Final
Note to the Applyfic CommunityBefore I begin, I would like to assure that this note is in no way a bid to cause any more strife to the apply fiction community, nor is it an inflammatory jab towards any individual. In essence, this is merely a platform where, as I share my views, others may do the same too.
The apply fiction (applyfic, as it will be referred to here) has seen its fair share of ups and downs since the first appearance of such stories in 2011. This is just a short five years ago, but we all know exactly how long five years can be, in the context of the Internet. I've been around in this community for the last four years now, when there were only around fifty of such stories and layouts weren't that much of a thing, so I presume I am able to speak about it with adequate knowledge.
Truth is, this community has changed.
If you have been an active member of this circle since, say, the beginning of this year, you would be aware of what I am speaking about. I shall not dive into the nitty gritty bits that may bore you. Maybe an experienced member would be able to tell you that. But let me just outline the situation loosely, and perhaps someone would have the courage to make a change.
It is fearful that this community has morphed into such a fashion that applications and stories alike are being judged based on a user's flair in the English language, and their ability to manage complicated HTML codes and tackle the ever-confusing part of aesthetics. Back in the day when layouts were limited to its respective community and stories appeared in a style similar to this text, nothing really mattered. It was probably around 2012 to 2013 when more users dabbled into the applyfic genre, and I feel this is owed to the numerous authors who, at that time, had been forgiving of amateurish mistakes and flaws. Heck, some applications were even done on FormAssembly! Look back at your very first application and compare it to your latest one, and you might laugh. Being unfamiliar with a certain skill definitely would cause us to falter even at the most basic tasks, especially if we do not receive the much-needed help from a senior member. To the authors, how many times have you seen a user ask, "How do I apply?" and how many times have you tripped over such a question? Perhaps in the recent years, when the community gained a larger population and we take for granted that people are aware of the technicalities of such a genre, we forget that new members are coming in every day. Why do we not give them a chance? I am sure many of us have created characters yet failed to make the cut for a story, and it is definitely dissuading to face such rejection. If we are to give the chance to an experienced individual who knows the requirements like the back of their hand instead of a new user who is full of potential, how can we expect this community to last? More users leave than join the applyfic community. Authors have to give newbies a chance to shine, and not simply leave them to fend for themselves.
Think of the first time you completed an application. Who guided you in the process? Perhaps a number of us figured the complex concepts out on our own, but most of us would have had been a mentee who followd the instructions of another member. What had been your character's name? Laughably, I admit that many of my characters were named Jonghyun, Seohyun, Jimin, all common names in Korea. But it is human nature that when we attempt something new, we also put in factors that we are familiar with. Why then do we condemn new users for using clichéd ideas whilst we did similarly, despite it being months, maybe years ago?
We as a community also have to address the issue of rudeness that surfaces on occasion. Conflicts may be natural, but I feel that most of the disputes among users only escalates when more of us, despite not knowing the full story, come to conclusions and decide to take a stand. This writing of mine will, without doubt, incite discussion, and we need to be able to tolerate the opinions of others in order to continue living in each other's presence. In this community, it is inevitable that we would bump shoulders with users who we may be against, and we have to live with it.
Think about it. For the betterment of this little part of the AFF society, it is essential that we begin to see things on a broader perspectve, and grant everyone an opportunity to function here without biased views. What with the koreaboos, the aspiring professional writers, the newbies... This is a platform to have fun, and it needs to stay that way.
The apply fiction (applyfic, as it will be referred to here) has seen its fair share of ups and downs since the first appearance of such stories in 2011. This is just a short five years ago, but we all know exactly how long five years can be, in the context of the Internet. I've been around in this community for the last four years now, when there were only around fifty of such stories and layouts weren't that much of a thing, so I presume I am able to speak about it with adequate knowledge.
Truth is, this community has changed.
If you have been an active member of this circle since, say, the beginning of this year, you would be aware of what I am speaking about. I shall not dive into the nitty gritty bits that may bore you. Maybe an experienced member would be able to tell you that. But let me just outline the situation loosely, and perhaps someone would have the courage to make a change.
It is fearful that this community has morphed into such a fashion that applications and stories alike are being judged based on a user's flair in the English language, and their ability to manage complicated HTML codes and tackle the ever-confusing part of aesthetics. Back in the day when layouts were limited to its respective community and stories appeared in a style similar to this text, nothing really mattered. It was probably around 2012 to 2013 when more users dabbled into the applyfic genre, and I feel this is owed to the numerous authors who, at that time, had been forgiving of amateurish mistakes and flaws. Heck, some applications were even done on FormAssembly! Look back at your very first application and compare it to your latest one, and you might laugh. Being unfamiliar with a certain skill definitely would cause us to falter even at the most basic tasks, especially if we do not receive the much-needed help from a senior member. To the authors, how many times have you seen a user ask, "How do I apply?" and how many times have you tripped over such a question? Perhaps in the recent years, when the community gained a larger population and we take for granted that people are aware of the technicalities of such a genre, we forget that new members are coming in every day. Why do we not give them a chance? I am sure many of us have created characters yet failed to make the cut for a story, and it is definitely dissuading to face such rejection. If we are to give the chance to an experienced individual who knows the requirements like the back of their hand instead of a new user who is full of potential, how can we expect this community to last? More users leave than join the applyfic community. Authors have to give newbies a chance to shine, and not simply leave them to fend for themselves.
Think of the first time you completed an application. Who guided you in the process? Perhaps a number of us figured the complex concepts out on our own, but most of us would have had been a mentee who followd the instructions of another member. What had been your character's name? Laughably, I admit that many of my characters were named Jonghyun, Seohyun, Jimin, all common names in Korea. But it is human nature that when we attempt something new, we also put in factors that we are familiar with. Why then do we condemn new users for using clichéd ideas whilst we did similarly, despite it being months, maybe years ago?
We as a community also have to address the issue of rudeness that surfaces on occasion. Conflicts may be natural, but I feel that most of the disputes among users only escalates when more of us, despite not knowing the full story, come to conclusions and decide to take a stand. This writing of mine will, without doubt, incite discussion, and we need to be able to tolerate the opinions of others in order to continue living in each other's presence. In this community, it is inevitable that we would bump shoulders with users who we may be against, and we have to live with it.
Think about it. For the betterment of this little part of the AFF society, it is essential that we begin to see things on a broader perspectve, and grant everyone an opportunity to function here without biased views. What with the koreaboos, the aspiring professional writers, the newbies... This is a platform to have fun, and it needs to stay that way.
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