RULES FOR POSTING YOUR WORK. 1) Only YOUR original works are allowed. This means you cannot post your brother's work here (even if you identify it as your brother’s). Or your cousin's work (even if you identify it as your cousin’s). Nor can you post the work of your favorite singer/painter/novelist (even if you identify it as such). Nor can you post 100% of the text of a Peter Maas Op-Ed from the New York Times about Peak Oil (even if you identify it as such). Nor can you post here some way-cool video you randomly stumbled upon on YouTube (even if you identify it as not your video). We will not tolerate those kinds of
DMCA violations here. So it has to be your work, that you came up with, by yourself, out of your own brain, and that you coaxed into existence with your own fingers.
We also will not tolerate “fan fiction” here because that constitutes a good old-fashioned
copyright violation. (Speaking of copyrights, it isn't required that you copyright your own work, but I personally do encouraged copyrights.)
For further reading on the perils of fan fiction,
here is a conversation thread that I've linked from an internet message community whose members are devoted exclusively to the craft of writing. You don't have to read the whole thread, just the first two pages should suffice. If the tone of the writers at that message board shocks you, please understand that they all take it very seriously when copyright gets violated. It's downright sacred to them.
2) Only "on-topic" works can be posted here. By "on-topic" I mean creative works related to Kunstler-ish interests. Such as: Peak Oil, Sustainability, Good Architecture, Bad Architecture, Eyesores, New Urbanism, Suburbia, Sprawl, Localism, Home Gardening, Public Transit, Banking Fiascos, etc.
A good rule of thumb is to pay attention to what normally gets discussed in the "General Discussion" sub-forum. Any kind of topic that we tend to discuss in that sub-forum is fair game for a creative work in this sub-forum. But video footage you shot of your kid's dance recital is not “on-topic.” Neither is an original work of fiction that you wrote about a lonely abandoned robot in the year 2073 who lives on the streets of Chicago where he survives by working as an illegal drug dealer.
3) Only one thread per creative work. Such as …. If you are writing an original novel, and if you are doling it out for us one chapter at a time, (like maybe one chapter per week for weeks and weeks on end) it must all be consolidated into just one thread. You are not allowed to split it up between dozens of different threads. But if you have an essay one week, and a video the next week, then it’s perfectly fine (even preferable) that they each get their own thread.
4) INDICATE UP FRONT IF YOU DO --OR DO NOT-- WANT ANY FEEDBACK! This is a very touchy subject for creative souls. I personally used to get so hopeful when I launched a new thread (at a writer’s forum) featuring my latest screenplay, expecting everyone else to see all the cool characters and snappy dialogue I was so proud of. But instead, the very first response to my offering was from someone who only focused on my spelling errors, my over-drawn style of writing, and my failure to include Plot Point #1 before Page 10. So …. Here in this sub-forum, you need to state as clearly as possible
a) whether you even want any criticism or would prefer we toss you nothing but kisses and rose petals, and
b) if you DO want criticism, tell us plainly if you want us to be “gentle” or “moderate” or if we should “tear it apart.” It is NOT ENOUGH for you to vaguely say "Tell me what you think." You must be far more specific than that as far as what you want us to focus on. (And for works of writing, tell us if we should ignore the spelling and grammar, or if spelling and grammar corrections are desired.) I used to always want nothing but “gentle.” However, after a while I got serious about wanting to sell my work in the real world, and that’s when I started insisting that people tear my stuff to shreds to help me make it as professional as possible.
5) Erotica and/or Porn. I need to have a chat with Duncan about this. So let’s keep that one on hold for now. So until Duncan comes to a determination: when in doubt, DON’T. Just got the word from Duncan that this is a "No." (Too much responsibility/liability.) So once again: when in doubt ... DON'T.
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