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[10/11/13] Reimagining Our Image : YOU Decide!
By: Dot Dreadful Date: October 11, 2013, 9:52 am
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[font=georgia][center]I ask that before you cast your vote, you
read the following; it is incredibly important.[/center]
[font=georgia][size=9pt]Good Morning, babies! Sit down, get
comfortable, because we have some things to discuss.
In the beginning of this revamp, we on Staff were still deciding
what all we wanted to keep the same. We truthfully were
initially wanting to keep things mostly the same, just an
upgrade here and there, but the more we thought about it, the
more we discussed, the more we realized the potential that we
have to do something different with a site that has been around
for around eight years. We have a history, a past, and after
some time we realized we were still sort of living in it. It's
no secret that the Freedom of Speech days of old were full of
site errors and bugs we had no hope of fixing, as well as broken
skins and a community that was slowly dwindling down to still
boasting large numbers, but growing increasingly splintered and
silent. As Staff, it was disheartening and something Felina and
I wanted to change when we took over. She and I have been apart
of the site for many years and now that we're co-owners, we want
to make sure that the site gets the best that it can. We have a
phenomenal Staff who are genuinely passionate about writing and
about our Community and doing what is best for all of you. Our
mindset, first and foremost, is to provide the best haven we can
for writers just like us, and with that came the realization
that we can't stay in the past if we're wanting to move forward.
This overhaul of our image is something that needs to bring
about as much change for the better as we possibly can and that
brings us to what is happening over this weekend.
We are aware that we initially said that our site name and
domain would be staying the same, but that is no longer the
case. To put it bluntly, no matter what the outcome of the vote
this weekend will be, there is no possibility of us retaining
our same name and domain. Freedom of Speech was a great name, as
far as names for writing sites go it was unique and it's
implications were numerous--but that is no longer what we want
to go by. We on Staff feel there's mixed reactions linked with
our old name, memories of site errors and other past negativity
we wouldn't mind distancing ourselves from, and so that is
exactly what we're looking to do, and we're inviting you to take
part in shaping what our future. We've come up with three
distinct possible names for what our new Archive is going to be
called, and we are opening the floor to you, Community, to cast
your votes and decide what you'd like your new home to be
called. A lot of thought and planning was put in for these three
new titles, and before you cast your vote, I ask that you read
on to see what each name will mean should that be the victor of
our poll.
Avant-Garde Literature:
To start, avant-garde is described as, "of or pertaining to the
experimental treatment of artistic, musical, or literary
material.” The definition goes on to describe the term as,
“unorthodox or daring” as well as, “the advance group in any
field, but especially in visual, literary, or musical arts.” As
a name, this will show any and all who view our site that we are
not only serious in our craft but that we are always pushing the
envelope and striving to be the best that we can be. Even for
those of us who aren't seeking to be published authors, we
should still put our best foot forward and we should do it
exactly how we want. Our Community is a nice mix of authors all
with different creative ambitions and ideas, and we want to
convey that we accept any and all of them. Striving forward
toward better things is exemplified in this minimalistic title,
and the wealth of what it says about us cannot be measured.
Writing is never an exact science and there are always dark
corners to be explored and progressive movement is something to
be encouraged. Leave those comfort zones, break out of the
boxes, and if you want to show the world that you are unafraid,
this is the name for you.
Literary Savant:
A Savant is described as, "a learned person", and coupled with
what we authors are known for, implies that we are masters of
our craft. It's a title that rolls off the tongue with a
distinctive taste of sophistication and implies that we are to a
force to be reckoned with, a quiet rumble that never fully
quiets. What this title tells any who view our site is we take
what we do seriously, we take ourselves seriously, and no one
has the right to overlook us. We're here, and we're here to
stay. It inspires a feeling of old world and an establishment
that has been standing for years, as we have, and as authors we
can't possibly overlook the visual imprint of what this title
invokes. It's a name not to be forgotten, and with that imprint
we leave any and all who view our Community with a sense that
they've witnessed something undeniably great. With so many
different authors in our ranks, this name embodies the sense of
a grand library filled with books written by all those full of
such brilliance and inspiration. It's a title of uniformity, of
symbolism, and if you truly believe that we deserve to be
remembered and honored for all that we have accomplished to
bring us here, this is the name for you.
Ghosts of the Vanguard:
Of all of our possible titles, this is the one with the most
mystery surrounding it. It's a name that invokes an unusual and
probably different feel for every person who reads it, though I
assure it's probably not at all what you're thinking. With a
little explanation we can shed some light on this obscure title;
much like lighting a single candle in a dark attic. Vanguard is
the sister word of avant-garde, and is described as, “the
leaders of any intellectual movement,” along with, “the leading
position in any movement or field, or the people who occupy such
position." And while most don't know this, authors are actually
sometimes referred to as "ghosts"; why? Not only because of the
title of "ghostwriter", but also because there's the assumption
that countless newly created things were actually brought to
life by an author. Like an unseen force working behind the
scenes writers like us so very often are thankless for the work
that we do, and that is why the title of Ghost sometimes finds
it's way to an author--and it's not difficult to see why writing
fanfiction or truly any unpublished medium can come across as
unseen but still a very powerful force in existence. Combining
these terms together, you have the title you see before you now.
What does it symbolize? It symbolizes that we are the leaders of
our field, taking control of an often obscure title and turning
it into a symbol of pride. We may never see our work in print or
flying off the shelves, but we know who we are and what we stand
for. If you intend to haunt our medium and instill a strong
symbol of leadership and fearlessness into a craft that is
largely misunderstood and thankless and yet you intend to push
forward in spite of the odds, this is the name for you.
[sub]*It should be noted that all site names will come with a
tagline, a secondary line beneath the title for a brief overview
of who we are and what we stand for. That will be worked on and
decided upon by Staff once an actual name has been selected from
the list.[/sub][/font]
[size=9pt][font=georgia]These are your choices, darlings. You
may select one of the three (you can only vote once), whichever
name you would like for our new Archive--so I advise that you
think carefully before giving up your one and only vote. The
poll will close by Monday, October 14th and once it's closed,
it's closed, so if you want your voice to be heard you need to
cast your vote without delay! Please note that we are not
accepting any other names or variations of these names, and if
you don't like the names then you don't need to vote. You'll
notice there is no option for "none of the above", so you can
kindly keep any negative comments to yourself. This is not a
time for negativity, this is not a time to be overly nostalgic
about the past. We are now focusing on moving forward, and this
is the path we on Staff have guided you on.
Once the poll has closed and the winning title determined, we on
Staff will begin on our end, and that comes with the
announcement that we are pushing the opening date back to
Friday, October 18th. That is the official date, we will be up
and running by then so you may freely mark your calendars and
you may begin an official countdown anywhere you like starting
on Monday. We on Staff appreciate your understanding of us
having to push the date back, but with the renaming of the site
we needed some extra time to make sure everything checks out and
is running smoothly. Stay tuned come Monday for a full
newsletter detailing what opening procedures are going to be.
For now, thank you for your time, your patience and
understanding, and your votes!
[/font]
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