So long, and thanks for all the shinies

[altariel]

I'm sad about the mefas (the Middle-earth Fanfiction Awards) coming to an end. It's a rare fandom project that runs so long (eight years) with so little drama. The organisers slogged their guts out every year to make the awards happen. I'm personally very grateful to Marta for her swift and decisive action on my behalf over a ratings issue a couple of years back. Thank you to Marta, and to everyone who worked so hard to make this such a lovely and rewarding part of fandom life over the years.

Fandom being the organic creature that it is, discussions about a new awards system are already underway: mefa_ratings. Participation, opinions, and volunteers are being sought.

Comments

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I think it is sad, too.

I think, though, that Marta (and Aranel for that matter) must have been feeling close to burned out by it all before so many people went 'AAAARGH!' when they saw the newly worded rating system - or she would not have just pulled out the pegs, rolled the tents, and moved on in a matter of a few days. Especially as at least one of the organising committee seemed surprised at the closing announcement.

It really could have been worked through - because as they were posted, and as someone who was likely to have to try and apply them being on one of the ratings panels, I thought they would be difficult to interpret in places. The 1-6 system having already been coded into the site could have remained - but the definitions simplified and the ructions would probably have died down. Except that it looked as if the 1-6 bits being coded in was giving Aranel problems in itself - I do wonder if they asked her about feasibility before deciding on it as the way to go, now I think of it...

So perhaps all this coming so very unexpectedly to a head might, in the end, be a relief to some of those carrying the weight - and new blood will be good for all involved.

Or the new blood with end up screaming at each other and pulling their (our, in a small way) hair out, of course...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I burned out in less than 6 months as moderator of the HA list, so the stamina of these guys amazes me. I was content to go with the new ratings system for 2012, despite its bureaucracy, if a structural revamp was in the offing for 2013 (which looked increasingly likely). Anyway, that isn't going to happen now. I hope these new awards do very well: there certainly seems to be a lot of goal congruence and goodwill, and that can carry people a long way.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

It's an astonishing amount of work, particularly being the webmistress, so I'm not at all surprised the entire team is not feeling up for another go.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

The webmistress, Aranel, has borne a particularly heavy burden, I think.

[phyloxena.livejournal.com]

Sad sad.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It is :-(

[wormwood-7.livejournal.com]

To keep this kind of commitment up, requiring both time, technical know-how and private money, over eight years is no mean feat. It is sad that the MEFAs are ending (at least in its present form), but quite an achievement that they lasted as long as they did.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, a real achievement.

The new people look like they're gearing up to do some wonderful awards too.