saudade-flavored ice cream.

[horizon]

I wanted to wait at least a few hours to be fair to everyone else who might want to speak up ... but the decision here seems pretty clear. 4680930's CV is solid and his references are impeccable (see: the solid wall of upvotes and recommendations, including from fellow volunteers). I'm happy to extend a formal offer of torch-passing.

4680932
Thank you for also stepping up! You've been a tireless advocate for the community, one of the social hubs of fandom, and would also be a fantastic curator. If FOME passes on the offer, or (gods forbid) gets hit by a bus or something, this is yours in a hot second.

4681116
Your offer is appreciated, and I'll leave it up to FOME to continue that discussion!

4680941 4680938
The thought is appreciated! I'm in a similar position myself.

(cc: 4680939 4680947 4681053 4680973)

[CoffeeMinion]

4681328
4680973

*sniff* Poor Yahoo, gone (from cinema) before his time...

seecolombia.travel/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/yahoo-serious-film-festival-simpsons.jpg

Ah well. Constabulations to FantaMostEverything! May you always have two cold ones! And know The Times!

68.media.tumblr.com/b48963597b89af9846bf225efca2b401/tumblr_mzvyayJrGi1rm5s50o4_400.gif

[FanOfMostEverything]

4681328
I am flattered and happy to accept the offer.

[Trick Question]

4681386
I believe Lisa said something along the lines of, "I know what all those words mean, but not in that order."

[Bad Horse]

Oh. Okay then. Move along. Nothing to see here.

Horizon, did you read all of all the stories that people wrote continuations for? That's an open-ended timesink.

[Themaskedferret]

4681328 Definitely the best possible choice for the job :)

[horizon]

4681622
For the most part, I did, but that was mitigated by two factors: first, I was much more likely to discover commentfics on stories that I had already just finished reading; and second, sometimes with submissions based on longer fics I asked the comment author to write up their own summary of the original story.